Is she the one? Is it time for you to finally settle down? Or would you like to finally claim this partner you love to be legally and eternally YOURS ? Well, go on then. Make her yours but before anything else, a piece of advice: women likes to be asked. So before you go down that altar and commit your life to each other, you have to ASK her. You know what I’m talking about, that beautiful and romantic scenery where you had your first date maybe, or where you first met, or that place only the two of you know where you finally realized that you loved this person with you, the candle light or dinner, and then there’s you down on your knees with…what’s that on your hand? (gasp) An engagement ring! This is what guys go through, the ritual that we call: The PROPOSAL.
The Four Cs in a Diamond, if not these are: Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat.
There are three things that should always be present in a proposal: first is LOVE, of course. Second, the couple that feels that love – hence, you and your partner. And lastly, The Ring. It’s not a proper proposal without a ring. The ring symbolizes that you’ve finally done it, you’ve manned up and asked her and she said YES. It’s something you should be extremely proud of.
Remember though that nothing worthwhile is ever easy, so don’t expect these rings to come cheap because love isn’t cheap. But we should also be practical, the bigger investment should go to the marriage not the wedding, right? So, don’t go out there buying a ring like a headless chicken. Prepare a budget and do your research to get the best out of your money. So to start you out, here are the estimated amounts you should be expecting depending on the quality, size and type of ring.
Engagement rings are typically made of diamonds because, well, they’re a girl’s bestfriend and you’ve probably heard of the Four Cs in a Diamond, if not these are: Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat.
The CUT determines the brilliance of the ring, this is what makes the ring sparkle. The sparklier the better, they are categorized into Ideal, Very Good, Good, and Fair, the foremost being the most brilliant. Besides the quality of cut, there are also different types of cuts or shapes. The most popular shape is the Round Cut Diamond or the Brilliant Cut but it is also the most expensive compared to the also popular, Princess Cut diamonds. Other cuts include Cushion, Asscher, Emerald, Radiant, Heart, Oval, Pear, and Marquise.
Next is the COLOR of the diamond, in this aspect of the diamond less is more. Meaning the colorless diamonds are more valued and hence, they are more expensive. Color is rated alphabetically starting with D with the least amount of color and Z with the highest tint. The third C is for Clarity, like cut the clearer or the less flaws there are on the diamond, the more expensive and there are ratings for this as well which are Flawless (FL), Internally Flawless (IF), Very, Very Small Inclusions (VVS), Very Small Inclusions (VS), Small Inclusions (SI) and Imperfect (I).
Lastly, the Carat weight which is probably you are most familiar with. The carat weight is basically the size of the diamond. They are also probably one of the biggest predictor in terms of pricing. However, size really isn’t everything, especially on the price. These four Cs all contribute to the overall pricing. Also, choose a jeweller carefully, again: do your research. There are beautiful rings – engagement or not – to be found even in small, retail markets. Don’t go running off to Tiffany & Co. just yet. Remember, the lock should not be more valuable than the treasure – don’t buy the brand, buy the product which is best for your partner.