Diamond Info

Choosing Your Diamond Shape

Choosing Your Diamond Shape

by: Keith Thompson

Choosing the shape of your diamond jewelry is one of the key elements in determining the overall appearance of your ring or other diamond jewelry. There are many shapes and variations from which to choose, but first off do not confuse "shape" with "cut". A diamond's shape is just that: the outward appearance of the stone, whether it is round, oval etc.; while the cut refers to how the diamond itself is fashioned, how many facets and so on. Below I'll examine the various diamond shapes and tell a little about each of them, in order to help you make that all-important choice.

Round Brilliant Diamonds - By far the most popular, accounting for more than 75% of diamonds purchased today, they are also the most expensive. Most coveted as an engagement ring, they also find their way into earrings and pendants. Round Brilliant Diamonds are noted for their fire and brilliance.

Oval Diamonds - A perfectly symmetrical design yields a large surface area that gives the impression of a much larger diamond, oval diamonds are favored by women with smaller hands or shorter fingers, it's shape giving an elongated look to the hand.

Princess Cut Diamonds - Though in appearance the smallest of diamonds, a Princess Cut Diamond is basically an inverted pyramid which puts most of the carat weight near the bottom. Princess cut diamonds are most often sought as solitaires, and are a relatively recent shape.

Marquise Diamonds - Another diamond shape that looks larger than it actually is, the Marquise diamond is elongated with points on each end, though sometimes altered to a "French tip" where the end point is excised. A great choice for a solitaire.

Emerald Cut - Rectangular with corner cuts, this diamond is also called a step cut, because of the shape that resembles stair steps. Large, open facets on this diamond make it imperative to choose a stone of greater clarity and higher color, as inclusions and weak color are more noticeable in this cut.

Pear Shape Diamond - Exactly as it says, this diamond is pear-shaped, or sometimes reminding one of a teardrop. Most often found on pendants and earrings.

Heart Shaped Diamonds - A brilliant cut, the heart shaped diamond is a romantic choice that varies from jeweler to jeweler as it's shape can be greatly influenced by the skill of whimsy of the gem cutter, as well as variable facet configurations. Seek out a perfectly symmetrical stone.

Trillion Cut Diamonds - A newcomer, born in the late seventies, this diamond is a triangle stone with equal sides. These can make stunning earrings.

Baguette Cut Diamonds - Another step cut diamond shape that is most frequently employed as side stones. Because it has few facets, quality and color come into play more here as imperfections become more visible in these uncomplicated, though elegant diamonds.

Radiant Diamonds - A square or rectangularly shaped diamond, the Radiant resembles the emerald shape but has 70 facets, making it much more brilliant and dazzling than the Emerald shape.

Asscher Cut Diamonds - A rectangular shaped diamond with high crown step facets, this shape was patented in 1902 and is know for it's fire and ability to return light.

Cushion Cut Diamonds - Sometimes referred to as "pillow cut", this shape was popular in the 1800's. Cut with candle light in mind, (nothing else available at the time!) the cushion cut is a rectangular/squarish shape, with more than a touch of old world elegance about it.

Kite, Trapezoid & Half-Moon diamonds - Lesser know shapes used mainly for side stones.

Choosing the right diamond shape can be more easily accomplished with a little information and the help of a professional jeweler. Here's hoping you find that perfect diamond!

About The Author

Keith Thompson is very fond of diamonds, and runs http://www.engagement-ring-deals.info which can help in your search for the perfect diamond engagement ring.

Whatever Happened to the Infamous Hope Diamond?

Whatever Happened to the Infamous Hope Diamond?

by: Karl Needan

The Hope Diamond's Legendary Power

Evalyn Walsh MacLean was the last private owner of the Hope Diamond. She died in 1947 at the age of 60, and she left behind one of the most beautiful and well-known pieces of jewelry known to man. This diamond had a tragic history that appealed to the public and made headlines for many years. It was a massive diamond of incredible beauty and unimaginable value, but today is like any other old lady, leading a rather uneventful existence.

