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[M674]Most Beautiful Engagement Rings

by Suzanne Vandegrift, Suz

You're going to spend the rest of your life together and it's going to start with a beautiful engagement ring. This is a very important decision. The symbol of your love that you'll wear forever. There are so many choices. What is there to know about the engagement ring? What kind of stone do you want? What size? What shape? What kind of metal?

There are three types of metal that are normally used to fashion engagement rings white gold, yellow gold and platinum. White gold is used by many who love the look of silver and, yet, is much less expensive than platinum. The most popular tends to be yellow gold which has been the traditional metal used for years. It comes in 14k, 18k and 24k. The higher the number, the softer the metal, therefore 24k gold is not often used for making engagement rings. Platinum is a pure metal, not mixed with any other, and is harder than either of the golds. Platinum settings will be the most expensive, given the same stone. A platinum and diamond engagement ring and a Vera Wang designer wedding gown is every brides dream.

The traditional engagement ring has a diamond stone, but many brides choose not to go traditional, selecting one of the many other precious stones instead. The best choices are the harder stones, at least a 7 and above on the Mohs scale of hardness. The diamond, being the hardest, is a 10, rubies and sapphires are a 9, emeralds and topaz are an 8, aquamarine are a 7.5 to an 8, the amethyst is a 7 and the garnet ranges anywhere from a 6.5 to a 7.5. The rubies and sapphires would be the best alternative choice to the diamond since your ring will be worn for a lifetime and see a lot of wear and tear.

When you shop for your ring you need to be armed with some knowledge of the stone, or "the four C's" - color, cut, clarity and caret. Color: the less color (in a diamond) the better; cut: faceted to allow light to reflect from it; clarity: the fewer flaws inside the stone the more valuable the stone; caret: the size of the stone.

The shape of the stone and how it's set is very important. The style of the ring has to fit your style, just like your wedding gown has to be just right, so does this ring. On top of the list, most popular cut is the round brilliant cut stone. Next is the square and rectangle shape, which includes the emerald, radiant and the princess cut, which is also a brilliant cut. There's the oval cut, the pear shaped stone and the heart shaped cut. The marquise cut and the trilliant shaped stone, which can be used as a center stone or accent stone. The radiant cut stone has many facets and is exceptionally brilliant.

Now that you have some basic information, you can go out and shop for that ring of your dreams. Whether it's a clear princess brilliant cut diamond set in platinum or a beautiful marquise cut red ruby set in gleaming yellow gold. You'll enjoy it every day. You won't have to pack it away, like your designer wedding gown, only to be seen on rare occasions.

I’ve sold thousands of engagement rings during my 20 year career in the jewelry business and with that I’ve gained intimate knowledge of what works when creating a memorable proposal. Most men think that a women’s only concern is the ring – how big it is, what shape, precious metal type, etc. While every woman wants their engagement ring to be something they’ll always cherish, they do want a proposal story to tell their grandchildren. After you propose, your girlfriend’s family and friends will ask two questions – “Can I see the ring?” & “How did he propose?” Now that’s pressure but it doesn’t need to be if you follow some rules of engagement, no pun intended.

Surprise Her

Men have a hard time picking an engagement ring for their future fiancé and rightfully so. After all, how many times in your life have you purchased an engagement ring? With that being said, 50% of guys thinking about popping the question will bring their girlfriends with them to help pick the engagement ring. This can be helpful in finding out what she really is hoping for but sometimes it really hurts the romanticism of the event. The women that are most excited always seem to be the ones that were completely surprised when receiving the ring. There’s no substitute for getting down on one knee in front of your unsuspecting bride and presenting a ring that you’ve selected on your own. It shows that you’re excited enough about getting married to do it without help and that you want it to be a special time for her.

It’s not always easy for you to decide which ring is the one she’ll fall in love with but you can get the job done a lot easier than you think. First thing you should know is that there’s tons of information at your fingertips and you don’t even know it. Look to her lifestyle choices, clothing, and her shopping habits to determine what she would like for a ring. Ring styles are created with the wearer in mind just like clothing; some people are bold and outgoing and prefer clothing & jewelry that matches. This type of person would hope for a ring that’s a unique style and has a bold fresh look. You can get ideas for ring styles at .An active person would want a ring that won’t be obtrusive or get caught on things. Traditional women tend to choose classic designs like round solitaire engagement rings.

If you still can’t decide what she would like then ask her friends or family for their help. Women spend time discussing jewelry choices with one another, especially when people in their circle of influence become engaged. Another good approach is to look for opportune times to discuss the ring without tipping her off. When you see an advertisement in a magazine, the internet, or on television; comment on the rings and then ask her for what she thinks about them. Women’s magazines are a wonderful tool to do this because there many jewelry advertisements in them.

Style Choices:

Classic/Traditional
Round Solitaire
Tiffany Style
3 Stone Settings

Bold/Contemporary
Tension Set
Thicker Settings with Multiple Diamonds
Designer Diamond Shapes

You’ll also need her ring size before going to the jewelry store to begin shopping. There are a couple of things you can do to get her size without tipping her off. First, find a ring that she wears on her ring finger and bring it with you to the jewelry store. The jeweler can measure the size of the ring to determine the right fit for her engagement ring. If you’re concerned that she’ll become upset because her ring is missing, then you can trace the inside of the ring with a pen and take the inside measurement to the jeweler. In some cases you won’t get the perfect fit on the first try, so be sure to ask the jeweler if the ring you choose can be sized in case it doesn’t fit properly.

Your engagement will be magical and memorable if you take the time to prepare for the engagement ring purchase. Take it from someone who has worked with thousands of engaged couples, do it on your own for the most romantic proposal possible.

Article Source : Custom Made Engagement Rings

About Author

Both Suzanne Vandegrift & Andy Moquin are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Suzanne Vandegrift has sinced written about articles on various topics from Computers and The Internet, Engagement Rings and Music. This article was written by Suzanne VanDeGrift for bridecouture.com which was created for the bride with impeccable taste. Go to bridecouture.com for examples of these designer beauties.. Suzanne Vandegrift's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.

Andy Moquin has sinced written about articles on various topics from Jewelry, Engagement Rings and Engagement Rings. . Andy Moquin's top article generates over 550000 views. to your Favourites.