Diamond Engagement Rings Secrets

What are the top diamond engagement rings secrets and the most important diamonds-secrets for the best price? The first thing you need to know is that it’s no secret buying diamonds and engagement rings online from diamond website companies is much cheaper than buying diamonds and engagement rings at jewelers. Jewelry stores engagement rings are often times thousands of dollars more than engagement rings companies online. White gold engagement rings are the least expensive when buying 14k white gold engagement rings as opposed to 18k white gold engagement rings. The same thing applies to 14k yellow gold engagement rings as opposed to 18k yellow gold engagement rings. Palladium engagement rings are less expensive than Platinum engagement rings, and a platinum diamond engagement ring will be the most expensive option of all depending upon the diamond secrets you learn about first.

The previous 2 paragraphs are an example of the type of blog you want to stay away from. Engagement ring companies online that run a blog like that are not interested in teaching you about diamonds at all, and are probably more interested in the quick, "one time sale". Believe it or not, there are actually a couple of companies online that run a blog like that with a bunch of mumbo-jumbo, that quite frankly makes no sense. Pay close attention to a companies website blog and you will learn a lot about that company and where their focus is. Blogs are a good way for an online diamond company to obtain visitors to their website and the companies that run blogs like that, really do not have any thing good to teach you, and in many cases are actually trying to confuse you about diamonds. You may also hear something along the lines of "Don’t buy into all the hype. The more you learn about diamonds, the more you are going to spend." I can’t imagine for one second how teaching yourself about diamonds is a bad thing. Consider that you are about to spend a sizable amount of money regardless of who you buy your diamond from or what type of diamond you buy. Even clarity enhanced diamonds will cost at least a couple thousand dollars or more depending upon various factors, such as the size and quality of the diamond. When you buy a diamond, you should go slow and ask questions. After teaching yourself as much as you can, if there is anything that you don’t understand completely, ask a professional diamond dealer. If you feel that he/she is trying to rush you through the process of buying a diamond, don’t do it. They may very well have something up their sleeve that they are trying to hide from you. Buying a diamond is a serious venture. Do it right and do it slow. "Diamond Engagement Rings Secrets" 101

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Solitaire Diamond Engagement Rings

