However, the giving of diamonds doesn’t have to be exclusive to important events such as engagements and weddings. In fact, diamond jewellery can be every bit as significant when given as a simple gift; especially when you start to look at things in the long-term.

When it comes to diamonds, many people forget to consider that they last much longer than a mere human lifetime. Therefore, when you give a diamond ring as a gift to your wife or fiancee, you are in effect, giving it to her daughter, her granddaughter and perhaps even her great-granddaughter, etc. Naturally, such a gift will become even more precious as it passes from one generation to the next, consequently gaining even more resonance and meaning whilst losing none of its initial beauty.

So, if you are thinking of buying a diamond ring, either for a special occasion or simply as a gift, be sure to remember that this small but stunning item will be a durable reminder of your love and generosity long after you have gone. Indeed, the ring you buy may well be the most enduring thing you ever buy – and that’s pretty significant!

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Sadly, not all diamond engagement rings are blessed with such a magical sparkle. Indeed, a truly hypnotizing sparkle can only be achieved when a diamond is blessed with a perfect combination of the four Cs: colour, cut, clarity and carat. Sure; having an impressively-sized rock on your finger may look good from a distance; however it won’t have that all-important sparkle if the clarity and cut aren’t up to scratch.

Let’s face it; a diamond without a sparkle is like a child without a toy – it just isn’t right!

So, if you are looking to buy diamond ring and want to make sure it bounces rays of light all around the room; you need to ensure your purchase is made from people who know exactly what it takes to achieve that perfect sparkle.

Here at Marlows, our master craftsmen work to strict briefs that ensure our diamond engagement and wedding rings always have the ultimate finish and sparkle. So, if you want to make sure the diamond ring you buy will hypnotize and mesmerize in equal measure; make us here at Marlows your first port of call.

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There are two types of eternity ring available – the full or half eternity ring. What this refers to is whether the stones go all the way around the band, or just halfway. The latter is obviously cheaper, but for some people it is also a more comfortable ring to wear, as the stones won’t press into the rest of the hand or skin. If you’re buying the ring as a surprise and are still not sure of your wife’s size, then these are also easier to resize and a full ring often has to be custom sized. At Marlows, we stock a large selection of both full and half eternity rings.

As we already mentioned, an eternity ring can be given at any point in the marriage – there is no set time. Some people even decide to give their girlfriend one before marriage, although this is still a rare practice. Other people choose to give a ring after one year of marriage, although paper is actually the traditional gift and much cheaper! It is more common to choose a special anniversary, such as ten or twenty-five years, or to give it as part of a renewal of wedding vows, if you like this idea.

As with our diamond engagement rings, eternity rings available from Marlows come in different styles featuring different cuts of diamond. The round brilliant cut diamond is often considered as the ‘best’ because the way that it is cut means that its facets give off the most sparkle as the light bounces around them. Consequently, this cut is also the most popular and the most expensive too. We have a beautiful Round Brilliant Cut Half Eternity Ring available which you can customise to choose the carat weight of the diamond (a lighter weight making it less expensive) and also the metal of the band. This particular ring is available in 18ct yellow or white gold, or platinum. If you prefer to buy a full set ring, then we also have this available in the same metals. When buying a full eternity ring, remember that these have a wider band and so may not be comfortable for a woman with small fingers or dainty hands, particularly if she still wishes to continue wearing her engagement and wedding rings.

When buying a diamond, it is important to that it is certificated. All our diamonds are GIA or IGI certificated and of top quality.

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One of the first things you need to do is to choose the perfect location. This might be in front of a beautiful sunset or at the top of the Eiffel Tower while on holiday, or it could be in the place you first met. Some people choose to create a special set up, such as going on a balloon ride or a candlelit dinner at home. If you’re going to propose somewhere publicly, however, make sure that your girlfriend will say yes, because you don’t want to embarrass her or put her on the spot! Even if you’re sure she’ll say yes, are you sure that she’ll want to be the centre of attention with everybody looking at her?

