Shopping for an engagement ring for your beloved is a momentous occasion. There is so much anticipation and excitement. It can be a little overwhelming too. After all, this is a purchase you need to get done exactly right. The most popular choice with brides-to-be is a diamond engagement ring. Diamonds are the world’s most popular precious stones and are admired across the world for their unparalleled beauty and brilliance. As the centerpiece of an engagement ring, they are perfect.
Arm yourself with everything you need to know about diamond engagement rings here and you’ll certainly feel more confident when it comes to making a decision.
1. Why the diamond engagement ring is so popular
Why diamonds? Well, because diamonds symbolize so much. They are as rich in meaning as they are in beauty. By giving a diamond, you are making an incredible declaration of love. The word diamond comes from a Greek word, Adamas, which means indestructible. Diamonds are the hardest material in the world. Therefore, this stone is the perfect symbol for an unbreakable bond between two people.
Diamonds also symbolize longevity and enduring love because a naturally formed diamond has taken a billion years to reach its current form. Therefore, what could be a better way of marking the start of a long and happy life together than the gift of a diamond?
Their sheer brilliance and clarity also mean they symbolize light and perfection. This makes a diamond an ideal gesture for showing just how much you admire and adore your wife-to-be.
2. Why diamonds are also the traditional choice
Engagement rings date back to Ancient Rome, but these rings were typically solid gold. That said, diamonds have been worn as the center stone of engagement rings for a very long time. The first diamond engagement ring is thought to have been presented to Mary of Burgundy in 1477. The Archduke Maximilian of Austria proposed a ring that featured narrow diamonds set in the shape of the letter M.
Diamond engagement rings have been the most popular choice for many decades now. The surge in popularity was fuelled by an advertising campaign for a British diamond company launched in 1947. The phrase coined in that campaign, ‘a diamond is forever’, has remained popular ever since. The popularity of diamonds has not diminished either and they are still the number one choice for engagement rings.
3. How lab-grown diamonds are becoming more popular
Lab-grown diamonds aren’t a new thing — the first one was created more than 70 years ago — but they are becoming more and more popular today. What exactly are they, you might ask. Lab-grown diamonds are formed in the exact same way as diamonds that are mined. They are the crystals of carbon that take high temperatures and pressure to form. Labs can mimic the conditions needed so that seeds of carbon (diamond seeds or very thin slices of diamond) can be grown into a large diamond in a matter of weeks and not billions of years.
Despite their speed of production, lab-grown diamonds are the same in terms of quality.
It takes specialist equipment to see any difference and it certainly couldn’t be detected by the naked eye. In essence, mined and lab-grown diamonds are identical, with the same physical, chemical and optical properties.
So, lots of people are opting for lab grown diamond jewelry. Read on to find out a little more about it later.
4. Why you don’t need to spend a fortune
Has anyone ever told you that you should spend three months’ salary or more on an engagement ring? This is something that is often mentioned in conversation but few people can explain why this might be. The truth is, you should spend as much as you wish and never more than you can realistically afford. Spoiling your bride-to-be will naturally be something you want to do and diamonds are the perfect way to show her that you love her.
Some good news… one of the significant reasons behind the popularity of lab-grown diamonds is that for the same price, you can get a lot more diamonds. For your budget, you can expect to get around twice the carats (as compared to mined diamond) if you choose lab-grown ones.
5. How shopping for an engagement ring will be easier than you think
Panic is not unknown when it comes to purchasing an engagement ring, especially if you’re planning a surprise proposal and are shopping without the help of your partner. The good news is that if you start your search for the perfect ring online, there are lots of tools to help you. A ring builder tool is excellent for filtering your options and narrowing it down to the perfect choice. You’ll be able to either start with a setting or a stone.
Choosing a setting first means you need to pick out the shape and overall effect of the ring setting before you pick out the stone. For example, you might opt for a simple band on which you’ll set an individual stone — a solitaire ring — or multiple diamonds with a more unusual-shaped band. Once you’ve decided on the style of ring, you can browse for the stones to set into it.
Alternatively, you can browse individual diamonds by shape first. There are several different classic choices, including round, pear-shaped, or cushion diamonds. Once you’ve picked out the perfect diamond, you can choose how to set it. Either of these two ways is very easy.
Custom design
Do you have something in particular in mind? Something you don’t want to compromise on? Then it is surprisingly straightforward to make your idea a reality with a custom ring design experience.
Fill in a simple form online with your basic requirements and then a diamond specialist will get in touch with you to discuss the finer details. They’ll keep you involved in every step of the design process so that the result is everything you hope for and more.
Shop with confidence
Shopping for a diamond engagement ring doesn’t need to be stressful or difficult. It needn’t cost a fortune either.
Now that you know these 5 facts, you can shop more confidently and find precisely what you are looking for based on your budget. You can look forward to popping the question, knowing that you’ll have the perfect diamond engagement ring ready for your bride-to-be.
“The good news is that if you start your search for the perfect ring online, such as those from Dracakis Engagement Rings, there are lots of tools to help you.”
AUTHOR BIO
The driving force behind LovBe is Margit Reinson, a European-based entrepreneur who spent her career working as an analyst within the world of EU-regulated investment firms. Her passion for lab-grown diamonds is based on a long-established fascination with the magic of carbon, and the juxtaposition that it is the building block for the hardest materials known, while also responsible for creating some of the softest. LovBe, while adhering to ESG practices and philanthropic directives for the brand, aspires to offer consumers the most beautiful, brilliant, and desirable lab-grown diamonds and jewellery at a remarkable value.
