If you are currently looking to buy an engagement ring or are thinking seriously of buying one for your betrothed in the near future then there are a few things that you should be aware of. An antique engagement ring or other unique engagement ring can at the same time be equal in beauty yet differ enormously in price. Traditionally, three months salary should be spent on a gold engagement ring, but this must really only be followed as a very loose rule of thumb. De Beers, the world’s largest supplier of diamonds, were the ones who came up with this arbitrary rule in an obvious attempt to get people to spend large sums of money on their diamonds. Buying unique diamond engagement rings should be a pleasurable experience, and so make sure you are spending within your means and fix a budget in your head first before searching for your engagement ring online or elsewhere. Many reputable jewellers can be found on the internet and can be well trusted to offer very competitive prices and quality jewellery, but if you want to speak with someone face to face you can always head to a jewellers shop. Or if you want to make a considerable saving go direct to the manufacturer, otherwise known as goldsmith or diamond mounter who generally works out of workshops and who can offer much cheaper prices then a shop with a fancy display window, as they have none of their expensive overheads.
Tulip set diamond engagement ring
Prices for a solitaire engagement ring or similar model vary almost exclusively as a result of the gemstone that is set. For most, the diamond is still the stone of choice, although increasingly people are opting for emerald or ruby engagement rings. Doing a little research on the factors that affect the price of coloured gems will put you in a strong position when negotiating with gem dealers and jewellers, but when it comes to diamonds remember the 4 C’s, which are the main characteristics of a diamond used for grading and calculating its value. First off, and probably the most well-known is the carat size. Ultimately this will be the most significant factor affecting the cost of your vintage engagement ring, with prices varying greatly for stones that are just under and just over one carat. The optimum colour of a diamond is colourless, but there are certain so-called fancy colours that are particularly rare and so also expensive. The cut or shape of the stone is the next element to be aware of, with cushion cut and princess cut engagement rings popular choices. If you want to design your own engagement ring then decide on the shape of the stone first and go from there, as there are many varieties. Lastly is the clarity of the stone, which can be important to some and not so important to others. Flawless stones will cost you a small fortune and deciding upon one with very slight inclusions will save you plenty of money and to the untrained eye will look almost identical.