	What are "Solitaire Diamond Engagement Rings" exactly? Solitaire Diamond Engagement Rings are a type of diamond engagement ring that has just a single diamond placed in the center of the ring on the top side. Another term that is often used is an abbreviated version called Solitaire. If the diamond engagement ring you are choosing has any other diamonds included whatsoever, it will not be a solitaire in the strictest sense of the term. However there are many other simple designs of engagement rings that look almost like a solitaire, but technically they are not. Solitaire engagement rings are the oldest form of the "engagement ring" since the tradition began hundreds of years ago. Solitaire diamond engagement rings come in many forms and are available in all shapes and sizes of diamonds. Even though they have a very simple design, the number of choices you have are almost endless. In fact, they are the most flexible engagement ring in terms of how many options you have. The first option you will have is the shape of the solitaire diamond. The following diamond shapes are available: Asscher Cushion Emerald Heart Marquise Oval Pear Princess Radiant Round Trillion Those are the 11 most popular diamond shapes to choose from. There are many more shapes available, however they are not the mainstream diamond shapes. The next decision you will have to make is the size of the solitaire diamond for the ring. This may be determined by your budget more than anything else. The most popular size for solitaire diamonds today is 1 carat, however diamonds are available in all carat sizes. "Carat weight" is the correct term as the word "carat" refers to the weight of a diamond and not it’s size. However a heavier carat weight will usually mean that you will have a larger diamond. The smallest diamonds are 1/100th of a carat and are often referred to as micropave diamonds. Diamonds this small are not used for solitaire diamond engagement rings. They are typically used in designer, vintage or antique style engagement rings as accent diamonds in the band of the ring, or around the center diamond giving it a "Halo Diamond Engagement Rings" effect. Typically a solitaire diamond engagement ring will start with a diamond that is at least 1/4 carat. Traditionally 1/2 carat solitaire diamond engagement rings were very popular, but the desire for a larger diamond is more popular today. There are also solitaires that are available in 3/4 carat diamonds, as well as 1 1/4 carat, 1 1/2 carat, 1 3/4 carat, 2.0 carats and much larger. The size of the diamond you choose is only limited by your budget and her personal taste. Many new brides do not want a large diamond for their ring. They may feel that it is too expensive or too "Showy" for them. You should never feel pressured to purchase a particular carat weight diamond and you should never purchase one that is more expensive than you can afford. The next choice you will have to make for your solitaire diamond engagement ring is the type of metal. The type of metal and the thickness of the band will determine how much it costs. A Plain 14k gold band that is on the thinner side (2mm) may only cost a couple of hundred bucks, while a thicker platinum band can cost over $1,000. (Platinum is the rarest precious metal on earth and therefor your most expensive choice) The thicker the band becomes, the more Karats it will require. That will increase your cost as engagement ring bands are made from precious metals. "Karat" and not "Carat" is the proper spelling if you are referring to gold, rather than diamonds. Diamonds are weighed by carat weight with a "C". "24 Karat" gold is solid gold. "14 Karat" gold is 14 parts of gold out of 24 parts or approximately 58% gold. "18 Karat" gold is 18 parts of gold out of 24 parts and approximately 75% gold. Because 18 Karat gold engagement rings have a higher gold content, they will cost more than 14 Karat gold engagement rings. You will also have to think about what style of solitaire diamond engagement ring band you want. There are many choices of designs such as the classic "Tiffany Style" solitaire or a "Cathedral Style" Solitaire band. And all of the different styles will be available in different thicknesses. The thicker the band, the more it will cost. When thinking about the type of precious metal to choose, you can buy Platinum (Most expensive), Palladium, 14k white gold, 18k white gold, 14k yellow gold and 18k yellow gold. Most engagement ring companies will not offer palladium solitaire diamond engagement rings, however Engagement Rings By Secret Diamond offer all of our engagement rings in Palladium. White gold is by far the most popular choice for engagement rings and certainly for solitaires. You will only have to choose between 18k and 14k white gold. If your partner is allergic to nickel (used as a mixer metal) you may consider palladium or platinum solitaires as these are hypoallergenic choices. The last thing to consider is the size of her engagement ring finger. The engagement ring finger may be a different size than her other fingers. Most engagement ring companies will only offer their engagement rings in 1/2 sizes, however Engagement Rings By Secret Diamond offers their engagement rings in quarter sizes for a more comfortable fit. See our page on ways to get the size of her engagement ring finger without her knowing here.

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Laser Drilled Or Fracture Filled Clarity Enhanced Diamonds

Are the companies on the internet selling laser drilled or fracture filled clarity enhanced diamonds?

It seems that there is a company advertising that his diamonds are just "Cleaned up with a laser." This gives the implication that the diamonds he is selling are "laser drilled" and not "fracture filled" clarity enhanced diamonds.

There are 2 types of clarity enhanced diamonds.

#1) The first type is called "Fracture Filled". This is where the diamond has an imperfection referred to as a feather. The word feather is another name for a fracture in the diamond. These diamonds have a small amount of material injected in to the fracture of the diamond. This material has the same optical properties as the diamond itself. This makes the feather "visually" disappear. The key word here being "Visually." You see, the fracture is still in the diamond, you just don’t see it. It makes the diamond look eye-clean. There is nothing wrong with doing this and quite frankly you can save thousands of dollars purchasing a diamond this way and still have a diamond that appears extremely nice to the naked eye.

However the problem is that when you buy this type of diamond, you should be made well aware of it. You should not be tricked into thinking that you are buying a "Laser-Drilled" diamond.

There is a big difference in value of between laser-drilled diamonds and fracture filled diamonds. Laser Drilled diamonds are more valuable and the cost of them will be much closer to that of regular non-enhanced diamonds. There are also some small alterations you have to make in order to keep the "Enhancement Material" from coming out of fracture filled diamonds.

