Engagement rings are given by one person to another to profess love, make a commitment, and propose marriage. It is the one piece of jewelry that ultimately represents the commitment of one man to one woman. And in today’s society, engagement rings are also given by men to other men and women to other women.
An engagement ring sets itself apart from other pieces of jewelry by one unique feature. The ring has a center gemstone. This gemstone is traditionally a white diamond. The white diamond has served as the focal point of engagement rings since the tradition of giving diamond engagement rings started. Most women would like their husbands to be to purchase at least a one carat diamond of good quality. If your fiancé is fortunate to either possess or earn a lot of money, he will most likely purchase an engagement ring with a center diamond that ranges anywhere from 2 carats to over 5 carats.
For some women, it’s not the size of the diamond that is the most feature of the diamond. Some women want a fine quality diamond. As the quality will dramatically affect the price of the engagement ring, you can purchase a 1 carat diamond engagement ring, with a diamond that is not a very good quality, for as little as under $1,000. At the same time, you can purchase a 1 carat diamond engagement ring that will cost well over $10,000.
Even though white diamonds have been the traditional choice for the center diamond, colored diamonds have become quite popular during the last decade and many women are opting for colored center stone diamonds. The diamonds are typically yellow or pink diamonds. Because they are rarer than white diamonds, they can add significantly to the price of an engagement ring.
Other types of gemstones are also being mounted in engagement rings in place of the traditional white diamond. These include rubies, sapphires, paraibas, man-made diamonds and other gemstones. Because of the controversy surrounding “conflict diamonds”, also known as “blood diamonds”, many women are seeking alternatives to white diamonds. Some gemstones make a very nice substitute for white diamonds such as white sapphires.
Many types of engagement rings also come with diamonds on the sides of the center diamonds. A very popular engagement ring is the three-stone diamond engagement ring. Adding diamonds to the sides of the center stone can make the engagement ring really stand out. And if you combine a colored diamond, such as a yellow center diamond, with white diamonds on the side, this can make for a spectacular diamond engagement ring.
