Princess. Marquise. Round brilliant. Cushion.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no mystery that diamonds come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The question is, which one is right for your budget?<\/p>\n
True love doesn\u2019t come with a price tag, of course, but a romantic proposal doesn\u2019t necessarily have to break the bank. With young workers today earning 5.5 percent less (after adjusting for inflation) than they did four decades ago, according to U.S. Census data,<\/a> the adage of spending two months\u2019 salary on an engagement ring may not be an option for everyone. Couples are finding new ways to save money on rings, whether by careful stone selection or doing away with a diamond altogether.<\/p>\n \u201cMillennials are making getting engaged all their own,\u201d says Brooke Brinkman, VP of marketing and communications at Simon G. Jewelry, a luxury jewelry brand that specializes in engagement and wedding rings. \u201cWhile traditional engagement rings still make an appearance, new trends are on the rise.\u201d<\/p>\n Before popping the question, here\u2019s an expert take on how you could save money on the ring of all rings.<\/p>\n Round brilliant cut diamonds are the most popular stone for engagement rings<\/strong><\/a>, and even on a budget, they\u2019re still an option. Diamonds, like other gemstones, are measured in carats, and their price generally rises with their size. So you could cut costs by purchasing a slightly smaller diamond\u2014and in some cases, the difference will be imperceptible. \u201cA 0.9-carat diamond will look very similar to a 1-carat once it\u2019s in the setting,\u201d says Mehul Sompura, CEO and founder of Diamond Hedge<\/a>, a diamond price-comparison company. \u201cTo the naked eye, you can\u2019t really tell the difference in size once set. But there\u2019s a large jump in price when you get to the whole numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n Another trick? Change the shape. Since round brilliant cut diamonds are the most sought after, they tend to be the costlier choice. A shape like princess or oval could help lower the cost and help keep the carat size in your ideal range. \u201cOval diamonds appear larger because they carry most of their weight on the surface and elongate the finger,\u201d says Brinkman.<\/p>\n Carats measure weight, but diamonds have other scales too. Color is graded from D (colorless) to Z (faintly yellow). Clarity is noted by a range of abbreviations that include FL (\u201cflawless\u201d) and SI (\u201cslightly included,\u201d i.e., having internal markings not visible to the naked eye). The difference in both will again be difficult to see, and the savings could be substantial, says Brinkman.<\/p>\n \u201cThe best value can be found by choosing a stone that is G or H in color and SI in clarity,\u201d she says. This will give you a stone that looks great \u201cand helps you avoid paying for things your eye won\u2019t be able to discern.\u201d<\/p>\n It sounds counterintuitive, but a ring with multiple small stones can be a cheaper option than one with a single large gem. A popular choice right now is a mosaic setting, Sompura says, which consists of \u201ctiny diamonds in an oval or heart shape, positioned so close together that it looks like that shape.\u201d Another favored setting using multiple stones is the halo. By surrounding a center stone with smaller stones, the design gives the head of the ring a greater surface area and therefore a larger appearance.<\/p>\n Diamonds haven\u2019t always been popular: Before World War II, a vast majority of proposals didn\u2019t involve diamond engagement rings. By the 1990s, however, it was hard to find a bride without one. Today, new trends like colored stones compete with the classic diamond ring more than ever before. Stones like sapphires, rubies and emeralds are just as beautiful and can be unique, says Sompura. He\u2019s seen many couples choose an alternative center stone with diamonds set around it or on the band, or rings that have no diamonds at all.<\/p>\n Just like the stone itself, the metal you choose influences the cost of the ring. \u201cThe biggest price difference is between platinum and gold,\u201d says Sompura. \u201cPlatinum is stronger and more durable than gold, so if you want stronger prongs, then you should go with platinum,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Beyond color and appearance, shoppers should consider the longevity, upkeep and level of scratch-resistance before settling on a metal. Of course, just as the classic 18-karat white gold will run up the price, a band made of titanium (which is usually a darker shade of silver) could result in some savings, says Sompura.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n1. Size Down and Shape Up<\/h3>\n
2. Take a Small Step Down in Color and Clarity<\/h3>\n
3. Buy More Diamonds<\/h3>\n
4. Skip Diamonds Altogether<\/h3>\n
5. Know Your Metals<\/h3>\n