How to Choose Your Diamond Wedding Ring
Copyright � 2006 Richard Keir
A favorite activity of everyone getting married is the incredible fun of going
through a wedding ring selection process. But there are so many things to
consider - and sometimes it can turn into a nightmare.
I've got to be honest here, everybody secretly wants a monster stone in the
most beautiful setting possible. Do most women get it? No, not really.
A perfect, flawless 3K diamond (or bigger) isn't realistic for most. Getting
married involves a lot more than a flash ring which is going to have to be
paid for and, of course, the bigger it is, the longer it's going to take to pay for it.
Like most young girls, you may have spent a lot of time dreaming of the
perfect diamond wedding ring. Hopefully, you and your fiance decided to
shop for rings together, or you have informed him of what you like. You
will wear the wedding ring for a significant amount of time and it only
makes sense that it's something that you like. If your knowledge of
diamond wedding rings is limited to size, it's a good idea that you obtain
more information before you make your wedding ring selection.
Consider some alternatives like "Loose or Set".
When most people think of a diamond wedding ring, they often think
of a stone that is already set or mounted. You can actually buy a diamond
only and choose a setting later. Why would you do this? The cost. When
you shop for loose diamonds you will notice that diamonds are available
in various sizes and shapes, including oval, round, and marquise.
Now let's say you are pretty much indifferent to the shape, but you might
want to consider your hands. Certain styles complement certain types of
hands. A good guide is to match the shape of the diamond to the hand.
Do you have long, narrow fingers? Then an oval-shaped diamond or
similar elongated style diamond for your wedding ring would probably
work for you. Round diamonds usually are considered a good choice
for most hands.
Now, what about the setting.
You really need to carefully consider the setting when shopping for a
wedding ring. Should you choose platinum or yellow or white gold?
Yellow gold is the setting that most people choose for their wedding ring.
It is typically less expensive than platinum or white gold. But if you do
choose a yellow gold wedding ring, be careful that you don't choose a
higher quality just because you think it is better. As the quality of yellow
gold goes up, the softer the metal becomes. A wedding ring set in 24k
gold will be less resilient to scratches and more malleable than a ring
that is set in 14k gold.
Platinum is by far the most expensive and most durable of the trio. White
gold is a good choice for a wedding ring setting if versatility is important
to you. White gold tends to go with everything.
White diamonds are by far the most popular. Did you know that you could
buy a pink diamond? Diamonds are available in other colors, but these are
typically more expensive. Second to the classic white diamond is the yellow
diamond. When shopping for your wedding ring you will actually find more
of these than any other color of diamond.
OK, now the big one - consider the cost.
Your budget probably carries the most weight in your wedding ring selection.
A wedding ring featuring a diamond can cost as little as $100 and as much
as $1,000,000. In general, the amount of money you can expect to pay for a
diamond wedding ring will vary according to the type of stone and the setting.
The more carats (that is the bigger the single diamond or the more smaller
diamonds there are in total) a wedding ring has the more it will cost.
Diamonds set in platinum will cost you the most. You can, however, spend
much less on a wedding ring set in 14-carat gold. You can balance the cost
by buying a wedding ring with a high number of carats and set in a less
expensive setting.
Ultimately, you have to carefully consider your budget and your future.
There is no single answer that will suit everyone. Some have the enviable
pleasure of being able to buy whatever combination they most desire. For
most of us, however, we need to begin our married life by using smart and
careful selection to make sure our diamond ring not only suits and satisfies us,
but also doesn't stress our finances.
Richard writes on a variety of subjects for his own and other sites. If you're
interested in great information and articles all about weddings be sure to visit
Elena's Completely Weddings at Completely-Weddings.com
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