Why the hell does she want a diamond?

The truth? Because all her friends have one. Because it shows what every girl knows about every guy and what every guy knows about every girl: that the time comes when you have to make the commitment. After all the dating, narrowing down the field, and following the innate courtship rituals, it’s time to move on to the next step: the proposal.

If you’ve done well up to this point, the proposal unfolds as a very natural event with you on your knees opening the velvet box containing the symbol of your engagement: the Eternity Diamond. Few moments in life will come close to this.

If you haven’t been careful and diligent during the dating and screening phase of choosing a mate, then for God’s sake don’t make an unsuspecting date a YouTube proposal only to have them knock your teeth out on national TV. and run to the nearest exit. . You didn’t even have the diamond. What were you thinking?

It always comes down to diamond. If you are Mr. Right, then you must now enter the uncharted waters of diamond shopping. And unless you come from money, have money, or know someone who will give you money, then you would do well to take my advice, my rookie neophyte.

The first is the first; and the first thing you need to do is learn a little about diamonds. After more than thirty years in the “love business,” as my first boss called it, being a jeweler has taught me a few things about diamonds. At this stage, a little personal research and education will pay big dividends in this acquisition process.

If you type the word “diamond” in your browser, you will get a lot of information about diamonds; loose diamonds, diamond engagement rings, diamond earrings, bracelets, pendants and so on. Much of the information is sales-oriented, some is designed to teach you the details of buying diamonds: the 4 C’s: cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. These are important. You need to know them, their relationship to each other, and how they help set the price. It is by this criteria that these technical questions will help you determine what is not only right for her, but also for you.

The cut, of course, is simply the cut of the diamond. Do you like a round diamond? A princess cut, perhaps… without a doubt, the rage of today’s modern bride. How about a pear shape or a marquise cut? You can even get an oval, heart, or some other exotic cut that isn’t part of the mainstream.

Color is a scale that helps define the overall color of a diamond’s body. D, E, F are colorless ranges. G, H, I are the white ranges. YJ, K, L start yellow ranks. There are other diamonds that range from elegant colors such as canary, champagne and cognac to the much, much rarer blues and extremely rare reds. In today’s world, color can be imparted to diamonds, as a surface diffusion treatment, or the entire body color of the diamond can be changed through irradiation. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but something that needs to be disclosed to you, the buyer. A whopping 99% stay in the D to L range, predominantly in G, H, I. And that’s pretty much where you want to stay, too. Generally, a diamond is never upgraded at these ranks either.

Clarity defines the internal inclusions or surface blemishes that a diamond may have at 10x (power) magnification. This is actually defined by the FTC. These inclusions are uncrystallized diamonds or carbon that look like little black dots in the diamond itself or they can be white like gas or air pockets or they can even be tiny fractures called feathers. Obviously, a feather is not a large crack that runs from one side of the diamond to the other. That would be someone else’s stone, not yours.

Carat weight is pretty straightforward. How much does it weigh? More than 1 carat? Under? There are 100 points per carat as pennies on the dollar. Half a cart is 50 points, a quarter is 25 points, and so on. Diamonds are rarely cut right on “the tip”, such as a 1 carat carat. Typically a carat would be anywhere from 94 to 1.07 carats. Weight and size practically go hand in hand. Of course, all things being equal, the larger the diamond, the higher the price. Believe it.

Now comes the really important part, “How much is it?”

You casually walk into your local jewelry store and after a cursory glance at the jeweler, the sparkle of a diamond catches your eye. You ask, “How much is that?”

The jeweler carefully removes it and in one movement he is looking you right in the face. The jeweler replies enthusiastically, “Five thousand dollars.”

His heart quickly begins to race and he nervously whistles, informing the jeweler, “That’s a little out of my budget.” Pointing quickly to another, she asks, “How much is that?”

The jeweler gives a deadpan reply: “That’s two whistles.”

Price, of course, is always a factor. You can inherit a diamond, but if you buy one, someone else is going to make money; you just don’t want them to do it all for you. Benefit is not a dirty word. Capitalism works. And that’s fine. You just want to pay a fair price for a good product.

