As you plan the perfect engagement ring for your soon-to-be
fiancée, you'll encounter a variety of terms specific to the jewelry world. By
understanding the most important ones, you can choose just the right materials,
settings, and designs. To help you get started, here's a short guide to three
basic ideas you'll need to understand for ring selection.
Cut
No matter what type of gems you plan to use, the cut -
literally the shape in which the jeweler cuts an original gem to create facets
- will have the most impact on how the stone sparkles and shimmers.
Several timeless cuts remain the most popular, and for good
reasons. The 58-facet brilliant cut gets its name from its ability to maximize
the way light bounces from the gem and makes it shine. This cut uses a series
of kite-shaped facets to get the necessary angles. Step cuts emphasize the
interior color and clarity of the gem with stair-like facets. You can also get
a mixture of both styles.
Of course, as with all modern jewelry, new and interesting
methods of cutting have developed over the years. You may opt for a variation on
the step cut known as an Asscher cut. The baguette cut and emerald cut are more
rectangular, giving the stone an Art Deco look. And the modified brilliant cut
known as a princess cut remains perennially popular for its modern shape.
Some cuts are based on their exterior shape rather than the
means by which angles are produced. Hence, you will find the heart cut, pear
cut, round cut, marquis cut, and trilion (triangle) cut. The appeal of these
usually depends on your taste.
Setting
In the ring world, the setting refers to the manner in which
gems are kept in place. Which setting you use creates a unique look for the gem
it highlights as well as the overall feeling of the ring.
The most common setting is a prong setting, which uses small
prongs placed at equilateral points around the stone. Prongs are less visible
than many other types of settings, so they allow the gemstone to really shine
without any hindrance.
Modern ring designers have other choices though. The bezel
setting encircles the gem with a ring of metal for an increasingly popular
modern, sleek look. Tiffany settings increase the space between the gem and its
setting, boosting its sparkle. And channel settings cut a channel into the
metal to set diamonds or other gems into the trough created.
Metal
Finally, you'll need to decide on a metal for the band and
setting. The metal choice in an engagement ring can be just as important for
its look as the gem chosen. Fortunately, the choice of metals may be easier
than the choice of cuts or settings. That's because it may come down to color
and durability.
The main choices of metal are platinum, silver, and gold.
Each of these, though, does come in more subtle shades. Gold, for example, can
come in rose, white, and yellow varieties.
Platinum is generally the most expensive choice, but it's
also a highly durable one. It's a classic option for engagement rings. Silver
is less expensive, but it risks tarnishing. True gold (yellow gold) remains
timeless, although the gold can be soft. And if you want gold but aren't sure
about the coloring, you can mix in other metals to create white gold or rose
gold instead.
When you know what these three basic elements mean and what
choices you have within each category, you can craft the ideal ring. Want to
know more about cuts, setting choices, or metal options? Start by talking with
the experts at Marla's Gem
Creations
today.
