Aside from shoes, there are a few accessories that are quite as good at grabbing attention as the jewelry that we wear. The most important piece of all is the ring that sits most prominent on your finger. However, when it comes to choosing the right ring, most of its impact is going to be in your choice of gem. As such, we’re going to look at the different factors that make up that choice, and how to figure which one is best for you.
Gems and colors
First of all, don’t just jump immediately to buying a clear diamond. There’s a lot more variety in high-quality colorful gemstones than you might think. If you’re looking at engagement or wedding rings, take a look at the slightly less traditional side, too. Sapphires and emeralds are just as well-respected in the gem world but add a flash of brighter color. Meanwhile, colored diamonds tend to be a little more budget-friendly than their clearer cousins but still have that brilliant flash to them.
It’s all about the cut
Aside from the color, the single factor that is best going to determine the look of your gemstone is the cut of it, also known as the shape. There are plenty of different cuts to choose from, but some are rarer than others. Round cut gems and oval cut gems are a little more common so they tend to feature in more rings. Princess cut diamonds, on the other hand, tend to be more highly sought after. While this does make them more expensive, it can make them particularly noteworthy when set in wedding rings.
How do you know a gem is a quality?
If you’re buying a diamond, you might be particularly interested to know that you’re investing in a quality gem. To this end, you want to learn more about the 4 C’s. The first is the Cut, which effectively determines the carat weight of the diamond. Then, the color, which grades them in how colorless they are or if they have impurities. The Clarity measures whether or not there are inclusions in the gem that mar the smoothness of it, and then there’s the Carat weight, itself.
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Don’t forget the setting
Once you’ve chosen the gemstone that you want, you want to think about how it’s going to be set within the ring itself. You might be happy with having it set by itself, with no other gems to contrast it. This is known as a solitaire setting. However, there are also three stone, side stone, and halo settings, which will surround it with other gems, often smaller and less expensive, to help bring out an additional brilliance. The right setting depends largely on your preference and lifestyle. If you’re more active with your hands, having a lot of gems that could get knocked loose might not work best for you.
The right choice of the jewel for your ring can turn it from a simple band into a knockout piece of bling. Hopefully, the tips above help you figure out which style you like best.
