Now that you have an idea "what diamond is", what 4C means, and etc...It is time to shop for the setting ^.*
It is true that diamond usually costs much more than the setting and often accounts for as much as 90% of the total cost of the ring. However, it is also important to have a proper and strong setting to hold the stones in place and served as a protection "home" for your great investment. On top of that, making the right choice on setting that goes well with your diamonds is crucial too, as it will affect how diamonds will look and how the ring will look on your finger.

Once you have set on which cut, color, clarity, and carat for your diamond, here are some questions you should ask yourself when choosing the right setting for your diamonds. Are you planning to wear both engagement and wedding rings on the same finger? Or do you opt to switch the engagement ring to your right hand after marriage? Do your daily activities involve a lot of physical activities? These are some of the major aspects (but not limited to these) you should take into account before deciding on the ring setting that suits you the most.

Here is the list of different ring settings available in the classy and artsy jewelry market.

1. Prong or Claw
2. Bezel
3. Tension
4. Pave
5. Cluster
6. Channel
7. Bar
8. Gypsy
9. Illusions (a touch of Vintage style)

In today's posting, we will discuss the first three styles on the list which are prong or claw, bezel, and tension settings.


1. Prong or Claw Setting

This is the most popular setting for solitaire* engagement ring by far. The design is simple and usually comes with three to six prongs to hold and raise the diamond up.

The minimum amount of metal around the diamond allows the most light exposure from all angles and create the sparkles.

It is recommended to compliment your beautiful, flawless diamond with this clean and classic setting.

*Solitaire ring means ring with only a single stone mounted to the setting.


2. Bezel Setting

Diamond is held by a metal rim/collar that encircles the sides of the stone and extends slightly above it. The rim can stretch around the diamond entirely (Whole Bezel) or only a portion of the diamond (Half Bezel).

Although bezel setting does block the light from penetrate through the diamond, the reflection of metal color can actually enhance the look of the diamond ring. For example, a white metal will enhance a white diamond and a yellow gold bezel will flatter a yellow diamond.

Bezel setting is good for covering up the imperfections on a damaged heirloom diamond such as a damaged girdle* on a diamond. Also, it is highly recommended for people with active lifestyle because of the low and protective setting on bezel setting.

*Girdle means the outer edge of a diamond which forms a band around the stone.


3. Tension Setting

This setting imposes heavy pressure in the shank of the ring to hold the diamond in place, it looks as it is floating, with no structural support on the underside.

It allows a lot of light into the diamond. However, this setting is only suitable for extremely hard stones such as diamonds, sapphires, and rubies. Only they can withstand high pressure required to keep the stone in place.


Those are the clean, simple and classic styles we have in today's posting. If you are interested to know more about the rest of the ring settings, stay tune! Yours Moment has more to offer ^.*

Sorry for the late posting...I have a friend visited New York City last week =)
Stay warm, everyone!

Sources:
1. Settings and Mounts, The Wedding Book by Mindy Weiss and Lisbeth Levine, pg 408
2. Engagement Ring Settings, About.com
3. Bezel Settings - Engagement Ring Settings, About.com
4. Engagement Rings: Settings 101, The Knot, wedding.theknot.com

Photo Credits:
1. Design of Sun Jewelry
2. Prong/Claw Diamond Ring Setting, aboutbuyingdiamonds.com
3. Four-Prong Ring, Blue Nile
4. Bezel/Rub-over Diamond Ring Setting, aboutbuyingdiamonds.com
5. 14K White Gold Half Bezel Diamond Engagement Ring, Jewelry Central
6. 14K White Gold Bezel Set Diamond Solitaire Engagement Ring, Jewelry Central
7. Basic Tension Setting, AllExperts
8. Tension Engagement Rings, e-DiamondGuide

What kind of diamond shape that your girlfriend prefers? Does that particular diamond shape tells anything about her characteristics/personality traits?
Saul A. Spero, a gemologist, who wrote the book , has interviewed 50,000 women (who liked just one and only one diamond shape) to determine if there is any correlation between preference of diamond shape and personality traits. And here's the result of his interviews (for seven different shapes: Round, Oval, Princess, Emerald, Marquise, Heart, and Pear)...

Round

The classic, timeless, and most popular of all diamond shapes.
Woman who loves this shape is faithful, traditional, and family oriented. She is caring, trustworthy, devoted, and is someone you can count on. Bridal Guide by Zales jeweler calls her "The Girl Next Door".

Oval

Woman who loves oval shape is someone who enjoys the arts, being creative and always looking forward to great success. She is willing to take chances and thrives on her ability to stay focus on the task at hand. Bridal Guide by Zales jeweler calls her "The Leader".

Princess

This square-cut diamond represents the bold, assertive, and independent woman. She is fun, optimistic, always full of passion and imagination. She tends to live life to the fullest. Of course, as the name suggests, she also adores the spotlight and love being the center of attention. Bridal Guide by Zales jeweler calls her "The Romantic".

Emerald

This clean, modern lines of four-cornered shape represents the effective, highly disciplined, and aggressive woman. She possesses a positive aura to be a natural born leader. Bridal Guide by Zales jeweler calls her "The Traditional Woman".

Marquise

Woman who is drawn to Marquise shape is outgoing, innovative, impulsive and always goal oriented. She shines with her ambition and thrives on independence. Bridal Guide by Zales jeweler calls her "The Creative".

Heart

Woman who is romantic, sensitive and emotional will be attracted by Heart shape diamond. She tends to live in fantasy land with motto of love conquers all impossibles and it has no boundaries. She always looking for pure love and a perfect life. I call her "The Romantic Perfectionist".

