If you are in a serious relationship you would like to take to the next level, then you will inevitably need to shop for engagement rings. There comes a time in just about every single man’s life when he wants to marry the girl he is dating. He may not realize it right off the bat, but he will eventually come to terms with the fact that he needs to spend the rest of his life with this special lady. Getting married is a big step in anyone’s life, so you better think long and hard about this decision and not let anyone influence it.

Some things to discuss before you pop the big question to her: marriage. If she is not on the same page and does not want to ever get married then you can go ahead and breathe a sigh of relief. No guy should ever propose with an engagement ring to a girl he is dating if they have not discussed the future. If there is no future together, he will feel a bit awkward when he drops to one knee and gets rejected.

Gabriel & Co. Victorian Engagement Ring

Religion. How can you be in a relationship if your significant other does not celebrate Christmas and you love that holiday? If you decide you want kids on down the road, you will be at odds when it comes to the way you raise them. This will only result in arguments and huge decisions not being made since you are on such opposite pages. If you are the kind of person who shops on Black Friday and take advantage of the Christmas sales all over your town and online, then you could certainly argue over this holiday. Since most people celebrate Christmas, it kind of takes over every public building across the United States.

Kids. You must agree on whether or not you want kids before you go out shopping for engagement rings. If one of you does want them and the other does not, you should not get married. It really is as easy as that. When it comes to the big things in life like Black Friday shopping, Christmas and kids, you should definitely be on the same page with one another.

Choosing your diamond engagement ring is a once-in-a-lifetime affair, and one you want to know you’ll be happy with for the rest of your life. There are many options for purchasing a diamond engagement ring, and many-brides-to-be draw inspiration from some of today’s most magnificent diamond engagement ring designers.

An engagement ring from A. Jaffe, for instance, is a finely crafted artisan piece of jewelry in the old school tradition. Fine jewelry artisans create intricate bridal engagement rings, wedding rings and anniversary bands that are recognized for their quality, craftsmanship, and high quality diamonds. A Jaffe uses palladium-based 18k white gold and Platinum 950/ Iridium, the purest of all platinum for their rings settings, guaranteeing a lifetime of wear with no tarnish or color change.

A. Jaffe rings all come with a signature shank designed to insure that every bride’s ring fits properly. Their unique shank design helps prevent the ring from turning on the finger, insuring the most comfortable fit and a lifetime of durability.

Alishan Halebian, another original jewelry artist is a talented self-taught goldsmith whose is a master in his treatment of precious metals. Alishan uses sophisticated techniques to create diamond engagement and wedding rings that seem weightless, while maintaining textures within the precious metals for a truly elegant and inspiring look.

Since he began his jewelry career in 1970, his talent was recognized almost immediately. Alishan started his jewelry career in 1970 and soon thereafter, private clients recognized his artistic talent. The California-based designer is an award winning jewelry designer whose diamond engagement rings and wedding rings are as remarkable for their bold and beautiful use of precious metals as they are for the magnificent diamonds set within.

Scottish designer and artist MaeVona creates diamond engagement and wedding rings that express her love for details. Inspired by the lines of Celtic artifacts growing up in Scotland, Maeve learned the art of goldsmithing and jewelry design as a teenager, and fine-tuned her craft over the years. An award-winning engagement and wedding ring designer and jeweler, she completed traditional training and earned two degrees in jewelry and goldsmithing from the Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland, and a master’s degree from the prestigious Royal College of Art in London.

She worked in a family-run retail jewelry store while she was completing her studies, and it was the diamond engagement rings that most influenced her passion. She said she learned to anticipate which designs worked with brides, and she learned to relish the rewards that go with making a bride feel special through the design of her ring.

There are plenty of options when it comes to purchasing a diamond engagement ring that feels personal and unique. But it pays to look at the designers who devote a lifetime of artistry to creating some of the world’s most spectacular diamond engagement rings and wedding rings.

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When it comes to choosing between gold and platinum for your diamond engagement ring setting and your wedding rings, many soon-to-be brides and grooms aren’t sure if they should be choosing one precious metal over the other. Gold and platinum are the two precious metals used most often in diamond and gemstone jewelry, particularly bridal jewelry.

