Choosing your wedding rings

STONES & METALS

Diamonds are an enduring symbol of romance and love, and there are various ways of determining a stone's quality. The 'carat' is a measure of the stone's weight while 'clarity' is a rating based on natural blemishes occurring externally and internally. Perfectly clear diamonds are very rare. The 'cut' refers to the shape: every diamond has flat, angled surfaces that reflect light and the cut determines its brilliance. 'Colour' is the other factor to consider and not all diamonds are colourless. Ratings from D to Z determine the value according to colour - D is the clearest and most expensive while Z contains more traces of yellow. However, the untrained eye is unlikely to spot a marked difference. Very rare diamonds have pure colours such as pink or blue but their comparative scarcity tends to mean large price tags. Round, princess cut, pear, oval, marquise, emerald, baguette (rectangle) or heart shaped... diamonds still speak of 'forever'. However birthstones are another option, including rubies for July, sapphires for September and emeralds for May. Or simply go for a stone you have always adored. Think about the metal in which the stones will be set. Many girls are used to wearing silver every day and find that platinum and white gold fit with this preference over more traditional yellow gold. It's a matter of personal taste and some girls have skin tones that are beautifully complemented by yellow gold. Your chosen ring may combine contrasting metals but most girls want a common element between engagement and wedding rings. There are a few other things to think about: 18 carat gold tends to be more resilient than 24 carat gold, while platinum is usually more expensive, but also more hard wearing.