Engagement rings – Are diamonds really a girl’s best friend?

Once you have decided to take the big step towards marriage and have planned your proposal down to a tee, the next step to take is to choose the wedding jewellery. For many, shopping for engagement rings is their worst nightmare and lots of people don’t know where to start. It doesn’t have to be as tricky as some fear but it is well worth spending a little time thinking about what your partner will really want before braving the shops. Diamonds are the most traditional stone to use and there are many ways on which to use them. The classic style is to get a solitaire diamond that sits on its own as the centre piece. The solitaire can be surrounded by other gems or diamonds but they will always be smaller and less impressive than the middle stone. Diamonds can come in varying sizes and price tags dependent mainly on their purity and they even come in different colours.

Black diamonds are fairly rare and are a good choice for anyone looking for gothic style jewellery rather than a traditional look. Large diamonds will make your jewellery stand out and can look beautiful but be careful to get a size that suits your partner as some people prefer an understated look with a petite stone that can be actually worth more than a giant cubic zirconia. Match the diamond with their personality and shopping for engagement rings may actually turn out to be more fun than you originally thought. Not everyone loves a diamond and even those who do, may choose to not have one as their wedding band gemstone. They are a very classic design so if your partner enjoys standing out from the crowd, they prefer a coloured diamond or another precious stone altogether. There are a whole range of different gemstones to choose from if you decide that your partner may not be mad about diamonds. Colour can play a big part on which one you decide to use as well as your budget having a deciding factor.

Sapphires are blue in colour and have a particular allure to them and Princess Diana famously wore one when Prince Charles proposed and it caught the eye of photographers all around the world. Sapphires are readily available and can even be used a side stones if you choose to still use a diamond as the main feature. Rubies are red and bring out a daring side to someone’s personality and can be expensive. Quartz and pearls can also be used to give off a totally unique look and green emeralds are perfect for people with a loyal side to them. Engagement rings can come with a variety of stones and of course there are also other types of gemstones to use that represent the precious stones. Coloured spinels, iolites, tourmalines and garnets are all cheaper versions of some of the most precious gems available and make a great substitute for the more expensive versions.