Diamond Ring Misconceptions
We’ve broken down a few of the most common and prevalent Diamond Ring Misconceptions to help you better navigate through the engagement ring process successfully!
Chances are if you made it here, you are in the market for an engagement ring, so congratulations! The engagement ring buying process is an exciting milestone for any couple, but that is not to say that the process is always a simple one. In the age of the internet, thousands of resources are available at our fingertips with the click of a button. Add this surplus of information to the opinions of those closest to you, and you can easily find yourself overwhelmed with contradictory guidance!
Diamond Ring Misconceptions
Fluorescence is bad.
At Lauren B, we equate googling ‘fluorescence’ to googling health symptoms you’re experiencing: The search results yielded from having a fever doesn’t necessarily mean you have an incurable illness. It is unique to the person and isn’t something you can uniformly apply to everyone.
The same concept applies to diamonds.
Not all diamonds with fluorescence look or appear in a way that would negatively impact the beauty of the diamond; In fact, most stones with fluorescence can enhance the natural characteristics of the diamond, most notably the color. In rare cases, fluorescence can have an outwardly negative appearance on the overall beauty of the stone. If fluorescence is negatively impacting a diamond it would be easily seen to your naked eye – it can make the diamond appear “milky” or “hazy” regardless of its clarity grade. If anything, the presence of fluorescence typically gives diamonds a lower price point than ones that have none at all!
For more information regarding fluorescence, read this blog too!
An SI1 or SI2 clarity stone is a bad investment.
It’s no secret that each individual diamond is unique, like a snowflake! The way that GIA grades diamonds leaves a range within each individual color and/or clarity grade. Stones within the SI1 or SI2 range are classified as being ‘slightly included’ and could be noticeable to the naked eye. This classification scares many buyers away from opting for stones within this range, as no one wants to buy a diamond with visible inclusions. Many diamonds in the SI1 or SI2 range actually have transparent or white imperfections that are easily hidden within the facets or placed where they cannot be seen to the naked eye. Again, every stone is different so there are better and worse SI graded diamonds– the key is being able to look at the diamond and make a personal judgment call. Some SI1 stones have fewer imperfections than VS2 options, and this can end up saving you money in the long run. If you cannot see a visual difference between a diamond in the SI range compared to VS or even the VVS range, why would you pay the difference?
For more information about SI clarity diamonds, click here!
An engagement ring should cost 3 months salary.
In this day and age, there are no set rules for engagement. The notion that a ring should cost 3 months salary is both an outdated saying and a rarely used sentiment in today’s world. Any helpful engagement ring consultant will urge you to spend what you are comfortable spending. Everyone has different priorities, different circumstances, and different relationships– spending within your means should result in what your engagement ring will cost. Some people save for years to achieve a particular ring, while others do not; just know that what you think is appropriate will serve you best in the long run, as you know your finances better than anyone!
To check out a helpful guide of pricing expectations, check out this post!
Customizing an engagement ring is more expensive.
Many clients are surprised to find out that customizing an engagement ring can actually save you money! Most custom jewelry stores cater to exactly what you want and can modify existing engagement rings to make a ring within your budget. Not only do you have the freedom and flexibility to make a ring uniquely your own, but you also will save more money down the road in repairs and alterations because the ring is customized to the exact dimensions of the diamond and to the wearer’s finger size. This means the integrity of the design and the quality of the ring is much higher than something mass-produced that could be sized down or up to many sizes; Ultimately, that could result in small pave diamonds coming loose and falling out more easily and the metal becoming weaker. Custom-made rings, like at Lauren B, also result in a cleaner and more appropriately detailed appearance, which means you will be less likely to want to upgrade it later on!
For more information on the benefits of custom ring design, read here!
Fancy shapes are more expensive.
It is widely believed that fancy shaped diamonds (any shape besides a round brilliant) are more expensive! This is simply not the case. The round brilliant diamond will always be the most expensive shape because of the brilliance that is unique to the cut of the stone. This brilliance yields round shaped diamonds to sell for upwards of 20% more than the comparable fancy-shaped diamond.
For assistance in choosing YOUR perfect diamond shape, click here!
Certain metal colors are trendy.
In the last few years, the jewelry industry has seen a resurgence of interest in yellow gold and rose gold! This spike in popularity has left many brides-to-be apprehensive about choosing a style in yellow or rose gold because in a few years it could be seen as ‘trendy’. The fact of the matter is that there are only 4 metals/metal colors that have been used in bridal jewelry dating back decades. Both yellow gold and rose gold have been used in jewelry for hundreds of years, tracing back to royal families all across the world. Just like anything else, metal colors can have a surge in popularity, however, at the end of the day, there always has been white gold, yellow gold, rose gold, and platinum. These metal colors have always been widely available and they will continue to be, so arguably, they could all be considered classic and will stand the test of time!
Learn more about your options for metal colors here!
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Diamond Ring Misconceptions