Multi – Tone Engagement Rings

Today’s would be brides are literally spoilt for choices as far as choosing the metal for their engagement rings is concerned, although yellow gold still retains its number one spot. One interesting trend that has Diamonds and is fast gaining popularity is to use a number of metals for the same ring to create a multi – tone effect. However, before opting for these multi – tone rings, there are a few things that all couples should keep in mind to help them make an informed decision.

Metals used for creating multi tone engagement rings

What metals you use for your Engagement ring more or less depends on your own preference. Different metals have different properties such as color, malleability etc. The most commonly used metals for engagement rings are:

· Yellow Gold: Traditionally the metal of choice and still widely used. Can be bought based on its carat value.

· White Gold: Used as an alternative to the traditional yellow gold and also available in different karat values similar to yellow gold. They get their unique white glitter from a coating of rhodium which tends to wear off after certain time. Hence these rings require higher degree of care and maintenance.

· Silver: Silver is mostly used by people who prefer a white colored ring but cannot afford white gold or platinum. Silver usually develops a thin coating on its surface after its use over a certain period. This coating gives the ring an antique look which is preferred by many, although some like to keep their silver rings shining like new and hence have to visit the jeweler periodically for getting them polished.

· Platinum: One of the strongest and sturdiest, platinum also happens to be one of the most expensive metals used for making Engagement rings. Platinum usually requires a lot less maintenance as compared to silver and its shine and glimmer remains intact for a number of years. In fact, owing to its sturdiness, some quantity of platinum is used in all rings to fasten the stone securely in its place.

· Titanium: Titanium is usually preferred for men’s rings and has gained popularity in recent years only. It is quite durable and also requires less maintenance.

· Sterling Silver: Sterling Silver is quite similar to normal silver in its appearance but it is useful for people with sensitive skins or with any type of metal allergies.

The Cost factor of a multi tone engagement ring

The cost of a multi tone Engagement ring that uses several metals usually depends on the kind of metals used, the stones and gems they are paired with and the overall intricacy of the design.

Heart shaped loose diamond engagement rings

An elegant option for anyone looking to buy an engagement ring is one encrusted with a diamond in the shape of a heart. These look classy and also symbolize the love and passion between the couple and signify a promise of undying love. A heart shaped diamond is a great way to express your feelings of love towards your better half.

Rings with a Loose diamond shaped heart are not very common and you are rarely likely to come across any. This is what makes these rings even more special as it gives a feeling of uniqueness and pride to the ladies. They are able to associate the love of their partners and their special memories with these rings. The shape of the diamond resembling a heart makes these rings all the more valuable since love and affection are feelings associated with the heart. So these rings are a great way to convey your feelings of love towards your partner.

Some things to watch out for

In order to shape the diamond to resemble a heart, the stone is given various cuts. While shopping for a heart shaped loose diamond, it’s important that you carefully examine the diamond for the cuts and how closely it resembles a heart. The whole beauty of the stone lies in how skillfully and expertly it has been cut. A close inspection of the stone is all it takes to determine its value and other features. An important thing to look out for is the symmetry of the lobes. The lobes have to be balanced in a symmetric manner otherwise the ring would have an untidy look.

Heart shaped loose diamond rings cost approximately the same as other diamond encrusted rings and are available in a wide variety based on their quality and hence price and can be selected by people based on their budget. The most famous in the category of heart shaped diamond rings are those with pink diamonds.

Heart shaped diamonds for lockets

Another favored option these days are lockets with heart shaped diamonds. These are not just given by lovers to express their feelings to their partners but are also gifted by people to their parents and grandparents with their pictures inside them. These lockets make for very thoughtful presents to your friends and family members as these not just look good and adorn the beauty of the recipient, but also act as a treasure trove of sweet memories.

Whether you go for a heart shaped loose diamond or a normal diamond is up to your own personal preference but do make sure to ascertain the quality of the stone while out shopping. Make sure you buy your diamonds from a reputed jeweler you can trust and if cost is not your primary concern, its best to opt for colorless diamonds.

