If you have found the person you want to grow old with and it's time to find the perfect engagement ring... this article will help you understand what to expect during this exciting time in your life. There are many things to keep in consideration when shopping for an engagement ring in Boca Raton and here at Devon's Diamonds & Decor, we will do our best to outline them for you.
SET A BUDGET
Getting married and starting your life together can be a costly process. For most people, buying an engagement ring is one of the largest purchases aside from a home and vehicle. Diamonds much like cars, boats, and homes have many different price points so make sure to have a set budget in mind. Setting a budget that fits your financial situation is very important and you should determine your budget by looking at your financial situation along with any specific desires of your fiance-to-be.
The myth of spending three months’ salary on an engagement ring dates back to the 1950s and doesn’t have much merit. Here’s a far better tip: Learn the 4C's, do some comparison shopping, and find an engagement ring that fits your budget. In the end, it’s not how much you spend, but how much love the ring represents. Avoid sales pressure and make sure you are comfortable with the amount you are spending, and what it will buy. By purchasing an engagement ring you can afford, you’ll reduce your financial stress and anxiety. At Devon's Diamonds and Decor, we will work within your budget to create the engagement ring of your dreams.
ELIMINATE SOME OF THE GUESSWORK
We recommend you get some ideas before going on your engagement ring search. Pay attention to your partners style and jewelry preferences. Knowing whether they wear white gold or yellow gold, or whether they prefer simple or extravagant designs are all important factors. Let your partner's social media pages guide you, they may give you extra hints about their style and taste. Photos of their dream ring are probably already on their Pinterest board or Instagram. Don't be afraid to ask their best friends or family members to help with your search. Your partner may prefer a ring with a halo opposed to one that is just a solitaire diamond. They may prefer a pear shaped stone over a round brilliant diamond. All of these things will help make it a lot easier during your search.
DECIDE ON THE DIAMOND SHAPE
When designing a ring, one of the first steps is to choose the shape of your diamond. There are many diamond shapes available to suit every personality type and taste preference. From beautiful heart shaped rings to pear shaped rings, there are shapes for every personality. If size appearance is a consideration, opt for a shape that appears larger. Shapes like oval, marquise, and emerald elongate the look of your diamond (and your fingers!), making them appear bigger to the naked eye. So choosing one of those shapes is a quick way to get a bigger look for less money.
Learn more about diamond shapes here.
KNOW THE 4C's
The 4 C's are gradings that every diamond has that determines their quality and price. These 4 C's are color, cut, clarity, and carat weight and are normally shown on a report. At Devon's Diamonds & Decor, we recommend and only sell diamonds that are certified by G.I.A (Gemological Institute Of America). Although there are many other labs, G.I.A is known as the most accredited grading laboratory with strict standards for diamonds and color stones.
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Color is how white or yellow a diamond is. Diamonds range from D being the whitest and completely colorless to Z being yellowish brown. Diamonds begin to have a yellow hue when nearing I-J color and get more yellow as they go down to Z in the color chart. The color evaluation of most gem-quality diamonds is based on the absence of color. A chemically pure and structurally perfect diamond has no hue, like a drop of pure water, and consequently, a higher value.
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Cut is crucial to the stone’s final beauty and value and of all the diamond 4C's . It is the most complex and technically difficult to analyze. Cut is measured on a scale from "Excellent" to "Poor", with very good, good, and fair in between. A diamond with a "Excellent" or "Very Good" cut allows the stone to reflect and refract light properly causing a beautiful shimmering effect. Precise artistry and workmanship are required to fashion a stone so its proportions, symmetry and polish deliver the magnificent return of light only possible in a diamond.
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Clarity is also very important when considering purchasing a diamond. Clarity refers to marks on the surface (blemishes) and imperfections inside of the diamond (inclusions). Evaluating diamond clarity involves determining the number, size, relief, nature, and position of these characteristics, as well as how these affect the overall appearance of the stone. While no diamond is perfectly pure, the closer it comes, the higher its value. Like color and cut, clarity is measured on a scale from "Flawless" being the rarest and clearest to "I3" being very included and is often visible to the naked eye. Normally our clients opt for stones that are clean to the naked eye, but still have some inclusions visible with a microscope. This is normally the VS1-SI1 clarity range.
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Carat Weight is often referred to as the "size" of the diamond. The more a diamond weighs the higher the carat weight will be. Each carat can be subdivided into 100 ‘points.’ This allows very precise measurements to the hundredth decimal place. A jeweler may describe the weight of a diamond below one carat by its ‘points’ alone. For instance, a jeweler may refer to a diamond that weighs 0.25 carats as a ‘twenty-five pointer.’ Diamond weights greater than one carat are expressed in carats and decimals. A 1.08 carat stone would be described as ‘one point oh eight carats.’ Some people consider carat weight to be a very important factor, but it should not have as much impact on your decision as the other 3 C's.