Ms. MacLean's staff were unsure about how to deal with the Hope Diamond after she died, since the diamond had such a remarkable history and a superb value. They turned to a friend of Ms. MacLean's, Frank Murphy, who they thought would give them the best advice. This Mr. Murphy, in addition to being a long-time friend of the MacLeans, was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

Judge Murphy very quickly secured the jewels in the MacLean collection as soon as he came to Ms. MacClean's house the night she died. He immediately left by cab, but since he couldn't think of a safe place to put the the diamond at twelve o'clock at night, he decided to ride around in the cab until the banks opened in the morning.

Murphy approached a bank officer at the Riggs National Bank that morning and requested that the entire collection be deposited. When he gave bank officer the inventory of what was in the sack, he didn't believe the Hope Diamond was one of the items. So he asked for proof that it was the Hope Diamond and when he saw for himself, he realized it had to be. In addition, the fact that a judge of the United States Supreme Court was the courier of this parcel, that he had just picked it up at midnight from the MacClean mansion, he became convinced that it most certainly must be the famous Hope Diamond.

Finally accepting the responsibility of securing such a gem, the bankers agreed to store the diamond, which was soon procured by Murphy, himself, in a sealed bid to purchase it, since no-one else wanted to take it into their possession. There it sat for several years, until he decided to donate it to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. How did he transport it to its new home? By placing it in a regular mailing package with a number of other gems which were of low quality and sending it by way of the U.S. Postal Service.

The beautiful Hope Diamond rests in its case of velvet at the Smithsonian to this day. Any tourist who strolls into the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. can have a glimpse of the most beautiful diamond in the world, which seems an ignoble ending for a gem whose history is steeped in greed, corruption, tragedy and insanity. Even Ms. MacClean died an untimely death at only 60 years of age. The mail carrier who was responsible for its delivery was in two separate car accidents, both resulting in serious injury. The stone had its final revenge.

About The Author

Karl Needan runs the website Flava Diamond, inc. which a site dedicated to diamond enthusiasts and contains all the very latest news and views diamond related. Please visit http://www.flavadiamond.com if you have any questions or comments concerning this article.

Avioding Car Accidents

Avioding Car Accidents

by: Tim Johnson

The use of diamonds has been found to be dated as early as 2,500 years ago, where they were used as religious icons in India. Record has also been found that in early human history diamonds were used in drilling bits and engraving tools. One of the traits of diamonds is that nothing can scratch it except for another diamond.

Diamonds are mined from volcanic pipes in central and southern Africa, found deep in the earth where pressure and temperature allow the crystals to form. Sources of this mineral have also been found in Canada, Russia, Brazil, and Australia.

It is only in the 19th century where the popularity of diamonds arose, mainly because of the De Beers Group which initiated a advertising campaign that used the slogan "A Diamond Is Forever" which is now know to be one of the most successful marketing slogans of all time.

It was invented to stop the creation of a secondary market by discouraging women from selling the diamonds they have received and also from buying diamonds which other women have owned. This helped retailers to sell diamonds at high prices without competition from secondary markets. This allowed De Beers to maintain their hold on the diamond trade at a supplier level.

Diamonds are perfect for engagement and wedding rings, although they are costly, they last a lifetime and the reaction from the person receiving it makes it all worth it. Diamonds are measured in Carats where one carat is the same as 200 milligrams, although long ago each country had their own carat which was roughly comparable to the carob seed.

If you have ever imagined how diamonds really work, then keep reading cause here is a simple explanation. Diamonds form about 160km below the surface of our planet. Most diamonds that we see today were formed a long time ago, like millions, if not billions of years ago.

There are kimberlites which form that allows for diamonds to be brought closer to the earth's surface, (come'on you didn't think people actually drill 170km into the earth, did you?). Think of a kimberlite as a zit, yeah that's right. What happens in the case of a zit (or sort of) is that bacteria forms inside the skin (think of the bacteria as diamonds,) it gets bigger and bigger and finally erupts, which brings the bacteria closer to the surface, after which our itchy fingers proceed to pick it.

