For that once-in-a-lifetime engagement ring, embrace a design and individuality that reflects both of you
Engagement rings are truly a lifetime purchase. In recent years, as values diversify, some couples opt not to buy.
The specific reasons identified include: 1) not matching fashion tastes, lack of occasions to wear, and only being wearable during the engagement period, which limits their role as jewellery; and 2) reluctance due to financial burden or not wanting to impose on the partner.
If a truly beloved and lifelong wearable ring could be crafted for the couple, how would that be?
Recently, celebrities abroad have set trends by choosing fancy-colored diamonds and unique diamond shapes for their engagement rings. This article aims to shake off traditional engagement ring stereotypes and help you find a truly personal symbol of your love.
Key Point #1: Diamond Shape - Fancy Shape
Are you familiar with the term "fancy shape"?
Fancy shapes refer to any diamond cut style other than the round brilliant cut, offering a variety of shapes that can completely transform the look of a ring.
There are various shape variations, and changing the shape of the diamond can completely alter the impression of the ring's design.
By choosing a shape that matches your fashion sense and individuality, you can highlight your unique personality. Explore and find the shape that fits you perfectly.
1) Princess Cut Diamonds
A square or nearly square ratio makes the princess cut the second most popular diamond cut style today, next to the round brilliant cut. Each facet is elongated, which can give the sparkle a "mosaic pattern" when the light hits it.
The ratio is based on a perfect square (1:1), but since it's cut from mined rough stones, there's a slight individual difference in shape.
This cut's delicate sparkle and its straight, square composition offer a clean, streamlined effect on the hand.
2) Oval Cut Diamonds
The term "ovum," meaning "egg" in Latin, is the origin of the name for the oval cut. This shape is characterized by its elliptical form, offering a blend of a classical, mature appearance with a soft, rounded gentleness.
Setting the diamond lengthwise elongates the appearance of the finger, while a horizontal setting provides a rich sense of volume, enhancing the wearer's style.
3) Heart Cut Diamonds
The heart, a symbol of love and affection, is an ideal motif for bridal rings. Creating a heart shape requires removing more of the original stone during the polishing process, making it rarer compared to other cut styles.
Though it has a strong impression of cuteness, wearing it as one matures can show a playful spirit. It's a cut style that conveys a promise of love to the future.
4) Pear Cut Diamonds
The pear shape, also known as a teardrop, is characterized by its resemblance to a pear. It is designed from a combination of round and marquise cuts, which adds a sense of artistry.
Its voluptuous curves and sharp lines exude a graceful and delicate mood, and it has the effect of making fingers appear slender and longer.
5) Marquise Cut Diamonds
The marquise cut, reminiscent of leaves, rugby balls, or petals, features two curves that meet at a sharp point. This silhouette has the characteristic of making the surface of the stone appear larger than its actual carat weight, thus seeming more substantial.
Its refined atmosphere complements classic, antique, and simple designs well. The cool yet graceful impression is fitting for a piece of jewellery meant to last a lifetime.
6) Cushion Cut Diamonds
The cushion cut is characterized by its square shape with rounded corners, offering a gentle silhouette. Each facet is large, allowing for the enjoyment of the stone's clarity.
This cut style exudes a calm antique mood and is a timeless design often featured in Harry Winston's engagement ring collections. It combines softness with a neat impression, recommended for those who desire a hint of uniqueness without being too eccentric.
7) Emerald Cut Diamonds
The emerald cut is characterized by its octagonal shape with diagonally cut corners, made up of parallel facets. This arrangement results in a more subdued sparkle but enhances the stone's clarity.
This cut style is frequently used for emeralds and is recommended for those who prefer a more understated and elegant brilliance over a dazzling sparkle.
Let's review: What is the Round Brilliant Cut?
When viewed from above, it appears circular, and to maximize its brilliance, it is cut into 58 facets, including the culet.
This sparkling = diamond has defined the impression of diamonds, making it the most standard cut style.
Key Point #2 : Color Diamonds Expressing Individuality
Diamonds can acquire color either through specific substances contained within them or due to distortions in their crystal structure. While colorless diamonds are highly valued, colored diamonds with deep and vivid hues are also considered rare and often traded at high prices.
Natural or Tinted?
In addition to naturally colored diamonds formed in the environment, there are also artificially tinted diamonds. Although they may look similar externally, there's a significant difference in value and market price between them.
What are Fancy Color Diamonds?
