Diamond Advice: Buying an Engagement Ring

So you’ve decided it’s time to buy an engagement ring – congratulations! What ring you go for is a really important decision and we’re sorry to say that it’s not as simple as popping to the shops to pick out one that you like. Before you settle on the all-important piece you should think about doing a little bit of research.

Platinum 0.50ct G VS1 Brilliant Cut Diamond Ring

One of the first things you should do before you start looking is decide on your budget. This makes it a lot easier when you start shopping and means you won’t get carried away as you’ll have a much better idea of what options are available within your price range. Once you have a price in mind you’ll then want to find the best possible diamond for your budget.

Spend time looking at rings at different jewellers and do some price comparison. Look at what you can get for your money by comparing diamond sizes, styles and quality. Whilst doing this it’s also important to look at the jewellers themselves. What’s their reputation like? Are they respected and trusted? Laings have over 175 years of diamond experience and expertise, so we really do know what we’re talking about.

If diamonds are something new to you then you want to get as much expert advice as possible. An engagement ring is an investment that you want to get right. Going to a respected jewellers can give you reassurance of the quality of your diamond. We can offer you expert advice, giving you confidence in the diamond that you’re buying.

You can also look at the different diamond certifications that jewellers offer. This is a way to ensure quality and it gives you assurance of the diamonds condition. At Laings we use IGI (International Gemological Institute), GIA (Gemological Institute of America) and HRD (Hoge Raad voor Diamant) who all have excellent reputations and standards. This means that your diamond has been graded by an independent authority who is trusted and unbiased.

Platinum 0.50ct E VS2 Brilliant Cut Diamond Ring

You’ll also want to ensure that you get the best quality diamond for the best price. This is where you might want to start thinking about the 4 c’s. The 4 c’s are an internationally recognised way of grading diamonds and they cover the colour, clarity, carat and cut of the diamond.

Colour – this is really the absence of colour, with D being the best grade.

Clarity – this is how clear the diamond is and if there are any inclusions in the diamond.

Carat – the carat is the weight and the size of the diamond.

Cut – the cut is how the diamond is shaped from a rough gem. This stage requires expertise and precision as it determines how the facets interact with the light and how much the stone will sparkle.

At Laings we only stock the highest quality diamonds and will help you to find the best quality gem for your budget. This is where you’ll need to decide what’s the most important to you, the size or the quality. You can find diamonds that are the same carat weight, but are two different prices. This is because the other 3 c’s will be a higher or lower grading than the carat weight.

All that’s left to do is enjoy the experience! It can seem overwhelming picking out an engagement ring when there’s so many options to choose from, but if you do a little bit of research the process can be taken step by step and you’ll find the perfect ring.

View Laings Collection of Engagement Rings

Thank you for taking the time to read our advice on diamond shopping! Follow our latest news on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest, or if you have any questions please pop us an email at [email protected].

Til next time, Laings xXx