A diamond engagement ring is not only a physical representation of a man’s commitment and love towards his partner, but a beautiful piece of jewelry in its own right. Choosing the right engagement ring requires working with fine jewelers who not only know diamonds but the craftsmanship details involved in creating a true piece of fine jewelry.

Diamond Engagement Ring Part 1:  the Setting

 When working with a top tier design house like Ascot Diamonds, there are many different styles to select from, including many custom jewelry options. Even with a single diamond on a plain solitaire style band, there are still choices to be made. More prongs in a setting may give the impression of greater stability, but fewer prongs will allow your diamond to be showcased more impressively. Our staff can guide you through the pros and cons of each kind of setting so you know what questions to ask:  Which setting is more suitable for an active lifestyle?  What is the most classic and timeless look?  Which one would best complement my center stone?  Is there a preferred setting style or metal for nurses or people in the medical field who come in frequent contact with chemicals?

The two most secure setting styles that are good alternate choices to a traditional prong setting are bezel settings, which surround the perimeter of the center diamond with a thin encasement of metal, and pavé settings, which are used when you have many small diamonds closely set in a mounting.

Diamond Engagement Ring Part 2:  the Diamond

There are 8 key issues you should be aware of when you select your center diamond and deciding on the shape you prefer is one of the first decisions to be made. As with the setting styles, there are many different diamond shapes to choose from: round brilliant, asscher, emerald, cushion (antique or brilliant), radiant, princess, heart, marquise, pear and oval are still the most sought after.

While the round brilliant is still the most popular, each of the other shapes has its own appeal. Emerald cuts are rectangular with beveled corners and step-cut facets. Asscher cut diamonds are also known as square emerald cuts and have a similar, classic charm to the emerald cut diamonds.

Oval cut diamonds have many facets like a modern round brilliant and are typically the largest looking shape.  Another shape that presents quite large is the pear, which can be one of the most classic and elegant diamond shapes when set properly.  The most popular shape today outside of a round brilliant is the cushion cut, which can be one of the most difficult shapes to select properly.

Choosing the best engagement ring for you

With so many choices, it isn’t always easy to make a decision. At Ascot Diamonds, our diamond experts can guide you through the process of creating a truly magnificent engagement ring; one that you will love and cherish, and that is built to last for generations.

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