In the diamond grading system, the 4Cs, any diamond whose color falls outside the D-Z range and exhibits deeper coloring is referred to as a fancy color diamond. Natural fancy colors are so rare that they often don't make it to the market but are instead auctioned off, with some famous examples like the "Hope Diamond" being stored in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum's Harry Winston Gallery.
Diamonds are miracles that have emerged from the earth over billions of years, and they boast beauty like art pieces, thanks to the craftsmanship of skilled artisans and designers.
Color Variations
Natural colored diamonds come in a variety of hues due to trace elements or structural distortions within the crystals. While the value assessment is important, each colored diamond is unique in its coloration, so choosing based on your personal taste and intuition can be a delightful experience.
1) Red Diamonds
One of the most rarely seen and highly rare colored diamonds. Its impressive red color, whose cause of pigmentation even the latest technology has not been able to elucidate, adds to its mystique.
Compared to the red hue of rubies, red diamonds typically exhibit a pinkish-red color. In addition to pink, they can also have shades of orange, purple, and brown.
2) Green Diamonds
Green diamonds are also rare, believed to obtain their color from natural radiation exposure.
Typically, they have a bright color with low saturation, often appearing greyish or brownish, and those with vivid coloring are valued higher due to fewer inclusions.
3) Purple Diamonds
Purple diamonds are essentially pink diamonds that exhibit a bluer hue. Those with a deep, vivid coloration are highly rare and seldom seen in the general market.
If the stone appears purple but lacks sufficient blue, it's classified as a pink diamond. Conversely, if the color is too deep, it might be categorized as a brown diamond.
4) Orange Diamonds
Orange coloring arises from nitrogen presence. Some have reddish or yellowish hues.
Although rare and unfamiliar, orange diamonds become more accessible in price as they near a yellow hue.
5) Blue Diamonds
Blue diamonds are formed with the presence of boron, leading to captivating names such as Ocean Blue diamond or Sky Blue diamond.
According to the tradition of "Something Old," where a bride is said to gain happiness from wearing "Something Blue," embracing a blue diamond as a talisman of happiness can be a beautiful choice.
6) Pink Diamonds
Pink diamonds are highly sought after, with their prices on the rise. Discovered in 1979 at the Argyle mine in Australia, which was known for producing high-quality stones, the closure of this mine in 2020 without a replacement source has made these gems even more precious.
Their rarity combined with their charming color has made them beloved by many.
7) Yellow Diamonds
The yellow hue in diamonds comes from the presence of nitrogen, and compared to red, blue, or pink diamonds, yellow diamonds are more accessible.
For those familiar with diamonds, the distinction from the 4C's color grading might be intriguing. Yellow diamonds fall outside the D to Z color grading scale, indicating a deeper hue at that point, which classifies them as fancy.
8) Brown Diamonds
Brown diamonds, the oldest diamonds used in jewellery, were reportedly set in rings by the Romans in the 2nd century.
Primarily used for industrial purposes until the 1980s, the marketing of stones mined from the Argyle Mine as "Cognac Brown Diamonds" and "Champagne Brown Diamonds" has led to their widespread use in jewellery. There's a variety of shades available, ranging from those with reddish hues to those with gold and purple tints, offering a broad spectrum of options for selection.
9) Gray Diamonds
The gray coloration in diamonds can result from inclusions or hydrogen-related causes, though the specific mechanisms remain unclear.
These diamonds blend seamlessly with everyday wear and various settings, offering a cool and composed impression that transcends fashion or occasion.
10) Black Diamonds
Despite its black color, it emits a strong diamond-specific luster (adamantine luster) that is not found in onyx or tourmaline.
When paired with clear diamonds, it offers a sharp contrast that is enjoyable and features a gender-neutral mood that makes it easy to wear as a pair.
Wearing Custom-Made Jewellery to Highlight Your Personal Style
At ith, we don't just make rings to be worn only during the engagement period, but we support creating rings that represent your unique style of marriage. Every ring is custom-made to suit the individual wearing it. Our concierges will take the time to carefully listen to both of your thoughts, helping you find a design that makes your heart flutter. Please don't hesitate to share your various requests with us.
The beautiful jewellery you create with your beloved partner becomes like another partner in your life, enriching your heart in your daily life and giving you courage to face anxieties and challenges. Enjoy an encounter with inspiring diamonds at the ith atelier, and feel free to visit us.
