Singaporebrides | Essentials
August 2020
6 Engagement Ring Basics That Are Good To Know
Gain the confidence to shop for an engagement ring with our nifty little guide now!
Shopping for an engagement ring can be an intimidating experience if you are shopping for jewellery for the first time or are not well-versed in diamond talk. To give you the confidence you need to shop for the one ring that will rule your beloved’s heart (and ring finger), we’ve created a series of pretty and easy-to-understand infographics on the six things you need to know about buying an engagement ring.
Get To Know The Ring Better
Before we go into what the 4C’s stand for, let’s start at the beginning. Learning about where the shank of the ring is and what the various parts of the ring are called will facilitate the discussion with your jeweller during your ring shopping experience.
Diamond Basics : The 4C’s
Now that you’ve learned about the various parts of an engagement ring, let’s get you acquainted with the main star of the show – the diamond. While it may be your first time shopping for a diamond ring, you might have heard of the 4C’s. The 4C’s refer to the cut, colour, clarity and carat weight of a diamond, and is the criteria by which the sought-after gemstone is judged on.
The cut of a diamond is its most definitive quality and indisputably its most important characteristic, regardless of its colour, clarity and carat weight. It determines the symmetry of the gemstone’s facets, its overall proportions and its ability to reflect light. The higher the symmetry, the more able a diamond can reflect light beautifully to achieve maximum brilliance.
The next most important characteristic of a diamond varies from person to person because it depends on what you want from this precious gemstone. If you want a bigger stone, then carat weight would be more important than colour and clarity. However, if you want the best colour grade or a flawless diamond, then these qualities would come before its carat weight.
Diamond Basics : The Shape
The Solitaire is one of the most common and sought after diamond shape for its timelessness, but if a round shaped diamond is not your cup of tea, don’t worry as the sparkly gemstone comes in many more shapes. To help you decide which shape is compatible with the lady of your dreams, we’ve listed some of the more common diamond shapes in the market.
The square-shaped Princess and the angular shaped Emerald and Radiant shapes are perfect for brides who prefer clean lines and a modern look to their bling. Brides who prefer a more vintage look to their rings will love the Cushion and Pear shaped diamonds. For the hopeless romantic, a heart shaped diamond will be the one that rules her heart.
Diamond Basics : The Ring Setting
Next up, let’s learn about engagement ring settings. Now, this is where it truly gets hard, but with a little help, you’ll be able to identify the different ring settings with just one look. We’ve picked out eight of the most common engagement ring settings requested for, amongst others, so get ready to study them.
Coloured Gemstones and Its 4C’s
While diamonds still remain a popular choice for engagement rings, coloured gemstones such as sapphires, emeralds, rubies and morganites are getting increasingly popular amongst young soon-to-be-wed couples today.
Like diamonds, coloured gemstones are graded according to their 4C’s – colour, carat, cut and clarity. However, unlike its crystal clear counterpart, colour is the most important characteristic for coloured gemstones. The uniformity, beauty and quality of its colour determines its quality and value. The stronger the tone of a coloured gemstone, the higher its value.
Engagement and Wedding Ring Statistics For 2020
To help you further along your engagement ring shopping, we’ve surveyed 96 of our readers aged between 25 and 36 years old to find out where they’ve bought their rings from, what the average carat size they go for, what is the most commonly bought diamond shape and whether they prefer diamonds over coloured gemstones, or vice versa.
While these statistics are great to reference to during your engagement ring shopping, they are by no means an absolute representation of every soon-to-wed couple’s buying preference. So, even if you do not fall into the majority, that’s perfectly fine.
Armed with these six essential engagement ring basics and these easy-to-understand and downloadable infographics, shopping for that perfect ring for the love of your life will no longer seem as daunting!
Credits: Cindy and Stan’s Stunning Wedding at Changi Cove Hotel’s Command House by Ivan Seah Photography.
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