We're in the midst of awards season
and engagement season, which means we're going to be seeing a lot of
Neil Lane. Like,
a lot. Brilliant, retina-searing Neil Lane diamonds have already been spotted on the red carpet (on the lobes and wrists of
Lady Gaga,
Kate Winslet, and
Amy Adams at the
2016 Globes) and on the ring fingers of celebrity brides-to-be (ahem,
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley).
Suffice it to say, the man behind the brilliance knows a thing or two
about jewelry. So, we went to the jeweler himself for insight into
purchasing the most important piece of jewelry of all—the engagement
ring.
Shop for the Ring as a Couple
Yes,
you read that right—the job of picking out a ring isn't left solely to
one person. In fact, couples doing the deed together is something that's
been gaining traction for quite a while now. "The
biggest trend that we’ve seen in the last 50 years is couples shopping
together and that’s growing, because of the importance of the ring and
style and fashion," Lane confirms. "Today, more than 50 percent—or even
higher—of couples shop together, and it's something I'd recommend."
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Do Your Homework
"An
educated couple is the best client," Lane says. "When it comes to
budget, there are many, many variables when it comes to deciding where
you're going to put your money—if you want a quality diamond, a larger
diamond, a really spectacular setting (which is where the diamond
lives). Figure out what's important to you."
Understand the 4Cs
A
part of doing your homework is knowledge of the 4Cs of the diamond,
which will affect the cost—Clarity (a high clarity will have fewer
imperfections), Cut (a high quality cut will result in higher
brilliance), Carat (the measure of the diamond's weight—the bigger the
carat, the bigger the diamond), and Color (diamonds that have little to
no color will be graded higher).
Prioritize Design
"The
4Cs are important, but you should really get the design right first.
Diamonds come in different clarities and levels of value, but that's not
going to change the shape," Lane says. "What people are going to see is
the design—how it looks (as in, the shape—round, emerald, pear,
cushion), whether you want tiny diamondwork on the band, a halo effect,
or little engravings."
Think About the Wedding Band
"You
should consider what type of wedding band would go with your engagement
ring," Lane says. "Try mixing metals, which is a big trend today, like
pairing a white gold engagement ring with a rose gold band. The eternity
band has been popular since the 1910s—it's a band with a continuous row of round-cut diamonds that looks good with any ring. Another option is to buy your engagement ring and your wedding band as a set."
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