Find your ultimate engagement ring

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Find your ultimate engagement ring

From coloured stones to twisted bands, finding the ring of your dreams can prove to be more than a little overwhelming. But according to the team at Goldmark (goldmark.com.au), there are four main things you need to think about when looking for the actual stone, aka the four Cs (carat, cut, clarity and colour). Here’s a quick guide:

Carat is the term used to express the weight of a diamond. Diamonds with a higher weight are rarer and in higher demand than smaller diamonds. Keep in mind, the higher the weight, the higher the dollar value and bigger isn’t always better, especially if you have slender arms. A one-carat stone will be more than enough of a statement.

Cut doesn’t actually refer to a diamond’s shape, it’s referring to its actual proportions (i.e. depth, width and the consistency of its surfaces). In other words, the cut affects how bright your ring sparkles. These characteristics determine the diamond’s brilliance and durability, controlling the amount of light that enters it.

Clarity is used to describe the size and number of tiny imperfections in a diamond. Don’t stress, almost all diamonds contain tiny imperfections. These inclusions are like nature's fingerprint and make every diamond unique. The fewer flaws you can see, the more you will pay.

Colour applies to white diamonds only, ranging from colourless through to yellow tint. Diamond colours are categorised from A right through to Z. Diamonds with more colour sparkle less and therefore are cheaper than colourless ones.

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