Rings are a symbol of love, happiness, and great memories. It can be complex for some who are on their first ring purchase, especially when you are looking at different qualities like diamond clarity, color, carat, and so on. Below is the A-Z on a ring purchase. Hopefully, this can help some of you who are make your purchasing process quick, easy, and most importantly, satisfactory.

Retailer/Store

The first step is to know where you are looking to purchase. Nowadays, online retailers are the easiest way to go. Most online companies will have financing options and will send the package quickly and discreetly to you, with its insured. Going into a store is also an option, but now, due to Covid-19, etc., online is the way to go.

 

Budget

Now that you know where you’re going to purchase from, I’d highly suggest having a budget in mind, for yourself and for the company/store your buying from; side note: Let the rep know your budget as he/she can help out with a better deal or at least narrow your search down via your price range.

Style/Setting

Every store and website will have plenty of design options, so try to think of whomever your buying for, even if that’s yourself, what they’d like.

Shape

The most common shapes of rings are Round, Princess, and Cushion.; side note: cushion cuts tend to make the Centerstone look a bit smaller due to its shape.

Color

Not as it seems, good stones are totally colorless. Some lower grade diamonds may have a yellow tint.

Cut

The cut of a diamond is the only one of the C’s not determined by nature. The cut is important as it can make or break a ring, like clarity.

Diamond Clarity

In my opinion, clarity is the determining factor of a ring. What is diamond clarity? Clarity refers to how clean or clear the stone is. The fewer inclusions/blemishes on the stone, the better the clarity. Good clarity on a ring can make an “OK” ring look fabulous, but a poor-quality clarity stone can ruin a beautiful design or color.

Carat Weight

Depending on one’s budget and stone material, the carat weight is the size of the stone.

Metal

The popular ring metals include; white gold, yellow gold, rose gold in both 14 and 18k. (karat) Platinum is also another option.

Appraisal

Lastly, make sure you receive the certificate of appraisal, basically a receipt of your order and proof stating that the stones are of a real diamond.