Whether you are picking a proposal ring, an engagement ring, your wedding bands or the finishing piece to you beautiful outfit, choosing a ring is an important thing.
When it comes to rings, there is a lot of terminologies. What does it all mean? Whether you know your marquise cut from your princess cut or not, here is our easy guide to Choosing your Ring
We here at Brilliant Inc have over 10 years experience in Ethical Brilliant Gems that offer beauty, brilliance and excellent value. Our sparkling diamond white brilliant gems are internally flawless and are set in top quality Sterling Silver, 9k, 14k and 18k solid gold settings expertly crafted by master jeweller craftsmen.
What you need to know.
What Is Colour?
A diamond's colour is graded on a scale from D (colourless) to Z (light yellow), with D being the most sought-after. The exception to this rule is for diamonds that possess a very rare or unusual colour - like green or red. More common coloured diamond options include blue, yellow and pink.
What Is Cut?
The cut of a diamond doesn't actually refer to its shape, but to the way that the stone is cut in order to increase its sparkle, whether deep in shape or more shallow. A well-cut diamond should have a bright shine, and should reflect light easily internally and externally.
What Is Clarity?
Clarity refers to how many inclusions, or tiny imperfections, a stone contains. Only visible under a magnifying glass, these small specks feature in almost every diamond and are formed when the diamond is crystallised under the earth’s crust.
What Is Carat?
The carat is the weight of your chosen stone or stones, and is one way to measure the value of the ring you choose. Generally the higher the carat of a single stone, the more it will cost and the bigger it will look, although a diamond with a shallower cut can appear larger than a deeper-cut stone that may actually weigh more.
Shape - Solitaire
A diamond or other gemstone set alone in a ring.
Shape - Multi-Stone
Several larger stones, or one large central stone and two smaller side stones, placed side by side in a simple setting. Often two stone types are mixed, such as an emerald with two diamonds, or two sapphires with a central diamond.
Shape - Cluster
Several stones arranged together in a ring, which can comprise any shape - from flowers and stars to more geometric vintage-inspired shapes.
Claw Setting
The term used to describe a setting composed of prongs, which hold a stone in place.
Tension Setting
Modern placement of stones that allows a stone to seemingly float between two pieces of metal.
Bezel Setting
The stone is held in place by a rim of metal all or part of the way around the stone.
Channel Setting
Popular for modern wedding bands, the stones lie together with no metal between them encased in two lines of metal.
Gypsy Setting
Stones are set flush with the metal of the ring, completely encased. Often used for men's rings and on vintage-inspired wedding bands.
Marquise Cut
A long oval with pointed ends.
Cushion Cut
A soft rectangle, the cushion cut has a full, pillow shape with softly rounded edges.
Emerald Cut
This long rectangular shaped stone has long cuts beneath, which are visible through the stone, and rounded-off edges.
Asscher Cut
A square-cut stone with the same long cuts as the emerald shape.
Round Cut
The round brilliant cut is cone-shaped to allow for the highest possible number of facets for the maximum sparkle.
Princess Cut
A many-faceted brilliant cut, with immense sparkle, with an overall square shape.
Heart Cut
Exactly as it sounds, a solitaire in the shape of the classic symbol of love.
Pear Cut
Sometimes called a teardrop cut, this diamond is generally worn with the point facing away from the wearer.
Oval Cut
Can be very long and slender, or slightly wider.
Glossary - Facet
A facet is one of the flat polished surfaces of the finished gemstone. Generally, the more facets a stone possesses, the more sparkly a stone will be.
Glossary - Shoulders
The sides of the band that sit immediately to either side of the central stone or cluster.
Glossary - Pavé or Micropavé
Small - or, in the case of micropavé, very small - stones set in rows over the surface of the metal of a ring.
Glossary - Halo
This refers to an outline of smaller diamonds surrounding a larger central stone.
Brilliant Inc is design led and quality focused. All pieces are set by hand by master jeweller craftsmen bringing to life our most beautiful designs. Given our commitment to quality and value for money, we believe Brilliant Inc simulated diamond jewellery is the best in the marketplace. Our simulated stones are carefully chosen and set in solid gold and sterling silver settings.