One of the more pleasurable tasks when planning a wedding is buying a ring for your fiancée. You should already know the size of your fiancée’s finger, but one tip is to get a band that’s a little bit larger than her finger since they tend to swell during the day. Here are some more things to keep in mind.

The 4 Cs

When it comes to purchasing a diamond, the buyer should be mindful of what’s called the 4 Cs. These are cut, carat, color, and clarity. Cut: The cut is the shape of the diamond, and there are many to choose from. Some of the cuts you'll find are round brilliant, pear-shaped, oval, marquise, cushion, princess, and Asscher. Carat: The carat is simply the mass of the diamond. Normally, the larger the diamond the more it costs, but a large diamond with lots of flaws can cost less than a smaller diamond that’s flawless. Color: Ideally, a white diamond is colorless, but they are very rare. Most diamonds considered white have a tiny bit of yellow, but in quality diamonds that are yellow can’t be seen with the naked eye. Fancy diamonds are diamonds that are supposed to be colored, and some of these diamonds can cost more than white ones. A red diamond is very rare and expensive, for example. Clarity: Clarity refers to whether the diamond has any flaws or inclusions. A diamond that is flawless is as rare as a diamond that’s colorless. But the flaws should not be able to be seen with the naked eye.

Choosing the Right Band

As with the cuts of diamonds, there are many types of bands to choose from. They can be smooth or have split or braided shanks. Bands can be made to hold a stone in a tension setting. The band can be part of a set that fits into the wedding band. Wedding bands are made of a variety of precious metals, including white, yellow or rose gold, and platinum or palladium.

Lab-Grown v. Natural

Diamonds are made deep in the earth over millions of years from pure carbon that has been put under intense heat and pressure. By the time the stone rises to the earth’s crust, it is a diamond. Lab-grown diamond techniques replicate the natural process but over a much shorter time span. If you’re worried about the impact that diamond mining has on the environment or that your diamond comes from a conflict area, a lab-grown diamond may be just the thing. Now that you know what to look for in a diamond and band, you can enjoy shopping for the perfect ring for your fiancée.

Once she’s said yes, contact us so we can capture your magical moments and preserve them for a lifetime!