How to Choose an Engagement Ring

There are many possible styles of engagementexample, a ring that would cost you in excess of
rings to choose from, whether you are going to$20,000 can be had for around $2,500 or less.
get a custom design or buy a ring ready made.Different Gemstone Cuts
Part of the decision on what to choose will beChoosing a cut for your gems in your ring is really
predicated by your budget. However, with thea matter of personal taste, although the size and
advances in technology, providing us withquality of the stone, as well as your budget, may
man-made gemstones and high qualityinfluence matters also. Below is a quick guide to
semi-precious stones like cubic zirconia otherthe different types of gemstone cuts available:
diamond alternatives like moissanite, that still- Round (brilliant) cut - 57 facets, most popular cut
leaves ample room to choose a style that isfor diamonds
unique to your girlfriend's personal style.- Oval Cut - 69 facets, an elliptical shape
In terms of design, you can choose from vintage,- Baguette cut - 20 facets, oblong shape
modern, designer, or even culturally inspired rings- Square cut - 57 facets
with Celtic designs. You could have a plain gold- Trilliant cut - 43 facets, a triangle cut that
ring, or any type of precious or semi-preciousreturns a lot of brilliance, like the brilliant cut. Good
gemstone. The gemstones could be pave style,with diamonds
princess cut, cushion cut, solitaire, emerald-cut,- Pear cut - 71 facets, a combination of the
asscher cut, or a number of other gem styles.marquis and oval, shaped like a teardrop. Can
Lets have a look at what some of these termsseem to lengthen fingers when worn.
mean for engagement rings.- Emerald cut - 50 facets, rectangular, with
Vintage Engagement Ringstruncated corners, a step cut
True vintage rings in the style you want may be- Octagon cut - 53 facets, step cut, but unlike the
difficult to find, and some people don't like wearingemerald cut, the steps are not equidistant
pre-owned jewelry. However, you can always get- Marquis cut - 57 facets, elongated oval shape;
a custom ring designed from a picture of anoften has smaller gems around it
antique ring. And a lot of online jewelers have a- Antique cushion cut - 64 facets, a combination
range of rings that are designed in a vintage style.of a deep cut with large facets and the oval cut.
The advantage of this is you can exert quite a bitIt's also called the pillow cut, old miner cut, or old
of control over the design - perhaps you'd preferEuropean cut.
a vintage looking ring in platinum, or a VictorianTypes Of Metals Used In Engagement Rings
style ring with a large diamond center/ You'd beEngagement rings are traditionally made out of
hard pressed to find either of those designs in agold, although these days platinum is also very
true vintage Victorian ring as diamonds werepopular. Platinum is a harder metal than gold, and
more scarce then, and platinum too hard to workalso more expensive.
with.As well as traditional yellow gold, you can have
Popular vintage engagement rings include art deco,rose gold and white gold engagement rings. These
Edwardian, filigree, and Victorian designs.are made using different alloys of gold that
Inexpensive Engagement Ringschange the metal's color. If you're choosing a ring
Even without the current uncertain economicto surprise your girlfriend, you may want to have
climate, some women prefer not to spend tensa look at the type of gold jewelry she normally
of thousands on an engagement ring. That moneyprefers. It's worth talking to a close relative or
may be earmarked for a house deposit, or evenfriend as well however. For instance, she may not
a big honeymoon. And some couples may simplywear a lot of platinum jewelry, but it is the most
not have the luxury of choice given their financialpopular metal used in engagement rings today.
situation.Non-Diamond Engagement Rings
Fortunately, you can get beautiful engagementWhilst diamonds are the most popular type of
rings that look like the real thing without thestone used in engagement rings, there's no reason
prohibitive price tag. This is a real boon if yourthey have to be. Your girlfriend may have a
girlfriend likes huge stones but can't afford a caratfavorite stone, be it precious or semi-precious.
or more of diamonds.Rubies, emeralds, and sapphires are all quite
There are several options for inexpensivepopular choices after the traditional diamond.
engagement rings. Cubic zirconia and moissaniteAnd some of these gemstones, like sapphires and
are both comparatively cheap diamonddiamonds, naturally occur in a number of different
alternatives. And there are also many synthetic,colors. One of the most expensive is the pink
or lab created diamonds, rubies, emeralds anddiamond, which can be an exquisite shade of icy
sapphires. These lab created precious stones arepink or a deep bubble-gum or strawberry pink.
virtually chemically identical to the real thing. TheyNatural colored diamonds are also available in
are actually created using lab techniques thatyellow, blue, and brown (ranging from champagne
replicate the same processes that occur overto cognac) shades . Natural colored diamonds are
thousands of years in the earth's crust.very rare and expensive compared to regular
Lab created precious stones aren't as cheap asdiamonds. They are truly unique stones.
diamond alternatives like cubic zirconia andAnd sapphires come in purple, pink, yellow, and
moissanite, however, they have the same sparklegreen, as well as an array of other synthetic
and depth that a real stone has. And they are stillcolors (those colors listed are natural).
much cheaper than their natural counterparts. For