Sometimes, it can be difficult to settle on a ring design
for your engagement ring especially when there are many options available.
Hence, to make things easier for you, we decided to publish the "Ultimate
Guide on How to Choose Your Ring Design". Attached above is a short
summary/mind map. We will also be uploading a detailed article on each step of the
process (e.g. Ring Material and Number of Prong) and hopefully, they will be
useful for you.
If you have any inquiry, please feel free to email us at
sales@jannpaul.com!
It
can be overwhelming while shopping for the perfect engagement ring and wedding
bands, especially when you are not so sure about your once in a lifetime
purchase. You probably know that engagement rings are given during a marriage
proposal whereas, wedding bands are worn after the marriage, but what if I tell
you that getting an engagement ring usually comes hand in hand with wedding
bands?
Since a
long time ago, engagement rings are often worn to announce to the entire
village that this lady is taken, in other words – engaged. During the marriage
ceremony, the engagement ring will be removed to make way for the wedding band.
This is due to the age-old belief that wedding bands solidify a strong bond of
commitment for the couple and it should be worn closer to the heart.
Engagement rings are also more
commonly procured solely by the guy and after a successful proposal, when she
said “YES”, that’s where the wedding bands comes into the picture! However, it
all depends on your personal preference whether to choose your engagement rings
as a couple or granting your other half a surprise proposal!
Getting an engagement ring together
may ensure that you get your partner’s correct ring size and preferred design.
But what if you are getting an engagement ring without her knowing? How can you
get her ring size secretly? Well, there are many ways you can do so.
Do keep a lookout for design cues and
hints she might be dropping in order to surprise her with a swoon worthy ring!
Best to get some homework done now if you are planning to surprise her into
saying yes!
To get you guys started, what are the main differences between an
engagement ring and a wedding band??
1.Engagement
rings are usually flashier, categorized by a main stone at the top
Although
not all engagement rings come in a single stone, it can come with multiple
small stones as well, it all depends on your preference. But because of its
extravagant nature, some women prefer to only wear it during special occasions
where they are dressed to the nines.
2. Wedding
bands are usually sold in a pair – for both women & men
As a rule, your wedding bands are simple and usually modest
in nature compared to your engagement ring. This is because wedding bands are
worn 24/7, day and night and you want them to be comfortable and not too much of a hassle for everyday
wear.
Wedding bands also comes in four different colours, white
gold, rose gold, yellow gold and black gold. Although some ladies like to play
it up a little by adding a small diamond on their wedding band, the men’s
wedding band will generally be just a simple ring of a thicker bandwidth.
But that
doesn’t mean that guys can’t go wild with their wedding bands! I’ve seen many
crazy designs for men and you can definitely go for something more in your
design.
With all these in mind, how does an engagement ring and wedding bands go
hand in hand?
I am sure you have seen people
stacking their rings together, because stacking both rings together are constantly getting trendy, its best to consider how both rings will look like
together. In other words, you don’t want to feel obliged to opt for the other hand if both rings don’t go well
together. But can you wear both on separate hands then? I guess, it all depends
on your preference!
If you are
thinking of stacking your rings, read on! This is for you 😊
Before I go
into the juicy bits, there are a few things to note!
1. The
band of the engagement ring is also known as the Setting
The most
common Setting is either a 18k carat gold
band or a platinum band. Both
metals come in four different colours. You may opt for a white gold, rose gold,
yellow gold or black gold finish. A platinum band is 1.6 times denser than the
18k carat gold band and hence, more skilled labour is required to craft a platinum
ring. This results in a slightly pricier ring. However, both metals oxidise
differently, so it’s best to check with your friendly diamond specialist 😊
2. Colour, style and fit of engagement rings and wedding bands
Consider similar colours that go well
together when purchasing both engagement rings and wedding bands if you prefer
wearing them on the same finger. You want the rings to look beautifully
coordinated and connect seamlessly. Some mis-matched rings where the style and
fit are at odds could cause unwanted rubbing and discomfort.
Moving
on!
There are 3
common variations that the market offers, be sure to check them all out before
settling on one!
The most common:
getting your engagement rings and wedding bands separately but keeping in
mind the various designs fit to ensure both rings go well together. It's nice to
have both engagement rings and wedding band in a similar colour, but two
different colours for instance, a white gold and a rose golf setting would
create a nice contrast!
TIP:
Side diamonds or no side diamonds?
Engagement rings can come with or without side
diamonds, which is entirely up to your preference. However, some ladies prefer
their wedding bands to come with small diamonds as well, where it could be an
eternity or half eternity band. If you are someone that likes the extra bling,
go for it!
If you like to keep it classic and simple, go
for an engagement ring without side diamonds, which can essentially put
your main diamond into the spotlight!
Custom perfect fit: There
are custom made engagement rings and wedding bands that fit together perfectly
and can be worn separately as well.
This variation
has a slight twist to the usual design, yet the fit goes perfectly well because
its more of a custom-made ring. If you guys are planning to opt for this
variation, note that you will require a bit more thought for this!
