Quick and Easy Buying Guide

Carat weight: 1 carat = 200 milligrams = 6.5 mm diameter. Doubling weight doesn't double diameter.

Diamond clarity: FL/IF/VVS/VS = super expensive, near perfect. SI = best value if you can check a photo for obvious inclusions (defects).

 

Color: D-G = colorless, expensive, only if you have money to burn. H-J = best value. Can go lower in gold metal settings than white metal.

Cut: Better cut ratings let more light into a diamond, making it sparkle more. Very important property, don't skimp here.

Set a budget and minimum cut (Premium). Go J color for gold and I/H for white metals. Go searching for SI1/SI2 clarity diamonds at James Allen. Pick a diamond with small/no inclusions. Choose a ring setting and buy it risk-free (60-day returns).

Promise Rings On Valentines Day

A promise ring is a symbol of the couple's intention to marry some stage in the future, without being as formal as an engagement ring.

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Often a promise ring is given by people who feel they are too young to get married right away. Valentine's Day can be a great opportunity to give your partner a promise ring. But there are some things that you should be very careful of.

The biggest awkward situation you can face when giving a promise ring is having it misinterpreted as an engagement ring and hence a final proposal of marriage.

The misunderstanding is quite understandable – Valentine's Day is a very popular day for getting engaged, and a promise ring can easily be wrong fully recognised as an engagement ring.

To help avoid this awkward situation, make sure the design of your promise ring is quite distinct from a traditional engagement ring. Promise rings are in general quite a bit cheaper than engagement rings, and often do not have diamonds in them. You can choose a ring with a semiprecious stone instead, or a ring with a special design such as an engraving.

When you go to give her the promise ring, make sure she understands exactly what you mean straight upfront. You can also differentiate the giving of the promise ring from a traditional proposal by not doing it on one knee but instead doing it in a different way which will be appreciated by your partner.

If you want to be really cautious, you can even discuss whether your partner would appreciate a promise ring beforehand. This will of course remove some of the surprise, but you will then know that this is something your partner really wants and will be able to go into the evening with confidence.