It is often said that diamonds are a woman’s best friend. So if you are going to buy an engagement ring for your would-be wife, then you need to know some key facts about the precious stone. There are several aspects, like the cut, the brilliance, etc., that determine the ultimate worth of a precious stone.
So before visiting a store and making a purchase read this article to know more about some basic facts about diamonds.
Things To Know If You Wish To Buy The Perfect Engagement Ring For Your Beautiful Bride
The Round Cut
These are the most authentic and old types of diamond shapes that you can get in the market. The round shape, as people know it today, was first calibrated in the early twentieth century.
They are traditional, and even now, they are the most popular choice among buyers across the world. In fact, some rough estimates suggest that the classic round cut accounts for more than half of the diamond engagement rings that are sold.
Also, the immense and sustained popularity of the round cut means that the prices these stones command are the highest in the market. Apart from the demand, there is another factor that drives up the price of the round shaped stone.
The cut of a precious stone can be defined in terms of the faces and the number of edges it has. A classic round cut usually has fifty eight faces.
Carving the perfect fifty eight faced round shape wastes a lot of rough stone. So the high proportion of wastage also makes the round cut diamond the most precious in the world.
One of the major factors that contribute to the beauty of a diamond is its cut. It takes a lot of expertise and skill to carve out fifty eight perfect faces. The reason why carving the faces is of vital importance is because the way in which a precious stone interacts with light is dependent on the way its faces are carved.
The round cut offers a beautiful shine when light strikes it. The brilliance of the stone is dependent on the amount of light that is refracted and dispersed by its edges. The lesser the loss of light or the lesser the number of light rays that are trapped inside the stone, the better the brilliance.
The dazzling effect that the round shape produces when light strikes make it one of the most sought-after shapes for making engagement rings.
The Stone Which Looks Like A Heart
As the name suggests, in the case of a heart cut, the stone looks like a heart. They are not as popular as the round shape, and they are also less expensive as compared to round designs. However, they cost more than other designs like the princess cut ( square or rectangular) as carving a perfect heart requires a lot of skill and talent.
Buying a new type of shape, like a heart, can be more challenging if you are not an experienced person. This is because a round stone has definite and well defined certifications, which make it easier for a layman to understand its worth.
However, with heart shapes or ovals, there is no established mechanism to grade the stone. So it ultimately boils down to the ability of the buyer to gauge the stone’s worth by looking at the shine it produces.
Stone That Are Rectangular Or Square In Shape ( The Princess Cut)
The princess cut is also quite popular when it comes to engagement rings. The shape resembles a rectangle or a square when viewed from the top. However, if someone examines the stone from the side, then it resembles a pyramid that has been placed upside down.
Again like the heart shape cut, the rectangular cut does not have a well-defined grading system. So it is largely up to the buyer to choose a ring whose brilliance they like.
The Marquise Cut Diamond
The marquise shape is narrow, elongated, and tapers towards the two ends. The marquise shape, like the elegant round cut, has fifty eight faces in it. The history of the marquise shape goes back to the French royal family. It is said that King Louis XV wanted a diamond that resembled the shape of his mistress’ lips.
The shape of the marquise is such that they appear larger than other shapes of similar cart weight. The other speciality of the marquise shape is that it makes the finger of the wearer look longer and slender.
When it comes to choosing a marquise diamond, you will have to choose a particular length-to-width ratio. So if the length-to-width ratio is higher, the shape becomes more slender. Also, for the marquise shape, the color of the stone becomes important as the cut is shallow.
The Cushion Cut
The cushion shape is rectangular; however, unlike the princess type, the edges are not rough. The edges of the stone are smooth and resemble a cushion which gives this cut its name. These stones were earlier known as the mine cut. They were loved because of the sparkle that these stones gave out in candlelight.
Today if you are to purchase a cushion cut, then you must look for something that has good depth, good symmetry, and a minimum grade of polish.
Conclusion
Buying an engagement ring is a big decision. Diamond is a precious stone, and depending on its features like its cut, color, etc., it can cost millions of dollars. So before you make a purchase, it helps if you know some basic facts about diamonds.
Some cuts, like the round cut, have a well-defined grading system, so even a novice person can make a prudent decision while buying such stones. However, when it comes to more fancy cuts like the princess or marquise, then you need to learn a thing or two about brilliance, color, etc., to make a sound purchase.
