A Guide to the 5 Cs of Engagement Rings
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Congratulations on your recent engagement! Let us learn about that rock on your finger. The traditional engagement ring often becomes the most sentimentally prized possession in your family. It embodies love and devotion while demonstrating your commitment to a lasting and life-changing relationship.
While the value of your engagement ring is not directly correlated to the value of your relationship, it is essential to understand your call to protect and ensure it adequately. In your newly wedded bliss, the last thing you need is to lose something of such beauty and sentimental value and not have it adequately protected.
The 5 Cs of Engagement Rings
Several factors go into assessing the diamonds used in more traditional engagement rings, and it is essential to understand how these factors create your beautiful center stone. Jewelers and labs can evaluate Non-traditional designs using stones other than diamond on similar ratings; however, each kind of gemstone has different standards.
C is for Cut
The first C is for the cut of the stone. The cut is what gives your diamond the facets that make it sparkle. It also directly influences the shape of your ring and how the flourishes around the setting accents the overall design.
Single Stone Round Cut – On Satin
A master jeweler can cut a diamond or similar stone in a way that hides other imperfections and creates the proper sparkle in natural light. The difference between an exceptional cut and a merely “good” cut can be seen from quite the distance. The cut is the first thing to consider in the financial value of your ring, as it is the most critical to the appraiser.
C is for Color
The ideal diamond is absolutely clear and colorless, like the purest of glass. While diamonds are often claimed as white or colorless, there is a spectrum of the actual color. Diamonds are scored on a range from D to Z, where D is pure and clear, and Z has traces of brown or yellow in natural light.
Some people prefer yellow or brown diamonds. They’ve even become a favorite stone of jewelry designer La Vien ®, who markets them as Chocolate Diamonds. They’ve been used for over 20 years to create beautiful works of art because they are not traditional diamonds; designers can use them in non-traditional pieces of jewelry.
C is for Clarity
Every natural gemstone has impurities and blemishes called “inclusions.” In some stones, these act like birthmarks giving the stone character and allowing the designers to use those inclusions. Traditionally, the higher the clarity rating, the more valuable and rare the stone is.
Assessing a stone’s clarity involves a chart that allows assessors to rank its clarity based on the size and shape of the inclusions and how they affect the sparkle. Jewelers often select raw stones with inclusions that the jeweler can cut around to bring them to the best shimmer.
C is for Carat
Most people describe the Carat of a stone as the size of the rock. And while this isn’t entirely incorrect, most think of it as the measurement rather than the weight. The carat count of the stone in your ring is another factor that dictates the value of the diamond.
Diamonds can weigh more based on their cut and inclusions, and this is why two stones with the same Carat can seem like different sizes. Their cut will increase their shine, shimmer, and change their circumference, but the weight will remain the same.
C is for Certification
Your ring’s certification comes as a final report of the assessor’s findings. It is the certificate of authenticity to ensure the ring you have on your finger is the one you were promised you were buying. You can take your ring to an independent laboratory to test it for legitimacy.
If the monetary value is high enough, your insurance company may require a certificate to be kept on file. As soon as the excitement of your proposal passes, take the steps needed to get this valuable item added to your insurance, and then start the planning adventure.
Bonus Cs – Care and Cleaning
Do’s
With everyday wear, you’ll find that your ring can lose its luster, whether it’s hairspray, makeup, lotion, or other daily residues. For basic cleaning, you can keep your ring shining and sparkling with a simple water solution and mild dish soap. Let it soak for 30-40 minutes in this solution, and then gently rub away any buildup with a soft toothbrush.
Dont’s
It’s best to go into jewelry ownership, knowing some things should be left to the professionals when it comes to cleaning and caring for your rings. While the idea of a hypersonic cleaner is tempting, it’s best left to the professionals. If you’re not very careful, the hypersonic cleaner can vibrate stones lose from your ring.
Another thing to avoid when caring for your rings is harsh or caustic chemicals. Don’t use peroxide, bleach, or other chemicals that can break down the metals in your ring. Also, avoid abrasive cleaners like baking soda, salt, or toothpaste. These cleaners can create micro-scratches that can dull the shine of your ring.
When to Seek Professional Cleaning Help
If your ring isn’t entirely returning to the expected shine during your weekly cleaning, it’s time to take it in for your local jeweler to take a look at it. It would help if you take your ring in regularly for maintenance, as the settings may bend or weaken, and you want to prevent losing stones while you’re out and about.
A competent jeweler will be more than happy to show you how to clean your rings properly and keep your beautiful stones in tip-top shape. A well-maintained and adequately cleaned engagement ring will hold its luster and shine to the end of time. These rings are often passed from mother to child and down the family tree.
Shimer, Shine, and Wedding Time
When you’ve settled from the engagement announcements, it’s time to start planning your wedding. Reaching out to a wedding planner and working with them to create your dream ceremony and honeymoon will make the prospect less stressful and more memorable.
VIP Wedding and Travel specializes in destination weddings, covering both the wedding details and the trip to launch the rest of your lives together. Sign up for our newsletter, and follow us on social media to keep updated on news, tips, tricks, and ideas for your wedding planning adventure.