Same thing with diamonds, they form deep inside the earth and then a Kimberlite happens and the diamonds are now closer to the surface, which at this point diamond miners will mine them. Soon after, they will be cut, polished, and many times attached to a ring, and then will be sold.

Diamonds are a beautiful thing, and are one of the many wonders on this earth created by the God of the heavens and earth. So I guess the next time you find yourself at a jewelery store, you will be able to understand what all the fuss is about.

About The Author

Article by Tim Johnson of http://www.everything-about-car-accidents.com/.

Aftermerket Auto Lights - From Euro Tail Lights to Projector Headlights

Aftermerket Auto Lights - From Euro Tail Lights to Projector Headlights

by: Melanie Nathan

The average driver isn?t aware that there are more stylish and advanced alternatives available to replace the OEM factory lights their vehicles came with. Thanks to the Aftermarket Accessory industry and products like euro tail lights and projector headlights we no longer have to put up with the dull ?yellowish? headlights or generic ?red & orange? tail lights we?re so used to. Aftermarket lighting will not only improve ones overall night driving experience but also offers a whole new look that can set a ride apart from all the rest. Most aftermarket lights are an easy install that can be done by almost anyone with a little mechanical knowledge and are manufactured to comply with current DOT/SAE standards making them a true ?no hassle? upgrade.

Euro tail lights (also commonly referred to as clear tail lights, euro lights and altezza lights) are one of the most popular aftermarket lighting upgrades simply for their durability, ease of install and their ability to dramatically (and inexpensively) change the look of a vehicle. They are now available for most makes and models including; Acura Integra, Cadillac Escalade, Ford Escape, Ford Explorer, Chevy Malibu, Honda Accord, Chevy Colorado/Canyon and Toyota 4Runner.

Projector Headlights (also referred to as Halo Headlights or Angel Eyes) are lights that ?project? therefore they are brighter and can project a beam in front of the vehicle farther than the factory headlights ever could. Diamond-Cut headlights are also bright but they offer a little more in the style department being that the inside of the light is carved somewhat like a diamond thereby offering the ability for the light to shine off multiple surfaces. Couple these headlights with aftermarket euro or LED (Light Emitting Diode) tail lights and you'll really light up the night sky!

And unlike many modifications, with most aftermarket lighting, there is no cutting, painting or drilling involved. You basically unscrew and ?pop? out the factory light and screw the aftermarket one in place. Most lights will utilize the existing factory bulbs but since the lens on an aftermarket light is clear? the bulbs will appear much brighter and therefore are more visible offering increased safety while driving at night.

Thanks to innovative companies like In.ProCarWear, APC and TYC we now have thousands of quality replacement lighting products for vehicles to choose from including; euro tail lights, LED tail lights, projector and diamond-cut headlights, HID (High Intensity Discharge) lighting kits, fog lights, clear corner lenses, side marker lights, sealed beam headlights, front and rear bumper lights, over cab running lights, park lights, signal lights (the list goes on!) which are all designed for a safer, more stylish ride.

About The Author

Melanie Nathan is the co-owner and webmaster of http://www.coolights.com, a site specializing in cool aftermarket auto lights for many makes and models. Copyright© Coolights.com 2005-2006. Permission granted to reprint this article provided the webmaster supplies a live link to the authors website.

Who Else Got a Bad Diamond Deal? Here's How YOU Prevent It

Who Else Got a Bad Diamond Deal? Here's How YOU Prevent It

by: Joel Bleurocque

Diamonds are a girl's best friend. Well, they're also a jewelers best friend, because these little stones are the most valuable minerals in the world. Valuable, yet everyone has trouble when buying a diamond because it's so hard to get a good estimate of what a fair price would be. If that's you, then I'm here to tell you that judging the value of a diamond is actually as easy as looking for 4 easy characteristics.

