No engagement is complete without the engagement ring. Traditionally, the engagement ring is a diamond ring presented by the groom to the bride. Since the engagement ring is such an important part of the wedding you shouldn't take it lightly. There is a lot to know about rings and about your bride before you purchase the ring.

By the time you buy the engagement ring, you should know her ring size. An easy way to figure out her ring size is to secretly take one of her rings to a jeweler. They will be more than happy to help you out. You might also ask her sister or mother, or anyone close to her who would possibly know he ring size. You should also know what shapes of jewelry stones she likes. Does she like white or yellow gold, or platinum?

Next, you must set your budget. Engagement ring prices can range from moderately expensive to very expensive. The price of the engagement ring is only limited by your budget. The diamond is what makes the engagement ring su... [more]

The Hope Diamond

The history of the Hope diamond, believed to be the world's largest deep blue diamond, is full of twists. The 112 carat stone that became the Hope beganwhen the French merchant traveler, Jean Baptiste Tavernier purchase the stone from the Kollur mine in Golconda, India, in the 17th century. Its color was described by Tavernier as a beautiful violet.

The stone was sold to King Louis XIV of France in 1668 with 14 other large diamonds and several smaller ones. In 1673 the stone was recut by the court jeweler resulting in a 67-carat stone. Because of its intense steely-blue, it was known as the 'Blue Diamond of the Crown' or the 'French Blue'.

In 1749, King Louis XV had the stone reset and during the looting in 1792 the French Blue diamond was stolen.

The blue diamond resurfaced in London by 1813 and was owned by jeweler Daniel Eliason . Strong evidence showed that the stone was the recut French Blue and the same stone... [more]

Diamonds are graded for certification by
laboratories using grading criteria. Four of
these criteria are critical to understand when
making a diamond purchase or investment.
Known as the “Four CÂ’s” these criteria are:
color, cut, clarity and carat.

Color is the result of the composition of a
diamond and it does not change. When a
jeweler is describing the color of a diamond
they are referring to the presence or absence
of color in white diamonds. Because a
diamond with no color allows maximum light
to pass through, colorless diamonds are
preferred for their sparkle.

Cut refers to a diamonds reflective quality.
Most diamonds are cut with 58 facets. The
brilliance of diamonds is heavily dependent
on the cut. The different angles and the finish
of a diamond determine its ability to reflect
light and cause its brilliance and... [more]