Slot-in rings: slot in rings are
where both the engagement ring and wedding band are perfectly coordinated and
designed to be worn together. This will save you guys the hassle of trying to
coordinate the style and fit of your engagement ring and wedding bands!
If you want
to go for a more personalised design, fret not! This is because slot-in rings
still leave room for customization! You are able to fashion your own unique
twist at the bottom shank of the ring to commemorate a certain special memory
you have with your other half 😊
TIP:
Besure to get your ring size right
for this variation, especially if you are planning a surprise! This is
because you won’t be able to resize your wedding
band – the band where you will be slotting in your engagement ring!
Also, for
ladies with a smaller physique which accounts for delicate fingers, you might
want to reconsider the slot-in ring because it is bulkier and might look too
strapping for your small frame.
I hope this gives you a little
heads up while choosing your engagement ring and wedding bands! As this article is rather lengthy, I have included a checklist of all the important points
below! 😊
How to get her ring size secretly?
Decide on the colour, fit and style
Determine whether the engagement ring/wedding band comes with side diamonds (Normally, 70% of ladies will opt for a wedding band with side diamonds)
I’m pretty sure that
while researching and seeking for a diamond ring, this burning question may frequently
pop up in your mind: What carat weight should
I be getting?
Although the carat
weight doesn’t equate to how much you actually love her, a flat carat weight
just isn’t worth it. Now, it all boils down to this one question: What exactly is a flat carat weight?!
In the diamond industry,
carat weights are categorized into different classifications, where it provides
retailers a rough estimate on how their prices should be. According to each
classification, diamonds will belong to different pricing brackets.
To give you a visual
idea of how the classification works, I will include a sample diamond rapaport
report. The Rapaport report is used in the diamond trade to price diamonds. It
serves as a price guide and tracks price fluctuations. Diamonds are priced in
different pricing brackets, such as 0.30-0.39ct, 0.40-0.49ct, 0.50-0.69ct,
0.70-0.89ct, 0.90-0.99ct, 1.00-1.49ct, etc.
For
this example, we will use a 0.99ct and a 1.00ct diamond. Below is a screenshot
of the pricing brackets for diamonds in the 0.90-0.99ct and 1.00-1.49ct. The
diamond details are further categorized in different Colours (rows) and Clarity
(columns). The numbers are the cost of the diamond by the hundreds in USD, per
carat. So for example, a 0.99ct D IF diamond, would cost 0.99 X 15,200 = USD
15,048. However, do note that diamonds are usually traded in discounts, and
this figure does not reveal the quality of the diamond at all. Naturally,
poorly cut diamonds would be traded as bigger discounts compared to better cut
quality.
Now let’s compare the
prices of a 0.99ct D IF and a 1.00 D IF (assuming they are in the same cut
quality). By using the Rapaport pricing, we will get; 0.99 D IF – USD 15,048
1.00 D IF – USD 27,500
There is a whopping USD
12,452 price difference, just for that 0.01ct!! Doesn’t that sound crazy?!
This huge disparity of
price is largely due to the carat weight going up to the next higher pricing
bracket (i.e. 0.90-0.99ct category to 1.00ct-1.49ct category).
I’ll
give you a minute to let this sink in: a flat carat weight (i.e. 0.50, 0.70ct etc.)
simply doesn’t give you the value you think
you are getting. If you were to go into any local jewellery store or even a
branded one, they probably wouldn’t tell you about flat carat weights. These
flat carat weights don’t give good value as you are paying a premium to hit the
border of the next pricing bracket. Hence, if you’re looking at a 1.00ct,
you’re much better off getting a 0.9ct++ or a 1.0Xct+ (since you’re already
paying a premium to belong to the 1.00-1.49ct bracket). Furthermore, if your diamond has any durability
issues (i.e. a feather at the edge of the diamond), and you accidentally chip
the diamond and lose 0.01ct, your diamond’s value will drop to the next bottom pricing bracket, where you’ll lose significant value. Your
local jewellery store won’t tell you this either.
Nevertheless, don’t be too quick to get her a 0.99ct Carat
sizes such as 0.69, 0.89. 0.99, etc., also known as premium carat weights,
are extremely rare to come by.
It is extremely hard to
find a premium carat weight in the market simply because diamond cutters also know
that they will earn more should their diamonds fall into the next higher
classification. They often try to force the diamonds to the next pricing category
because the diamonds belonging to the next
higher pricing bracket can be sold for much more (even if the cut quality
is poorer).
For
example, if they have a rough diamond, that can either cut out a Super Ideal
Cut 0.99ct or a 1.00 poorly cut diamond, they would choose the 1.00ct in a heartbeat.
Even though the 1.00ct is poorly cut, they can get a much better profit since
it’s in the next pricing bracket.
However, that doesn’t
mean that these 0.99ct sizes don’t exist at all! In any event that you find
yourself looking at a diamond of a premium carat weight in any jewellery store,
it usually comes in bad proportions with questionable light performance.
This happens because when
profit-driven diamond cutters are presented with a rough diamond, it makes
sense for them to cut a diamond with a larger carat weight without any regard
for its proportions and light performance.
