Top Ten Engagement Rings! Choose A Ring She Will Cherish Forever!

Complete engagement and wedding ring set. For the busy woman who doesn't want a diamond catching on things throughout the day. Smooth and modern design with beautiful white diamonds! Great price for two rings.

This ring might deserve a higher spot on the Top Ten list. Check out the price! Incredible design with an antique feel. This is one of my favorites. Unique engagement ring with a sapphire center stone and sparkling white diamonds.

Classic design with an asscher-cut diamond solitaire. If she doesn't want the usual round or brilliant cut solitaire, this may be whay you are looking for. She will be surprised and delighted with this choice!

Celebrate your past, present and future with this classic yellow gold round-cut diamond ring! Timeless design with 1.5cttw diamonds. This ring will get noticed and she will be proud to wear it!

Very popular style, you can't go wrong with this one! Round and baguette diamonds set in 14k white gold. I love this design- it is sophisticated yet simple.

A true fancy color yellow diamond with two sparkling white diamonds in 18kt gold! Classic past, present, future design with a modern touch. She will love this unique diamond engagement ring!

Blinding sparkle and beautifully cut diamonds make this ring a favorite. 1-3/8Cttw diamonds featuring a princess-cut center surrounded by accents. Absolutely gorgeous.

This is usually the ring that comes to mind when you think about an engagement ring- the round diamond solitaire. Impressive quality diamond (D, SI1) and weighs in at a full carat. Tapered cathedral mount protects the diamond. Always a favorite!

Personally, this would be my #1 pick! I love antique jewelry. This antique piece is quite exceptional. In the center is a 1ct old-mine-cut diamond and it is surrounded by .33ct more diamonds all set in platinum! She will fall in love all over again!

Exceptional quality and SIZE earned this fabulous ring the #1 spot on our Top Ten! This one will take her breath away. Over 4 carat diamond solitaire set in platinum! This ring is truly a dream come true!

You probably have heard of The Four C's before. Now is your chance to learn what "The Four C's" really means, and how they will help you buy the perfect diamond.

The Four C's describe the main attributes of every diamond: the color, carat weight, clarity and cut. Each of these characteristics is measured in a specific way, and not everyone will agree on what the best diamond attributes are. It is a total matter of opinion. So, picking out the perfect diamond for you or your partner isn't as scary as it may seem - it's all about your personal preferences!

Color
* When we talk about color in diamonds we are actually talking about the absence of color. While you may think of diamonds as being colorless, truly colorless or pure white diamonds are, in fact, very rare.

* The colors in the diamond spectrum go from "colorless" to "light yellow," and are labeled with these letters:

D/E/F - Colorless

G/H/I/J - Near Colorless

K/L/M - Faint Yellow

N/O/P/Q/R - Very Light Yellow

S through Z - Light Yellow

* Each of these letters represents a range of color, and each diamond's color is, in fact, unique.

* Often, only experienced professional jewelers can distinguish a colorless from a nearly colorless diamond.

So, which color is the "best?" This is completely a matter of personal preference. Some people like a diamond with warmer tones that add body warmth. Others like a diamond with little or no color at all. There really is no right answer. The less color a diamond has, however, the rarer and more expensive it is.

Carat
* Carat weight refers to the weight of the diamond and not its size. Three one-carat diamonds could each be a different size.

* One carat has 100 points in the same way that one dollar is made up of 100 pennies. Therefore, a 10-point accent diamond is equal to one-tenth of a carat. One half carat equals 50 points, and one-quarter carat equals 25 points.

* A carat, though a measure of weight, can help approximate size, but it should never be used to determine size.

A number of techniques can make a smaller diamond seem larger:

* Diamonds cut in the Emerald of Marquise shape appear bigger than a round Perfect cut diamond.

* Diamonds set in high-prong settings appear larger.

* Surrounding the center stone with smaller accent diamonds adds carat weight and visually enhances the overall look of an engagement or anniversary ring.

Clarity
* Virtually all diamonds contain identifying characteristics called "inclusions" that are mostly invisible to the eye.

* When magnified, inclusions may appear like tiny crystals, clouds, or feathers.

* The number, color, type, size and position of inclusions and/or surface blemishes determine a diamond's clarity grade.

* The greater a diamond's clarity, the more brilliant, valuable and rare it is.

* Diamonds are categorized by clarity by the following scale:

IF - Internally Flawless

VVS1 or VVS2 - Very, Very Slight Inclusions

VS1 or VS2 - Very Slight Inclusions

SI1, SI2, or SI3 - Slight Inclusions

I1, I2, or I3 - Visible Inclusions/Imperfect

The Diamond's "Signature"

* All diamonds have flaws, imperfections, or birthmarks, though the markings in diamonds graded SI or above are invisible to the eye.

* A diamond's markings are often called its "signature" and, like a person's signature, they make the diamond unique.

So, which diamond clarity grade is right for you? It is entirely up to you. The better the clarity - the rarer and more expensive the diamond will be.

Cut
Cut is undoubtedly the most important factor when deciding which diamond to buy. A diamond's cut it is the only part left in man's hands. The rest is up to nature.

A well-cut diamond allows the light to enter into the top of the diamond (see table) and bounce around the 58 facets of the stone which act as mirrors, reflecting the light back up through the table to the eye.

So every time your sweetheart looks at the diamonds you bought her, she'll see the beauty and brilliance she deserves to see.

* Two diamonds of equal carat weight, color and clarity may look completely different because of their cut.

* Light generates the greatest beauty when it enters the stone, reflects off the inside surfaces to produce colors and sparkles, and returns to the eye as close to "full strength" as possible. The more light that exits the stone the more beautiful it is.

* Wider, more shallowly cut diamonds will look bigger, but the light will escape from the stone's side or bottom, rather than being reflected back to the eye. Diamonds cut too deep, or too tall or narrow, also allow the light to escape.