They are cut (the shape of your diamond), clarity (the amount of spots, cracks and flaws), color (is your diamond completely clear or does it have a deep color?) and carat, the measure of weight for diamonds.

So the first one is cut. Is your diamond round and equally wide as it is tall? That's called a round and brilliant cut, and it's the most valuable cut there is. When your diamond is either flatter or taller in shape, it becomes less valuable. This goes for every diamond there is, except for a triangular cut, which can also be very valuable because it is in fact very rare.

Clarity is a bit harder to judge because you can't always see it with the naked eye. However, it's possible to get a very close estimate simply by holding your diamond against a lot of light. Do you see any spots, marks of flaws in it? If it looks as clear as water, your diamond is very valuable. If it looks polluted and has spots, cracks or flaws in it, value decreases.

The third is color, and in diamonds, color is a bad thing. The more colorless a diamond is, the more valuable it becomes. However, if you have a natural black diamond, you can expect a price almost as high. This is because certain colors are very rare, and they quickly add to the price if you're after one.

And finally, the last trait to look for in a diamond is of course carat. This is the most well known characteristic to judge diamond value, the higher the carat, the higher the price. To illustrate, 95% of women will never own a diamond over 1 carat. It's that rare.

So when you hit the stores, the traders or the pawn shops, always remember to pay close attention the 4 C's of cut, clarity, color and carat.

So the only danger left to you now is judging whether it's real or not. Too many people have already been "duped" with fake labratory made diamonds from Russia and Eastern Europe. It's hard to tell the difference, which makes it all the more important you shop at a trusted dealer.

This is especially important when your gift is a symbol of love and devotion. Don't take risks and skimp out on something important as a wedding or engagement ring. Your partner might not be able to tell the different immediately, but lab created diamonds don't last as long and eventually always give up their secret. There's nothing like the real thing, and when you do get a good deal, it'll last you an eternity.

Enjoy shopping!

About The Author

Joel Bleurocque is a diamond trader and creator of

Diamond, a premier online resources for Diamond buyers and sellers.

To visit his complete archive of articles and learn more

on how to get the best deal on a diamond, go here:

http://www.fivecdiamond.com/articles/

http://fivecdiamond.com>Diamond,

a premier online resources for Diamond buyers and sellers.

To visit his complete archive of articles and learn more

on how to get the best deal on a diamond, go here:

http://www.fivecdiamond.com/articles/

Investing in Precious Metals and Diamonds

Investing in Precious Metals and Diamonds

by: John Mussi

Finding the right investment opportunity isn't always easy? with all of the different investment methods available it can be quite confusing attempting to find the investments that will generate the biggest returns with the lowest risk. If you've never considered making investments in precious metals and diamonds, they might be just the type of investments that you've been looking for.

Precious metals and diamonds generally offer a lower risk than some other investments and tend to have decent to good returns throughout the year.

Why precious metals and diamonds?

For nearly as long as history has been recorded, there has been a special place set aside in both society and the economy for certain precious metals and diamonds. Wars have been fought over them, and the value of these metals and diamonds have remained consistent through financial disasters that have brought the values of other items crashing down. While the modern values of precious metals and diamonds may fluctuate, it is unlikely that they will suffer from any decrease in value that won't be corrected with just a little bit of time.

How to invest

When investing in precious metals and diamonds, it's likely that you'll be purchasing shares of the gold, silver, or diamond index. These indexes are traded with other indexes such as technology and other industries, and represent somewhat of the average price of the metals or diamonds across the market. The prices for shares of these indexes may be slightly higher than what you're used to paying per-share for your investments, but when you consider what you're investing in it's easy to understand why. It's generally a good idea to invest small amounts over a period of time, so as to build up your shares without having to pay the full price for shares at once.

Choosing when to invest

If possible, purchase your index shares while prices are at their lowest? this can be hard to determine at times, though summer months may show a slight decrease in price as they are in between the holiday seasons that tend to drive gold, silver, and diamond prices up. As with any investment, it's a wise idea to take the time to research performance and pricing before making your investment.

