There are a variety of Boston jewelers that specialize in engagement rings and certified diamonds. Many of my customers are surprised to find that it is best to break your research into two parts. Unless you’re in a situation where the mounting has already been chosen, it is best to begin with the engagement ring’s certified loose diamond. As mentioned in some of our other articles, an engagement rings showcase stone will impact greatly the overall aesthetic of a finished wedding ring. The center stone is also going to consume most of your budget typically speaking.

Once your engagement ring diamond is picked out, it is time to determine what style of ring in which to mount it. Solitaire engagement rings traditionally have one central stone set in either a 4 or six prong head. Today there are a variety of shank styles to choose from for your solitary engagement ring. Thin, medium or heavy widths, knife edge, basket head or post……… it can be a bit overwhelming. What’s nice about the solitaire style is the mount is usually a minimalist type mount, dedicated to featuring the central diamond. If you opt for a white gold solitaire engagement ring and she wants to change it down the road, you’ve kept your losses at a minimum. The solitaire engagement ring is typically a lighter type mount and the lighter the weight of the metal typically means the less money.

In this video, Boston diamond dealer spends some time explaining techniques used to evaluate loose certified diamonds. In this case GIA certified loose cushion cut diamonds. There are a number of different methods that diamond professionals will employ to examine and grade diamonds. Some of those techniques diamond dealers are willing to share with clients, others they are not. Here Doug runs through a diamond examination procedure he uses with many clients so they are more familiar with diamond characteristics, and more prepared to know what to look for when shopping for loose diamonds or diamonds for engagement rings. The loose diamonds used in this video are all cushion cut diamonds.