Long Term Care – What ring styles have the best longevity?
What to consider when choosing their Dream Ring!
Some keys things to consider when choosing a ring:
1. What is she doing with her hands?
This may seem silly, but it is a huge thing to consider, the personality of the person wearing the ring will always lead to a specific style they love most but practicality should be the goal. If your finance has a desk job or light work then a delicate setting with lots of little diamonds, a tall head attaching to the shank at a fine point, or high claws should be OK.
If she is very active or has a hands-on job such as a first responder, it is important to consider if that same thin delicate ring may not be the right fit for her. Opting for a slightly wider band (2mm+), a lower head setting (basket or flush to the shank), or even a bezel setting are all factors that can keep your ring stylish while practical and wearable long-term for your active fiancé.
2. Karat Gold vs Platinum
Gold is expressed in fineness, so the purity and alloy of the gold. All gold is alloyed with other metals such as silver or copper to make the gold both stronger or to change the color – as in to create white gold, they do this because gold is a very soft and ductile metal meaning it will wear or stretch over time but not discolor from age. These combinations are what give us our 10kt, 14kt, 18kt, or 24kt. The rule of thumb is the higher the karat the more gold is in the ring, the softer the ring will be. This is a crucial factor to keep in mind if you have your heart set on a big stone set in an ultra-thin mounting – opt for a stronger karat such as 14kt. Platinum is a classic choice as well as the alternative to white gold. Platinum is a stronger denser metal that displaces on a ring as opposed to wearing down. It lends its soft silvery gray color well to colorless diamonds and has been a mainstay used in high-end big diamond pieces since the Edwardian Era (c. 1901-1914).
3. How are the diamonds set?
When choosing a diamond-accented mounting it is important to look at how the diamonds have been set. Gold is a soft metal, it will wear down over time and eventually, more gold will have to be added to claws. The more diamonds you have in your setting the more claws you will have. There are certain diamond settings that provide the best option, French set is a smooth V setting where diamonds share prongs while still having lots of strength, the prongs are smooth, and you can’t feel them between your fingers.
You can do flush or gypsy setting for smaller singular accent diamonds (scatters), this is smooth and secure as the stones are set flush to the gold, so they are not sticking out from the band.
Choosing channels or bezels add a rim of protection to your stone while adding a delicate ring of color around the stone, perfect for the active love of your life! There are also settings that you should consider her/your lifestyles first.
You can do flush or gypsy setting for smaller singular accent diamonds (scatters), this is smooth and secure as the stones are set flush to the gold, so they are not sticking out from the band.
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Choosing channels or bezels add a rim of protection to your stone while adding a delicate ring of color around the stone, perfect for the active love of your life! There are also settings that you should consider her/your lifestyles first. image007.png
Pave settings, where the stones are all clustered together and share a diamond setting will suit some lifestyles more than others, as it will require more maintenance over time, or accent stones held in with claws or beaded settings, will the height of the claws rub your fingers the wrong way?