How to handle price fluctuations

As with any investment, the price of your precious metals and diamonds shares are going to fluctuate. It is generally best to simply ride out the fluctuations, as it isn't likely that prices will stay low for any long stretch of time. It is likely that prices will begin to increase during the winter months, as Christmas and other winter holidays tend to cause a significant increase in the jewelry market which in turn fuels the precious metals and diamond markets.

Precious metals and diamonds as part of a diverse portfolio

If using precious metals and diamonds as a tool for diversification in your stock portfolio, it's important to remember that they will add a degree of stability in addition to being additional investments. Gold, silver, and diamonds will help to balance out any losses suffered in other sectors, and are not as likely to suffer from losses themselves.

Making significant investments in these indexes can help to provide a little bit of a safety net if you wish to invest in higher-risk stocks, or can be a strong money-maker if you prefer to have a variety of low-risk stocks and bonds in your investments.

You may freely reprint this article provided the following author's biography (including the live URL link) remains intact:

About The Author

John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help homeowners find the best available loans via the www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.

Defining "Safety Stocks"

Defining "Safety Stocks"

by: John Mussi

With so many stock market scandals and the daily fluctuations of various securities, it might seem as though there is no simple method of investment that allows you to avoid the major risks of the market. Luckily, things are not always as they seem? some stocks, dubbed ?safety stocks? by some investors, are stable enough that they tend to hold their value even when the rest of the market is in shambles. While these stocks aren't immune to the changes and fluctuations in the stock market, they usually weather the changes well and are much less prone to sudden drops in value.

If you've never heard of safety stocks or would like to know more, the information below is designed to give you some information on these relatively stable investments.

Safety in a turbulent market

Though no stocks are completely immune to the daily changes in the stock market, some manage to do better than others. Some of these companies have been around for a long time and that produce everyday items that are known around the world (such as the first aid and baby care manufacturer Johnson & Johnson), and aren't likely to encounter major scandals to bring down their prices. While these stocks aren't known for major increases in value, they don't perform poorly? instead, they offer a slow-but-steady increase that's much more stable than many other investment opportunities.

Safety stocks and diversification

Because of their general consistency, safety stocks are considered a must-have by many serious investors. They are great tools for diversification, allowing investors to use their stability to offset some of their more volatile investments. This effect can be increased even further by making investments in precious metals or the diamond market, both of which tend to offer a similar stability that works well with that of the safety stocks. A diverse investment portfolio with a strong base of safety stocks and precious metal and diamond investments is likely to weather even the most turbulent market with minimal long-term losses.

Safety stocks and high-risk investments

Even without using safety stocks for true diversification, it's possible to use these stocks to offset higher-risk investments. When investing in high-risk stocks, a smart investor might buffer their investment with a secondary investment in one or more safety stocks which will help to minimize any losses that might occur. If the higher-risk stock performs well and is sold at a good price, then the safety stocks may either be sold or kept since they're not likely to drop significantly in value. Should the higher-risk stock not perform well and ends up being sold low, then the value of the safety stocks as they slowly but surely show an increase will help to offset any losses.

Safety stocks and long-term investment

Obviously, safety stocks are great for long-term investments. Purchasing safety stocks over the course of several years is much more likely to show a definite improvement than other stocks that aren't nearly as stable. When combined with precious metals or the diamond market as mentioned above, the effects can be even more noticeable due to the similar nature of the two types of investments.

Safety stocks can also be combined with bonds or other types of investments that do well in the long term, either using the stocks in smaller amounts to accentuate the earnings of the other investments or as simply another long-term investment among many. This can make safety stocks ideal for retirement plans or any other long-term financial planning.

You may freely reprint this article provided the following author's biography (including the live URL link) remains intact:

About The Author

John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help homeowners find the best available loans via the www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.

