Women's Rings Buying Guide
Next to
necklaces and
earrings, rings are one the most important pieces of jewelry for any woman. But unlike other kinds of
jewelry, rings mean different things to different people in addition to looking pretty. They symbolize
marriage, purity, love, promise, wealth,
anniversary, and so on. For a small object, they sure do carry a lot of weight, and that's why knowing the basics is essential.
Metal Mania
The band is the foundation of all rings. It determines what kind of gemstone will be set or how complicated the design will be. This is because not all metals are created equal. Some a softer than others, while color greatly varies.
Know Your Carats
When buying a ring, the price of a band is often based on the metal it's made out of: gold, sterling silver, platinum, and titanium. We all know gold comes in carats (kt) but what does it mean? For starters, certain carat numbers are associated with different parts of the world; 18carat being the softess.
* '''
10 carat:''' This is the cheapest version of gold because it contains so little of the element.
* '''
14 carat:''' The durability of 14kt gold used to make products such as bracelets, badges, and circuits boards.
* '''
24 carat: '''As the purest form of gold, base metals are normally added to 24kt gold when it is made into jewelry ultimately changing its properties.
Band Colors
Traditional rings come in
jade.
Set in Stone
It's no surprise
diamonds are a girl's best friend, so when it comes to rings, this gemstone is the number one choice for women. Not only are diamonds the hardest stones, only pure diamonds are colorless. Yellow and brown diamonds are the result of nitrogen impurities, while blue, green, pink, orange, and violet are all sought after, but very rare colors. There's also the imitator,
cubic zirconia which has been a much cheaper option to the diamond since the Seventies. But if you are looking for something other than diamonds, here are a few alternatives.
* '''
Sapphire:''' Typically blue in color, the price of this gem varies depending size, cut, clarity, color, and origin.
* '''
Engagement Rings Buying Guide
*
Wedding Rings Buying Guide
*
Buying Antique Jewelry
*
Diamond Buying Guide
