Vintage Diamond Engagement Rings – Buying The Engagement Ring

The most popular of engagement traditions is the groom giving his bride-to-be with a ring. Most often, the engagement ring is a diamond ring. Even though diamonds are the most desired by brides-to-be, diamonds are not the sole precious stones used in engagement rings.

If your selection of engagement ring is a diamond ring, be ready to spend. The diamond jewelry retail market is a $30 billion market. Over $5 billion is spent on engagement ring in the U.S. market.

To the untrained eye, most diamonds look really the same. Most individuals differentiate between diamonds based on size, shape, and price. A lower cost generally means lower diamond quality, not necessarily a bargain.

Judging diamond quality requires skill and experience, and it involves grading a ring based on a blend of features for example cut, clarity, color and carat weight. The mentioned features are called the “4 Cs”. A diamond’s weight is measured in carats, equivalent to one fifth of a gram.

Diamond colors are coded from D to Z. A D grade is the best precious and Z is least valuable. Diamonds graded D-F are regarded colorless and they are the most valuable. Numerous respectable jewelry shops do not sell K thru Z grade diamonds.

The most precious color grades:

D: Absolutely colorless. The highest colour grade, which is extremely rare.
E: Colorless. Only minute traces of color can be detected by an expert gemologist. An uncommon diamond.
F: Colorless. Slight color observed by an expert gemologist, but still considered a “colorless” grade. A high-quality diamond.

Another essential factor determining the cost of a diamond is its cut. Just like colour, cut, is just as hard to judge for the untrained eye. The grading certificate that usually comes with the diamond will give you a good idea. Independent testing laboratories, such the GIA, provide certificates with a diamond’s grading from excellent to poor. A certified diamond also indicates a bigger price tag.

The clarity of a diamond merely refers to its purity. Most diamonds have minuscule markings known as “inclusions”. A flawless (no inclusions) diamond is very rare and valuable, while a diamond riddled with inclusions is less expensive. Clarity is ranked from “flawless” (FL) to “imperfect” (I1 to I2). Most diamonds are categorized between those with very, very small inclusions (VVS1) to rocks with slightly larger inclusions (S1). If you’re inclined to bargain on clarity, you can anticipate to save. To verify a diamond’s clarity, look at the laboratory certificate.

If you’re on a tight budget, try to avoid the big name jewelry shops. Brand name generally comes with a bigger price tag.

If you want more information on Vintage Diamond Engagement Rings, don’t read just rehashed articles online to avoid getting ripped off.
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