#2) Laser drilled diamonds are a type of diamond that typically will have small mineral spots in them that are still visible to the naked eye. A laser is used to drill a microscopic hole in the diamond and then the diamond is soaked in acid. This will bleach out the dark mineral spots thereby making it a diamond with "enhanced clarity." The reason this is more valuable is because the diamond did not have a visible fracture in it, and the process of laser drilling a diamond is a "permanent fix."

GIA will never grade fracture-filled clarity enhanced diamonds. The reason they will not grade clarity enhanced diamonds is because the process can be reversed. (We will re-enhance it for free though) For example: If they give the diamond a clarity grade of VS2, and 10 years later the enhancement process is reversed, the diamond may then look like an SI2. They don’t want a certificate with their name on it saying that this diamond is a VS2.

GIA will certify laser drilled clarity enhanced diamonds because this enhancement process is permanent. They know that once they give the diamond a clarity grade, it will stay that way forever.

Remember that not all clarity enhanced diamonds are the same. There are Laser-Drilled clarity enhanced diamonds, and there are Fracture-Filled Clarity enhanced diamonds. There is nothing else, and there is nothing in between. These are the only 2 types of clarity enhanced diamonds that can exist in engagement rings today. So if you buy a clarity enhanced diamond, you are buying one or the other. Please don’t be mislead in to thinking that you are buying something magical and getting it for thousands of dollars less.

You need to be very specific when you buy a clarity enhanced diamond. You need the ask a question like: "Is this clarity enhanced diamond fracture filled in any way?" Make sure to ask the question in a manner that can not be misunderstood or misinterpreted.

One more thing you should be aware of. An "independent" GIA appraisal/certificate is not the same thing as a GIA appraisal/certificate.

This is a little trick that some sellers of diamonds like to use. Although GIA is a diamond grading laboratory, it is also a school. You can go to GIA and learn how to grade diamonds and then become a GIA certified gemologist. After you have graduated, you can start your own diamond grading lab. You may call yourself an "Independent GIA Certified Gemologist" or "Graduate GIA Gemologist". Because people see the name GIA, they think they are buying a GIA certified diamond and they are not. They are really buying a diamond that has been certified by an independent GIA certified gemologist. THE GEMOLOGIST HAS BEEN CERTIFIED BY GIA……NOT THE DIAMOND.
There is nothing wrong with buying a diamond that has been certified by an independent certified GIA gemologist. But you need to know that you are not buying a GIA certified diamond. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME. YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT. The reason you need to know that is because GIA is the most respected diamond grading lab in the world and a diamond that has been certified by GIA is the most valuable type of diamond you can buy. Because of this reason, you will also pay more for it.

In order for you to be buying a GIA certified diamond, it has to be graded by GIA itself and carry an actual GIA certificate. This is the case for all diamond engagement rings and loose diamonds claiming to have a GIA certified certificate.

Fracture Filled diamonds are a good deal and will cost you thousands of dollars less than any other type of diamond. However don’t let yourself be duped in to thinking you are buying something else.

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Touch of Love

With all the amazingly unique engagement rings we have for sale at SecretDiamond.com this engagement ring is no exception. We call this the Touch of Love. It reminded us of two birds flying together to form a heart shape in the sky. It’s more evident
when looked at from an angle. There’s a 1 carat round center diamond shown on the pictures, but in reality we can make this engagement ring setting to fit almost any size center diamond. There are approximately 35-40 smaller round diamond going down the outside center of the band all the way around the sides surrounded by milgrain detail work on the edges. On the inside of the band you will see 8 round cut diamond encased in the smooth to the touch 14K Gold band that feels very comfortable on your finger. Of course if your hypo-allergenic you will want to avoid the gold and go with the band crafted in Platinum or Palladium. This engagement ring will definitely make your special bride to be feel how much you love her! All of our center diamonds are guaranteed to by crystal clear to the naked eye with a VS/SI clarity grade and you’ll be proud to show how bright the color is with our colorless to near colorless grade of F/G. All our the side diamonds in all of our engagement rings are also guaranteed to be VS/SI clarity and G/H in color.