Platinum is more expensive than gold because it’s rarer.  Additionally, precious metals are bought and sold by weight, and platinum is almost twice as heavy as gold. In the U.S., most platinum jewelry settings are 95 percent pure, while 14 karat gold is only 58.5 percent pure. Platinum is more expensive per ounce than gold, and it’s also more difficult for a jeweler to work with, which also increases its cost.

In platinum’s defense, it’s stronger, longer wearing, and more durable than gold. Platinum never needs plating to retain its original white color.

Gold is a softer metal than platinum; in fact 24 karat gold, which is pure gold, is rarely used in fine jewelry because it’s just too soft. 14 karat and 18 karat gold are most often used; 18 karat gold is 18/24^ths or 75 percent pure gold, and 14 karat gold, the standard alloy for fine jewelry in the U.S., is 14/24^ths or 58.5 percent pure gold. Yellow gold is bright, sunny yellow metal that polishes easily. Yellow gold is beginning to make a comeback after taking a back seat to white gold and platinum over the past 20 years.

White gold is held to the same karat rating and contains the same gold content as yellow gold. Jewelers add certain alloys to yellow gold to turn it white, or almost white. Most white-gold alloys must be plated with rhodium (a member of the platinum group of metals) to gain a bright white appearance. With a ring that experiences a lot of wear and tear, the plating begins to wear off after about a year, so the re-plating becomes necessary periodically to keep most white gold jewelry looking its best.

Some jewelers today are using white gold alloys that have a natural white color with no yellow in them. These newer alloys don’t need to be maintained with rhodium plating, and give a color very similar to platinum. If you find a jeweler who uses this type of alloy, you can avoid one of the major negative aspects of having a white gold setting instead of platinum. Check with your jeweler to see if they use these new types of alloys in their custom designs, or if the manufacturers they purchase from use them if you’re buying a preset diamond engagement ring ring.

Platinum is a true white-colored precious metal, and a favorite for many because it will last longer that gold and never needs plating to retain its bright white appearance. Platinum is stronger and denser, but slightly softer on the surface than gold.

Platinum has historically been more expensive than gold, but recently the price per ounce of both gold and platinum is much closer than it used to be.

When you are shopping for a diamond engagement ring, you probably will need to decide whether you want a gold or platinum setting, especially if you are designing your own engagement ring. Many preset diamond engagement rings only come in gold or platinum, so the choice may not be yours to make with a preset.

Keep in mind too that although gold and platinum are the most common and popular choices in precious metals available, there are other options such as tungsten, silver, palladium and titanium. These metals are more readily found in men’s rings and other jewelry, so you probably will not run into any of these options in your search for a diamond engagement ring and matching or complimentary wedding band.

Gold, both white and yellow, is the most popular metal choice for diamond engagement rings and other jewelry. Gold is rich, shiny, and easily polished. When you’re considering gold for your rings, your first thought will go to color –white gold or yellow gold? For some women, they know in advance which color they want, but for others the decision isn’t so easy. Believe it or not, some diamonds and gemstones look better in yellow gold, and others look better in white gold. Also, you want to be sure the gold you choose works with your skin tone. Ultimately, you should pick yellow gold or white gold because you love it. It can boil down to personal taste, and you should always go with the one that appeals the most to you.

If you prefer the look of white gold, you may need to decide between it and platinum to get the ring that most closely suits your lifestyle. As mentioned earlier, white gold can wear down and needs occasional re-plating. But because it is so soft, scratches to both white and yellow gold can easily be polished out.

Since platinum is so hard, it doesn’t scratch like gold but it can get pits, which can be very noticeable and can create a patina – a dull, uneven appearance. Pits in platinum can be polished out by a jeweler, but polishing platinum is much more difficult than polishing gold. Keep in mind too that the weight of platinum may or may not be desirable to the wearer – some women like the feel of platinum’s heaviness, while others do not. Weight should be a major consideration in which precious metal to choose for your diamond engagement ring and wedding band.

Regardless of whether you choose gold or platinum, either metal will provide you with a beautiful diamond engagement ring and wedding band that can last you a lifetime with just a bit of maintenance along the way. Have fun choosing the beautiful diamond engagement ring and wedding band you’ve always dreamed of, and you will enjoy them for a lifetime.

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