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Diamonds
are Forever: How to Choose the Perfect Wedding Ring
Author: Andrew Regan
A diamond ring
is perhaps the most traditional and everlasting symbol of love and
marriage. The circular nature of a ring and the sparkling diamond, a
rare, precious stone which is eye catchingly beautiful and can take
anything up to 3 billion years to form is a symbol of enduring love.
But all
diamond rings are not equal; there are an infinite number of metals,
designs and styles of ring and then there's the diamond itself - each
of which is unique. Diamonds are graded on four main factors: cut,
colour, clarity and carat weight.
The cut of the
diamond, refers to how well it was been sculpted by a diamond cutter.
The diamond cutter's job is to cut the stone in such a way that makes
the best use of light which requires immense experience and skill. A
diamond that is well cut will allow light to be reflected from one
facet to another, then dispersed through the top of the stone back to
the viewer's eye, creating a classic diamond glitter and sparkle.
If the cut is
too deep or too shallow, too much light escapes through the lower
sides of the diamond (known as the pavilion) reducing the aesthetic
appeal of the stone. Don't confuse cut (which refers to the facets on
the face of the stone) with shape; diamonds can be fashioned in a
variety of shapes such as round (brilliant), pear, oval and heart
shape. Diamond
wedding rings tend to utilise more subtle design, favouring
multiple small, round stones as opposed to a single large stone,
which are generally the style of engagement rings.
The colour of
a diamond can vary from a faint yellow, through to pink, blue and
green. Colours are caused by impurities, so although different
colours can look very pleasing to the eye, completely colourless
diamonds are considered to be of the highest quality as they allow
light to pass through easily, resulting in light being dispersed and
split into the colours of the spectrum, creating a rainbow effect.
Most diamonds
contain tiny impurities known as "inclusions". These can
interfere with the passage of light through the stone and are
therefore undesirable. The gradation of inclusions found in a stone
is known as the clarity. This can range from having none at all
(producing what's called a flawless diamond) to inclusions that are
visible to the naked eye.
And finally,
carat-weight refers to the weight of the stone as measured in carats.
A diamond's value is based on all of these factors; a large carat
weight stone, which is perfectly cut and has excellent clarity and
colour will cost more that a diamond that has certain imperfections
or is smaller.
When choosing
a diamond wedding ring,
be sure to take your time and ask the advice of your jeweller, who
will be able to show you a range of diamonds
and rings of different metals and styles of setting. And finally
- take your time before choosing; a diamond is forever, so make sure
you are completely happy with your ring before you buy. |