Now properly armed with this powerful industry insider, you are now ready to go out and acquire your future princess the bauble of her dreams. Right? Wrong.

All you have simply done is quench your intellectual thirst. You’re no more ready to buy this girl a diamond than you are to beat the house at Black Jack after reading the latest book “How I Got Rich Counting Cards in Vegas.”

Surely you know something of the nomenclature of the business so at least you have a working idea of ​​what is said. But, what you don’t have are the years of experience of the subtle nuances that can really define what type of diamond you really have and how to value it. Frankly, you will have to find a jeweler you trust. It shouldn’t be too difficult.

Like any other business, a jewelry store’s reputation precedes itself. After a little due diligence in this area (such as where smart people buy their diamonds), you shouldn’t have much trouble settling on one you can trust.

It has literally taken eons for a diamond to form. It really is one of the best phenomena of nature. It will wait for you a little longer while you take the time to gather the really important information.

What is that information you ask for?

Let me shoot you a few things:

Do you like gold or platinum? If it’s gold, do you like white or yellow? 14 karat or 18 karat? (Don’t confuse karats and karats. Diamond karats are a weight. Gold karats are a mixture, an alloy by volume to be more precise. Gold can’t be more than 24 karats, that’s the rule. Just trust it).

What diamond shape do you like? What size does she prefer? Young brides today like a 1-carat princess cut. The next generation will like something different. It comes in a cycle. Round is the perennial favorite forever…amen.

Do you want a simple setting to hold the diamond with, say, four or six prongs? Or do you really want an engagement ring filled with tiny diamonds to give it an antique look? Do you want a 1-carat princess-cut diamond set in an 18-carat white gold micropavé semi-setting?

How about a wedding ring? Remember the cycle: proposal, engagement, and then marriage. Not all engagement rings today are made to go with a wedding band. In fact, many brides simply forgo the wedding band in favor of a larger semi-set diamond. If she is not one of them, then she either has a custom made wedding ring or chooses a matching set that has an engagement ring and a wedding band. Some even have the men’s wedding ring included.

Do you know what size he wears? The standard size is a six. This is kind of optional information. Most jewelers can size it to fit after the fact. However, if you have exceptionally large or small fingers, this could be a deal breaker. The ring might not withstand stress. Now it got a little more complicated. Better ask your jeweler before you buy. In fact, it is best to know your ring size. Just say…..

Wow, all this and we haven’t even started looking at diamonds yet. But, equipped with the 4 C’s and his preferences, it gives you a huge advantage over the guy who just stumbled into a Louisville jewelry store and begrudgingly announces, “I want to buy a diamond.” Who is that guy, anyway? You don’t, to be sure.

You are the confident guy with sure step. You walk in and inform the jeweler that you are looking for a princess cut diamond engagement ring. As the jeweler shows you his different styles, he lets your eyes do his work. Is it bright enough? Is there one that has more flash and brightness than another? Let the jeweler show you their best stones and tell you about the cut, color, clarity and carat weight. How much? How do others compare to him? To keep it within your budget (and you need to get an idea of ​​its price – your internet search should have helped you with this) can you trade the color for clarity and still get the size?

This is the point where you roll up your sleeves and get down to business. Generally speaking, the more it flashes, the more it tinkles. However, you don’t want a diamond with a big old bugger right in the middle of the top of it. Inclusions are a necessary part of it. You just want one where the inclusions aren’t painfully obvious to the naked eye or detract from the natural beauty of the diamond. Unless it’s set in a diamond that’s flawless and colourless, in which case, be sure to bring your platinum card, which won’t catch fire when executed.

If you really are the perfect man, then the process of buying her that special diamond will be a privilege. You should be congratulated not on finding the diamond, but on finding the person you really want to spend the rest of your life with. The diamond is the tangible symbol for the whole world that this is your only loved one. And, if you choose the right diamond carefully and thoughtfully, you’ll keep a lifetime of your memories together.

We are Fast-Fix Jewelry and Watch Repair located at Mall St. Matthews in Louisville, Kentucky. For more than a quarter of a century, we’ve been helping men like you answer this all-important question: Why the hell does she want a diamond anyway? The truth? Because she loves you, man. That you thought?