Meant to last a lifetime, your engagement and wedding rings are the most powerful and enduring symbols of your union.
A perfect circle, without beginning or end, a ring represents the complete bond between you and your spouse. A ring placed on the third finger of the left hand, circling the vena amoris (vein of love), signifies a direct connection to the heart. Adorned with the strength and beauty of diamonds and other precious stones, this symbol conveys a true and enduring commitment to love, honor and cherish. You may be among the lucky few whose future husband is blessed with uncanny sensitivity and forethought - a man who anticipates your every desire. Even so, plan on accompanying your intended during the first few visits to the jeweler. Your emotional response to different bands and settings will lead you to the right decision for this soulful, sentimental purchase. THE COST Most of us are aware of the two-month rule, which suggests the value of an engagement ring should equal two months of the groom's salary. It is a considerable investment, one worth careful thought and consideration. The groom will be purchasing the bride's wedding ring, and although tradition indicates that the bride purchase the groom's wedding ring, some grooms opt to purchase this as well. THE 4-C's The most important things to consider when shopping for a diamond are cut, color, clarity and carat. These are known as the four C's. Contrary to popular belief, cut and not carat is the number one factor in determining the value of a diamond. Cut A well-cut diamond beautifully directs rays of light to the diamond's facets, the small planes on the surface of the stone. The reflected light emanating from the facets defines a stone's fire and brilliance. "Fire" is the intensity of the rainbow of colors cast outward in a prism-like effect, while "brilliance" indicates the amount of sparkle generated. Cut should not be confused with the shape of a diamond, which includes brilliant (round), princess (square), oval, pear, marquis, emerald, heart and triangle. Color The color of a diamond is the next quality to consider. The best color, quite simply, is no color at all, since an absolutely colorless diamond reflects light most beautifully. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) ranks diamonds on a standard 23-grade scale, from D through Z. D, the highest rating, indicates a perfectly colorless stone, while Z, the lowest rating, indicates a light yellow stone. The color ranges within this scale are colorless, near colorless, very light yellow, and light yellow. Clarity Next to consider is the clarity of a diamond. Clarity is defined by the number, color, nature, size and position of natural marks, called inclusions, contained in the gem. Inclusions occur naturally during the process of crystallization, when minute traces of minerals are trapped in the diamond. To determine clarity, an appraiser examines a diamond through a jeweler's loupe, which magnifies the stone ten times. The fewer and smaller the inclusions a diamond contains, the greater its clarity and thus its value. Excellent clarity means light is able to pass unimpeded through the stone. The GIA judges clarity based on a standard 11-part grading scale, as follows: FL & IF:Flawless and internally flawless (inclusions not visible under 10x) VVS1 & VVS2: Very, very slight inclusions (extremely difficult to see under 10x) VS1 & VS2: Very slight inclusions (difficult to see under 10x) SI1 & SI2: Small inclusions (noticeable under 10x) I1, I2, I3: Imperfect (flaws visible to the unaided eye) Carat The carat weight of a diamond is the final consideration. In ancient times, gem size was measured against carob seeds, which are remarkably consistent in weight. One carat equaled the weight of a single carob seed. In today's terms, a carat is the standard metric weight of 0.2 grams, or 1/142 of an ounce. Another way to indicate a diamond's weight is in points, with one carat equaling 100 points. So a diamond of 50 points, for instance, equals 1/2 carat. Diamonds of more than one carat are extremely rare (one in a thousand), and therefore very valuable. But remember that carat weight is only one factor in determining value. Two diamonds of the same size can vary considerably in value depending on the other factors - cut, color and clarity. COLORED STONED In America, about 75% of the engaged women wear the traditional engagement ring. Among the other 25%, the most common choice is a beautiful colored gemstone with smaller diamonds displayed around it, lending a little of the traditional fire and brilliance. FOR THE GROOM Increasingly popular choices for men are the diamond wedding band and the combination gold and platinum band. Platinum's status as one of the world's rarest metals has made it a popular choice for wedding rings in recent years. The two-tone look of 14K or 18K gold combined with platinum also appeals to the practical side of many men, because it easily complements two-tone watches and other jewelry.
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