How To // Engagement Ring Research

As we are using diagrams and information throughout our booklet, i decided to look at some existing guides and diagrams to source some correct information and to also see what is already out there...

Source // Diamond Vues

Source // The Diamond Club

Diamond Terminology.

RING SIZES

How to determine your ring size

1. Wrap a piece of string or a strip of paper around your finger.
2. Mark the point where the two ends meet.
3. Measure the string against a ruler to get the circumference.
4. Divide that by 3.14 to get the diameter of your finger.
5. Look up your ring size using the table below.

Alternatively, please Email us and we will send you a FREE ring sizer (UK Residents ONLY!)

Helpful Hints

Measure your finger at room temperature because cold fingers tend to be smaller.
If you are considering a wide band (e.g. 6mm), you will need to move up 1/2 size for a more comfortable fit.
The average finger size for a woman in the UK is L-M.
If you are purchasing a ring as a surprise, try asking the intended recipient's friend or family if they know their ring size.
Ring sizes are not like shoe sizes, a size T for a man is the same as a woman's size T.

US	Diameter inches	Diameter mm	UK
1/2	15/32	11.95	A
1	31/64	12.37	B
1 1/2	1/2	12.78	C
2	33/64	13.21	D
2 1/2	17/32	13.61	E
3	35/64	14.05	F
3 1/2	9/16	14.45
4	37/64	14.86	H 1/2
4 1/2	19/32	15.27	I 1/2
5	5/8	15.70	J 1/2
5 1/2	41/64	16.10	L
6	21/32	16.51	M
6 1/2	43/64	16.92	N
7	11/16	17.35	O
7 1/2	45/64	17.75	P
8	23/32	18.19	Q
8 1/2	47/64	18.53
9	3/4	18.89
9 1/2	49/64	19.41
10	25/32	19.84	T 1/2
10 1/2	51/64	20.20	U 1/2
11	13/16	20.68	V 1/2
11 1/2	53/64	21.08
12	27/32	21.49	Y
12 1/2	55/64	21.89	Z
13	7/8	22.33

If you're buying the ring as a surprise
Ask your partner's mother or one of their friends if they know their finger size. Borrow one of your partners rings and slide it down a tapered candle. Then measure according to the ring sizer you received in the mail or using the chart above.

Tips on getting an accurate ring size
After sliding the ring sizer on, make sure it slides off easily over the knuckle. Don't measure cold fingers, as this is when fingers are their smallest. For the most accurate reading, measure the finger at the end of the day when the finger is the largest.

I'm thinking we could maybe we could cut the ring size holes out of our booklet, or just draw the rings and ruler sizes on there. To help the male decipher which size ring his girlfriend has.

Source // Daniel Prince

THE FOUR C's

Source // Solitare Rings

Engagement Ring
Diamond Clarity Guide

The clarity grade of a diamond is determined by the number, and visibility, of its natural inclusions. These inclusions can exist inside the diamond, or on its surface, and may be present in various forms: pinpoints (white dots), carbon (black dots), feathers, bubbles, crystals, cracks, scratches and chips.
Diamonds are graded under 10x magnification (a jeweler's loupe), and are classified according to the following scale:

F	Flawless
IF	Internally Flawless
VVS1-VVS2	Very Very Slightly Included
VS1-VS2	Very Slightly Included
SI1-SI2	Slightly Included
I1-I2-I3	Included

Flawless diamonds have no internal or external flaws, while Internally Flawless diamonds have only slight external flaws. Both of these types of diamonds are very rare and very expensive; they are not typically found in engagement rings.
VVS1-VVS2 diamonds have inclusions that are very difficult to see under 10x magnification by a gemologist. VS1-VS2 diamonds have inclusions that are difficult to see under 10x magnification by a gemologist. The untrained eye would not be able to tell the difference between these grades; and you certainly could not distinguish between them without magnification! Therefore, VS stones are usually a better value for your money; they look as beautiful as VVS stones, but are less expensive.

SI1-SI2 diamonds have inclusions that are easily detected under 10x magnification, yet still invisible to the naked eye. These diamonds can be a good choice if you are on a budget, and are willing to sacrifice a little bit of quality for size. There is, of course, a range of SI stones. Some strong SI1 stones are only a pinpoint or two away from being VS stones, and only a trained expert can tell the difference. SI2 stones have more visible inclusions, but they are still "eye-clean."
I1-I2-I3 diamonds have inclusions that are visible to the naked eye. Unless you are out to get the biggest diamond possible at a rock-bottom price, it is best to steer clear of these stones. The flaws can be spotted without a jeweler's loupe, and will also affect the brilliance and general appearance of the stone.
So which clarity grade should you choose? Most people in the engagement ring market are not going to pay the super-high premiums for F and IF stones, nor the high premiums for VVS stones. Yet, most would like to present their beloved with something better than an I stone. That leaves the VS and SI grades as the most popular, and most available, choices; which one you choose will depend on personal preference and budget.
To put it simply:
Buy a VS diamond if you'd like a very nice stone, with inclusions that are difficult even for an expert to see under magnification
Buy an SI stone if you'd like a nice (SI1) to fair (SI2) stone, with inclusions that can be seen easily under magnification but not to the naked eye

Source // About Engagement Rings

Diamonds are priced according to four major factors: color, cut, clarity, and carat weight, known as "the four C's."

By Jo B. Hoffman
Published 2003

Color: Colorless diamonds are graded on a scale of D to Z, ranging from truly colorless to barely yellow. The highest grades, D, E, and F, are genuinely colorless. G to J are near-colorless, K to M are faint yellow, and N to Z are very light yellow. Prices drop accordingly until you get to Z. (Note: Even the lowest-grade diamonds will look colorless to the untrained eye, especially under incandescent light; daylight and special diamond lamps are more revealing.) After Z-grade stones, you move into a completely different category: diamonds with truly noticeable color (like fancy yellow diamonds or J.Lo's pink rock), which are the rarest kind of diamond and are very expensive. Jewelers like Tiffany will not sell colorless diamonds with a grade lower than I, but most dealers stock stones through grade L.

Cut: Cut refers to the faceting of a diamond, which is calculated to produce maximum brilliance. When the cut is ideal, all light that enters a stone is refracted from facet to facet and through the top, and no light is lost. Emerald- and cushion-cut stones do not have as many facets as the "brilliant" cuts (round, princess, heart, oval), so they sparkle less.

Clarity: Almost all diamonds have natural flaws or inclusions. The highest-clarity grade is "flawless," but as soon as a stone is set, minor imperfections appear on its surface, and it becomes "internally flawless." Very, very slight imperfections—graded VVS1 and VVS2—are extremely difficult to see under ten-power magnification. Ones that are very slight—VS1, VS2—are easier to detect under magnification. Slight inclusions—SI1, SI2—are defects you can just about see (with magnification). But remember: All these flaws are often hard to spot when a diamond is set, except on I1 or I2 stones, which have fairly obvious inclusions.

Carat: A carat is one fifth of a gram. Each carat is in turn divided into 100 parts, called points. Small side-stones are often described in terms of points.

Source // NY MAG