Tailored Wedding Dresses Blog

Choosing an engagement ring may seem nearly impossible with all of the options and styles out there. What kind of setting, if you have side stones, which color and shape you choose – the possibilities are just endless!

The first thing every bride needs to do when picking out an engagement ring is set a firm budget. This doesn’t mean that you can’t exceed it by a few hundred dollars to get the ring of your dreams, but it keeps your expectations in the right bracket when you begin your search. There is nothing worse than walking into the store and being shown the most expensive rings they have to offer only to find that they are thousands of dollars out of your budget – talk about setting yourself up for disappointment!

Once the budget is determined, the fun begins! Now that you now how much you have to spend, you have to decide if you want a traditional white diamond or a colored stone such as a sapphire, ruby, or emerald just to name a few. Celebrity brides started the trend of colored stones for engagement rings and it has steadily gained popularity year after year. Whether you choose a traditional white diamond or a deep blue sapphire, you have to be sure that whatever you pick fits your personality perfectly.

Now that the stone has been chosen, you need a crash course in picking out the perfect diamond. The four C’s can be confusing, and when you’re in the jewelry store they may not seem nearly as important as how that ring looks on your finger, but they will mean a lot in the long run – especially when you get home and notice that maybe you got a lesser diamond than you had hoped!

So, here is a crash course on the four C’s – Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat. The Cut of the diamond refers to the angles and proportions of a diamond. If the diamond is cut well it will reflect light and sparkle brilliantly. The Color of the diamond refers to the amount of (usually) yellow that is present in the diamond. Diamonds that are colorless are the most desirable, however they are more expensive and very rare. The Clarity of the diamond refers to the natural impurities in the diamond. Some impurities can be seen easily by the naked eye, making the diamond significantly less expensive than a diamond with little or no impurities. Be sure to always choose a diamond that is appealing to your eye. And lastly, Carat. The actual weight of each diamond is measured in carats. People often think that more carats means a bigger diamond, however it is the cut of the diamond that may make it look larger or smaller rather than the carat weight. 

Once you pick your stone, you need to pick a metal to have it set in. Metals range from gold and white gold to platinum, which is the most popular choice among brides (and the most expensive). When choosing gold or white gold, be sure to get 18k gold or at least 14k gold to be sure that your ring will be stable and solid enough to hold your stone. When choosing your metal, make sure that it fits your personality whether it be casual or formal, afterall you will be wearing this ring every day for the rest of your life!

And lastly, get your ring appraised and insured! There is nothing more heart breaking than losing your engagement ring and not being able to replace it!