And Now the Ring!

In my last piece, I explored the basics on how to buy a diamond. Basically trying to streamline the process and take away all the fluff. This time around there are even more variables, because we’re looking at the whole ring.

Although I hugely recommend doing some kind of investigative reporting first to determine exactly what your wife-to-be wants, I will write from the viewpoint that you have no idea.

The field of engagement rings is littered, and I mean New Years Day in Times square littered, with over the top rings. Side stones, stones in the shank, stones around the center stone. I’ve seen engagement rings manufactured that, I kid you not, have small round stones flush set into the inside of the ring where your finger goes. You can’t even see them!! But you better believe you’re paying for them.

The field is overpopulated and if you ask me the industry could use a purge of bridal houses. But that’s not gonna happen. So let’s break down the particulars of an engagement ring.

Stay simple

As I said previously, In last article your aim should be a one-carat, round, si1 G color or better stone mounted in a Tiffany-style solitaire setting. It’s basic, it highlights the stone it’s elegant, simple and timeless. If you can only afford a small diamond you may consider a setting that has side stones. But be tight on the reins, don’t go overboard. A three stone engagement ring can be elegant just keep it cohesive. If you have a round center, get slightly smaller round side stones. Same for princess. You can go center cushion with side rounds, or even princess center with side trillions (which totally goes against everything I believe but its kind of cool). Of course if you can afford a one-carat or larger stone then your set, no side stones. Solitaire for you.

Brands

Oh the brands. The advertising, the marketing, the hype. For every branded ring out there that has some action on it there are a handful of knockoffs at a fraction of the price. Here’s the notion to keep in mind: What are you buying? A ring. A ring is made of metal, and that’s what you’re buying. Not a billboard, not an ad. With the metal markets the way they are right now it’s very hard to accept a premium for a name when it’s the metal you want. But that’s not to say that shopping brands is a bad idea. It’s a great place to start. I usually tell customers of my own to look into the brands find what you like then we’ll look for something similar. Some brands that I would recommend are Scott Kay, Novell, Ritani, Lieberfarb, Tacori, Michael Bondanza, Gabriel and Co., Verragio, and Jeff Cooper. These are some of the industry vets that have great styling. Additionally I would ask to see a Unique Settings of New York catalogue or take a look online. They have it all at great prices.

Metal

This is where it gets a little tricky. Platinum or a white metal is still the mainstay right now for bridal. Yellow gold has been making a big play in fashion and at some point bridal is going to have to play catch up. But for now I would stay white. Now white metal is a platinum group metal. White gold is yellow, we make it white, and it will eventually become yellow. Just after you’ve made the purchase and she’s wearing it. To keep it white it will have to be Rhodium dipped periodically. And honestly it doesn’t make sense anymore. I used to understand it when platinum was $1,500 an ounce and gold was $800. It was less expensive. But now the price of gold is just below platinum. The whole allure of a white metal was never the white part. It was the resiliency of a Platinum Group metal. It doesn’t wear like gold does. It’s not hard like gold. It’s soft, it moves like butter, it doesn’t lose its metal. Now what to do when your options are expansive Platinum and almost as expensive Gold?

Enter Palladium

Platinum’s little brother that could. Used in the jewelry industry during WW I and WW II as a platinum replacement, palladium has been making lots of noise over the past 10 years or so. It is naturally white like platinum and has basically the same characteristics as platinum. But it only costs half as much as gold.

In sum, keep it simple, elegant, white and most of all from the heart. Then you to can join the rest of us married guys in trying to answer the question: “I did what?!”