You should also think about when you’re going to propose. A spur of the moment proposal doesn’t make a great story after all. Some people like to pop the question on a special day, such as a birthday or Christmas. Valentine’s Day is another popular choice, but can be a bit cliché. Doing it on a special occasion also means you’re always likely to remember exactly which day it was.

As well as thinking about what words to use (aside from the traditional ‘Will you marry me?’), you will also need to think about when to present the ring and how. Hiding engagement rings in food is another popular idea, but be careful that she won’t accidentally swallow it! If you do hide the ring somewhere, also make sure it won’t be found before you plan to reveal it, so the surprise won’t be spoilt. You may even decide not to propose with spoken words or even in person. Have the words written in the sky or the sand, or have someone else ask for you, either on the radio or TV. If you’ve previously discussed proposals (either your own or other people’s), has she hinted at what she likes or dislikes. If so, take your lead from this.

Finally, you need to choose the perfect ring. There are many different styles of ring available, so again you’ll need to work out what she likes. We have a wide selection of yellow gold, white gold and platinum engagement rings, all available with different cuts of diamond, including heart-shaped diamonds. Get some inspiration for what she likes by looking at the other styles of jewellery she wears, including both the metal type but also how ostentatious it is. We also specialise in creating custom engagement rings using top quality diamonds at extremely competitive prices.

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When it comes to picking engagement rings, there is so much choice out there that you can end up feeling a bit bewildered. Going into a high-class jewellers can also make you feel rather out of place, with all the questions that you don’t know the answers to. When you come to buy online, you can take your time and look at pictures of different style rings and decide which you prefer. We also have lots of information about diamonds themselves on our pages, so you can get to grips with the topic and know more about what you’re looking for.

Before you get into the complexities of individual diamonds, however, you first need to decide some basics, one of the most important being ring size. This can be tricky, because even if you manage to purloin another ring of hers, unless she wears it on that finger, it still won’t be exactly the right size. Even the ring finger of the right hand is likely to be a different size. Try and get as close as possible, however, as it is quite easy to get the ring resized subsequently, and as a guide, it is always better to go slightly too small with a good quality ring and get it enlarged.

Another of the major decisions is to know which metal to go for. Our engagement rings are available in 18ct white or yellow gold and also in platinum. The easiest way to establish which metal to go for is to look at what other jewellery she wears. Even if she’s a fan of costume jewellery, we’re pretty sure she’ll have some fine jewellery in her collection somewhere.

Getting down to the actual diamond itself, what you need to be aware of is the four Cs – cut, colour, clarity and carat weight. Of these, the cut is the most important, as this is what affects the brilliance (or sparkle) of the diamond, which is what most women look for. The sparkliest of all is the round brilliant cut diamond, but if you can’t afford this, then princess cut diamond engagement rings are a popular alternative. Another way to reduce the price tag is by going less on the carat weight of the diamond. Our engagement rings are customisable, meaning you can choose the metal, size and carat weight to get the perfect ring for her tastes and your wallet.

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Diamond pendants make lovely Christmas, birthday or Valentine’s gifts. If your daughter is celebrating her 18th or 21st birthday, or you want a special gift for a wife or girlfriend, then we have some beautiful necklaces here at Marlows. Giving your loved one a diamond pendant means that she can wear it close to her heart all day, every day. Pendants are also seen and admired by others, because they are clearly visible and catch the eye. She will no doubt receive many compliments on the beautiful diamond pendant you have bought her.

When you come to choose the design for the pendant itself, first decide on what range your budget is. While all our diamonds are beautiful and high quality, its combination of the four Cs will determine the exact quality of the stone, and consequently affect its price tag too. The four Cs are carat, clarity, colour and cut, and each affect the stone in different ways.

What most women are looking for from a diamond is that it sparkles in the light. This is called its ‘brilliance’ and a stone is more brilliant depending on how it has been cut. If a stone is cut too deep or too shallow, the light will not bounce around its inner facets in the same way and will then be lost through the sides or bottom, rather than through the top, making it sparkle less. If you have to compromise in one area of the diamond because of financial restrictions, then try not to make it in this area, but instead opt for a diamond of lesser carat weight. When it comes to buying a pendant, most women would to have a lighter stone anyway, because it will be less bulky and heavy around their neck. Many of our diamond pendants are customisable, so you can choose not only the metal type (usually an 18ct yellow or white gold chain) but also the carat weight of the stone. Obviously, increasing the carat weight will also increase the price, so again think carefully about how much you have to spend before you start shopping.

