Selecting an engagement ring might sound like fun, and it will be, once you have decided on a colour, stone, setting and size of ring for your bride. Choosing quality over size, and select the nicest ring that you can afford. This exquisite item of jewellery will be secured on the finger and viewed over a million times by the blushing bride throughout her married life. You may hear the popular expression of the 4 C's when you are looking for the perfect ring. They are cut, carat, clarity and colour, and are used to determine the value of the diamond.

The cut of the diamond will determine the whole look for the rest of the ring. Make sure you choose a cut that will suite your brides style and that will also complement the wedding ring once they are sitting together. The most traditional and popular cuts for the stone are; round, marquise, pear, heart, oval, emerald or princess.

Round	Marquise	Pear	Heart	Oval	Emerald	Princess

Carat is the term used to measure the size of a diamond by its weight. As the weight increases, so does the price. Price can change by a tiny 0.05 carat, but can still look as dazzling as the slightly higher carat, so don't be afraid to play around with different sizes and shapes coordinating with prices.

The clarity of a diamond will for sure be noticeable to the eye. Sometimes diamonds have small flaws, air bubbles or scratches. The scale for clarity is;

F - flawless, no inclusions external or internally

IF - internally flawless. Slight external inclusions

VVS1-VVS2 - very very slight inclusions, but hard to see even by 10x magnification

VS1-VS2 - very slight inclusions, and again hard to see under strong magnification

SI1 - SI2 - slightly included, but invisible to the naked eye

I1-I3 - included and inclusions are visible to the naked eye

In terms of colour, the more colourless the diamond, the more valuable it is. The colour can also relate to the band of the ring. Generally these are White Gold, yellow gold and platinum.

The setting of the diamond, or the metal mounting will determine the entire look of the ring.

Bezel setting - The diamond will be tightly secured in this setting because the entire perimeter of the stone is overlapped by metal. Ideal for a 'round' cut of stone.

Cathedral setting - the diamond on a cathedral setting is secured by a band extending from each side of the ring, therefore providing more stability to the diamond.

Classic setting - Perfect and popular for a solitaire diamond. The high positioning of the stone allows for maximum exposure and visibility, and also the diamond appears larger with this type of setting.

Contour setting - Providing protection to your diamond, this setting has two tapered bands elegantly shaped up and away from the band surrounding the diamond.

Knife-edge setting - For an enhanced and sharper edged look, this setting provides brilliance and a classic style to an engagement ring.

Trellis setting - This beautiful, elegant and popular setting provides security by claws or prongs surrounding your diamond. 4 or 6 prongs are sufficient and will give your ring a really classy and sophisticated look.