How To Choose Your Diamond Engagement Ring

For centuries the diamond engagement ring has symbolized love eternal and at WhiteFire, we create our rings with that in mind. Rings purchased from WhiteFire are built to last for generations to come. We only use the highest quality products for our engagements and wedding rings. In doing so, our diamond engagement rings stand the test of time and go on to become family heirlooms. Below you will learn how to shop for an engagement ring and how to choose a diamond that is right for you.

Budget
\r First and probably most important, is determining your budget, we have wedding ring sets starting at $489 and diamond engagement rings as much as $45,000 . The most popular standard for buying an engagement ring is to spend the equivalent of two months salary for the ring. While this is the standard, it certainly doesnt mean you dont have other criteria to base your budget on. The important factor is that you select the diamond ring that you can afford and your future fianc will love. In other words, a ring you both will be proud to own for many years to come. It sounds easier than you may think. However, at WhiteFire you do not have to go at it alone. Our many years of expertise will help you get on the right track to making that somewhat tedious task of buying your perfect diamond engagement ring a pleasant one.

Getting the Best Value
\r Purchasing your diamond engagement ring from qualified professionals like WhiteFire insures that you have selected a high quality product at an affordable price. As a result of our high standards, we only use the best materials. Our well-experienced artisan jewelers create products that are made to last for generations to come. In doing so, our customers are assured of receiving exceptional value for their purchases.

When comparison-shopping for your diamond, be sure to compare the price with diamonds of the same shape, size, color, cut, and clarity. Not all shapes are priced the same. Always remember that all other factors being equal, a poorly cut diamond may cost as much 50% less than a diamond with a better or ideal cut. Poorly cut diamonds will not have the sparkle and fire that a well-cut diamond will possess.

You might ask- why are some diamonds well cut while others are not? Well the answer is quite simple. As you may know, diamonds are cut from the original crystal that mother-earth has yielded right out of the ground. Some of these rough crystals are ideal for cutting well-proportioned diamonds and some are not. A diamond cutter will determine first, what shape may be cut from that piece of particular rough crystal to maximize finished or polished weight. Depending on the cutters goals, he will ultimately decide if he wants to cut for beauty or weight retention. When cutting for beauty, usually more gem weight is lost or cut away. Hence a diamond that is well proportioned will command a higher price at market. A diamond that is not as well proportioned will command a lower price at market.

Selecting Your Ring
\r When selecting your ring you should compare the cost of settings made from the same metals. Platinum settings will always cost more than 14K or 18K gold. Make sure the heft or weight of the rings are comparable. These days a great deal of jewelry is made over-seas. Rings or settings made over-seas are typically very light in weight and may not stand the test of time that a heavier weight, domestic ring will last. Obviously a heavier weight will cost a bit more.

Ring Style
\r What about the style of the ring? Does she want something simple and traditional? Or does she prefer a vintage look, or possibly a contemporary look?

Purchasing a Diamond That Fits Your Budget
\r When considering the 4 Cs of purchasing your diamond, you must determine which of the 4Cs are most important to you. Is it Color? Is it Clarity? Is it Carat Weight? Or is it a combination of all 4Cs? Whatever it is, the 4Cs ultimately determine the value or purchasing price of your perfect diamond.

You might ask, which is the most important of the 4Cs? For sparkle, fire and brilliance, some experts will says it is the Cut or symmetry that is most important. While others will say it is the Color that is most important. However, it is important to note that while experts are seasoned professionals and exposed to diamonds on a daily basis, it is ultimately you the consumer that decides what is beautiful. Regardless of what experts say, it is you and only you that can truly determine what is best for you, your fianc and your budget- After all, Beauty is in the eye of the beholder right?

Learn How to Select a Diamond

Familiarize yourself with the the 4Cs of diamond buying. They are: Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat Weight. WhiteFire offers a wide selection of diamonds in many shapes and sizes. You should purchase a diamond that is ideal for by way of price and quality.

Cut - The cut of the diamond can affect its price by as much as 50%. However, please know that Cut does NOT mean the shape of the diamond. By shape I mean popular cuts like the Round Brilliant, Princess, Oval, Radiant, etc. Cut refers to symmetry or how well a diamond is proportioned. Another term used within the diamond industry is make of the diamond. The Cut or Make of the diamond determines how a well-proportioned diamond will sparkle after it is fashioned and polished for the end user. Again, a well-cut diamond will command a higher price at market. A poorly cut diamond will not be as fiery or brilliant and will be less costly.

Color Color is another important factor in determining the value of a diamond. A diamonds body color or color grade is determined by using a letter grading scale developed by the Gemological Institute of America. The color grading scale starts with the letter D of the alphabet and goes down to the letter X. Starting with the letter D, the diamond will be at its whitest color and is also referred to colorless. As you move further down the grading scale towards X, the diamond will gradually become less colorless and typically have more yellow color.

White or colorless diamonds are rare and therefore more valuable or costly. The more color or yellow a diamond has, the least costly is. The color grading scale is basically broken down into four categories.

Colorless- consisting of D to F in color, Near Colorless- G through J in color, Faint Yellow- K to in M in color and Very Light or Light Yellow- meaning N to X in color. Beyond that point is what is classified as Fancy Yellow and that is a totally different ballgame.

Here is a good buying tip to keep in mind. Diamonds are best viewed when they are loose. It is difficult to tell color when a diamond is in the ring setting, even for a professional. Most diamonds will face up as a whiter color when they are already set in the ring mounting.

Clarity Clarity refers to how clean the gem is of inclusions. Inclusions are naturally occurring characteristics within the diamond, kind of a fingerprint of the diamond if you will. Just as no one will ever have your finger print pattern, no two diamonds will ever have the same inclusions oriented in the same way. It is extremely unlikely.

The more inclusions a diamond has, the less valuable it is. Inclusions seen to the unaided eye are even less costly. Fewer inclusions in a diamond command a higher price, as they are more rare than included diamonds.

Carat Weight - The higher the carat weight of the diamond, the more you will pay. A Carat is the unit of measurement used for weighing gemstone. The smaller unit of measurement under a carat is a called points. One carat is equal to 100 points. Half of a carat is equal to 50 points, so fourth and so on. Obviously diamonds come in many different weights. The key is determining what you budget allows.

If your future fianc has small hands it may be that a larger diamond is not necessary for her hands. If she has larger hands, then you may have to go with a larger diamond. Talk to her, feel her out and try to get an idea of what she prefers. Or if you are trying to keep it a surprise, ask a family member or close friend of hers what she might desire. In doing so, you are sure to buy her a diamond engagement ring she will cherish for a lifetime!

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