Do your holiday preparation plans involve more than shopping for presents and planning what to do New Year’s Eve? The Christmas season and New Year are popular times to propose.
Before you ask THAT question, you should ask some questions about engagement rings.
Winter is a romantic time of year. Baby, it is cold outside, and dark too. Lights twinkle casting an enchanting glow. A roaring fire invites you to cuddle up by the hearth. The weather makes going outside less appealing, which means more time inside to talk and dream together. It’s the end of the year, and a time to look ahead to new beginnings in the coming year. Those who celebrate Christmas are especially focused on love and joy. There’s no mystery about why December is a popular time to get engaged!
Whether you surprise your beloved with a ring or pick one out together, the ring is a very big part of getting engaged. It reminds you both of your future together every time you glance at it, and it also tells the world that you are committing to a lifetime together. Picking the right ring is a significant decision that requires some research and thought.
Diamonds are a classic choice for an engagement ring, but not the only option. Brilliant red rubies, sophisticated blue sapphires and elegant green emeralds are also popular choices. Of course, an engagement ring can feature more than one gem. Maybe the perfect ring is already out there and you just need to find it. Or perhaps you have a precious gem with great sentimental value already and you just need to find the right ring mount for it.
Irish Engagement Rings Explained
Your engagement ring can be more than lavishly beautiful. It can also celebrate your Irish heritage or make a statement about your feelings with a Celtic motif. The Claddagh is the classic Irish symbol of romantic love. The hands holding the heart symbolize friendship. The heart represents love, and the crown above it is for loyalty. Celtic knot designs have no beginning or end to symbolize eternity.
Whatever style you prefer, if you are shopping for a diamond engagement ring, you should know the four ‘C’s that determine a diamond’s value.
- Clarity – This refers to how obvious any tiny fractures or mineral deposits are in the stone. Most of these are far too small to be seen by eye. A completely flawless diamond is graded F, and the scale continues to I3.
- Color – This doesn’t really refer to the color of the diamond as we normally think of color. It refers to the precise shade of the individual white diamond ranging from colorless to what is known as “fancy yellow”.
- Cut – Diamonds are cut into ten possible shapes. Round and princess are classic shapes for engagement rings. Cut also refers to how the diamond reflects light. If you are purchasing a ring mount, it is vital to get one suitable for the cut of the stone you are having mounted in it.
- Carat – The weight of diamonds is measured in carats. Don’t confuse this with the carat measure of gold’s purity; carats are different for diamonds.
When you understand the four ‘C’s, you can order a diamond that fits both your criteria and your budget. Perhaps color matters more to you than clarity or carat. This is a very significant purchase, so you want to be informed when you make it.