Wedding Anniversary Scrapbooking Ideas

Wedding Anniversary Scrapbooking Ideas

by: Ifiok Ekon

Are you looking for wedding anniversary scrapbooking ideas to help you create a unique gift for a special couple for their anniversary? This article has many simple ideas that you can use to create a wonderful and lasting wedding anniversary gift.

One of the most important wedding anniversary scrapbooking ideas you can use for an anniversary scrapbook is to have the couple?s wedding picture on either the first or last page of the scrapbook.

A copy of the wedding invitation makes a really great introduction to the scrapbook. A scrapbook makes a creative anniversary gift for any anniversary year, but it is particularly effective for milestones such as the first anniversary, silver, diamond or golden anniversaries. For the 25th, 50th or 60th wedding anniversaries, you can start the scrapbook with the wedding photo.

Other scrapbooking ideas you can use are:

Photos of the couple during each year of their marriage

Photos of the couple?s family at various stages of growth

Photos of memorable occasions, such as weddings of the children

Photos of the couple with their grandchildren

Photos of trips and vacations

Wedding scrapbooking ideas, for the first year of marriage could include:

Photos of the planning done for the wedding

Copy of the wedding service

Place cards

Bridal registry

List of gifts received

Ribbons to represent colors used in the wedding

Wedding favors that was used

Notes about planning mishaps

You can also include the following in the Wedding anniversary scrapbook:

Pressed flowers

Napkins

Christmas pictures of the couple together

Letters and notes that the couple has written funny scenes from their lives together

Invitation to the anniversary party

Photos of the party

The colors you choose for embellishing the scrapbook should represent the year of the anniversary. For example, 25th anniversary is silver, 50th is gold and 60th is diamond. The colors used in other wedding anniversary scrapbooking ideas could be the colors the couple chose to have at their wedding or their own favorite colors.

About The Author

Ifiok Ekon is the author of "Wedding Anniversary Scrapbooking Ideas." Visit his site allscrapbookingideas.com to get to get all the exciting ideas,suggestions,tips and techniques for your Baby,wedding,Military Personnel and Lots More-You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

Making Sense of Diamond Grading Specs!

Making Sense of Diamond Grading Specs!

by: Keith Thompson

Anyone wanting to make an informed purchase of diamond jewelry needs at least a cursory understanding of the Four C's. These are the standards by which diamonds are graded, and ultimately determine their value. They are Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat weight. What follows is a brief description to acquaint diamond shoppers with these essential benchmarks.

CARAT WEIGHT - Contrary to popular belief, a large stone alone does not a valuable diamond make! While bigger can be better, it's not the only factor. All the other C's carry as much weight in the end, and be sure to use the size as a factor, though not necessarily a determining one. A carat is actually a measurement of weight, not size, equal to 200 Milligrams.

COLOR - The less color the better. In other words, everything else being equal, a colorless diamond will be much more valuable. Diamonds range in color from colorless to brown, and are ranked by letter starting with "D",(colorless) to "Z", (brownish) This is determined under special lighting, and does not include the "fancy colored diamonds", as these are graded differently. In short, the clearer the better!

CLARITY - Another important characteristic of a diamond's value is it's clarity. This deals with the number and size of any inclusions; small clouds, crystals, feathers or cavities noticeable under 10X magnification. The clarity grades are F-Flawless (extremely rare); IF-Internally Flawless; VVS1, VVS2- Very, Very Slightly Included; VS1, VS2 - Very Slightly Included; SI1, SI2- Slightly Included; and I1,I2,I3- Included. All you really need to know about this though, (other than your diamond's grade) is that you should not be able to see any inclusions with the naked eye.

CUT - Most people think that the cut of a diamond refers to it's shape. That's not so. It actually refers to the way a diamond is shaped to refract light, thus enabling it to sparkle. This is quite an art and requires that each facet of the stone be cut at precise angles to each other, in the correct shape and size, to bring about the desired effect. Each diamond shape has different measurements for it's particular dimensions. There are eight basic shapes popular today, and they are, in no particular order; heart, princess, pear, marquise, radiant, emerald, oval and round.