INSIST ON A DIAMOND GRADING REPORT
When purchasing a diamond for an engagement ring, insist on a diamond grading report. This report lets you know that the diamond you’re buying actually has the characteristics (such as cut quality, color, clarity, and carat weight) that it’s advertised as having. By giving you the exact quality characteristics of the diamond, the report will remove any uncertainty from your buying decision. The report will also indicate whether the diamond has been treated to enhance its color or clarity. Viewing a diamond’s report will give you the peace of mind that you might not have if you try to choose from a selection of non-certified stones.
The most reliable laboratory in the industry is the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) - so if you’re shopping for a diamond, we highly recommend making sure that it comes with a GIA certificate. Having one of these certificates verifies that the diamond you’re receiving is indeed the diamond the vendor is selling you. At Devon's Diamonds & Decor, we encourage our customers to purchase GIA certified diamonds.
What we have noticed is that GIA is more strict with its grading and as a result, customers tend to prefer GIA certified diamonds in Boca Raton because they know that GIA sets a high standard.
Making sure the diamond you’re eyeing comes with a GIA diamond grading report is like getting an inspection before you buy a house or car. It’s a smart step in your purchase process – and many insurance companies will require a GIA grading report as a basis for insuring your diamond.
CHOOSE THE PERFECT METAL
There are four main choices when it comes to your setting metal: white gold, yellow gold, rose gold, and platinum. First, opt for the color that complements your partner’s style the best. If she tends to wear silver jewelry, choose white gold. If she is into the latest trends, rose gold is a great choice, plus it has a warm and soothing appearance.
Second, when deciding between 14kt and 18kt gold, keep in mind that the main difference is in their alloy composition. 14kt gold is 58.5% gold and 18K gold is 75% gold. Both are mixed with other metals in order to be durable enough for jewelry. 14kt gold is the most popular metal for engagement rings, because it’s cheaper than 18kt but is just as beautiful and slightly more durable. Ultimately, though, the decision is a personal choice.
Here is some important information on these metals:
PLATINUM
Platinum is a gray-white metal that is elegant, extremely durable and corrosion resistant. Because platinum is soft in its pure state, it is typically alloyed with other metals. Platinum is generally more expensive and tends to scratch more than gold, but it is also hypoallergenic.
GOLD
Gold has been used in jewelry for thousands of years. It enchants because of its color, rarity, and luster. Pure gold is too soft for everyday wear so it is alloyed with a mixture of metals such as silver, palladium, copper, nickel and zinc to give it strength/durability and to create different colors. The most common gold colors are: yellow, white and rose.
The color of gold is determined by two factors:
- the type of metal alloys included
- the percentage of each metal alloy
YELLOW GOLD
Yellow gold is usually made by mixing pure gold with silver and copper. It is the purest color, the most hypo-allergenic, and requires the least maintenance of all the gold colors.
ROSE GOLD
Rose gold is usually made by alloying gold with copper and silver. Copper gives rose gold the rose/red hue. Due to its copper content, rose gold is more durable than yellow or white gold.
WHITE GOLD
White gold is an alloy of gold and at least one white metal (usually silver, nickel or palladium). White gold jewelry is additionally coated in a precious metal known as rhodium. It adds further strength and helps hold the white color. White gold is more durable and scratch-resistant than yellow gold. It is also more affordable than both yellow gold and platinum.
SELECT THE SETTING
In an engagement ring, a diamond is held in place by a setting. The setting has two jobs: to highlight the beauty of the diamond, and to protect it from damage. Different settings offer different degrees of protection. From traditional to modern, the setting you choose should reflect the personal style of your soon-to-be fiancé. The following make up the top categories of engagement ring setting styles: Solitaire, Halo-Style, Three-Stone, Diamond Accented and Vintage-Inspired.
FIND A JEWELER YOU TRUST
Since an engagement ring is an expensive purchase, you’ll want to buy it from a jeweler you can trust. This is a very important step of the process when it comes to getting what you pay for. Now that you are armed with the information you need to buy a diamond, you have to search for a source. Look for a jeweler with positive reviews and a good reputation in the local community. A good jeweler will have your best interest in mind and offer you many options that fit within your budget while giving you superb quality. When buying a diamond, make sure you understand what makes your stone unique. An educated jeweler will not only explain the 4 C's of diamond quality to you, but will be able to demonstrate the differences between apparently similar stones.
At Devon's Diamonds & Decor, our family of fourth generation jewelers prides itself not on price points or promotions, but rather on guaranteeing our clients a tailored, personal experience that leaves them comfortable and satisfied with their purchase. Above all, our mission is to transform the at times daunting process of finding the perfect engagement ring into a curated and seamless adventure for everyone that walks through our door.
Engagement Rings Near Me
Buying an engagement ring shouldn’t be a stressful process. By applying the tips above, you’ll be able to shop for an engagement ring knowing exactly what you’re looking for. You can rest assured that you're in good hands at Devon's Diamonds & Decor. We will work with you step-by-step to create the engagement ring of your dreams. Visit our jewelry store in Boca Raton or contact us at (561)430-6988
