Now that the holiday season is behind us, there’s a new one dawning: engagement season. If you had some holiday fun with your significant other, and they survived the family test, chances are you’ve started talking about the next step. And that would be in the direction of a jewelry store. Might we suggest one? J. Brooks Jewelers, with locations in Lehi and Murray.

We got the whole engagement ring run-down from the experts at J. Brooks, on the top things you need to consider when choosing a forever engagement ring. 

Price & Shape

“As far as price, round brilliant diamonds are typically the most expensive shape due to the high global demand,” says Victoria Angulo, the Marketing & E-Commerce specialist for J. Brooks.  She then shared a list of high-to-low price shaped diamonds.

Style

Guys, keep this in mind when shopping for your lady.

“She will be wearing this ring for life, so you want to be sure the ring coincides with her style (not yours).” Angulo says.  One of the examples they give when helping men choose jewelry for their wives is, “What does her living room look like? Does the sofa match the chair or is everything a different color or pattern?” This small example can help decide if she has more of a simple or eclectic taste, and determine whether you should go traditional or add some shape & texture to the wedding set. 

Quality

There are a variety of certificates to help you determine stone quality.When looking at diamonds, those with a GIA or AGS certificate have the highest value. Be aware – other certificates are not of the same standard as GIA or AGS.

“Also, the opinion of a jeweler can be very valuable, but a grade given by a GIA certified jeweler does not necessarily mean it is comparable to an official GIA certificate.” said Angulo.

The ring should ALWAYS sparkle. A good-quality diamond will look just as dazzling fresh out of the store as when it is a little dirty from the hectic lives we all tend to live. For a ring that will always have that ‘WOW-factor,’ find stones that are high-ranking in the 4 C’s: color, cut, clarity and carat weight. 

The 4 C’s

“Each of the 4 C’s will affect the price of the diamond. You must then determine which of the 4 C’s are the most important to you. You will be able to easily decide what your eye is most sensitive to once you start comparing diamonds in person under a loop,” Angulo says.

Color

Angulo advises that Color is measured on a scale from D to Z, D being the highest and Z the lowest. D-F is considered “colorless,”and G-J is considered “near colorless”. Z diamonds have the most “yellow,” or presence of color. Many of these color distinctions are so subtle that they are invisible to the untrained eye, but these differences can make a very distinct change in quality & price

Cut

“Cut, in our opinion, is the most important aspect of diamonds,” Angulo says. “We often think the ‘cut’ of a diamond refers to its shape; round, pear and so on. However, the cut grade determines how well the stone unleashes light. Precisely cutting a stone requires its proportions, symmetry & polish to reflect light to its highest capability. Being the most complex quality of diamonds to analyze, this aspect is crucial to the diamonds beauty and value.  Cut is measured on a scale from Excellent to Poor.”

Clarity

Clarity refers to the absence of inclusions & blemishes within the stone. A “flawless” stone, or one that does not possess any inclusions or blemishes under 10x magnification, is relatively rare to find and expensive.  On the opposite end of the scale“Included” stone decreases the value immensely. This means there are obviously imperfections under 10x magnification (and sometimes visible to the naked eye) that may affect the brilliance & transparency of the stone.

Clarity is measured on a scale from FL – I3. FL being “Flawless”, and I3 being in “Included”.