It’s time to pop the question! You know you’ve found the woman of your dreams and you want her to be your wife. It’s only natural that you would want to get her the perfect engagement ring. She deserves it but how do you choose a ring that will knock her socks off and show how much you love her at the same time? It’s easy. All you have to do is follow the five Cs.
1. Cut
The cut of the diamond is a term used by jewelers that describes how well the diamond reflects light; it has nothing to do with the shape of the diamond. Diamonds that are more valuable reflect light better, and so have better cuts. The cut refers to how the diamond was cut after it was mined. Angles from cutting, as well as polishing afterward, all determine how the diamond reflects light. If it reflects light well, it will have an extremely bright appearance. You want to get the brightest diamond you can for your intended bride.
2. Color
The most clear, colorless diamonds are the most prized and valuable. Many diamonds of lesser quality are opaque or cloudy when you look at them up close. Other diamonds are actually colored, such as pink or yellow. You can even find black diamonds. The coloring is natural and comes from how they were made and where they were found in the earth. However, to get a truly special diamond, you must find one that is virtually clear. These are rarer than you might imagine, so expect to do some looking to find the perfect colorless diamond.
3. Clarity
Clarity has nothing to do with color. The opaque or cloudy nature of some diamonds is all part of their color. Clarity is a measure of how flawless the diamond is. If it has any imperfections on its surface, like cracks, scratches, chips or traces of other minerals mixed into it, then its clarity level goes down. You want a diamond that is as smooth and flawless both inside and out as possible. Diamonds with low clarity look shoddy and it will be clear to everyone that you didn’t care enough to get your loved one the very best. Examine each diamond closely and only choose ones with impeccable clarity to make sure your prospective bride is impressed.
4. Carat
Carat refers to the weight of the diamond. This is different from karat, which is the term used to measure the purity of gold, so don’t confuse the two. Large diamonds have large carat measures. Tiny diamond chips, on the other hand, may not even make up a full carat. The higher the carat, the more visible, and more expensive, the diamond will be. However, you shouldn’t buy a diamond on carat alone. You need to make sure the cut, color and clarity also are as perfect as they can be. The ideal engagement ring for your prospective bride will have excellent results in all four of the Cs of diamond selection.
5. Consultation
There is another important aspect of buying a diamond engagement ring that has nothing to do with the physical attributes of the diamond: Communication. Buying an engagement ring isn’t something you should go at alone. You need to consult with your intended’s family about her preferences if you can’t find a way to ask her yourself without giving away your upcoming proposal. Also consult with a jeweler. The jewelers at Macys are an excellent resource to make sure you’re choosing a high quality diamond and can help guide you to select the best engagement ring for your beloved.