Engagement Rings
Engagement Rings.
Finding the perfect engagement ring is a momentous journey, and we’re thrilled to make it easier and more exciting with the launch of our new engagement ring page. Whether you’re envisioning a classic Diamond solitaire, a vintage-inspired halo setting, or a colourful gemstone ring, our interactive page allows you to explore a variety of styles, diamond sizes, and gemstone options with just a few clicks. In this blog, we’ll guide you through how to use this innovative tool to create the ring of your dreams.
First of All,
Are you envisioning an all-Diamond engagement ring, or does your beloved dream of a pop of colour with vibrant gemstones paired with diamond accents?
You can switch between these two options by pressing the menu tab and choosing between “Engagement Rings” or “Coloured Stone Rings,” as shown in the video below.
Diamond Engagement Rings.
There are many styles of diamond engagement rings. Once you have picked the perfect one, you have further options for metal, Diamond size, colour, and clarity. We will go into these choices a bit later on. First, let’s start by keeping it simple.
If the ring you have selected displays an “In Stock” symbol, there will be a selection available for express delivery. The Diamond has been pre-selected and graded by either GIA or IGI. You may notice a slight difference in price between the two. This is because both institutions will have different standards when it comes to the grading of the colour and clarity. The difference is minimal, though, and not visible to the untrained eye.
In the video, you can see the “In Stock” symbol displayed inside a Diamond ring icon. When the desired in-stock ring is selected, scroll down to the selection that is available to purchase now. Once you have chosen, press “Buy this item” and it will be added to your shopping cart ready for payment.
Diamond Engagement Rings, in more depth.
This is the fun part—customising your selected ring! It may initially appear overwhelming, but once we guide you through it, you’ll realize it’s not as daunting as it seems.
Remember, this part is only if you decide not to select one of the rings mentioned above in the previous section.
Let’s start at the top of the page, next to the video. The specifications for the ring style I have selected are listed. The two that can be customised are Centre Diamond Quality and Diamond Quality Availability on Shoulders. (We will get to those shortly.)
As you can see, I have selected a centre Diamond weight of 0.50ct, which is 5.00mm in a round brilliant cut. The style is a Halo with Diamond-Set Shoulders, and it tells me that the Diamond weight of those are 0.35ct, also in a round brilliant cut. The total Diamond weight for the ring is 0.85ct, and they are claw and micro-claw set.
Where it says “Next Size” up or down, this is referring to the centre Diamond size. If you press on these you will be shown the same ring but with a larger or smaller centre Diamond.
Metal Options and Accent Diamonds.
By accent Diamonds I am refering to the Diamond Quality Available on Shoulders, it’s just an easier way to say it.
To the left of the listed options, you will see an image or video of your selected ring. Within the image are the metal options. You can click on each one to see what your ring would look like in each metal. For example, a full Platinum or Yellow Gold ring or a Yellow Gold ring with a Platinum head. The choices available will depend on the ring you have chosen.
Once you have selected, you can move to the right to add this. There, you will also be given the option of Diamond quality; this refers to the colour and clarity of your accent Diamonds. You can learn more about this in our blog, The 4 C’s Explained.
You will also be given the option of Natural or Lab Grown Diamonds. Both are equally beautiful, but the price point is different. You will get more Diamonds for your money with a lab-grown diamond vs a natural one. You can learn more about the differences in our blog, Natural vs Lab Created Diamonds.
The price given at this point is only for the ring itself and any accent Diamonds. The centre Diamond is not included yet. If you purchase a solitaire Diamond ring, the price will be for the ring mount only. This is so you can choose the Diamond you would like or use a Diamond from your own collection. Who has a Diamond collection? I hear you cry! If you have been handed down a piece of jewellery from a family member, we can use the stones in your new ring, for example.
Centre Diamond.
Now it’s time to select the main event, the centre Diamond. As you scroll down the page you will come across two blue boxes:
If you do not require a Diamond, select the first box. If you would like a complete ring, select the second box labelled “Centre Diamond Required.” This option will give you a list of all the suitable sized and cut Diamonds for your ring. (Natural and Lab Grown).
When the list of Diamonds first appears, there will be some filters at the top that you can adjust.
First, you can see that you can choose between natural Diamonds, lab-grown Diamonds or both. I have selected natural.
The second is Diamond Weight (Carats). I have selected a range between 0.50ct and 0.54ct.
Third is your price range. I have selected Diamonds between £1500 and £3400. Remember, this is the price for only the Diamond and will be added to the cost of the selected ring you chose in the previous step.
Fourth is the colour. I have selected G. The lower down the alphabet you go, the better or more clear the Diamond colour will be.
