Well, you may have been going around with a girl for years when you suddenly realize that the partnership has been made in heaven. The next thing is to seal the bond with an engagement ring i.e. give her a promise of marriage in the near future. Should you opt for an offbeat gem or stick with the age old tradition of buying her a whopping big rock? If the choice of diamond seems imminent, you need to be clear about your facts before you decide to shop for the ring. Take a look at the 3 oft asked questions that has the entire men folk scratching their heads in wonder. The women, though, certainly know their diamonds but might like to read on anyway.
Why Choose a Diamond?
It dates back to 1477 when Archduke Maximillian of Austria gifted a huge sparkler to Mary of Burgandy and promised to marry her thus starting a trend that was to continue for centuries afterwards. The De Beers Diamond company further enhanced the appeal of the diamond by coining the most catchy phrase of, “A Diamond is Forever.” There has been no looking back since. Add the hard facts pertaining to the physical attributes of the sparkling stone to tradition and sentiment and you will get your answer. Every prospective bride knows that the diamond in her engagement ring is hard enough to withstand the effects of time and age. Its brilliance seldom lessens especially, if the stone scores high on all the four Cs, the classic parameters to judging a diamond and will indeed last for a lifetime.
What are the characteristics of a great diamond?
The Cs in short. The Cs depict the carat, cut, clarity, and color of the diamond in question. All four parameters are judged closely in order to gauge the value of the stone. While the cut of a diamond refers to its shape and symmetry, its weight is measured in terms of carat. The color is next and you will find numerous options ranging from an incandescent colorless stone to green, yellow, and pink tinged ones. Remember that a colorless diamond is generally thought to be closer to perfection. Every diamond also has some inclusions or imperfections in it. There are 11 grades in all for understanding the clarity. Opt for a stone of FL grade. It denotes a clarity that is almost flawless.
How much should you spend?
Well, there are diamonds galore. However, it is best to go with the common rule and spend at least two months of your salary on it. You are free to go higher, if money is no object of course but it is always good to spend on a thing of beauty that also doubles up as a good investment.
