Commit Yourself with the Perfect Engagement Ring

With Catherine Middleton's blue engagement ring, blue may have been the talk of town. But with the wedding over, the focus has now shifted to the ubiquitous diamond engagement rings. You can never go wrong with a diamond ring. And if you're looking for the flavor of the season- black diamonds it is. Also called midnight diamonds these are elegant yet, edgy and classy. Ask any women and she'll tell you-there isn't anything as exciting as being asked to marry with the perfect engagement ring.

But choosing the right ring can be an arduous task, given the fact that there's many a seller who sells contaminated rings. Because this is not something you'd want to get wrong, here's a basic guide on choosing the right ring.

When you set out to buy diamond engagement rings, it's important to be mindful of the 4 C's. - Cut, Clarity, Color and Carat. We all know that diamonds are 99.95 % pure crystallized carbon and are the hardest naturally occurring substance. It's the cut that defines the diamond. When cut to perfection their sparkle can be seen from way up on the moon. But if they aren't cut correctly they'll end up looking like any other stone. The 57 or 58 facets in the diamond, angled and sized to perfection determine the way light enters and reflects in the diamond. This effect is called fire. The cut also determines the shape of the diamond. The round shape is the most common. Other cuts include the princess cut, emeralds, pear, marquise, oval and the heart shape. Make sure you've seen all the shapes before you choose one.

The clarity in a stone can be classified in different grades. SI1 or Slightly Included 1, IF or Internally Flawless, I3 or Imperfect Three etc. are just some of these classifications. Every diamond has small inclusion that looks like a cloud (not visible to the naked eye) that affects the clarity of the diamond. When buying engagement rings you don't have to worry about these unless they aren't I3, because most imperfections aren't visible to the naked eye.

Needless to say, white is the most preferred and valuable color. These too are graded with D being the most colorless and Z being the most colored.

A diamond's size and weight is measured by Carats. An average diamond ring has anywhere between 1 and half a carat. When buying the ring, make sure you speak to the jeweler and get a certificate for the diamond. The certificate ensures that the diamond has been assessed, graded and coded with a laser by a gemological laboratory. The most popular institutes issuing certificates include GIA, HRD, IGL, EGL and AGS. Buying a certified ring also protects you against buying natural substitutes like quartz, zircon, and white sapphire that look like diamond.

You can even go for custom engagement rings that can be made according to your choice. With this guide, you're sure to never go wrong.