“Diamonds are a girls best friend.” Oh Marilyn… you have no idea. Lately the topic in my little click of females has been engagement. DUM DUM DUMMMM. It seems like everywhere I turn someone in our extended group is getting popped the question, and has a shiny new bauble on their left ring finger. I think I have officially caught the fever… I might like one too *cough*
Me and Ryan ( my boyfriend) have been dating for well over a year, and have been living together for about, oh, 9 months now. I’m graduating next semester and he just was released from the Navy after 5 years and is now working full time. He’s going to be 25 and me, well, I will be 22 shortly. Listen to me trying to justify myself. I just want a pretty ring. Call me what you want… I AM NOT ALONE.
Talking to my best friend (Renee, one might recognize her from last weeks feature with her beau Wayne) we have come to the conclusion that we are getting engaged obsessed. We want it, have to have it, and think about it probably more than two girls our age should.
I will mention it on here because I know that he doesn’t ever go on the computer nor does he have any idea how to get to this blog of mine, but Wayne, Renee’s boyfriend, text me last week about going to look for rings and needing my assistance. BAHHH( thats my shocked noise). My best friend is going to get engaged soon. Fingers crossed. Hopefully I didn’t just jinx the crap out of them.
What am I getting at? I know, I know. Getting engaged is probably, one of the most important moments in a couples lives together. My boyfriend and I recently went to Tiffany for a consult. No, not to buy anything. YET. Persoanlly I think you have to be incredibly rich or just plain dumb to spend that amount of money on a ring. Would I say “no” to a ring from Tiffany? My mama didn’t raise a fool 
However, since I was 15 I have been dreaming about my engagement, my wedding and all that good stuff. Planning out the details, like what my dress will look like, and what type of flowers I will have. Picturing how my future husband will propose, and how my family will then pop out of the woodwork crying and then we would all get drunk and celebrate. I’m not crazy, I am a girl, leave me alone Too much? Anyway…
Problem is, I am the one who was dreaming and researching all these years not him(Ry). For the biggest moment in a guys life they usually don’t know crap. Sorry to put it bluntly boys… but you don’t. When we went to Tiffany to get “schooled” on engagement ring 101, I sat back and took in the hilarious, complex, almost painful look on my boyfriends face. PRICELESS. It wasn’t because we weren’t having a great time, I mean I was in heaven. It was that he finally understood why I spent so much time looking into it. He had no idea how much there was to learn. In his head ladies, it’s save up, pick a pretty ring, and live happily ever after.
Can we let this happen? I will try to help a brotha out here. When it comes to getting engaged gentlemen, you do it once, so do it right. It doesn’t just say I love you. A ring will tell her how well you know her, how much you care, and how dedicated you were to finding something that she has dreamed of since she was a little girl. Sure, how you present it is crucial, but what lies in that little box speaks volumes…FOR-EV-ER( in kid from Sandlot voice)
When it comes to picking out a ring…I will do my best to keep it simple for you. THE FOUR C’s are all you need to know. CUT, COLOR, CARET, CLARITY. ( That or just go to Tiffany and buy the Tiffany Novo, trust me, it’s magnificent, so shiny, its like looking into the sun, OK. I will stop.)
Color: With the exception of “fancy colored diamonds”, the more colorless a diamond is, the more valuable it is. Jewelers grade diamonds on a scale from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow). Anything more yellow than D is considered fancy and is much more expensive.
Cut: Many people make the mistake of thinking that cut means the shape of the diamond. Rather, it means the way the diamond was faceted to allow light to reflect from it. In a well cut diamond, light enters the diamond and reflects straight back to the viewer’s eye. Some cutters will sacrifice cut to create the largest possible diamond, thus making too shallow or too deep of a cut and causing light to “leak” out the sides and bottom of the diamond.
Cut can be something very difficult for a layperson to evaluate, which is why it is important to get an AGS Certificate or a GIA Certificate verifying the quality of your diamond. Cut is graded Ideal, Premium, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor. Generally you should seek an Ideal to Very Good Diamond. Budget-conscious shoppers may opt for good.
Clarity: Diamonds frequently have inclusions, or small flaws, air bubbles, scratches, or other minerals inside the diamond. The less inclusions a diamond has, the more valuable it is, and the more beautiful it is.
The scale for grading diamond’s clarity is:
- F Flawless – no internal or external inclusions.
- IF Internally Flawless – no internal inclusions, slight external inclusions.
- VVS1-VVS2Very Very Slightly Included – minute inclusions that are very difficult to detect under 10x magnification, even by an experienced grader.
- VS1-VS2 Very Slightly Included – minute inclusions that are invisible to the naked eye and seen only with difficulty under 10x magnification.( This is the most common diamonds bought today)
- SI1-SI2 Slightly Included – invisible to the naked eye, yet easily seen by an experienced grader under 10x magnification.
- I1-I3 Included – inclusions are visible to the naked eye and affect brilliance.
Stones that are VVS2 to F are very rare and thus very expensive. Most couples will opt for something between SI2 and VS1, and will never know the difference.
Caret:This refers to the size of the stone. While some value caret above all, others prefer a small ring regardless of budget. If you’re buying a ring as a surprise for someone, consider how flashy their other jewelry is. If they’re not someone who wears a lot of designer labels or big jewelry, perhaps you’ll want to opt for a smaller stone. This site has a very useful chart to see how the most common sizes look on a model’s hand. Ideally, you’ll be able to try on a variety of sizes within your budget to see which size looks best on you or your love.
This information can be found at any jewelery store, or online feature regaurding this topic. I found this at Weddings.com
Buying an engagement ring can bring on a lot of pressure, not just mentally,but on your wallet as well. It varies with where one buys a ring, but most jewlers offer payment plans, loans and insurance ect. It is important that you get it right. It’s once in a lifetime if your lucky enough. So save up, and good luck! Hope this helps:)
Here’s a picture of the Tiffany Novo. It just does’t do it justice. Go have fun one day and try it on
