Ultimate Engagement Ring Buying Guide
An engagement ring is a significant symbol of love, commitment, and the beginning of a new life together. It's a meaningful purchase that demands thoughtful consideration. With an overwhelming number of options available, it can be challenging to choose the perfect ring. This ultimate engagement ring buying guide will assist you in starting the process of finding the ring of your dreams.
1. Set your budget
The rule of spending two months' salary on an engagement ring is no longer relevant. The only consideration for the amount you should spend is this: How much are you willing to spend and can afford?
2. Understand 4 Cs: Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat
Understanding the 4Cs is essential in selecting the perfect diamond that fits your budget. Cut, clarity, color, and carat all play critical roles in determining a diamond's quality and value.
With our expert guidance, we will keep you informed throughout the engagement ring buying process whether you're a first-time buyer or a seasoned pro. In the meantime, you can read more on our education page.
3. The Right Cut Means Sparkle
Focus on the diamond cut, which ultimately determines how much the gemstone will sparkle. Look at the diamond proportions. At Magdalene Pivoine, we only carry excellent and ideal cuts.
4. Clarity VS2 And Above is Where We At
Most diamonds have tiny flaws, called inclusions, which can range from visible to the naked eye (SI, I) to only visible under 10x magnification (VS2 and above). At Magdalene Pivoine, we only carry diamonds graded to a quality level where inclusions are not visible to the naked eye, including those of VS2 grade and above.
5. Color
Colorless diamonds, D/E/F, are considered more valuable and are best suited for white gold or platinum settings, while the next color grade, G-J, can still look good with a yellow gold setting. At Magdalene Pivoine we carry D/E/F but we can source any color grade for your liking.
6. Carat
Choosing a diamond's carat weight is a personal decision, as while larger stones can look impressive, some customers prefer smaller 1-1.5 carat sizes for their practicality in everyday wear. It's important to pick a carat size relative to your finger size.
7. Shape
The most popular diamond cut is round, but there are other shapes, called fancy cuts, including princess, emerald, asscher, cushion, marquise, radiant, oval, pear, baguette, and heart that you can learn more about on our educational page. Choosing a diamond shape is a very personal decision based on whether you prefer a more brilliant cut or a step cut.
9. Eyes are the best judge
Diamonds are meant to be worn and appreciated while adorning your or your future finance's finger. While selecting the right diamond involves scientific considerations, what's even more crucial is letting your eyes be the ultimate judge.
At Magdalene Pivoine, we help our customers throughout this process, following a rigorous selection procedure for both trusted vendors and gemstones. We ensure that every diamond we use for our customers not only aligns with its certificate in terms of color, cut, and clarity but also displays remarkable brightness, clarity, and tremendous fire.