Diamond Rings: How Much To Spend On An Engagement Ring
A diamond has long been revered as an object of beauty, a symbol of purity and eternity and a treasure to be valued. As an expression of love and commitment, it has no rivals.
Diamond Rings – is there an Old Tradition?
There seems to be a general rule that an engagement ring should be worth two months of your salary. What you need to know is that this “tradition” is an invention by a huge advertising campaign run by De Beers after World War II. The diamond market had depreciated during the war years, and it was imperative to revive diamond sales. The hugely successful slogan “A Diamond is Forever” was launched and established the diamond ring as a necessity for modern day betrothal.
Research for this campaign also revealed another way to promote the diamond. It could also signify, in a very visible manner, how successful a man was materially. The size of the diamond would be the proof - a very neat sales gimmick that was quickly adopted by every haughty diamond salesman to sell the most expensive ring he possibly could to the customer. Knowing this, we can safely put that little rule away. Even if you are rich as Croesus, how much to spend on a diamond engagement ring is an entirely individual and personal decision. Only you know your income, your budget, your plans for the future and your relationship with your fiancée-to-be.
Diamond Rings – is there a Particular Style?
Another myth is the “solitaire diamond engagement ring” – no doubt, the solitaires in the pictures used in conjunction with the above advertising campaign sank into the subconscious of the masses, to the delight of diamantaires everywhere. A solitaire is always more expensive than smaller diamonds combined to equal it in weight. If a solitaire does fit in your budget, then it is only a question of finding the right stone.
You do definitely need to educate yourself about diamonds. The four Cs are cut, clarity, colour and carat and these guidelines decide the price of the stone. If size is important, than you could consider a cut other than round, as round cut diamonds appear smaller, being greater in depth. There are settings that enhance the size of the stone and jewellers do make prettier and more decorative settings for smaller stones. If the compromise is to be on clarity, then the recommended cut is a brilliant, as these cuts manage to hide minor inclusions (flaws). Purely colourless or “white” diamonds are rare and therefore highly expensive. So should you find a size and cut of diamond that you do really like, and which fits the budget, then a gold setting may be the answer, as gold always makes diamonds look whiter.
Diamond Rings – is there Another Way?
There are girls who like to be “surprised”, and then there are girls who would love to help select a ring that they plan to wear for the rest of their lives. If your intended is happy to be on the buying team, many decisions become easier. Once the budget is decided, the actual shopping can begin.
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