Understanding these characteristics can make a diamond jewelry purchase much less nerve-racking. You're spending a good deal of money; it's nice to know what you're spending it on!

About The Author

Keith Thompson is very fond of diamonds, and runs http://www.engagement-ring-deals.info which can help in your search for the perfect diamond engagement ring.

How to Choose Your Diamond Wedding Ring

How to Choose Your Diamond Wedding Ring

by: Richard Keir

A favorite activity of everyone getting married is the incredible fun of going through a wedding ring selection process. But there are so many things to consider - and sometimes it can turn into a nightmare.

I've got to be honest here, everybody secretly wants a monster stone in the most beautiful setting possible. Do most women get it? No, not really. A perfect, flawless 3K diamond (or bigger) isn't realistic for most. Getting married involves a lot more than a flash ring which is going to have to be paid for and, of course, the bigger it is, the longer it's going to take to pay for it.

Like most young girls, you may have spent a lot of time dreaming of the perfect diamond wedding ring. Hopefully, you and your fiance decided to shop for rings together, or you have informed him of what you like. You will wear the wedding ring for a significant amount of time and it only makes sense that it's something that you like. If your knowledge of diamond wedding rings is limited to size, it's a good idea that you obtain more information before you make your wedding ring selection.

Consider some alternatives like "Loose or Set".

When most people think of a diamond wedding ring, they often think of a stone that is already set or mounted. You can actually buy a diamond only and choose a setting later. Why would you do this? The cost. When you shop for loose diamonds you will notice that diamonds are available in various sizes and shapes, including oval, round, and marquise.

Now let's say you are pretty much indifferent to the shape, but you might want to consider your hands. Certain styles complement certain types of hands. A good guide is to match the shape of the diamond to the hand. Do you have long, narrow fingers? Then an oval-shaped diamond or similar elongated style diamond for your wedding ring would probably work for you. Round diamonds usually are considered a good choice for most hands.

Now, what about the setting.

You really need to carefully consider the setting when shopping for a wedding ring. Should you choose platinum or yellow or white gold? Yellow gold is the setting that most people choose for their wedding ring. It is typically less expensive than platinum or white gold. But if you do choose a yellow gold wedding ring, be careful that you don't choose a higher quality just because you think it is better. As the quality of yellow gold goes up, the softer the metal becomes. A wedding ring set in 24k gold will be less resilient to scratches and more malleable than a ring that is set in 14k gold.

Platinum is by far the most expensive and most durable of the trio. White gold is a good choice for a wedding ring setting if versatility is important to you. White gold tends to go with everything.

White diamonds are by far the most popular. Did you know that you could buy a pink diamond? Diamonds are available in other colors, but these are typically more expensive. Second to the classic white diamond is the yellow diamond. When shopping for your wedding ring you will actually find more of these than any other color of diamond.

OK, now the big one - consider the cost.

Your budget probably carries the most weight in your wedding ring selection. A wedding ring featuring a diamond can cost as little as $100 and as much as $1,000,000. In general, the amount of money you can expect to pay for a diamond wedding ring will vary according to the type of stone and the setting. The more carats (that is the bigger the single diamond or the more smaller diamonds there are in total) a wedding ring has the more it will cost. Diamonds set in platinum will cost you the most. You can, however, spend much less on a wedding ring set in 14-carat gold. You can balance the cost by buying a wedding ring with a high number of carats and set in a less expensive setting.

Ultimately, you have to carefully consider your budget and your future. There is no single answer that will suit everyone. Some have the enviable pleasure of being able to buy whatever combination they most desire. For most of us, however, we need to begin our married life by using smart and careful selection to make sure our diamond ring not only suits and satisfies us, but also doesn't stress our finances.

About The Author

Richard Keir writes on a variety of subjects for his own and other sites. If you're interested in great information and articles all about weddings be sure to visit Elena's Completely Weddings at http://Completely-Weddings.com.