For most of the couples who are courting, the biggest decision of sealing their relation is the choice of an appropriate engagement rings. It’s something which drives a man crazy because the entire process of getting the right one to see that million dollar smile on your fiancée’s face is a very unnerving experience. After all, you seal your relationship with it and forever!
The occasion is highly an emotional one and from the state it makes sense to pay attention to every single detail. Though many guys first consider their purchasing power, they do give precedence to the aesthetic quality of the ring. Getting the right size is crucial – there are tricks to find out – through her siblings, her close friends or simply tying a thread around her ring finger and telling her ‘we’ll soon be tying the knot’. If you’ve known her for some time now, you would know of her preferences for an engagement as well, isn’t it – a slim gold band with a big sparkling rock, a band with the top surface encrusted with diamonds, a ring with a heart on top set with diamonds or perhaps your and her first-name initials set with diamond. A little home-work will definitely help.
At the start, you will have to decide on the metal – gold, platinum, palladium, tungsten – a long-lasting ring is the key issue here. The next big step would be to decide on the diamonds and you must be extremely sure about the stones, the jewellery and the authenticity so it’s always advisable to take someone who is well-versed in this art. You could start by visiting a number of well-established jewellers, especially the ones which are members of a known trade association. Always remember to ask if they will give you a receipt of your purchase which would help you to claim any future insurance in case of a contingency or repairs on the ring which may ensue in the future. You could lose the ring between the time you bought it and the day of your engagement – getting a valid insurance on the same will keep you safe and happy. Remember to always inquire about the guarantee and the warranty on your purchase. It’s an expensive engagement ring – you indulge in such a purchase only once in your lifetime! All this will help you to first understand what is trending, the price range, the design and everything that goes with the purchase. Avoid over-enthusiastic jewellery. Insist on viewing the diamonds through the magnifying glass of the jewellery on a white background only as a black background plays truant with the viewing of the diamond.
Buying loose stones is the most practical thing as you can then take it to perhaps family jewellery / friends’ jewellery to have them set according to the liking of your fiancée. However, thanks to technology, it is very easy to check the credibility of the jewellery online for you to decide the right one. When it comes to diamonds, you have to ensure that the cut of the diamond, its clarity, colour and the carat are all in sync with the creation you have in mind for your loved one. According to every authority in the diamond industry, the cut of the diamond speaks volumes about its innate nature. Great caution has to be taken here to ensure that the cut is absolutely perfect. A diamond’s brilliance is a resultant of the perfect ‘cuts’. If they are deeper than required or very shallow the diamond loses its lustre. You will have to decide on the kind of ‘cut’ which could be round, oval, pear-shaped, heart-shaped – choose the one which will embellish your fiancée’s ring finger to the envy of all. The most crucial part of getting the perfect engagement ring is the setting of the gem stones on the metal. You can have a prong setting which can be flat, round, pointed or v-shaped. It has a minimum of three and a maximum of six claws which help to hold the stones firmly in place. For smaller stones, a ‘pave’ setting is ideal. It includes an elevated metal forms which helps to firmly set the stones. The setting will have to be in harmony with the stone/number of stones you decide on.
A diamond shines the best when in white but diamond also come in a range of colours. Diamonds of a very specific colour are extremely unique and rare and of course they are expensive too. So, if you can indulge, go ahead. Clarity is a feature best understood through a jewellery’s loupe (magnifying glass) through which are spotted tiny ‘inclusions’, which actually adds to a diamond’s exclusivity. All diamonds are graded. If a diamond is graded as SI1 consider it good. The ones graded as IF which stands for ‘internally flawless’ are the best to pick on so, take a wise expert with you to help you understand the nuances of grading in diamonds. The weight of the diamond denoted by ‘carats’ and depending on your purse-strings again, you could choose one which could weigh 175 mg or less or more.
If you find the entire process of choosing the correct ‘loose stones’ at the right price and then getting them set on a ring too tedious, a faster process is to decide on a ‘cert stone’. These are diamonds which have already been evaluated, coded and even graded in an independent gemmological laboratory via a laser process and you will get a gemmological certification for your purchase. Gem stones like topaz, zircon and a few others, because of their uncanny resemblance to diamonds are often used as diamond substitutes and sold to unwary customers as genuine stones. Vintage diamonds are the ultimate choice if your girlfriend likes all things classic. Vintage diamonds come in a hue of colours making them a class apart not only in terms of quality and value but also elegance. The traditional ‘white’ diamond has given way to welcome colours in gem stones and that can only enhance the attractiveness of the lady in question!
