The shape of the diamond you choose will influence how the ring will finally look. The shape of your diamond is not the same as the cut. The cut refers to how the diamond is faceted, whereas the shape refers to the overall appearance of the diamond. You can choose round, marquise, pear shaped or a number of other beautiful shapes.

The many diamond shapes you can choose from.

The four important characteristics of a diamond are the weight (in carats), cut, color and clarity. You can read more about the all-important "four C's" in our Diamond Buying Guide.

Clear colorless diamonds are the most valuable and there is an international grading standard that allows you to know for certain what quality of diamond you're buying.

The transparency of your diamond is also important. Less expensive diamonds are often cloudy because of contamination with other minerals when they were formed. It's up to you what level of milkyness you will tolerate.

Imperfections in clarity, color and transparency not only retard the diamond's beauty, they also make the diamond less resilient to knocks and abrasions. That's why the quality has such a big influence on price.

Choosing your engagement ring setting

The choice of settings is huge. You can select a diamond solitaire setting or a cluster of stones, with diamonds or precious stones surrounding the center stone (think of Lady Diana Spencer's beautiful sapphire stone surrounded by smaller diamonds).

You can also select between 14K or 18K gold or platinum. 14K gold has less gold in it than 18K gold but wears better due to the higher content of strengthening metals. On the other hand, 18K gold is more expensive and is less likely to tarnish or cause an allergic reaction.

Platinum is very beautiful and strong and is the best choice for long lasting engagement rings. Platinum's strength makes the setting resilient, reducing the chance of you knocking your diamond out of the ring. Platinum generally costs more than gold, but some people prefer the look of yellow or rose gold.

Choosing the style of the setting

I can't advise you on matters of taste! I suggest you follow this link and build your own engagement ring to see different diamond cuts in different settings.

The most important thing to consider in choosing the setting for your precious stone is that the setting must balance the stone. For example, if you're lucky enough (or rich enough!) to want a diamond weighing a carat or more, the setting must be strong enough to hold the extra size and weight of the diamond.

Blue Nile Jeweler's great online interface helps you select the perfect setting to go with your diamond or other precious stone.

Here's an example of a diamond engagement ring we created using the above "build your own engagement ring" process. We selected a one carat princess cut diamond with matching side stones.

An example of a diamond engagement ring we created using
Blue Nile Jewelry's "build your own engagement ring" process.

The other important consideration when selecting the setting for your engagement ring is the size of your fiancee's hand and fingers. A large stone and wide setting can look out of place on a tiny hand. Try to choose a diamond and setting that will match the size of your girl's fingers.

If you'd like to build your own engagement ring, there are plenty of ideas and designs you can choose from to create a ring that is uniquely yours, and something you'll treasure for years to come.

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