Baguette Diamonds for those looking for something different

Owing to their resemblance to French bread stick or baguette, this particular diamond cut was named Baguette after the French word. Baguette diamonds are usually rectangular in shape and people often make the mistake of confusing them with the emerald cut. The baguette cut is usually elongated and can be viewed as a modification of the step cut which used to be the standard for all stones of rectangular shape. The reason why step cut was so popular is that it was simple to implement and a step cut diamond retained most of its carat weight. The continuing developments in technology brought more and more refinement to the whole process of diamond cutting and soon the emphasis was on cutting the diamonds in such a way so as to obtain the highest degree of sparkle from them. The baguette cut diamonds were expected to fizzle out of the fashion scene within a few years, just like any other trend, but surprisingly, not only have these diamonds survived, their popularity has been seeing a surge in the recent years.

A major reason for the huge success of the baguette diamonds is that the cut allows the diamond to retain most of its carat weight, making them a much better buy for any customer. Baguette diamonds are also available in the market at considerably lesser prices as compared to other diamonds. This may be attributed to their relatively poor appearance. A stone of the same quality exhibits a difference of about 25% in its brilliance when it is cut according to the baguette cut and when it is cut brilliantly. The baguette is favored by jewelers and diamond cutters because of its simplicity which consumes less time and is hence cost efficient. Jewelers usually prefer to use a number of smaller baguettes around a single larger stone used as a centerpiece. The overall effect works to augment the brilliance and beauty of the centerpiece. Baguette diamonds are also used by jewelers for creating ballerina rings. These diamonds leave very little, if any, space between them when they’re set side by side and are therefore great for channel settings. Sometimes jewelers like to taper the square end of the baguette diamonds if the stone is of very high quality. Such baguettes with tapered ends are referred to as taps or tapers and can be used along with regular baguette diamonds.

Summing it up

All said and done, it is amply clear that baguette diamonds are usually preferred by those who’re looking for something different. Their high sales indicate that there is no dearth of such people who are drawn by its sophistication and understated elegance.

Baguette Diamonds

The very word baguette has a very long and interesting history behind it. It’s actually a French word which means ‘long rod’. However the French word is itself derived from a Latin word baculum which means ‘a stick’. So the baguette can mean a cut resembling a long rod or a stick. Take your pick! The baguette cut grabbed the attention of many during the 20s when people were under the influence of the Bauhaus movement and preferred geometric designs in fashion and architecture. The baguette cut is similar to other cuts such as the emerald cut with its clean rectangular shape and square corners and step cut. The baguette diamonds are primarily used as side diamonds.

Historically speaking

The baguette diamonds owe their huge popularity to the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements of the early 20s. This cut was accepted widely during this period because of its simple rectangular shape that gelled well with the prevailing taste and trend. Owing to their rectangular shape and clean cuts, jewelers and designers were inspired to use these stones as side stones or accent stones and designed pieces that used a large number of baguette stones around a single centerpiece.

Some useful facts

The baguette diamonds are usually sold in smaller sizes and are hence measured not in terms of their carat weight but their dimension in millimeters and are usually characterized by length to width ration of around 1.5. The baguette cut also has less number of faces which at around 14 is considerably less than other cuts such as the emerald cut. The stone used for baguette cut should be of impeccable quality since the clean geometric cuts of baguette can expose even the tiniest flaws of the diamond.

As mentioned earlier, baguette diamonds are more often than not used as side stones or accent stones to accent the beauty of a single larger stone used as the centerpiece. The baguette diamonds serve the purpose of hiding the shoulders and joints of the centerpiece. Since the baguette cut diamonds are of uniform shape and size, these can be easily set in a piece either side by side or end to end without leaving any gap. This makes the setting of the whole piece a lot easier and also allows the jeweler to experiment more easily with the designs. A large number of baguette diamonds in a single piece create a magical effect of light and colors and really augment the beauty of the centerpiece.