Whenever you buy any diamond product, you should always make sure that the stone has been certificated by a reputable and internationally-recognised independent laboratory. This certification confirms that the stone is in fact a natural diamond, but will also provide you with detail on its four Cs, as well as its measurements and value. When buying a diamond necklace, or any other diamond jewellery, from us here at Marlows you can rest assured that it will be certificated by either the GIA (Gemmological Institute of America) or the IGI (International Gemmological Institute).

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Having discovered these stones while mining, how is it then that they have come to be a girl’s best friend, as Marilyn Monroe so famously sang? Another famous song gives us part of the answer: diamonds are forever. While other gifts may fade, break or age, diamond rings and other diamond jewellery never lose their beauty if cared for properly. Their beauty is another reason for their popularity. Because of their sparkle, diamonds catch the light and light up the finger, ears, wrist or décolleté.

Although coloured diamonds are now popular for unique engagement rings and necklaces, the ‘white’ diamond is still the most popular, partly because it will go with any outfit of any colour and so can be worn for every occasion. Of course, strictly speaking, diamonds are not actually white, but range from colourless (the most expensive and quite rare) to containing traces of varying shades of yellow and brown.

Another reason that diamonds are so sought after by women is because they are a precious stone and still quite rare. Because true diamonds are created through a natural process, each one is unique and large stones in particular are much rarer to find without flaws. Consequently, larger stones have higher price tags to them, and so therefore diamonds are still very much associated with luxury. A woman might feel when wearing a diamond engagement ring that it demonstrates to the rest of the world that her man can look after her and cares for her enough to spend a great sum on buying her a beautiful piece of jewellery. Of course, we always think that you should only buy expensive jewellery if you really can afford to do so, and the price tag is not a measure of your love for her.

When it comes to buying a diamond engagement ring, tradition says that you should spend approximately two months’ salary. However, we realise that this is not always possible and nor should it be a hard and fast rule. Many of our engagement rings are customisable, so you can alter the combinations of carat, colour and clarity to find a ring that is within your budget while still remaining beautiful and of sublime quality.

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If you’ve ever wondered why diamond engagement rings are so much more popular than other kinds of gemstone, then it is not just about their classic elegance and beauty. Of course, diamonds are extremely beautiful and eye-catching in the way that they sparkle and catch the light. However, the tradition of giving a diamond engagement ring actually started in the early twentieth century. Many women married because they did not work and so marriage was their only option to remain financially sound. Should an engagement be broken off, they would still have financial security through their diamond engagement ring. This is a tradition which continues to this day, with heartbroken women avenging themselves by pawning or selling their engagement ring and enjoying its monetary value instead.

This leads us to another tradition concerning diamond engagement rings. Nowadays, it is common practice to expect a man to spend around two months of his annual salary on buying the ring. This idea was first purported by marketing materials from diamond firm De Beers in the 1930s, because they wanted to increase the sale of diamonds, which obviously cost much more than other gemstones. Back then, it was said that the ring should cost equivalent to one month’s salary, later rising with inflation to two months! Although, we have now seen that this is all a myth, some women prefer to have an expensive ring because they love the feeling that someone values them enough to spend a lot of money on them. However, few women would actually want their man to bankrupt himself doing so!

So, back to why we wear our engagement and wedding rings on the third finger of our left hand. Rings are exchanged in general because their circular form represents never ending love, but the tradition of placing it on the third finger of the left hand started with the Greeks, who initially believed that a vein ran directly from this finger to the heart and so was the ideal location for the wedding ring. Although this was later proved to be incorrect, the tradition has persisted and is now common practice.

