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2009-11-21

2009-11-18

2009-11-05

Agriculture

Lifestyles

Friday, June 05, 2009 10:54 PM

ASK A PROFESSIONAL: Which ring will make her say ‘yes’?

By LINDA BROWN, Ask A Professional

This is it; the biggest moment in your life.

You’re going to look into her eyes, get down on one knee and ask her those four little words.

You’re praying she’ll say yes, and hoping she’ll love the ring.

Oh, yeah, the ring. What’s a guy know about buying a diamond anyway?

It sparkles, it’s as big as you could afford and it set you back a serious chunk of change, so yeah, she’d better love the ring.

Men and diamonds have been trying to understand each other for thousands of years.

The first diamond engagement ring was presented in 1477. Diamonds were seen as a good luck charm that would enhance the love between a husband and his wife. Even Cupid’s bow was rumored to be tipped in diamond dust.

After that initial engagement ring was given the tradition was embraced around the world, eventually to become almost as much a milestone in one’s life as the engagement itself.

While purchasing a diamond can be exciting, it also can be a little intimidating. The process can be less stressful if you’ll allow yourself to be advised by a reputable jeweler.

“For most people this is a big purchase,” Kathy Sutton, owner of Sutton’s Jewelry, 207 S. Main St., said. “When you buy something this expensive you need to buy it where you plan to have it serviced, just like buying a car. You need to buy it from people who can help you care for it, repair it and take care of any problems you may have with it.”

The princess or square shaped diamond currently has the corner on popularity, unfortunately, because of the four corners it’s also the most easily chipped.

“If you happen to purchase a ring made in India or China you could be in for some disappointments,” Sutton warned, “because they don’t care about the quality of the craftsmanship. It’s important that the jeweler you choose buys from reputable companies who will stand behind what they say it is.”

White gold is another popular choice for the ring setting. That too can lead to disappointment and extra maintenance down the road.

“Gold is, well, gold. It’s yellow. In order to make it white we have to rhodium plate it,” Sutton said. “We used to use nickel, but the EPA outlawed that years ago. Rhodium plating is a covering. Every time we size the ring, or work on it we have to rhodium plate all over again. It does add to the costs of maintenance.”

Almost everyone knows diamonds are graded by the 4 Cs; cut clarity, color and carat. The cut isn’t the term used to describe the diamond’s shape. The cut is determined by how well the diamond cutter followed a 1950s mathematical equation that would allow for the diamond’s maximum brilliance.

“Only about 5 percent of the diamond companies currently follow that equation,” Sutton said. “But if you want maximum brilliance, you’ll go with a round diamond.

“You should be able to see iridescent colors in it, like pinks, and blues and soft yellows.”

Perhaps the best piece of advice Sutton had was to buy what you can afford.

“Actually, the best advice I can give any guy is to buy what the woman wants, but after that, I’d say buy what you can afford. We’re seeing lots of $1,000 sets being bought, although with the price of gold up like it is, those sets are now going for $1,500 to $2,000.”

A betrothal isn’t the only opportunity a guy has to surprise his lady-love with diamonds. Birthdays, anniversaries, the birth or marriage of a child are all milestones appropriately marked with a gift of diamonds.

“Ruby and diamond rings are always a good choice,” Sutton said. “Journey necklaces are still very popular as are the new bridal pendants that have two rings with diamonds intertwined.”

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ASK A PROFESSIONAL: Which ring will make her say ‘yes’?

By LINDA BROWN, Ask A Professional

E-mail this story to a friend | Print this article | Enjoy the convenience of home delivery of The Ottawa Herald.

E-mail this story to a friend | Print this article |
Enjoy the convenience of home delivery of The Ottawa Herald.