ENGAGEMENT RING, DIAMOND ENGAGEMENT RINGS

What about the Engagement Ring!

The engagement ring that you give your future spouse will provide one of the most lasting memories of your love. This ring represents the promise of long lasting love and commitment.

The most popular ring will usually have one or more diamonds mounted in a setting. Diamonds are classified by the Gemological Institute of America.

When looking for the right ring you need to pay attention to the 4Cs. These are:

Cut - The cut of the diamond determines its ability to reflect light. The cut is rated excellent, very good, good, fair and poor.

A diamond cut too shallow will allow the light to go right through the stone not leaving much light to reflect.

If the diamond is cut too deep, the light will escape through the sides making it look dull.

Most diamonds used in these rings are between good and very good. When you buy one of the different unusual engagement rings, it is harder to determine the rating of the cut.

Color - The color of diamond is rated on a scale from D to Z. Any stone in the range D-E-F is considered colorless, G-H-I-J near colorless K-L-M faint yellow, N-O-P-Q-R very light yellow, S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z light yellow and anything darker yellow is considered fancy.

Even though from J to Z you can see the yellow color with the naked eye, the cut will determine how the diamond reflects light.

Clarity - Almost all diamonds have some minor inclusions (flaws). The clarity has to do with the number and size of these flaws.

The ratings for clarity are FL - Flawless, there are no internal or external flaws

IF - Internally Flawless, there are no internal flaws with slight external flaws

VVS1 - VVS2, Very, Very Slight Inclusions, these are even hard for a professional to detect

VS1 - VS2, Very Slight Inclusions, the inclusions cannot be seen by the naked eye

SI1 - SI2 - SI3, Slight Inclusions, the inclusions can be seen under magnification

I1 - I2 - I3, Included, have inclusions visible to the naked eye.

Carat - The carat is the weight of the diamond measured using .20 grams equal to 1 carat. Weight is often given in points. 100 points is one carat. An ring with a 50 point diamond in it is considered a � carat ring.

The combination of cut, clarity, color and carat weight will determine how valuable an engagement ring will be.

High end diamond engagement rings may be a 3 carat engagement ring or a three stone engagement ring but you will find that the other factors play an important role in making it high end.

Remember, there are other precious stones that are used in a ring. Ruby, sapphire, emerald, topaz, aquamarine, amethyst, garnet and opal are often substituted for diamonds, all depending on your taste.

Don't fret if you are not an expert, buy something you like. It's the meaning and commitment that counts.

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