Your Guide To The Many Engagement Ring Styles

Do you know your bezel settings from your solitaires? What about your opals from your tanzanites? Have you swotted up on your 4Cs? Choosing an engagement ring can be quite a minefield. But do not worry; we've simplified this exciting stage of pre-marital bliss and put it all down in a handy guide to help you find the perfect engagement ring for you so that by the end of this read, you will have a bit more of an idea about what style of sparkler you want sitting pretty on your finger. But before we dive into the shiny range of engagement ring styles, let's kick off with the basics with a quick guide to stones and metals.

Diamonds are forever

White diamonds are the most popular engagement ring stone out there, so if you're fancying a diamond engagement ring too, there are a few considerations to make before you get over-excited engagement ring shopping and whip out the credit card! Firstly, it goes without saying but please choose a reputable store. You're potentially parting with a considerable chunk of cash, so you want to make sure you're getting the very best bling for your buck, right?

The widely recognised criteria for evaluating a diamond's quality are its cut, colour, carat, and clarity, aka the "4Cs".

Cut: The cut determines how a diamond reflects, refracts, and disperses light. This not only represents a diamond's quality but also results in its ultimate sparkle.

Colour: White diamonds occur in a variety of shades, from warm whites to hints of yellow. The closer a diamond is to colourless, the rarer it is considered to be.

Carat: One diamond carat is equal to 200 milligrams, yet the carat alone does not determine a diamond's value, as the cut, colour, and clarity together give a diamond its rarity and brilliance.

Clarity: Clarity refers to the rarity and purity of a diamond. Invisible to the naked eye, marks that are formed in its remarkable journey through the earth will influence the way light is reflected and refracted.

So that's white diamonds, but you can also actually get diamonds in a variety of colours: steel grey, white, blue, yellow, orange, red, green, pink to purple, brown, and black. Decisions, decisions!

Ensuring quality with certified diamonds

A certificate protects your investment, so ensure you get your diamonds certified at purchase. A high-quality diamond might cost several thousand dollars per carat. If you want to upgrade to a larger stone, a certified diamond will typically keep its value better over time, increasing your chances of recovering your investment.

What about other precious stones?

Would you prefer a coloured stone as an alternative to white diamonds? You're not the only one, and luckily for you, there's a huge array to choose from. The "big four" are made up of diamond, blue sapphire, red ruby, and green emerald. Then, there's a high-value semi-precious gemstone group made up of pink sapphire, tanzanite, and opal. Then last but definitely not least, there are semi-precious gemstones made up of topaz, peridot, garnet, rhodonite, moonstone, hematite, pearl, onyx, amethyst, tourmaline, and cubic zirconia. Something for everyone and every budget!

Choice of stone cuts

So, by now, you might have an idea of what stone you want, but what about the range of diamond shapes or other coloured gemstones? As you've probably guessed already, there's quite a lot to consider here. To help, keep reading for the most well-known:

Round brilliant cut: It is well-known and arguably the most popular choice for a diamond ring, particularly for solitaire styles. If you're looking for a sparkly coloured gemstone, then a round will never let you down!

Oval cut: Ovals are similar to rounds but are a more popular choice for coloured gemstones. They are also typically "mixed cut" and are perfect for a sparkly gemstone that elongates the finger. Oval-cut stones work well if a solitaire is flanked or surrounded by diamonds!

Cushion cut: Somewhere in between a round and an oval, and perfect for something a little different. The cushion, in essence, is a square with rounded edges, and much like the round and oval cuts, it has plenty of facets on the crown and the pavilion to ensure maximum life and sparkle!

Emerald cut: The emerald cut is essentially a rectangle with the corners cut off, making it an elongated octagon. It is designed to protect emeralds from chipping and fractures. The emerald cut has far fewer facets than the previous cuts and, as such, is a great option for maximising the colour of your choice of gemstone.

The choice of ring metals

Yep, more decisions and this time, it's the metal that your ring is made out of; here are the most common options:

Gold: Gold rings come in an array of gold colours, with the most common being yellow, white, and rose gold. White gold is now a super popular choice, so it also tends to be a bit more expensive than others. White gold rings are often coated in rhodium to enhance their white colour and protect the gold below from wear and tear.

Platinum: Platinum is a white metal and the most expensive and prestigious option for a ring. It is long-wearing and already exceptionally white, so it does not need to be rhodium-plated like white gold. Platinum is also used in rings at almost 100% purity.

Silver: Silver is a softer metal, making it more susceptible to scratching and other damage. Therefore, silver is best suited for fashion rings and other rings that will be worn on occasion rather than daily. This limitation means silver is not common for engagement and wedding rings.

Titanium: Titanium is another durable option for rings and is increasingly being used for engagement and wedding rings. It is the strongest naturally occurring metal on earth, and that strength makes it a particularly popular option for men's rings. But despite its strength, titanium is actually very light.

Palladium: Palladium is one of the most luxurious options for rings. It is naturally white, durable, lightweight, and resilient to discolouration. As a member of the platinum metal group, palladium is one of the rarest kinds of precious metals, making it one of the most esteemed.

Engagement ring styles

Ok, so we've covered metals, stones, and stone shapes, but what about the setting and style of engagement rings? There is plenty to choose from as a standard! Here are the most popular engagement ring styles.

Solitaire engagement ring: For good reason, it's the ultimate classic. A single stone set in a ring is called a solitaire. Buying a premium gemstone is essential with this style because these rings are all about the rock. When choosing between two solitaire settings, don't forget to pay attention to the prongs; this is how the stone is kept in the ring and could be a three-, four-, or six-prong setting.

Halo engagement ring styles: A halo ring is an engagement ring with a focal stone surrounded by a ring of diamonds or other gemstones. It is great for adding sparkle to a coloured gemstone or elongating the appearance of a smaller stone.

Cluster engagement ring: There are many various designs of cluster rings; occasionally, they have a centre diamond (or other gemstone), and other times, each stone is the same size.

Bezel setting engagement ring: In a bezel setting, the centre stone sits into the metal rather than being held in with prongs.

Twist engagement ring: Twist engagement ring bands are a great way to add a modern touch to a solitaire setting, and they have grown in popularity in recent years.

Pavé engagement ring: A pavé engagement ring is one that has stones embedded throughout the band, perfect for brides who enjoy a little bit of extra glamour!

Antique-style engagement rings: You may want the look of an antique engagement ring without the history that comes with it. Crafting your own vintage engagement ring is a brilliant way to ensure you get all the design elements from the most influential eras of jewellery design---Georgian, Victorian, Art Nouveau, Edwardian, Art Deco, Retro Hollywood, the list

goes on!

A few last considerations

Before you make your decision, it's important that you've thought about your wedding band and how your chosen engagement ring will sit and look alongside your wedding ring. An engagement ring usually has a lot of details at play, whereas wedding bands tend to be much more simple than the engagement ring; therefore, how they sit together is one aspect you'll want to keep in mind along the way.

One final (but important note): whatever engagement ring setting, stone, stone shape, or metal you choose, don't rush the decision in the heat of the moment! Remember, your engagement ring will be on your finger for life, so ensure you will always look at it with the same heart-shaped eyes as when you first saw it!