Getting engaged this Valentine's Day? Here's some tips when buying a ring

placeholder image — Getting engaged this Valentine's Day? Here's some tips when buying a ring

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Getting engaged to the one you love is one of life's most special moments.

Some couples wait until after the proposal to pick out a ring, some visit a ring shop together beforehand, and others decide on a surprise. More often than not, the one doing the asking picks out the all important ring themselves.

If you've just started looking at rings and you don't know where to start, rest assured you aren't alone.

There are many factors to consider, from the colour of the band to the style of the setting, but the most important aspect of the ring is the stone itself and its cut, clarity, colour and carat.

Here's what you need to keep in mind when buying:

Cut

Arguably the most important component, cut determines a stone's sparkle and brilliance. A low carat ring with an excellent cut will always look better than a high carat ring with poor cut.

Clarity

This refers to how many imperfections can be seen in the stone, and how obvious they are to the naked eye.

Colour

Whether you're going for a classic diamond, or a precious gem like a sapphire or ruby, you want to avoid stones with inclusions. Inclusions are any materials trapped inside a mineral during its formation, and they can affect the colour of a stone.

According to The Diamond Pro, diamond colours range from D to Z, but - depending on the setting - an H or I diamond can look just as clear and white as a colourless grade diamond.

Carat

You may have heard references to how many 'carats' a ring is in movies and TV shows. This refers to the stone's weight or size, which can be an important factor to some couples. The most common carat size for engagement rings is between 0.5 and 1 carat, however higher carat rings are becoming more and more popular.