Diamond buying guide

Should you buy a diamond engagement ring in yellow gold, platinum or white gold? Sort of difficult to decide isn't it? Unlike most other purchases an engagement ring is going to be on your wife's finger all her life, so a lot of attention needs to be paid to it. You must consider whether gold or platinum will look better on her hand and even which you think she will prefer. Platinum and white gold look pretty much the same but vary in cost so you have to take your budget into account as well.

In the United States, platinum and white gold engagement rings are favored. In eastern countries, yellow 22 carat gold is the chosen metal for that special engagement ring. But it boils down to what is preferred by the person who has to wear the diamond ring.

A good diamond is colorless (also called exceptional white or near colorless). Colorless diamonds are graded D, E & F. Near colorless diamonds are graded G, H, I & J. When there is a faint yellowness to the diamond, the grading goes down to K, L & M. As the yellowness in the diamond increases, the price of the diamond decreases until you enter the realm of fancy colored diamonds (the price again increases due to the rarity of exquisitely colored diamonds).
The trick to purchasing a diamond that is lower in grade, meaning that there is a yellow color to it, is to have it set in yellow gold. The yellow color of the diamond is disguised by the yellow gold color of the setting. White gold or platinum highlights the yellowness in the diamond. Yellow gold may make a colorless diamond look slightly yellowish and less valuable. Some yellow gold mountings have white gold or platinum prongs or heads to minimize this effect so that a colorless diamond can be mounted in yellow gold without giving it the appearance of being a lower graded diamond. For platinum or white gold setting a more colorless or near colorless diamond is recommended.

Today, the more fashionable and preferred metal is platinum for diamond engagement rings. Since platinum is neutral in color, it enhances the brilliance of the diamond set in the engagement ring. Platinum metal has characteristic strength and density allowing it to hold the diamond more securely. Platinum also has a high resistance to wear. White gold is not as durable as platinum and may need to be re-tipped to maintain security of the diamond placed in the setting. The cost of platinum however is considerably higher than that of gold.
 
Essentially, platinum and gold have many common attributes. The fact that they are chemically stable and will not tarnish is of primary concern when deciding upon a piece of jewelry.
Historically, only nobility wore diamond rings. But today, anyone can. For the perfect engagement, a diamond ring is important in your pledge of love and commitment. Your diamond ring and the person wearing it are special. Your diamond engagement ring can bring you years of enjoyment and sentimental memories.

Given these basic guidelines, and the preference of white gold or platinum versus yellow gold, should start you off on your diamond search.