Engagement and Wedding Rings

If you were to wear one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? Would you go for what is trendy and hip? Or would you be more conservative and traditional with your choice?

These are the kinds of intensely personal decisions that you will face as you prepare to purchase your engagement and wedding rings.

In today's world, it is rare for a man to choose an engagement ring for his fiancÈe-to-be or a wedding ring for his bride-to-be without asking for her input.

Before you and your fiancÈ head into a jewelry store, become familiar with the "four C's," different stone shapes, the various setting options, wedding bands, and what's available for men beyond the traditional band.

The four C's:
When you look at a diamond, you can judge its quality based on the four C's - carat, color, clarity and cut.

- Carat is the unit of weight used for diamonds. Carats are subdivided into points - there are 100 points to a carat. So a 130-point diamond weighs 1.3 carats.

- A diamond can actually be any color in the spectrum. Completely colorless, icy-white diamonds are rare, and therefore, more valuable. The best way to see the true color of a diamond is to look at it against a white surface.

- A diamond's clarity is determined by taking into account the number, size, placement, color and nature of any internal "inclusions" - external surface irregularities. Almost all diamonds have inclusions to some extent. The fewer or less noticeable the inclusions, the more valuable the diamond.

- Diamonds are cut into facets - the small, flat, polished planes cut into a diamond so that the maximum amount of light is reflected. The amount of this reflection is called "brilliance" and is extremely important in evaluating the quality of a diamond. A round, full-cut diamond has 58 facets.

Diamonds have a rating for each of the four Cs. Once you start looking at diamonds, you'll figure out which of them is most important to you. When considering size versus quality, keep in mind - a bigger diamond that doesn't have a high quality will just show more irregularities.

If you want to be a bit more daring, use a gemstone, such as a sapphire, emerald or ruby, for your engagement stone. You can always use smaller diamonds as accent stones or on your wedding band.

Shape:
Stones are cut into different shapes, many of which can appear traditional and modern at the same time.

One of the most popular stone shapes is round because it shows incredible brilliance and is very traditional. Also popular right now are the square princess and the long and slender emerald. Other shapes include marquis, oval and pear.

Setting:
The metal setting displays a stone to its best advantage. When it comes to setting, you will need to make two decisions: metal and setting style. For metal, you will choose between two basic colors:

- Yellow gold is considered the "traditional" wedding band metal, and it is said to symbolize the warmth and love of marriage.

- White metal is one of the hottest trends in jewelry. Platinum is the strongest metal and is very rare, a perfect metaphor for couples looking for that eternal symbol of devotion. White gold offers a similar look for less money. However, the difference is evident when you place the warmer-toned white gold next to the icy platinum.

- Do you want the best of both worlds? Choose a two-toned design that features both yellow and white metals. It offers great versatility for individuals who like to wear both colors.

There are many settings available, many of which are best suited for certain stone shapes and metal colors:

- A prong setting is the most common type. Prongs hold a stone firmly in a metal basket. Prong setting lets the light hit the diamond from all angles, maximizing a diamond's brilliance. Four prongs show more of the diamond. Six prongs hold the diamond more securely but can overwhelm a stone.

- A bezel setting is more contemporary. It consists of a metal rim with straight or scalloped edges that fully or partially surround the perimeter of the stone. It is usually a good choice for a round stone.

- A diamond in a white metal bezel setting usually appears larger, and a red or green gemstone in a yellow gold bezel setting often makes the stone appear redder or greener. However, a yellow gold bezel setting can sometimes make a diamond appear less white because the yellow tint of the setting is reflected in the stone.

- A channel setting places a row of stones with no metal separating them between two horizontal channels for part of the ring, or the entire ring. It has a smooth and unobtrusive surface and provides better security for small stones than some other settings. This setting is especially popular for wedding bands.

- Another setting popular for a band is pavÈ. A pavÈ setting involves three or more rows of several small stones fitted into holes that set them level with the surface of the ring. The surrounding metal is then raised into beams that secure the gems. This setting gives the illusion of more and bigger stones than are actually there, but is not recommended for more fragile stones.
- Other settings you may be interested in include tension (in which the stone appears to be floating), bar (in which thin vertical bars of metal are placed between stones to hold them secure) and gypsy (in which the stone sets flush into a hole in the ring so that it doesn't protrude at all). The latter is very popular for men's rings.

Wedding bands:
When looking at wedding bands, you can either purchase a band that matches your engagement ring or you can select one that complements it. You can also choose to solder your wedding band and engagement ring together, so that they are one ring, or keep them separate. Keep in mind, you'll have more flexibility if you keep them separate.

For instance, you can wear just your band(s) when you want to be casual and include your engagement ring for dressier occasions. Once you solder them, there's no separating them without potential damage.

For the groom:
For most men, a wedding ring may be the only piece of jewelry they ever wear. They need to have a ring that's both comfortable and flattering.

Many men's rings today have a curved - not flat - interior leading to a more comfortable fit. Men can also look for rings that have a plain, tapered bottom designed to bear the brunt of abuse.

Diamond wedding rings for men are coming back. These diamonds aren't necessarily flashy, but they have subtle sparkle that makes them interesting. They also can coordinate with the bride's wedding band and be set the same way, or in a gypsy setting which is both functional and flattering for men.

The metal of a man's wedding ring should match his wife's whether she has a yellow gold, platinum or a two-toned setting.

It's all in the details:
Whether you are the bride or groom, when trying on rings, be sure to select a style that flatters your hands.

Individuals with small hands and fingers look better with a proportionately - sized ring. Vertically set stones make hands seem longer, while an oversized ring makes hands seem shorter. If you have big hands, stay away from small rings - they'll make your hands look larger.

Make sure you ask your jeweler about caring for your rings. Have them cleaned regularly. And have the stones inspected for looseness. A diamond can last forever, but not if you lose your stone down a sink drain or in the yard because it was loose.

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