The exchanging of engagement rings is more of a modern tradition. Originally, when the husband-to-be wished to negotiate an engagement, he or his family would exchange gifts with the bride’s family. The bride’s family’s gift was known as her dowry, which represented her worth. As time passed, things became less clinical and men started to offer his wife-to-be a token of affection, which would generally be jewellery, a ring being the ideal choice as it symbolised eternity. In the 15th Century, the first diamond engagement ring was given, starting a tradition to give bigger and better rings.

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Every diamond is unique, so using the same setting for each one will not show it off to its full potential. There are many ring settings available to choose from, so always purchase the loose diamond first because this will help to narrow down the selection of settings which will work with it. There are, however, still some considerations you will need to think about when purchasing your setting.

First of all, the material in which the setting and ring band is made from, with choices generally being yellow gold, white gold and platinum. If you are buying the ring for your partner rather than choosing it together, think about the other jewellery she usually wears and what colour it is. If you’ve never seen her in a yellow gold piece of jewellery, for example, her engagement ring is probably not the best piece to try and introduce it into her life! This is a ring she will hopefully wear every day for the rest of her life, and so should match her tastes perfectly. Secondly, think about the wedding rings that you will later buy and wear. The engagement ring should be made from the same metal, and the two rings should complement each other. If the wedding ring is likely to be very small and plain, then it should not be swamped by a huge engagement ring. Likewise, if the wedding band will feature other diamonds, then the ring setting should complement this in the best way.

One of your reasons for buying a loose diamond might be because you wish to incorporate it into a multi stone ring by adorning the diamond with other gemstones. This is actually a great way to create a unique and beautiful ring while reducing the overall cost at the same time, because multi stone engagement rings will require a smaller diamond, therefore lowering the amount you need to spend on this particular stone.

If you are buying the ring with your partner, one of the best ways to decide on a setting is by trying on some ready-set rings to see what looks best. Most rings look beautiful in pictures on in the jeweller’s cabinet, but different hands suit different styles, so trying on will give her a better idea of what she likes.

We love the idea of turning a loose diamond into an engagement ring because of the possibilities it holds. You will be able to create a truly unique engagement ring that is to your tastes exactly. If you are creating it as a surprise for your future fiancée, she will be moved by the amount of thought and effort you have put into creating the perfect ring.

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When it comes to the ‘best’ cut, round brilliant diamond engagement rings are considered top in their field. The quality of a diamond is generally established through how it reflects the light, known as its brilliance. The way a diamond is cut is what affects its brilliance, by allowing the light to bounce around the inside and escape through the top, creating the sparkle that women love. Round brilliant cut diamonds are thought to do this best and are therefore the most popular when it comes to diamond jewellery. However, round brilliant cut stones are also more expensive because of this.

If you can’t quite afford to get a round brilliant cut diamond engagement ring, then emerald cut rings are a nice alternative which are more affordable. As the name suggests, this cut was traditionally used for emerald stones, and is the most common of the square and rectangular step cuts, which feature a square or rectangular design with the corners cut off. Although emerald cut stones will have less brilliance than their round and oval counterparts, they do have the advantage when it comes to clarity, which is accentuated, and overall whiteness.

If you are still unsure whether your future wife will appreciate an emerald cut diamond engagement ring over a round brilliant one, then bear in mind that many rich and famous people also choose this style of ring regardless of their financial situation, simply because of its beauty. Camilla Parker Bowles’ engagement ring is emerald cut, as is the one worn by Donald Trump’s third wife, as well as rings worn by Kate Hudson, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie.

Another popular cut of diamond as an alternative to the round brilliant cut, is princess cut. Princess cut diamonds are also square, but unlike step cuts do not have cut off corners. Princess cut stones also have more brilliance than other square cut stones and is perhaps the most popular alternative to round cut stones because of this. Because of its shape, it also looks larger than a round cut stone, as so therefore appeals because it looks like a bigger (and consequently more expensive) stone, even though it actually isn’t. Again, this cut is popular with celebrities, such as Hilary Duff’s princess cut engagement ring, which reportedly set her husband-to-be back a million dollars!

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