| In "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", Marilyn Monroe
said it perfectly: "The French are known for making
love. They believe in fighting duels. But I prefer a man
who lives and gives expensive jewels." To help you
pick the right diamond for your girl, we visited Myles
Mindham, who creates one-of-a-kind rings, and Sylvia Divinec,
whose specialty is all rings vintage. Each has their suggestions
for finding the perfect ring for your special someone.
Choosing A New Diamond
One of the hardest substances around, a diamond is a
great symbol of love. With the wide range of costs for
this precious stone, budget is something to think about
when buying an engagement ring. From there, you should
decide upon a shape, and there are many from which to
choose. The absolute classic is the round, or brilliant
cut diamond. There are also the square and emerald cuts,
marquis, as well as pear-shaped.
Setting is the next thing to decide upon, and, again,
there are many options, such as the popular trilogy,
which is a set of three stones, and could be considered
to be symbolic of the couple coming together to create
something greater than they are. Finally, choose the
type of metal for the setting and the band, such as
platinum, which is very popular, as there is longevity
associated with it that is appealing.
Once you have the ring, there are some rules of engagement.
First of all, don’t show the ring to anyone except
her father if you intend to go the traditional route
and ask for her hand in marriage. And finally, of course
the moment you propose will be memorized in her mind
forever so be sure to put some thought into it and come
up with something fun, original, and romantic.
Going Vintage
There are many aspects that make a vintage engagement
ring appealing. Older rings have such great style and
workmanship that their individuality is undeniable.
The combination of stones, such as rubies with diamonds
is often unusual. For example the mine-cut diamond has
a perfectly flat back with facets at the front. Also,
the stone could have come from a time when candlelight
was the main form of lighting. It would have been cut
in order to obtain the most refraction of light, which
is why vintage jewelry often has such a wonderful sparkle
to it.
An important consideration when deciding to go vintage
is to make sure you inspect the settings and that the
prongs are in perfect shape. It is a good idea to find
a jeweler you can trust, because it's a purchase that
will be used forever!
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