Fourth is clarity. I have gone in the middle with a VS1. Don’t forget you can learn more about the colour, cut, clarity and carat in our blog; The 4 C’s explained.
The list is then updated with my preferences and all available Diamonds, and their price will be displayed underneath in ascending price order. If I click on the image of one of them, a video or image will load of that actual Diamond. As seen in the video.
It’s important to remember that these videos and images are extreme close-ups of each Diamond. Some may appear to have visible inclusions or scratches on them; these will only be visible under a microscope, not to the naked eye when it’s on your beloved’s finger.
You may have noticed that there are 4 more filters that I did not change. These were Cut / Proportions, Polish, Symmetry and Fluorescence. I shall give a little run-down of what each of these mean in case you wish to look into them in more detail before your final selection.
- Cut / Proportions. This ranges from F—fair, GD—good, VG—very good, and EX—excellent. It indicates how well the Diamond has been cut to give the best sparkle.
- Polish. This is how much the Diamond has been polished to reflect the light back at you. The range is the same as the cut, with EX being the highest grade. F grade will still reflect light but appear duller under 10x magnification.
- Symmetry again ranges from fair to excellent. The symmetry of the Diamond is how well it has been cut. If graded as excellent, then all facets are equally sized and spaced to give the best possible overall look when under 10x magnification.
- Fluorescence is how well the Diamond fluoresces under UV light. The higher the fluorescence, the whiter the Diamond will appear. This is more of a personal choice. I don’t tend to be near that many UV lights these days (my partying days are long gone), but this may be important to some.
In an ideal world, we would all pick an EX-graded Diamond for everything, but for 99% of the population, this is not a realistic goal. There is beauty in the imperfect, and knowing that you have hand-selected the Diamond going into your engagement ring, I think, means more.
Sizing and Engraving.
You have selected your ring style and your centre Diamond. Now, choose the ring size and any engraving you would like inside the band of the ring.
If you are unsure of the ring size, there is a handy tool to help you. Here, you can download a printable size guide to help you get the perfect fit. Just please remember to print this to scale and not to fit the page!
Once you know the size, there are 4 boxes to select.
Finger size speaks for itself; it is the size of the ring you require.
Fraction is if you require a half size, for example. If you find that an M is too small but an N is too large, you may need an M 1/2.
Guage is where the ring is measured from, the centre of the width of the band or the leading edge. The leading edge is the bottom of the band, as this is the first part that would slide over a knuckle. Most jewellers use the leading edge, but the difference between the two is only noticeable if you are ordering a very wide bandwidth.
The last box is the quantity; this is automatically set to 1 so that only one ring is ordered.
If you would like any engraving aded inside of the ring, there is the option to add this just below where you select the ring size.
You will be given a choise of styles and a text box to add your message. Always triple check the spelling!
You’re All Done!
You have successfully completed your Engagement ring selection! The total for your ring will be displayed at the bottom of the screen. All that’s left to do is press the Add to Cart button.
If you are unsure of anything, you can always contact us via email or phone or visit us in-store, and we will be happy to help.
Gemstone Engagement Rings.
Remember that pop of colour I spoke about at the beginning of this blog? Now we will explore the wonderful different gemstone options and go through the selection process.
We have many different gemstones, each as beautiful as the next one. When choosing a gemstone, there are a few things you can keep in mind to help you pick the perfect one for your partner. Their birthstone is always a thoughtful touch, their favourite colour or if you know, their preferred gem of choice.
Gemstone Options.
Here are all the gemstones we offer. I’ll add the month if it is a birthstone and the colour for easy reference.
Remember, this is a deeply personal choice, so go with your heart if all else fails. My birthstone is Ruby, and my favourite colour is green, yet I have a Blue Sapphire engagement ring because I loved it as soon as I saw it!
Choose Your Style.
This is exactly the same process as for Diamond Engagement Rings. Scroll through to find the ring style you like the best. Once you have selected one, you will have more options to choose from.
As with the Diamond rings, you will have your metal options, a choice of natural or lab-grown accent Diamonds, ring size, quantity, and any engraving you may like.
Under the “add to cart” button, you will also see similar rings with different gemstones or gemstone cuts to the one you have selected.
Unlike when you purchase a Diamond ring there are no further options. The gemstone is included in the price you see at the bottom of the screen and has already been selected for you.
Your selection is now complete!
Useful Information.
You can find some useful information on Diamonds, Platinum and Paladium in the tab shown on the video below. There are also the following blogs that you may find helpful:
A Guide to Precious Metals Used in Jewellery.
The Importance of the Correct Ring Size.