In the life of each man there are two difficult tasks: to find a woman
he could marry and to choose an appropriate engagement ring for her.
Most of men cope with the first task more or less successfully, but the
second task really puts a spoke in their wheel on the path to happy
family life. The fact is that looking for a convenient girl, a man is
guided by his own taste, whereas selecting from myriads of engagement
rings, he has to consider the taste of his bride which is so
unpredictable... This little guide of engagement rings and their design
can be useful for those who have resolved to find the best possible
ring at all costs.
After the budget has been determined, it is clear what precious metal
to opt for. The most exquisite and luxurious (and expensive!) is
platinum which tops the list of the most desirable precious stone
settings. Platinum
engagement rings are durable and very sturdy. They look more
pure and luminescent than gold engagement
rings, however, white
and yellow gold are also rather salable and considerably cheaper.
Another alternative is titanium which combines both the qualities of
platinum (hypoallergenic and strong) and the benefits of gold (low
prices). As a large number of people have allergenic reactions to other
precious metals, bio-compatible titanium can become a good bargain.
The next step is to choose the cut of the set. All engagement rings are
divided into three groups: step cut, brilliant cut and mixed cut. The
difference is the number of facets – edges cut into a stone.
Thus, engagement rings of the step-cut design commonly have rows of
facets and four polished sides. The best-known examples are Baguette
and Emerald cuts. While the Baguette has a rectangular stone with rows
of facets, the Emerald can be both rectangular and square in shape.
The brilliant-cut design of engagement rings usually features a round
shape, nevertheless there also exist pear, marquise, oval, heart-shaped
and triangular (which is called Trillion) brilliant cuts. Engagement
rings of this type are recognized the most sparkling, as they have 58
polished facets.
As to engagement rings in mixed-cut style, they include the sparkle of
the brilliant cut and the noble beauty of the step cut. At jeweler's
one can find such types of mixed-cut engagement rings as Princess cut
and Radiant cut. Princess
cut engagement rings
are characterized by a square diamond with around 50 facets. In the
Radiant cut a rectangular shaped diamond is mounted into the the
setting featuring the brilliant cut in the pavilion and the step cut in
the crown.
Apart from the selection of precious metal and design, the
stone
choosing lies. Nowadays many women prefer colored stones to diamonds,
especially in vintage,
designer
or antique
engagement rings. Colored stones are considered to emphasize
a woman's individuality and her unique style. Among diamond
engagement rings colored diamonds are also very popular
– many potential grooms buy pink and yellow diamonds for
their beloved.
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