Are Affordable Engagement Rings Available?
An engagement ring is a big step and finding the perfect ring can take some time. Many have heard the standard that two months salary is what should be spent on an engagement ring. This may be a good estimate for some, but let's be honest, that may not be the standard for everyone.
For those on a budget, or who are looking to balance a nice engagement ring with a large wedding, the idea of spending two months salary on a ring is not an option, so are there affordable engagement rings? Yes, there are engagement rings that won't break the budget and still are beautiful.
Finding Affordable Engagement Rings
There are many reputable diamond jewelry stores that not only carry high end diamond engagement rings but also more affordable engagement rings. Often these stores can be found in local area malls or by looking on-line. Many stores now carry their lines of jewelry on-line and this can help a consumer get a good visual for what is offered in different stores. Often, these stores are able to carry affordable engagement rings by offering diamonds of a variety of levels. Diamonds are evaluated and rated according to a scale.
4 C's of Diamonds
Diamonds are appraised on the 4C's, cut, clarity, color and carat. The first is the cut of the diamond. A well cut diamond allows for the diamond to have that sparkle and the better the cut of the diamond the higher the rating.
The clarity of a diamond has to do with the way the diamond was formed. Diamonds are made deep in the earth during a combination of pressure and temperature changes. This causes carbon to be pressurized into diamonds. The clearer the diamond is the higher the grade. The idea is to have as little left over carbon as possible present in the diamond.
Diamonds all have a color to them. Sometimes this color can not be seen by the naked eye, but they are graded according to their color. Again, the more pure the white color within the diamond the higher the rating. Many diamonds have a yellow tint to them, but this color is not seen.
The final rating is the carat of the diamond. Diamonds are weighted and depending on the weight of the diamond a carat size is assigned to it.
Affordable engagement rings can be found by combining either a diamond that has a lower rating and a setting that can still enhance the beauty of the diamond or by selecting a higher quality stone and a setting that isn't so ornate. Affordable engagement rings are possible. It may take some investigating to find the right combination of diamond quality and setting, but the perfect ring in the right budget is definitely available.
