How To Choose An Engagement Ring

Step 1: Choose a jeweller

Firstly, you will need to find a jeweller you can trust. Teddy recommends that you look for a member of the National Association of Goldsmiths. These jewellers will have a good reputation among the industry and a proven track record of high quality service. When you are about to part with a large amount of money, it is important to know that the person you are giving it to is reliable.

Step 2: Diamond rings

The classic choice for an engagement ring is of course a diamond. These are always expensive so be clear about your budget and do your best to stick to it. Before buying, familiarise yourself with the four Cs of diamonds - Clarity, colour, cut and carat.

Step 3: Clarity

The clarity of a diamond is graded according to how many natural inclusions or impurities and surface scratches it has. Perfectly flawless diamonds with no internal flaws or surface blemishes are very hard to find as they are extremely rare. Fewer flaws in a diamond result in greater brilliance as more light is reflected.
The scale used to grade clarity goes from F1 for a flawless diamond, to VVS1 and VVS2 for very slight inclusions, to VS1 and VS2 for very slight inclusions, SI1 and SI2 for slight inclusions and I1, I2 and I3 for imperfect diamonds.
Diamonds are magnified by 10 times to judge their clarity so very slight imperfections are difficult to see with the naked eye. This means that there is a range of diamonds available even for more modest budgets. If you can see a mark without magnification, however, think carefully before you buy.

Step 4: Colour

Diamonds are also graded by colour on an alphabetical scale that goes from D to Z. A colourless is D and the further down the alphabet you go the yellowier and more off colour the stone becomes. Grades D to I are acceptable to buy as they are almost identical when mounted.

Step 5: Cut

The cut of the diamond will affect its appearance and value too. An ideal cut will sparkle beautifully as the light reflects back up towards the surface of the diamond. This is dependent on the proportions and symmetry of the diamond.

Step 6: Carat weight

Diamonds are weighted in carat. These are then divided into points so 1 carat equals 100 points. Engagement rings are usually 1 carat but the ring you choose will obviously depend on your budget. A 1 carat ring on a limited budget may not rate very highly in other areas, taking away from its overall beauty.

Step 7: Shape

The round brilliant cut is the most popular shape but others available are pear, marquise, heart, oval, emerald and princess.

Step 8: Certificates

Certificates are very useful to collect with a diamond to find out exactly where they originated from. They are usually only available with the purchase of diamonds larger than just under 1 carat. For smaller diamonds, a certificate would add a considerable amount to the cost of the stone as you may end up paying an extra £100 -£200 to obtain one.

Step 9: Alternatives

You may prefer to have a different gem stone at the centre of your ring. A three stone ring with diamonds on either side of a coloured gem stone can make an impressive engagement ring. Rubies and sapphires are hard wearing but emeralds are more delicate. These stones are also a lot less expensive than the traditional choice of diamond. Again, clarity is important in these stones too and the colour should be bright and intense.

Step 10: Your style

Make sure you choose a ring that reflects your style or the style of your fiancée as this ring will signify the start of your life together.