How to Choose the Perfect Engagement Ring
Congratulations, you’ve decided to take the next step and make an everlasting commitment to your someone special. Getting engaged is a major milestone that should be cherished and enjoyed. Finding the perfect ring to celebrate your love can be overwhelming, but don’t worry, here are a few of my favorites tips to help you find a dream Engagement Ring to last a lifetime while keeping your stress at a minimum.
Focus on the Center Stone
Your center stone is the focal point of your ring and it also is where the majority of your budget is spent. Lab-grown diamonds are 100% identical to earth-mined diamonds but cost up to 40% less. Not only will a lab-grown diamond save you money, but you can also be assured there were no negative effects on humanity or the earth to obtain the diamond. Regardless of the type of diamond you choose, make sure it comes with a grading report and confirm that the information on the report matches the diamond you purchased.
Colored gemstones, such as sapphires, emeralds, and rubies are also becoming very popular for engagement ring center stones. Lab-grown gemstones are up to 90% less than the earth-mined counterparts and allow the wearer to add some personal style to their ring.
PRO TIP
If you don’t know what ring style your significant other likes, set the center stone in a traditional solitaire setting. After you propose you can pick out a ring style together. Many stores will even buy back the solitaire setting if you choose to upgrade.
Know the 5 C’s
To be sure you make an educated decision when purchasing your ring, make sure you understand the 5C’s (yes, it’s no longer the 4 C’s) and how each affects the cost of your ring.
Carat refers to the weight of the diamond, not the size. This is important because if a diamond is cut too shallow in order to make the table surface area appear larger, it will affect how much light can be reflected and may give the diamond less sparkle.
Cut is often confused with shape, but it actually refers to the facets and polish of the diamond. This is the most important of the C’s because this will determine the diamond’s ability to reflect light and look more brilliant.
Clarity determines how many inclusions or blemishes are in the diamond. The fewer the inclusions, the more “flawless” a diamond is considered.
Color actually describes the lack of color present. The highest quality diamonds are colorless, like D to H. The higher the letter grade the more yellow/brown the diamond will appear.
Community - At MiaDonna, we have a 5th C, which is Community. Our lab-grown diamonds, gemstones and fine jewelry must positively benefit our local and global communities.
PRO TIP
If you want the largest diamond for the best price, I suggest going just under the carat and half-carat marks. Diamonds are priced by the carat so a diamond weighing 0.98ct can be significantly less expensive than a diamond weighing 1.0ct with the same grading and no visual size difference. To maximize your savings, you can also lower the color grade but increase the cut grade, as a good cut diamond will have more sparkle and mask a lot of the color in the diamond.
Enjoy the Experience
Getting engaged and picking a ring should be fun! Find a jeweler who offers you an experience and isn’t just looking for a commission. You should work with someone who is your advocate to find the best quality center stone at the very best price. If you’re shopping in-store, look for someone who will help you enjoy the process. Whether you come with your partner or you bring your entourage, at MiaDonna we provide a one-of-a-kind, low-pressure experience complete with champagne, wine or a local micro-brew in a relaxed, luxury environment where you can try on multiple styles and compare a variety of center stones to create a ring you’ll love.
If shopping online, look for someone who offers a home try-on program and a good return policy. Diamonds and rings can often look larger or smaller online, so make sure the style fits the proportion of your hand.
PRO TIP
Make sure you understand a store’s policies for returns, repairs and resizing. You don’t want to be hit with an expected fee down the road.
Author Bio: Anna-Mieke Anderson, founder and active CEO of MiaDonna, is globally recognized as the pioneer of the lab-grown diamond (“LGD”) industry. She is a dedicated mother of two, an avid philanthropist and successful entrepreneur, who was named in 2019 by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of their 100 Powerful Women.
Anna-Mieke has devoted her life to creating diamonds in a laboratory that are superior to earth-mined diamonds in every way, all while helping children caught in the middle of the unethical harvesting of mined diamonds. After learning the conflict origin of her own earth-mined diamond in 2005, Anna-Mieke challenged the notion that gemstones, particularly diamonds, could only come from a place of unnecessary hardship. In 2007, she launched MiaDonna, and created a visionary business model and has shown the jewelry industry that you can do very well by doing good. MiaDonna uses lab-grown diamonds and 100% recycled metals in their American made jewelry, and then gives ten percent of net profits to their non-profit foundation, The Greener Diamond, which helps free children oppressed by the active conflict diamond mining industry.
You can visit MiaDonna at www.MiaDonna.com or 10250 SW Greenburg Rd, #125, Portland, OR 97223.