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Save Money By Buying A Clarity Enhanced Diamond

Question: I am shopping for an engagement ring and I would like to save money by buying a clarity enhanced diamond, but I am scared. My cousin works for a jewelry store and when I showed them your website, they told me that the diamond will change over time and start to look horrible. Is this true?

The absolute worst case scenario that will happen to your clarity enhanced diamond if the material used to enhanced it is reversed, is you will be able to see the feather that was enhanced. It will not turn in to a black lump of coal, it will not crumble in to a thousand pieces, it will not turn yellow or green, and it will not instantly become worthless. All you have to do is send the diamond back to us and we will re-enhance it for free. Quite frankly a good quality clarity enhanced diamond can even look nicer and still be worth more money if the enhancement process is reversed, than a some diamonds that are not enhanced. If you go out and buy an SI2 diamond with a J color grade and just a good or fair cut, you are not buying a very nice diamond. The SI2 will probably have visible flaws and the J color will look yellow, and with a poor cut grade, your diamond will not sparkle. The argument that all clarity enhanced diamonds are less valuable or less desirable than all non-enhanced diamonds just doesn’t make sense. Does this mean that everyone in the world should just go out and buy clarity enhanced diamonds? No. You have to decide what is the right choice for you. If you don’t mind spending $6,000 to $10,000 on a 1 carat engagement ring, or $15,000 to $25,000 on 2 carat engagement rings, then by all means give us a call. We will gladly offer you the best deal on a GIA certified diamond engagement rings. However if you don’t have that kind of money, or you have it and would rather spend it on something else, you can be rest assured that your clarity enhanced diamond engagement ring will stay beautiful for the rest of your life and we will stand behind it with you.

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Questions About Diamonds And Engagement Rings

Given the fact that many of our customers will often have the same questions about diamonds and engagement rings, we thought that it might be a good idea if we listed some of them here on our blog. Although we will be glad to take as much time as you need to answer all of your questions on the phone, we understand that some people would rather just ask a question anonymously. However we would like to emphasize to you that you will never receive any type of pressure to purchase anything, from the staff at Secret Diamond. We do not want any of our customers to make their purchase from us unless you are absolutely confident that the time is right for you. We are people that have to buy things too, and we don’t like pushy salespeople any more than you do. If you have a question about diamonds that you would like answered, please feel free to call us or write to us at support (at) secretdiamond.com. We will be glad to answer your question in an email or on the phone.

Question: Is a "J" color diamond too yellow?
Answer: The answer to this question is not necessarily written in stone. Although my personal opinion is that a diamond with a "J" color grade is too yellow for my own personal taste, it may not be for everyone. Some people are more sensitive to a yellowish color in a diamond than others. I have actually had customers tell me that they can tell the difference between an "E" color grade diamond, and a perfectly colorless "D" color grade diamond. That is only one color grade difference, and both color grades are extremely free of color. That is a talent that most people do not posses. Even GIA certified gemologists will have to break out a set of "Master Color Stones" to make the call between a D and an E color grade diamond. (It is much easier to tell the difference in 2 color grades of a diamond without the assistance of Master Color Stones) So back to your questions. I personally believe that a "J color grade diamond" is a little bit too yellow for my taste. If you can afford to buy a diamond with a better color grade, I would suggest that you consider it. Although an excellent cut diamond with a "J" color grade can sparkle very nicely, it will typically not look as good as a diamond with a better color grade, and the same excellent cut grade. When considering what metal to use in creating engagement rings with a J colored diamond, it’s best to go with white gold, palladium, or platinum. Avoid the yellow gold. The diamond will reflect the light of the engagement ring setting and your J colored diamond will look much better in a light colored setting than a yellow setting. Also if you think the only way to get affordable engagement rings is to go with a very yellow diamond or very low clarity grade than you have but to look at SecretDiamond.com. We offer incredibly eye clean and bright white diamonds in all of our engagement rings and diamond stud earrings. For a fraction of what you would pay in most jewelry stores.