Making a choice by going the whole nine yards solo can be at times very confusing. Taking your fiancée along and the entire purchase becomes more interesting and enjoyable. You can opine on the design, metal, diamonds or other aspects and the budget as well in a most understanding and amicable manner. The entire exercise will actually become a memoir of your big day in the future you’ll share together.
You buy an engagement ring with much affection after studying all the elements which goes into making the perfect ring. However, the most important factor to consider is the conditions to which the ring would be exposed to. If your to-be fiancée has a job in the outdoors which involves a lot of rough and tough activities – could be into operations, could be an engineer – you should consider buying her a real tough ring which endure the situation. This means choosing the band of the ring with great care. In most of the cases, gold is the last choice as it is susceptible to scratches, gets dented and could get damaged under harsh conditions. Platinum, Titanium and Tungsten have become natural favourites as they are more long-lasting than gold.
Tungsten as a base metal for rings has become a hot favourite in recent times. Tungsten is known for having the highest melting point and its immense durability makes it the ideal choice amongst other metals.
Why Tungsten? Well, the reasons are many. In a world where every couple are professionals tungsten has the qualities to withstand the ravages of different conditions. It is almost ten times harder than 18k gold and is the second hardest metal after diamonds. Rings made of tungsten never bend or dent. They are totally scratch-proof. Tungsten rings carry a permanent shine, so brilliant that you have to perish the thought of getting them polished.
The beauty of having tungsten engagement rings is choosing from a range available in silver, resin, ceramic, kevlar, carbon fiber and of course, gold. With tungsten as a metal, you can get a ring customized to the minute detail. Starting from the base of the ring, you can decide on a very simple band enhanced with gem stones – either diamond or rubies – on the top front of the band, whether you want grooves running around the entire band or just one deep groove running through the centre of the band. If you and your girlfriend both decide on tungsten rings, you can have your names or the initials engraved on the rings. You could also have a twin-heart design on her ring and perhaps a nice wedged design on his ring. The choices are varied. Rest assured, the settings are magically long-lasting and the rings are absolutely non-allergic!
Tungsten rings symbolize durability and form the essence of the relationship of the buyers / wearers of these rings. Not many people are aware of the fact that tungsten rings are not wholly made of tungsten. They are made of tungsten carbide. No, this does not mean they are trying to cheat you.
In fact, the purest form of tungsten is very difficult to mould into rings and hence tungsten and carbide atoms are combined with a binder like nickel or cobalt to produce tungsten carbide. Though some people are slightly allergic to nickel, its percentage component in tungsten rings is low enough not to cause even the slightest allergy.
Engagement rings made of tungsten carbide are available in a wide range of prices. A lot depends on what you decide. The design, the thickness of the band, the gem stones you may want to encrust, the engravings – the more intricate / complex the design, the more you pay for the ring. The days are gone when people preferred plain white metal. Today, everyone wants an extra dash of colour not only in their lives but also in their rings. Black rings, Silver gray rings, gold rings, Kevlar and carbon fibre rings – the range is inexhaustible! Black tungsten rings are gorgeous and stylish as the color smartens the entire appearance of the ring. The Titanium Kay 2nd generation ring with their strong black inlay is the next in line of favourites. The Crazy eye tungsten rings have a yellow carbon fibre which runs throughout the centre of the band, making it look very stylish. Guys can also decide on the Oxford tungsten rings which have a sleek finish or the mad gladiator rings that stand out with their ceramic grooves.
Girls prefer the more slim bands to enhance the slenderness of their pretty fingers. However, though the bands may be slim, you can find them indulge in a host of designs which involve diamonds, rubies, topaz and other gem stones which they may want to be embedded in their engagement rings. They can customize their engagement rings with a two-three diamond or ruby setting depending on the choice of their gem stones. Some girls prefer to have their birth stones encrusted on their engagement rings. The affordability of tungsten rings is what attracts buyers towards them.
Girls can choose either a Peora Valentine or a Peora tungsten laser rose gold. Whatever the choices, the entire technique of getting your tungsten rings customized is a world apart from the run-of-the-mill techniques, which jewellery would offer. The risk of having your engagement rings is far less as tungsten is a tough nut to crack – something all lovers of tungsten are aware of. Moreover, isn’t it wonderful to give your girl or guy the sturdiest ring which gleams forever?
Some folks prefer jazzy and chunky engagement rings followed by simple wedding bands. Some couples prefer only to wear their wedding rings but wear both, the engagement and wedding rings
on special occasions. Choosing the right engagement rings is an art and a lot depends on your sentiments, the metal, gemstones, design and how heavy your wallet is!