
‘Diamonds are a girl’s best friend’, says the old song, but if you’re looking to buy a gemstone ring for a special person in your life, choosing one can be far from simple. How do you decide on the gemstone color, for example? Which type of ring is appropriate for different occasions? And, given that you can buy one of many, how do you go about sizing?
If buying a gemstone ring seems like a maze of options, read on for some easy tips on how to go about it, whether it is for an engagement, a birthday, or some other special occasion.
Colour
In addition to the famous white diamonds, gemstones come in a variety of other colors, ranging from subtle to vibrant. Some are well known: rubies are red, for example, but so are garnet and red spinel. The most popular blue gemstone is sapphire, but so are aquamarine and tanzanite. How about green? Probably the best known green gemstone is emerald, famous for its vibrancy and rarity. But you could also go for jade, tourmaline or period. For a more subtle hue, pink gemstones exude elegance and style, so choosing a pink sapphire, pink tourmaline or morganite could be just what you need.
Cut
Some popular cuts include princess, round and oval. Whichever cut you go for, bear in mind that this will affect the overall brilliance and appearance of the gemstone.
Clarity
Being able to evaluate the clarity of the gemstone could save you from buying a ring that is marred by some kind of imperfection. If this seems too daunting, going to a high-quality jeweller should protect you from having to worry about this and other kinds of gemstone frauds.
Carat weight
Gemstones are measured by their weight which is expressed in a unit called ‘carat’.
One carat equals 0.200 grams (200 milligrams) or 1/5 gram, and is subdivided into 100 points. The heavier the gemstone, typically the more expensive it would be. When deciding on the ideal carat weight, you need to consider issues such as your budget and the overall appearance of the gemstone against the setting.
Gemstone type
When it comes to choosing the specific gemstone for your ring, there is no right or wrong answer, only preferences. Head over to Best Brilliance to look at their amazing gemstone rings online and you’ll quickly find not only the vast amount of options but ones that prefer instantly. Many people consider diamonds to be the most classic choice. However, you shouldn’t discount other options: a sapphire or a ruby can be just as captivating, or you might be able to choose a gemstone with some kind of personal significance for your loved one.
Setting
Choosing a setting can be almost as important as choosing the gemstone itself. This is because the setting will provide durability – no one wants the precious stone to accidentally drop out! – but, also, needs to complement the style of the gemstone itself. A good jeweller should be able to advise you, based on your needs.
Occasions
An engagement ring is most likely going to look different to an anniversary ring, which may, in turn, not be appropriate for a birthday. So what kind of ring works best for which occasion?
An engagement ring could be the perfect moment to splash out on a diamond, which is hard to beat as a classic and timeless choice; or perhaps a sapphire, often associated with loyalty and fidelity; or even emerald, meant to symbolise love and rebirth.
If the occasion is a birthday, then perhaps you may want to consider the so-called ‘birthstone’ ring. This would be personalised to the recipient and featuring the gemstone associated with their month of birth: for example, garnet for a person born in January, amethyst for February, ruby for July, and so on. You could also go for a multi-stone ring, or even ask the recipient for their favourite color and use that as your guide.
How about anniversaries? Here, the color of the gemstone could again carry some extra symbolism and significance: for example, the 30th anniversary might be the perfect occasion for a pearl ring, and the 40th anniversary could be celebrated with a ruby.
Sizing
The fit for the ring needs to be both comfortable and secure, and for this reason it’s important to either use a ring sizing chart – you could measure the finger with a flexible measuring tape – or play it safe with a professional sizing at a jeweller’s. Bear in mind that fingers can swell up or shrink due to factors like temperature and humidity, but if all goes wrong and you end up buying a ring of the wrong size, it can always be adjusted later.
Last but not least – budget
To control the costs and avoid being overwhelmed by choice, it’s best to decide on your budget at the outset and then explore the options within this price range. Gemstone rings can range from moderately to extortionately expensive, and it’s easy to become so dazzled by their beauty that all caution is thrown to the wind. Of course, the special person you are buying for will appreciate your generosity, but you also need to be happy that you’ve made a well-considered purchase.