Are you looking for a modern architectural design, a unique cluster or something art deco with an antique air? Do you know what you want widthwise, to the millimeter? Have you asked yourself what type of cut you’d like? Indeed there are a huge plethora of decisions you’re going to have to make when it comes to choosing an engagement ring and the process can become overwhelming. So to help, together with Angelic Diamonds, stockists of diamond engagement rings here’s our IDEAL Guide to the most popular engagement ring settings, shapes and stones.
THE SETTING
Some settings have more diamonds in or require more craftsmanship — for this reason they can be more expensive. Below are the most common types of engagement ring:
THE HALO RING: A halo ring has a large centre diamond surrounded by smaller stones that sit on the band. Often the band is bejewelled too which can increase the cost.
THREE STONE ENGAGEMENT RING: Another ring with multiple diamonds in is a three-stone engagement ring. These rings have three diamonds on the band, often the middle diamond is the largest — giving off a glitzy appearance.
SOLITAIRE RING: One of the most popular types of engagement rings however is a solitaire engagement ring. It is a traditional style where a single diamond sits on a metal band and fits nicely with a wedding ring.
TENSION SET: Tension-set engagement rings are similar as they often only have one diamond on the band. In these settings, the diamond is held in place by the pressure of the metal and it is designed to ‘squeeze’ the stone.
DIAMOND SHAPES
Do you have any preferences as to which shape of the diamond you choose from? Have you ever thought about which shape of the diamond you would prefer? Some are self-explanatory such as an oval or round diamond however others may take some explaining.
The most popular choice is a princess shaped diamond. But what is this? This cut is where the face-up profile of the diamond is square and the side view is alike to an inverted pyramid. Cushion cut diamonds are a mix of round and square outlines and are considered to be more of an antique style. There is also a marquise cut which is quite a dramatic shape — like an elongated oval so it can appear bigger than it actually is.
According to one US jewellery retailer the order of the most to least expensive shape of diamond is as follows (bear in mind this will vary between retailers):
- Round
- Pear
- Marquise
- Heart
- Princess
THE METAL
Platinum, gold and silver are the most popular metals available to choose from. They differ in price and appearance and it’s all down to personal preferences!
Pure gold is too soft to be sold, therefore it is mixed with other metals which can change its appearance. Yellow gold for example, is pure gold combined with a small amount of silver and copper — giving off a warm appearance. White gold on the other hand is brilliant, it is pure gold combined with palladium and silver or with nickel, copper and zinc. It is a perfect backdrop for diamonds and complements them beautifully.
Platinum is a highly durable metal. In fact, it was removed from the jewellery market around the time of the war as the resources were used for military use instead. It’s more expensive than gold as it is around 30 times rarer. Since it’s a strong metal, it is also the purest — often sold at 95% purity.
If you’re looking for something different, rose gold could be the one for you. This is pure gold plus copper gives off a red tinge. The more copper that it is combined with, the redder it appears.
Sterling silver is another metal that is popular — it is the most affordable out of the others. Similar to gold, pure silver is too soft to make into jewellery. Therefore, it is combined with copper or other metals to improve its durability.
THE AVERAGE SPEND
It’s 2018 and gone are the days of going to a jewellers to pick out a style that is the result of someone else’s imagination. From couples splitting the cost of the engagement ring to forgoing the traditional diamond of yesteryear, there are lots of modern trends when it comes to getting married.
According to research by insurance company Protect Your Bubble showed that couples spending less on engagement rings are one of the. In fact they found that they are spending 19% less on engagement rings than they did 5-10 years ago. Now, the average spend on an engagement ring is close to £1,000. Also, 18% of people spend less than £500 on an engagement ring for their other half. When it comes to spending, don’t feel as though you have to spend the traditional ‘two to three months’ salary’ on an engagement ring.
