Over the past several weeks, numerous celebrities have had some spectacular weddings.  Some of the most notable include, Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky, Carmelo Anthony and LaLa Vazquez, T.I. and Tameka “Tiny” Cottle (hey, they live in Atlanta and I live in Atlanta…I have to show some love), and Alicia Keys and Swizz Beats.  One thing in common for all of them is that there was an engagement ring purchased.  I have heard from countless people looking for advice as they begin the search for the right ring.  There are numerous factors to consider prior to making your final decision.  The first four factors are pretty consistent across the board.  They are:

The “four C’s”

Carat -

Bigger is not always better.  It is better to have a 2 carat diamond with great color and clarity, so that it sparkles versus having a big diamond that is dull due to poor cut and clarity.  Diamonds of different shape but of same carat size may differ in size.

Color -

While the best color is colorless, GIA has a scale that is used within the industry to evaluate the color of your diamond.

Clarity -

The accepted grading scale for clarity was established by GIA.  The scale is:

FL- Flawless: contains no inclusions or blemishes under a 10x magnification

IF- Internally Flawless: contains only slight, insignificant surface blemishes and no internal inclusions under a 10x magnification

VVS1-VVS2 – Very, very slight inclusions that are extremely difficult to find under a 10x magnification

VS1-VS2  : Very slight inclusions that are extremely difficult to find under a 10x magnification

SI1-SI2 : Small inclusions that are noticeable and easy to find under 10x magnification

I1 – I2 : Imperfect diamonds with obvious inclusions under 10x magnification, and just visible inclusions to the naked eye

I3 : noticeable inclusions and surface blemishes which may be seen with an unaided eye, and which may affect the diamond’s durability.

Cut -

Not to be confused with shape.  You want a diamond that is cut to showcase its true beauty.  Cut refers to the dimensions that the diamond is cut to make the best use of light.  Look for an Ideal, Very good, or good cut stone.  This information will be found on the GIA (Gemological Institute of America, www.gia.edu) Report that should accompany your purchase.

While those are the major bullet points that you should consider when purchasing a diamond engagement ring, also consider the lifestyle of your future partner.


Are they very active, do they enjoying working out, playing sports, maybe they works with their hands often?
-  The reason being, the more active a person is, the lower you want the setting to be on the hand and you may want to opt for a bezel set stone as to cut down on the likely hood of stone loss while performing any of these activities regularly.  If the engagement ring cannot be worn regularly,  try choosing a uniquely designed wedding band so that it can be worn by itself every day.

Simple wedding band options - Creating a wedding band out of several stacked together is a look I love!

Pretty Diamond bands

Try a nontraditional look with these pretty diamond bands

Intricately designed wedding bands

Quite lovely alone or paired with a pretty engagement ring!

Is their style traditional, modern, or trendy?

There are many styles to pick from in the market today.  You can go with millegrain detail, which lends itself to a more classic look.  Many modern brides like the look of matte finished metal versus the traditional high polish metal.  Trendy brides tend to go for the color diamonds that have been popular with celebrities as of late.

I hope this information proves helpful for you during your search and if you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

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