Diamond Bridal Rings

When it comes to engagement or wedding ring choices, there are many.  Many styles, many sizes and grades of diamonds, many price ranges. 

Pricing will vary according to the karat or purity of the gold used, some rings are also made with platinum.  By far the most common karat of gold used in 14kt and can be either yellow or white (which appears as a silver color like the ones in the photos below.)

Diamond Carat or weight and quality will be the other denominators in the cost.  The bigger the diamond, the higher the cost, the better the clarity and color, the higher the cost. 

Here are some charts that may help you to understand the grades.

CLARITY SCALE

FL-Flawless No imperfections inside or outside of the stone under 10x magnification.

IF-Internally Flawless No inclusions can be seen with 10x magnification.

VVS1,VVS2- Very Very Slightly Imperfect Very small inclusions which are very difficult to see with 10x magnification.

VS1,VS2- Very Slightly Imperfect Small inclusions which are slightly difficult to difficult to see with 10x magnification.

SI1 ,SI2- Slightly Imperfect Inclusions are fairly easy to see with 10x magnification. Sometimes inclusions are visible to the naked eye.

I1, I2, I3- Imperfect Inclusions range from eye visible to very easily seen to the naked eye. An I1 can be a beautiful stone when well cut. An I2 is industrial grade. I3 usually looks like frozen spit.

IS AN SI2 EYE CLEAN?

To best understand clarity, let's talk about "Eye Clean". If a stone is Eye Clean, it means you won't be able to see any imperfection without the aid of a magnifying device (Loupe).It is generally agreed that SI2 is the last grade which is usually eye clean. In some cases, an SI2 stone can be eye clean- yet in some cases an SI2 may not be eye clean.

Clarity grades are cumulative. This means a stone with two SI1 sized imperfections would likely garner a grade of SI2 from GIA. It's likely that two smaller imperfections would not be as easy for the eye to pick up as one larger one. The location of the imperfection also plays a large role in whether it is visible. When it comes to step cut diamonds, such as Emerald or Asscher, there are fewer facets to hide an imperfection. Therefore, it is possible that even a VS1 Emerald or Asscher cut may not be completely eye clean.

Color Scale

D, E, F=colorless

G, H, I, J=near colorless

K, L, M=faint yellow

N, O, P, Q, R=very light yellow

S-Z=light yellow

There are also other colors of diamonds from pink to brown but they are not usually used in bridal rings.

The 'cut' of a diamond has a lot to do with the quality and cost as well.

This term is used to describe the quality of the cut (not the shape) of the diamond.  A well cut diamond is better suited to handle light internally creating more scintillation and sparkle (fire).  Proportions and symmetry as well as polish are taken into consideration.
Very Good = Exceptional brilliance with few and only minor outer marks.

Good = Good brilliance. Some outer marks.

Medium = Slightly less brilliance. Some larger outer marks.

Poor = Less brilliance. Large or many outer marks.

So Carat, Cut, Clarity and Color are the 4 C's of Diamonds.  In general you want to choose the best you can afford.  Also take into consideration what kind of style you want and remember that it will be worn daily for many years to come and possibly passed on to a child or grandchild to be lovingly treasured.

Some engagement rings are just a solitaire on a band, others are more ornate, and some have other gemstones included in the setting for color.  Individual taste varies and therefore there is no wrong kind of ring as long as you are happy with it.

The shapes of the diamonds are as varied as the styles.  Round, pear, emerald, square or princess, oval, marquis, baguette and trillion.  There are many variations such as checkerboard and pillow cuts.  The cut made is chosen to show the diamond at its best.

As you can see from the differing photographs, we carry many sizes and styles of bridal rings here at The Gold Exchange.  We have all price ranges from less than $200 on up.  Wide, narrow, with or without guards, with or without matching bands, solitaires, with accent stones, yellow gold, white gold, platinum, you name it and we probably have it.

The 2nd from the right above is even a signed Cartier diamond ring.  We have many men's wedding rings and bands as well.  So if you are shopping for diamonds take a look at our Ebay store by

clicking the link on the right. 

We have a graduate gemologist that views our jewelry and grades it if it does not come to us with any certification.  We can also arrange to have a ring sized if need be. 

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And as always you are welcome to visit our showroom if you are in the Houston, TX area.