Question: Why does the cost of a larger diamond increase more than it’s size?
Answer: If you have been shopping for diamonds, you have probably noticed that a diamond with twice the carat weight, can cost 3-4 times as much. The short answer for this is because it is more rare. Larger diamonds with the same quality as smaller diamonds are not as common in nature. Remember, diamonds are not created in a factory with machines. Mother Nature created these sparkling little wonders over the course of millions of years, and she did not make very many big, perfect diamonds. So if you buy a bigger diamond, you are not just getting a bigger price tag. You are also getting a diamond that is much more rare.

Question: When shopping for engagement rings, what does the term "ctw" mean?
Answer. When you see the term "ctw" it is an acronym (or abbreviation) for "carat total weight." You may also see it as "tcw" which means the same thing, except in a different order. The meaning for it this way is "total carat weight." Whatever the number is before the "ctw" is the total weight of diamonds or gemstones in the engagement ring. Don’t get this confused with the carat weight of the center diamond. That should always be listed separately because the center diamond is where the majority of the value is. The larger the center diamond is, the more valuable it is. For example: If you have a ring with 2 carats of total diamond weight, but they are all small diamonds, it won’t be nearly as valuable as a ring that has a single 2 carat diamond. So if a single diamond weighs one carat for instance, it will be worth a lot more than 10 diamonds that total 1 carat.

Question: I understand that a clarity enhanced diamond is graded after the enhancement, but do you know what clarity grade the diamond is before the enhancement?
Answer: Although the clarity grade before the enhancement can vary, a good rule of thumb is that clarity enhancing a diamond will typically increase the clarity grade on average by 2 clarity grades. For Example: An SI2 clarity grade diamond will be enhanced to a VS2 clarity grade and an I1 clarity grade diamond will be enhanced to an SI1 clarity grade diamond. At Engagement Rings By Secret Diamond, we tend to encourage our customers to steer away from clarity enhanced diamonds that are SI2 after the enhancement process. SI2 grade diamonds are not typically "Eye Clean" and the reason for buying a clarity enhanced diamond in the first place is to buy a larger, "eye-clean" diamond for less money. If you are OK with buying a diamond that has visible clarity flaws, you may as well just buy a diamond that has not been enhanced. Also, the vast majority of clarity enhanced diamonds will be enhanced to a clarity grade of VS2 to SI1. The reason for this is the "2 grade rule." If a diamond is SI2 before enhancing, it will turn out to be VS2. If a diamond is already a SI1 clarity grade, it will most likely already be "Eye-Clean" and there will be no reason to enhance it to VS1. Most diamonds that enhance to the SI1 clarity grade are probably SI3 or I1 clarity grades before the enhancing technique but may also be I2 to start with. A diamond that enhances to SI2 clarity grade was probably an I2 or I3 to begin with. Although the "2 clarity grade" rule is a pretty good one, it is not written in stone. When purchasing a clarity enhanced diamond, it is always recommended that you only deal with a trustworthy company that has the diamond certified by an independent 3rd party. We view it as a conflict of interest when a company that is selling you the diamond, also certifies it. That is kind of like asking the sales person that you just bought a car from, if you got a good deal.

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Jewelry Store Chain that Sells a lot of Engagement Rings

A famous national jewelry store chain that sells a lot of engagement rings and goes by the name of The Shane Company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this past Monday 8/31/2009. It also appears that the famous voice of the commercials on the radio, Tom Shane himself, is the largest unsecured creditor.

Shane Co. also said it had outstanding obligations As of Dec. 27 2009 the jewelry store chain stated that it had approximately $260,000 of outstanding obligations through its gift card program and the gift cards carry no expiration date. The jewelry store chain also said it’s holding $3 million dollars in deposits for the "Layaway Plan" for approximately 4,300 customers.

