Many people nowadays are considering proposing with a loose diamond—-meaning, you only propose with the diamond stone, and the bride-to-be will choose the ring design at a later date—. If we consider tradition, obviously this is a little unconventional, but there are actually a lot of benefits to proposing with a loose diamond, especially due to the fact that you’ll have more flexibility and convenience in maximizing your budget.
So, to help you decide whether proposing with a loose diamond is a good idea, here we will discuss all the ins and outs: from the key benefits to the important things to consider and how to actually do it.
Let us first discuss the key benefits of proposing with a loose diamond.
The Benefits of Proposing With a Loose Diamond
Is proposing with a loose diamond actually a good idea? Let us take a look at some key benefits:
- Satisfying her individual style
No matter how close we are as a partner, we know that all of us won’t be able to understand our spouse’s personal tastes. With a loose diamond, we can let her create her dream ring with our stone as the centerpiece. This way, the engagement ring will be a precious memento of your collaborative effort.
- Using your budget wiser
There are two main factors when choosing an engagement ring: your budget and what she wants. By proposing with a loose diamond, you can control your available budget better, since you won’t need to spend more money on modifications, re-sizing, or even a complete overhaul.
- More opportunities for personalization, make the ring truly HERS
With a loose diamond proposal, your bride-to-be has the maximum freedom to personalize the ring. An engagement should be about a personal, individual style, and here you can take the utmost advantage of personalization.
- She knows best
“Knowledge is paramount”- Odyssey, and she is the one with the best knowledge about the ring she actually needs.
When planning to propose with a loose diamond, it is very important to find a jeweler with at least one in-house certified gemologist. Your main focus here is the stone, and so you would want to learn as much as you can about diamond stones, gemstones, and diamond stimulants among other things. The more you know, the better you can make an informed purchase decision, and a certified gemologist can help you with this.
A certified gemologist can explain all the important characteristics of a diamond beyond the 4Cs, and can help you choose the most suitable diamond or gemstone for your bespoke ring. Remember that gemstones, both moissanites (lab-manufactured gemstones) and genuine gemstones are also trending alternatives to diamond in 2019.
A collaboration with the certified jeweler can help you get the expected result and great overall experience. Later on, your bride-to-be can also work with the same jeweler to design the ring, that will safe money, time, and effort. With this arrangement, you can also get the best matching rings from the same jeweler (an engagement ring, your wedding band, and her matching wedding ring).
Know Your Options
Choosing the perfect diamond stone can be a major hassle, since let’s face it, most of us never learned about diamonds until we decide to propose. However, actually choosing diamonds isn’t that complicated, and here are the three important things to consider:
- Cut
There are basically three main groups of diamond cuts to choose from, they are”
- Modern: princess cut, asscher cut, and emerald cut can be included here. Emerald cut with art deco art style featuring twisted shanks and geometrical elements is a popular choice if you are looking for a modern style
- Classic: obviously the popular choice here is round brilliant cut with a solitaire ring. During 2018, the halo style surrounded with melee diamonds is also very popular with more sparkle and brilliance. Those with a preference of minimalism might opt for simple, clean lines.
- Vintage: the vintage style usually consists of a complex ring setting with many intricate details. Remember that the more unique and complex your ring is, the more expensive it will be. If your spouse prefers this style, you might want to compromise with a smaller-sized diamond to stay within your budget.
- Metal Type
The metal you will use as the ring material must be compatible with the stone. Explore your options:
- Platinum: generally the most expensive metal choice that will also require complicated maintenance, but is totally worth it if you are looking for a luxurious ring
- Palladium: a great substitute for platinum if you have a nickel allergy (and will also cost less than platinum)
- Yellow gold: the classic, expected to make a comeback in 2019
- Rose gold: the classic gold with a modern twist, great choice for a modern stone cut
- White gold: a popular choice in 2018 and still going strong.
Remember that there are also various metal quality to choose from, from 10kt, 14kt, to 18kt. The metal quality can significantly affect your budget.
- Band/Ring Shank Style
First, you should decide on a fitting type:
- Plain shank: featuring a straight interior, and don’t feature the extra metal dome unlike comfort-fit rings
- Flat edge: the exterior of the ring is flat, mainly for aesthetic purpose to complement a certain stone setting/cut
- Comfort fit: the interior features a domed metal material to enhance comfort
The next thing to consider is the shank style. There are various style to choose from, and here are some of the popular choices:
- Euro shank: the European shank is characterized with a flattened bottom section, giving the ring a more squared look.
- Knife edge:characterized with a six-prong crown as the diamond setting, where the shank is flat on the inside, resembling a V-shape on the outside edge. This outer edge of the ring resembles a knife shape, hence the name, but the edge is not sharp at all and quite comfortable to wear
- Tapered: the shank either taper towards the center stone or outwards.
- ¾ or full eternity band: characterized with a continuous line of stones (usually smaller diamonds) along the outer ring.
- Twisted shank: extremely popular nowadays. Infinity ring, mobius twist, and split shank are among the popular choices in this category
Loose Diamond: A Collaborative Experience
Treat this process of purchasing a loose stone and designing your diamond ring as a quest: the overall process should be exciting and rewarding, with the main goal of respecting her choice. This is an amazing opportunity to create a precious, long-lasting memory for you and your spouse together.
As a bonus, with this process you also have an opportunity to learn about jewelry and craftsmanship. The process of creating a custom-made jewelry is an exciting experience, where you can also witness a combination of old, classic techniques and latest technologies.
Get The Ring Size Right
The size of your engagement ring might seems like a small issue compared to other things we have discussed above. However, it is actually a very important factor to consider because of two main factors.
First, yes, a lot of the times, you can resize your ring if it doesn’t fit her finger. Yet, it can cost you a significant amount of money (and time), and can hurt your budget if you are not careful.
Second, contemporary ring designs are getting more complex and sophisticated, and some intricate ring designs won’t be resizable.
It is wise to get the ring size right at the first time, before the diamond stone or gemstones are properly set.
Engagement Ring Personalization
Linara offers countless opportunities to personalize a custom-made engagement ring. For instance, you can inscribe the ring with your names or the planned wedding date.
Another popular trend nowadays is to use birthstones or other talisman on the ring. This is a great choice for those with interest in spirituality, as the engagement ring can also act as a good-luck charm. If you feel protected with the ring, you will be more comfortable in wearing it on a daily basis.
Final Thoughts
Is proposing with a loose diamond a good idea for you? Ultimately it will depend on various factors like your available budget, your spouse’s personal tastes, and many others. However, you will have more versatility and control when proposing with a loose diamond over getting a fully-customized ring.
You might want to also consider the fact that a loose diamond is easier to conceal, meaning, you’ll have more options when you do the proposal. Explore your options, and find a trustworthy jeweler to discuss your plan.
