Diamond Engagement Rings

What’s A Good Diamond For An Engagement Ring?

Sparkling and shining, diamonds are usually the first thought when thinking about an engagement ring. Diamond engagement rings are also the most popular choice to symbolise love and commitment before a wedding ring. However, there are lots of aspects of a diamond engagement ring to think about before buying.

You will need to think about the four C’s: Cut, Clarity, Colour, and Carat. The cut simply refers to the geometric proportions of the gem, clarity is the measurements of inclusions and blemishes. Colour runs on a scale of D to Z, colourless to tinted where colourless diamonds are more expensive. And finally carat is the diamonds weight, the higher the carat the bigger the diamond and the higher the cost. For more information, check out our guide to Diamond Cuts, Clarity, Carat and Colour.

Finding the right diamond engagement ring all depends on which of the four C’s are most important to you and it’s all about balance between that and your budget. Our helpful engagement ring price guide has some great tips on how to do this.

Diamond Engagement Ring Cuts

With diamond engagement ring shapes, the most popular cuts are round brilliant diamonds, princess, emerald, marquise and oval.

• Round brilliant cut engagement rings are the most sparkly of all diamond forms and feature a round diamond.
• Princess cut features a square diamond engagement ring and provides a more modern take.
• Emerald cut diamond engagement rings feature a rectangular shape which flashes with sparkles of light, these are a classic choice.
• Marquise cut engagement rings have a refined vintage diamond-like shape which can make them appear larger than their carat weight.
• Oval diamond engagement rings give the glitter and traditional beauty of round diamonds but offer a unique touch and give the impression of being larger.

Read more in our diamond shape guide.

Diamond Engagement Ring Carats

Diamond ring carats essentially tell you how big and how much the stone weighs. While you can’t see diamond carat weight, several factors affect the weight, such as the shape, formulation and density.

While carat size is influential and is only as important as you want it to be, it’s not the only aspect of a diamond to consider. For example, if your soon to be fiancé prefers sparkly diamonds, you may want to focus more on cut and clarity. But if visual size matters more, then carat weight and cut should be important.

When choosing a diamond engagement ring, there is no set carat as the best one to have. Smaller diamonds, like 0.1ct-0.20ct engagement rings can make gorgeous and sophisticated rings which are perfect if you’re going with a more minimalist style. Half-carat diamonds, like 0.5ct engagement rings are great sizes and perfect if you’re on a budget.

The most popular options are 1ct diamond engagement rings as these truly sparkle and shine with larger diamonds. Great for larger hands or if you want a showstopping ring are the over 1ct engagement rings. While both of these are big diamond engagement rings, note that the price point will be more expensive than smaller diamond engagement rings.

Diamond Engagement Ring Metals

When choosing the right diamond engagement ring, you also need to think about the colour of the metal. These can affect the way the diamond sparkles and come in a few types, from yellow, white or rose gold to platinum.

Yellow gold diamond engagement rings omit the classic golden colour and is made from mixing pure gold with copper, silver, nickel, zinc and palladium. These diamond engagement rings are very durable and the warmth of the metal enhances the brightness of the stone.

White gold diamond engagement rings look like silver and were originally developed to imitate platinum. These are made from gold, nickel and zinc, and is a durable choice, but because of the silver plating, the colour may fade and turn yellow over time. Nevertheless, the beautiful colour reflects the light from the diamond beautifully.

Rose gold diamond engagement rings feature a pink hue and are great modern choices which is a great mix between white and yellow gold. Again, a durable choice for the big day.

Platinum diamond engagement rings are extremely durable and are usually valued higher than other metals as it’s purer and rarer. These diamond engagement rings are perfect for accentuating the brilliance of the diamond’s sparkle.

Diamond Engagement Ring Styles

When choosing a diamond engagement ring, you should not only think about the four C’s and the metal colour, but the ring design too. The style of the ring is a factor into what cut, clarity, colour or carat the diamond may be. You can find subtly beautiful designs to more intricate and statement piece designs, the most popular are:

• Single Diamond Engagement Rings: Also known as solitaire diamond engagement rings, these feature a plain ring with just one central diamond and is a classic style, great for minimalists.
• Cluster Diamond Engagement Rings: Cluster engagement rings are set with a collection of multiple diamonds together. This makes it appear to be a big diamond engagement ring and each diamond reflects each other.
• Trilogy Diamond Engagement Rings: Trilogy engagement rings
  feature three gemstones in a row, either three diamonds or two diamonds and a gemstone, which symbolizes the past, present and future.
• Eternity Diamond Engagement Rings: Symbolising everlasting love, diamond eternity engagement rings are set with a horizontal line of identically cut diamonds.

All of these styles make beautiful diamond engagement rings for women, but ultimately you can propose with any ring you wish. For inspiration, take a look at our article on Unusual Engagement and Diamond Rings.

And there isn’t anything to say that you can’t buy a diamond engagement ring for men either, but if you are looking for better-suited styles, take a look at our range of men’s diamond rings.

Diamond Rings For Engagement At Ramsdens

We have a wide range of engagement diamond rings for you to choose from here at Ramsdens Jewellery. All of our rings are checked for quality by our expert team so rest assured that our stock is completely genuine, and that each diamond is graded accordingly. If you’re still stuck with finding the perfect ring, check out our engagement ring guide for some tips on choosing the right one.

If you’re looking for a unique piece, or perhaps a truly vintage diamond engagement ring, we stock a wide range of second-hand diamond engagement rings. And to match for the big day, why not complete your set with a diamond wedding ring.

Before you buy your diamond engagement ring, make sure to visit your nearest branch to see it in person. And don’t forget we offer free delivery or click-and-collect options with 0% interest free finance. If you need any further help or have questions, feel free to contact our team.