By far the easiest way to shop for a diamond engagement ring is to go online, as the internet offers a huge selection of engagement rings for you to scrutinise at your leisure. Of course, being able to shop for such an important item without having any intimidating sales staff around is all well and good, but there are still a number of things which you need to be aware of before purchasing a diamond ring.
Shape
There are ten different shapes which diamonds are commonly cut into, as well as a whole host of ‘designer’ shapes which are becoming more prevalent within the industry. Many popular shapes such as round, oval, pear, and heart need little explanation whereas other less well-known shapes such as Marquise and Radiant may not be so familiar. By investigating all of your options, you may find something you like which you simply had no idea of beforehand.
Size
Although many men still believe that “size is everything”, this is now no longer the case, Put it this way: would you rather have a dull, lifeless rock on your finger just so that you can tell everyone it is three carats or have a smaller sparkler which will catch all of your friends’ attention without you having to wave your hand in front of them to get noticed? Quality, rather than quantity, is what really counts.
The “Four C’s”
This is without doubt the most common phrase used in the diamond business and therefore the most important when shopping for a diamond online. The Four C’s refer to a diamond’s cut, colour, clarity and carat (weight). Many prospective diamond buyers spend so much time focusing on colour and clarity, that the cut is often overlooked. A diamond’s cut is what determines its brilliance, and therefore what gives it it’s “fire” and sparkle. There really is little point in buying a diamond which has flawless clarity and perfect colour (white) if the cut is so poor that the stone itself is dull and lifeless.
Metal mounting
This really comes down to your own personal preferences, although yellow gold is a solid favourite as it always looks great with solitaire engagement rings. Yellow gold is also a good option for mounting diamonds with a lower colour grade as the yellow from the diamond blends into the setting better. White gold and platinum provide a more modern look and are ideal for three stone rings. However, it is important to choose a diamond which has a high colour grade, as the white mounting can draw attention to the yellow tint of a low colour grade stone.
If you are looking to purchase diamond engagement rings or indeed any other diamond jewellery online, spend some time with us here at Marlows. Our secure online payments provide total security for all diamond purchases, and of course, we offer a complete money-back guarantee on all of our diamond rings, loose diamonds and other jewellery. Come and see us today!