Pear

This tear-drop shape appeals to to woman who is warmhearted, lively, and adventurous. Being secure in her surroundings allows her to get along with everyone very well. That explains why she has a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. Bridal Guide by Zales jeweler calls her "The Socialite".

Cushion

This shape represents woman who is traditional, yet modern. The best of both worlds.

Radiant

This shape represents a charming, sociable, and fun-loving woman. Another socialite!

Asscher

This step-cut diamond represents pure elegance and beauty. Woman who loves this shape is creative, down-to-earth, and ready for anything. She always strives for inner peace and perfection. Bridal Guide by Zales jeweler calls her "The Artist".

Source & Photo Credits:
1. Diamond Shape Personalities, Diamond Within
2. Diamond Shape Personalities, Shapiro Diamonds
3. Diamond Shape, Wedding by Zales, Zales
4. Diamond Shapes, Blue Nile
5. Diamond Engagement Rings, Zales
6. Diamond Engagement Rings, Tacori

october 17, 2009

School of Diamond's 4Cs

Before you made a decision to pursue MBA or other degree program, didn't you do a lot of research on schools, programs they offer, school fees, and etc.?

Before you made a stock investment, didn't you start to learn background of the company, its financial standing, and its growth potential (or at least the company name)?

So now that you are going to purchase an engagement ring. (For most guys) It is going to be one of your major investments in life, why not educate yourself before going out to shop for THE RING? Armed with the basic knowledge of a diamond engagement ring - you not only gain a better understanding of diamond to help you make the right choice, but also you are helping the jewelry associate to find you the ideal diamond ring that fits your budget perfectly.

Lets take a quick look at the well-known 4Cs grading standard by Gemological Institute of America (GIA).

The four Cs stand for COLOR, CLARITY, CUT, and CARAT.
Diamond 4Cs Chart

1. COLOR
- It is commonly rated on a scale designed by GIA, ranging from colorless (D, E, F) to light yellow (S to Z grade).
- Diamonds with natural colors other than the range stated above (such as bright yellow, pink, blue, and green) are considered as fancy stones.

Buying TIPS:
Due to rarity, the almost colorless diamond is usually very pricey and not everyone can afford one. Guys...please do not feel discourage for not being able to buy the colorless diamond because the right setting will make the stone looks whiter and bigger than its actual look.

Here are stone-setting suggestions found at Zales.com:
A. Colorless and near-colorless diamonds usually pair with platinum and white gold setting.
B. Slight yellow-tinted diamonds will appear whiter in a yellow gold setting.

2. CLARITY
- It means how clear (or how free of imperfections*) the diamond on the outside and inside under the naked eye and with a 10-power magnifying glass.
* Imperfections subdivided into internal flaws ("inclusions") and external flaws ("blemishes").
- Many flaws include cracks, scratches, and bubbles, are invisible to the naked eye and only can be seen under the jeweler's loupe.

GIA Diamond Clarity Grading System consists of five clarity classifications with eleven grades, ranging from flawless (F or FL) to obvious inclusions (I3). To view the scale, click here.

Buying TIPS:
No one is perfect, including the stone that comes naturally on earth. So why would you want a flawless stone when you can get a cheaper one with slight inclusions that are invisible to human's eye? Only one exception for buyers who intend to resell the diamond in future. They will have to invest on a colorless and flawless diamond.

3. CUT
- It refers to the diamond's shape and quality.
- It determines brilliance (how light is reflected), dispersion (rainbow-like flashes), and scintillation (flashes of light in motion) of the diamond.
- This is the only aspect of the diamond where its quality is the result of human decisions and craftsmanship (cutting skills).

There are three types of faceted cuts:
A. Brilliant cuts
- In round or curved geometrical shape.
- It creates the most sparkle.
- Ideal: Round with 58-facet.

B. Step-cuts
- It shaped like stairs on the side view of a diamond.
- Ideal: Emerald.

C. Mixed cuts
- It is the combination of brilliant and step-cuts.
- Ideal: Princess

Buying TIPS:
Follow your heart and look for the shape that represent your style and personality.

4. CARAT
- It means weight of a diamond.
- A carat equals 100 points. One point equivalent to 0.01 carat (ct.) or 1/100 ct.
- A carat is about 200 miligrams.
- The higher the carat weights, the larger the diameter of the diamond (so does the price!)

Buying TIPS:
Diamond with same carat weight are priced differently, depending on its color, clarity, and cut. In terms of weight, a 1 ct. diamond will cost much more than two 1/2 ct. diamonds combined. For jewelry with more than a single stone, the total weight of all diamonds in the piece will be combined and described as Total Carat Weight (TW). Therefore, getting a three-stone ring with total weight of 1 ct. will be much cheaper than a solitaire 1 ct. diamond ring.

What matter the most to these people?
Budgeted?
Choose a smaller diamond with near-colorless to faint yellow and slight inclusions diamond. Never sacrifice a poorly cut diamond for a large stone.
Reinvestment?
Pay attention to color and clarity of the stone.
Fashionista?
Check out the cut that you like the most. It represents your style and personality.

Hope this brief Diamond 4Cs 101 helps you make the right choice when choosing the ideal diamond ring that fits your budget.
We will find out the diamond shape personality next, stay tune!
Source:
1. The Wedding Book by Mindy Weiss and Lisbeth Levine
2. Diamond Education, Zales
3. About the 4Cs, Gemological Institute of America (GIA)

Photo Credit:
1. All about diamonds, National Bridal Service

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