A diamond engagement ring is the most popular choice for all couples when deciding to get engaged, especially yellow diamond engagement rings. It is seen universally as the stone of choice for engagement rings. An engagement ring is traditionally given to a woman by a man when he asks for her hand in marriage. It is a symbol of their love and intention to become man and wife. A diamond is one of the most expensive jewels in the world and is seen as a sign of wealth and shows the world that the man can afford to marry the woman. In the world today, diamonds dominate the engagement ring selections available in most jewellers although they have only recently become the number one engagement ring choice. In historical times, jewels such as emeralds, rubies, sapphires and pearls were chosen as stones for engagement rings.
Many styles of engagement ring are clearly dominated by a solitaire diamond set in a ring of white or yellow gold, platinum or sterling silver. There are many cuts of diamonds to choose from also such as Cartier cut, Teardrop cut, Princess cut, Round cut or Tiffany cut. There are styles of engagement rings which favour more than one diamond including the Trilogy ring with three diamonds representing past, present and future.
Although the preference of colour for diamond engagement rings is usually clear or white, diamonds can come in other colours such as pink, blue or yellow. Coloured diamonds can be quite expensive due to their uniqueness.
For those on a smaller budget there is an option to purchase certain man made diamonds such as cubic zirconium and moissanite stones. These are made in a laboratory in much the same way as a natural diamond is made but in a much shorter time. They are considered to be fakes but are made from carbon in the same way as a ‘real’ diamond. They are white in colour and have a brilliant shine which never dims. The added advantage of these types of diamonds is that they cost a fraction of a natural ‘diamond’.
Fortunately for the diamond industry, there is much store placed on the cost and size of a real diamond in an engagement ring so it does not seem as though these ‘fake’ diamonds will become the stone of choice when purchasing a diamond engagement ring.