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The Differences Between Engagement Rings, Wedding Bands and Diamond Engagement Rings

**One of the first differences is that a diamond engagement ring, by definition, will have a diamond in it. It is probably the most specific phrase used of the three. Usually that diamond will be the ring’s focal point or “Main Attraction”; if you will. However some diamond engagement rings can have so many diamonds in them, that the center diamond is not always necessarily the focal point. It is even possible for the total carat weight of the accent diamonds to weigh more than the center diamond. ( More elaborate engagement rings might be manufactured this way) However with a Traditional Solitaire Diamond Engagement Ring, there is always only one diamond attached to a plain gold, platinum or palladium band. If a diamond engagement ring has more than one diamond, it should not be referred to as a solitaire diamond engagement ring. Traditionally when a man asks a woman to marry him, some type of diamond engagement ring is given to her. This is meant to be an everlasting sign of his eternal commitment to her. That is why it’s placed on her left ring finger before the wedding and placed back there after the marriage begins. It was once believed that the “Vein Of Love”; or (Vena Amoris) ran directly from this finger to the heart. Some believe the tradition of wearing a diamond engagement ring on the left ring finger began for this reason.

**The term “Engagement Ring” tends to be much more flexible. “Engagement Rings” can come in many different forms. Only your personal preference will determine the TRUE MEANING of what an engagement ring is for you. There is no right or wrong answer defining the term engagement ring. You should wear the type of engagement ring that makes you feel happy and/or satisfied. Engagement rings have been defined very differently throughout the years and are even being re-defined today by many people that may prefer something different. The following are some examples of engagement rings.

Engagement Rings that have a colored gemstone instead of a diamond. The colored gemstone may even be a birthstone. There are even engagement rings that have many different colored gemstones, and not a single diamond in the entire ring.

An engagement ring that has many small diamonds instead of one larger diamond. Or an engagement ring that has some diamonds and some colored gemstones.

An engagement ring that does not have any diamonds OR colored gemstones. At all. Just a plain gold or platinum band.

Engagement rings may not even be made of precious metal. It could be something that was homemade. Perhaps out of aluminum, tungsten, or even copper. I think I even heard of a cigar band being used before in the case of an emergency. (I think you get the picture) The important thing is to wear something you will enjoy and will bring you satisfaction. Your engagement ring can be in any form you desire. Your engagement ring can also serve as your wedding band if you desire.

SEE The Differences Between Engagement rings, Wedding Bands and Diamond Engagement Rings

**The term “Wedding Band“; can actually have a couple of meanings. It can serve as an Engagement Ring itself. However traditionally the wedding band is something that is given to the bride after the diamond engagement ring. This typically takes place at the wedding. At this point, the bride may place her engagement ring on her right hand and then place the new wedding band on her left ring finger. After the wedding band goes on her finger, the engagement ring should be placed back on her left ring finger, after the wedding band. The wedding band should always be closest to the heart. However please keep in mind that you are not required to purchase or wear both an engagement ring AND wedding band. If you prefer to have your wedding band serve as your Engagement Ring too, just slide it off before the wedding and place it back on during the ceremony.

Engagement Rings By SecretDiamond.com sells many Affordable Diamond Engagement Rings and Engagement Ring Sets. If you are going with, what many consider to be the “Traditional”; route, you will probably be purchasing and engagement ring and separate wedding band. It is important to consider various options at this point. You are probably going to want a “Matching” wedding band. This is a wedding band that is manufactured specifically for the engagement ring that you are purchasing. This means that the 2 rings will fit together properly without large gaps between the 2 rings. It will also probably mean that the overall design will compliment each other and be aesthetically pleasing. This is also where the phrase “Engagement Ring Set” comes in to play. An engagement ring set is nothing more than an engagement ring with a matching wedding band manufactured to go together as a set. If you are not able to purchase an engagement ring set due to budget constraints, you may want to consider bringing the engagement ring with, when you pick out your wedding band. This will help ensure a proper fit. The wedding band may be purchased at a later date. You do not need to purchase both rings at the same time, and you usually only give your future bride the engagement ring first anyway. Especially if your wedding is some time off in the future. That will give you extra time to save up for the wedding band.

There is also another option. Sometimes engagement rings are very elaborate or very thick in design. It can almost be impossible to have a matching wedding band to wear on the same hand or same finger. It is even becoming more common today to wear another completely different style wedding band altogether. It can even be an eternity ring worn on the right hand. Just remember one thing when it comes to engagement rings, wedding bands and diamond engagement rings. YOU ARE THE BOSS and you have the last word on what is right for you.

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