Rings

Rings are generally made of metal but can also be found made of almost any material including various varieties of metal, glass, plastic, stone, bone, wood, gemstone among many more. A ring may be set with a stone or a gem of some sort. Many include precious or semi-precious gemstones such as sapphire, ruby, diamond, or emerald. There is a wide range of gemstones available depending on several characteristics. The tradition of giving and receiving finger rings dates back to a period approximately 6,000 years ago. Since then there has been a dramatic change in the look and designs of the rings. Rings are worn for many reasons ranging from fashion and style sense to signifying something. The meaning may differ and can be very important and symbolic. The general categorizations of the meaning behind a ring are as follows:

Promise, Wedding and Engagement Rings

It is a well-known fact that the ring finger on the left hand is reserved for engagement or wedding rings. This finger is in general kept ring free until the person has made the commitment which is signified by the corresponding ring. This meaning has come from an old tradition which states that there is a vein that runs from the ring finger directly to the heart, which is why it is closely associated with love and bridal jewelry. A promise ring is sometimes used as a symbol of love between two people before they become officially engaged. This ring usually indicates that the pair is committed to each other and that neither of the partners is single anymore.

The promise ring is viewed as a pre-engagement ring. Most of the couples wear a promise ring on the ring finger of the left hand. These rings are switched with the real engagement ring at the time of the wedding. Engagement rings are one of the biggest purchases in the everyman life. It represents a big commitment, and requires an equally big compromise at the time of purchase. But going into jewelries can often be overwhelming. There are just too many questions: gold or platinum? How big should it be? What makes a beautiful diamond beautiful? In the end, the first thing that has to be taken into consideration is…

Budget

There is usually no escape route in this regard. A beautiful, special engagement ring is going to be significantly expensive. What is more important in this regard is that you don’t hold back too much on the money, but also don’t go for something that is out of your financial reality at the time. You do have to spend, but you don’t have to waste. Compare prices using Shopbot’s tools and always be on the look for reputable sellers. Reaching a good balance between the final product and the amount spent can be achieved by carefully considering…

The Four “C’s”

Knowing exactly what you are looking for is the first step down the path of a good purchase. Carat, Clarity, Colour and Cut are elements that separate a dazzling diamond ring from a disappointment. Knowing how to juggle with all of them and your wallet can be the difference between “Yes!” and “Oh my God! YES!”. Cut, contrary to what may seem intuitive at first, is not related to shape. Cut is actually about the quality of the lapidating process, and it defines how well a diamond will sparkle when hit by lights. This is obviously a very important “C” to invest it. There are few things more impressive than a perfectly shiny diamond. Cut is actually a lot more important than Clarity, which is based on very subtle distinctions of flaws or imperfections throughout the diamond’s structure. This one is actually more important to the jeweler than to the actual average consumer, since these imperfections are overshadowed by so many things. This means that, as a general rule, compromising on clarity in favor of a better cut would be a good idea.

The next “C” to consider is Carat, which related to its weight and size. When it comes to diamonds and other precious stones, we can safely say that size does matter. No matter how polished, perfectly-cut and transparent a regular diamond may be, it’s always going to be less impressive than a diamond the size of your fist. But of course, balance is preferred when making an acquisition. Carat and Cut go hand-in-hand as the most important factors when buying a ring and one compliments the other very nicely. A big, shiny diamond is definitely going to steal all the thunder. Finally, the last “C” stands for Colour. A diamond’s colour is really a factor of preference in the end, but it is also related to the rarity of the stone – the clearer / more transparent, the rarer. That being so, this really doesn’t make for the most important part of the purchase since there’s no compromise in beauty by shifting down the colour scale.

Shape, Setting and Bands

The shape of the precious stone is another very important factor, albeit one that is a lot more related to personal preference and that generally doesn’t have a huge impact on the price. It is important that the shape reflects the person who is going to use it, so don’t let yourself be swayed by trends and get more personal and light-minded when choosing between shapes. Furthermore, even if the stone is the heart of a ring, you can’t forget about the rest of the body. It is also important to find a good harmony between stone, band and setting. Choosing between platinum or gold settings is generally the first step. Platinum is a lot more resistant, but not every woman will like its less conventional look. It is recommended to try to have, at least, platinum claws to make sure that it is going to be safely set to the band. Band shape and the stone’s setting are also a matter of preference, but need to work well together. Embrace your partner’s individuality and mix it in when thinking about the ideal design of their ring.

Decorative Rings

Some rings are simply worn for fashion and styling because they look good. A decorative piece of accessory can be worn on any finger as per individual’s choice. The vast majority of rings sold across the globe are actually rings used for fashion purposes only. These rings are made out of a great variety of materials and they don’t come anywhere close to demanding a commitment as big as needed when buying an engagement ring. Because of that, there is a lot more freedom to play trial and error, building a big collection of decorative rings that can be used with many different ensembles. Here in Shopbot you have access to a great number of expert and customer reviews about many of our products, as well as a huge number of options and pictures to be well aware of everything the market has to offer. Put your heart into the research and you will surely find the perfect, captivating ring.