For example, a diamond cutter has a rough diamond that can be cut into
either a, 0.91ct Super Ideal Cut or push to hit a 0.99ct but poorer quality.
Similarly, most would aim for the 0.99ct as it can fetch a higher price.
These diamonds are called ‘’forced carat weights’’.
So these are the secrets about flat carat weights you need to know before getting your engagement ring. If you have any inquiry, please feel free to email us at sales@jannpaul.com!
Engagement ring symbolizes dedication,
commitment and love between you and your partner. We are sure you would like to
take proper care of your engagement ring so that it looks as brilliant as the
day you bought it. Hence, today, we will be sharing the dos and don’ts after
you purchased an engagement ring.
(Do) Clean your ring once a week using diluted
liquid soap, water and toothbrush to maintain its sparkles and brightness.
(Don’t) Use Bleach or other strong
cleaning agents as they may be abrasive and dull the ring.
(Do)
Remove your engagement ring before going for a swim as most, if not all
swimming pools contain chlorine which may damage the ring setting. Leave it in
the same place at home before taking off to your destination.
(Don’t) remove it in public or
unfamiliar places as you may lose it due to negligence.
(Do)
Dry your diamond using a lint free cloth whenever it gets wet or use a blow
dryer.
(Don’t) Use paper towel or tissue to
wipe the diamond as these items have rough fibers that may leave lint or dust
underneath the ring.
(Do)
Admire your beautiful engagement ring by holding onto the band at either side
of the main stone.
(Don’t) Touch or grab the center stone as it is easy to leave
fingerprint marks or oil on the diamond.
(Do) Bring your engagement ring to your jeweler
for regular prongs check once every 1-2 years.
(Don’t) Use pliers to tighten your
ring by yourself as you may accidentally damage your ring.
(Do)
Wear your diamond ring everyday to flaunt.
(Don’t) Wear it to the gym or during
vigorous activities. Accidental or repeated knocks may cause wear and tear even
though a diamond is one of the hardest materials in the world.
(Do)
Take off your ring every night before you go to bed.
(Don’t) Wear your ring overnight
especially during pregnancy as it may get struck.
(Do) Keep your diamond ring on a jewelry tray
or soft pouch.
(Don’t) Keep your diamond ring with
other diamond jewelries as diamond can scratch diamond.
If you have further inquiry, please feel free to email us at sales@jannpaul.com.
White gold remains a popular choice for
engagement rings and weddings as it is relatively inexpensive as compared to
platinum. However, in its unpolished and non-plated state, white gold is not
pure white in color but instead has a yellowish tinge to it. Hence, white gold
rings are usually plated with fine layers of rhodium to give them their
characteristic bright white appearance. In JannPaul, all our rings are
rhodium-plated. As some may not be familiar with rhodium plating or understand
its application, we decided to write a post on rhodium plating to help you
understand the procedure better.
Rhodium is a rare, silver-white metallic
element that is resistant to corrosion, tarnish and scratches. The transition
metal is also extremely durable, hypoallergenic and possesses the ability to
reflect large amounts of light, which explains the bright white look of the
rhodium-plated rings. Normally, the ideal thickness of rhodium on an engagement
ring is between 0.75 to 1.50 microns. You must be wondering, “Why not more?”. It
is because any ring plated with more than 2.0 microns of rhodium will become
very brittle!
However, do
take note that rhodium plating is not permanent, and how long it can last depends
on the number of times the ring is worn and the thickness of the original
rhodium plating. We provide all our clients two free complementary repolishing
and replating sessions to ensure your engagement ring retain its magnificence,
just like the day you collected it!
Thank
you for spending some time to read our post! If you have any question, please
feel free to email us at sales@jannpaul.com.
Diamond
certificates are often issued by gemological laboratories to assess the quality
of a diamond. The GIA and AGS are
two of the strictest and most recognized diamond certification laboratories in
the world. Thus, all of our diamonds are certified by either GIA or AGS.
It is
important to read and understand the GIA certificate as the certificate
contains vital information about the diamond, which in turn affects its price.
Some may find it complicated or are at loss about certain aspects of the
diamond certificate. Hence, to help you guys, we decided to make a
comprehensive video series on how to read a GIA diamond certificate and
everything else you need to know about it!
In "How To Read A GIA Diamond Certificate (Part 1)" video, we will explain the Certification Date, GIA Report Number, Shape
and Cutting Style, and Measurements.
In "How To Read A GIA Diamond Certificate (Part
2)" video, we will explain three of the 4Cs (Carat, Color, Clarity)
In "How To Read A GIA Diamond Certificate (Part
3)" video, we will explain the last C (Cut), Polish, Symmetry and Fluorescence.
If you have
any inquiry, please feel free to email us at sales@jannpaul.com.
Compare the difference between the Octagon Hearts & Arrows diamond against a normal GIA Triple Excellent Round Brilliant Diamond.
The Octagon has 88 facets with 8 Hearts & Arrows, and is cut to the maximum light return, outperforming any standard GIA Triple Excellent Round Brilliant diamonds.
You may also check out the different ways you can set your Octagon diamond in the video below!
