Guys: Getting Ready to Propose?
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Welcome to the first article in a mini-series on getting hitched. You have three responsibilities: buying the ring, getting through the planning, and booking the honeymoon. Allow us to make it so easy that you want to kick it off this holiday season.
We thought it best to consult the experts for these articles, so we knocked on Madame A's door and promised her a goody bag from Antwerp if she gave us her expertise. "I don't need to be bribed!" she exclaimed. "This is one of my favourite subjects!" (She never ceases to amaze us with her knowledge and her generosity.)
And so we begin.
Madame A's Guide to Bling
There are two kinds of ring buyers: those who want it to present one in a blue box, and those who want to find the perfect stone, get to know it, and have it set. The former will pay a premium for the name and get what they pay for. The latter will get an equally good ring, but at a lesser price. Or, as I like to think of it, a bigger diamond at the same price.
This guide is for the latter, whether shopping alone in advance of the proposal or with the lucky gal on your arm.
If you're a researcher, start with the book How to Buy A Diamond by Fred Cuellar. If you have a bit less patience, go to Blue Nile to get an idea of carat, cut, colour, clarity, and, of course, price. They also have a good overview of diamond shapes to get you started.
Hatton Garden is a good place to look but you need to be careful - many diamonds are not good quality. As a general rule, don't buy a stone already set in a ring. Jewellers often mount their least fabulous diamonds for display, and settings can hide flaws in the stone. And for this purchase, putting off immediate gratification is a good idea.
When you find a diamond that fits your requirements, look at it with the loupe (the magnifying glass) and ask the jeweller to point out the imperfections to you. Then you can decide how obvious you think they are. Bring a printout of prices from Blue Nile so you have an idea of what price is fair.
The stone needs to have a certificate - HRD or IGI in Europe, or GIA in the US. Don't accept another kind of certificate - they tend to be more 'generous' with their grading.
Carat
Diamonds are weighed in carats, and it's best not to go for half or whole numbers (1, 1.5, 2, etc.), as those attract a bigger premium. Better to buy a .9, 1.4 or 1.9 carat diamond. This site provides a good visual guide of sizes, and if you select something other than round, pay attention to length-width-ratios.
Clarity
Clarity ratings deal with a stone's flaws. Don't bother with a VVS1-2 diamond unless it's for investment purposes, as VS1-2 diamonds appear the same without magnification. SI1s are the best value, although you have to examine them closely as sometimes the flaws can be quite visible. Generally, if you're looking at a smaller stone or at a round cut diamond you can get away with a lower clarity. But if you get an emerald cut diamond, you need very good clarity and colour as there are fewer facets to hide the flaws.
Colour
Diamonds are given a letter from D (the best) to J to describe their colour. I wouldn't consider a D or E as they're too expensive and no one could tell the difference between an E and an F. Don't go below I, though, as they begin to look yellow or grey. G or H offers good value for money, and personally, I'd prefer a better colour and a slightly lower clarity.
Brilliance
To ensure your diamond is as brilliant as possible, make sure the polish/symmetry or finish is at least listed as 'good'. You can also look into table percentage, which also affects the brilliance. You also need to consider fluorescence, which can give a diamond a blueish tint, and ideally the diamond will have little (faint) or none. However, you could get away with a lower colour diamond (like a J) if it has stronger fluorescence, as the fluorescence will make the colour look better than it actually is.
Once you've found your diamond, you'll need to have it set. This site offers lots of style ideas, and I always recommend platinum - 95% pure if possible.
Of course she does.
Check back next Thursday for one-half of HITC's etiquette team, Mr Properly, on getting through the planning process.
And so we begin.
Madame A's Guide to Bling
There are two kinds of ring buyers: those who want it to present one in a blue box, and those who want to find the perfect stone, get to know it, and have it set. The former will pay a premium for the name and get what they pay for. The latter will get an equally good ring, but at a lesser price. Or, as I like to think of it, a bigger diamond at the same price.
This guide is for the latter, whether shopping alone in advance of the proposal or with the lucky gal on your arm.
If you're a researcher, start with the book How to Buy A Diamond by Fred Cuellar. If you have a bit less patience, go to Blue Nile to get an idea of carat, cut, colour, clarity, and, of course, price. They also have a good overview of diamond shapes to get you started.
Hatton Garden is a good place to look but you need to be careful - many diamonds are not good quality. As a general rule, don't buy a stone already set in a ring. Jewellers often mount their least fabulous diamonds for display, and settings can hide flaws in the stone. And for this purchase, putting off immediate gratification is a good idea.
When you find a diamond that fits your requirements, look at it with the loupe (the magnifying glass) and ask the jeweller to point out the imperfections to you. Then you can decide how obvious you think they are. Bring a printout of prices from Blue Nile so you have an idea of what price is fair.
The stone needs to have a certificate - HRD or IGI in Europe, or GIA in the US. Don't accept another kind of certificate - they tend to be more 'generous' with their grading.
Carat
Diamonds are weighed in carats, and it's best not to go for half or whole numbers (1, 1.5, 2, etc.), as those attract a bigger premium. Better to buy a .9, 1.4 or 1.9 carat diamond. This site provides a good visual guide of sizes, and if you select something other than round, pay attention to length-width-ratios.
Clarity
Clarity ratings deal with a stone's flaws. Don't bother with a VVS1-2 diamond unless it's for investment purposes, as VS1-2 diamonds appear the same without magnification. SI1s are the best value, although you have to examine them closely as sometimes the flaws can be quite visible. Generally, if you're looking at a smaller stone or at a round cut diamond you can get away with a lower clarity. But if you get an emerald cut diamond, you need very good clarity and colour as there are fewer facets to hide the flaws.
Colour
Diamonds are given a letter from D (the best) to J to describe their colour. I wouldn't consider a D or E as they're too expensive and no one could tell the difference between an E and an F. Don't go below I, though, as they begin to look yellow or grey. G or H offers good value for money, and personally, I'd prefer a better colour and a slightly lower clarity.
Brilliance
To ensure your diamond is as brilliant as possible, make sure the polish/symmetry or finish is at least listed as 'good'. You can also look into table percentage, which also affects the brilliance. You also need to consider fluorescence, which can give a diamond a blueish tint, and ideally the diamond will have little (faint) or none. However, you could get away with a lower colour diamond (like a J) if it has stronger fluorescence, as the fluorescence will make the colour look better than it actually is.
Once you've found your diamond, you'll need to have it set. This site offers lots of style ideas, and I always recommend platinum - 95% pure if possible.
Of course she does.
Check back next Thursday for one-half of HITC's etiquette team, Mr Properly, on getting through the planning process.
Article Comments & Ratings
Graham Morris 25th Nov, 3:55pm
I went through http://www.diamondsnb.com/ who sat down and ran through budget with me and then sourced a variety of available diamonds, I went for a better quality but smaller rock but could have gone bigger, they then dealt with importing it and having it set by a jeweller, all told the ring was independently priced at twice that which I paid for it.
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