Engagement Ring Eye Candy: Solitaire -y Confinement

Sometimes 1 is not the loneliest number. Any well-crafted solitaire engagement ring will argue that fact (and pretty convincingly. Diamonds are good like that.) Today, I’m drooling over a few of our newest solitaire rings back fresh from GIA. The beauty of the solitaire lies in its completely uninhibited setting. The diamond shines singularly, without any kind of distractions – it take a great diamond to pull this off. It’s possible to get a great deal on a solitaire engagement ring, really it is, you just have to shop using your 4 C’s. The cut should be good or better (although I did sneak a very nice fair cut in here, see if you can spot it). The color should be I or better – still virtually undetectable to the eye, but out of the pricey “colorless” range of D,E,F. The clarity should be SI or better, so you don’t have any major inclusions mucking up the statement of your solitaire. And, naturally, the carat weight should be as heavy as your heart desires (and your wallet will tolerate.) With a GIA certificate ensuring you’re actually getting a diamond with these specs, you can rest assured you’re getting a fair deal – and a gorgeous stone. Exhibits A – E:

This little number actually is a coveted E color, but it’s petite dimensions keep it from being a budget buster. The center stone is 1.01 carats, so it’s the perfect size for the classic 6 prong platinum mounting, and its VS1 clarity grade ensures all you see is sparkle.

This ring is a stunning Tiffany & Co. Lucida engagement ring with a massive 2.24 ct center stone. The Lucida cut is Tiffany’s proprietary cut, and it’s shaped similar to a square radiant cut – one of my favorite cuts, as I’ve professed before. The I color offsets the cost of a massive diamond (worth every penny) and it is, as most Tiffany diamonds are, a great clarity grade of VS 1.
This 1 carat round brilliant serves as a perfect demonstration of the difference that cut makes. It’s .01ct lighter than the first ring, but it looks way bigger, thanks to a shallow cut (which is probably what earned it a “fair” cut grade – could you tell this was the one?!) But a stunning color and VVS2 clarity grade make sure this diamond doesn’t suffer at all – it’s one of my favorites!

If 1 carat simply won’t do, let’s bump it up to 2.62 carats. This insane ring (another one of my favorites, but in another division. Like the “Ladies Who Lunch Upgrade” division) features a gorgeous round brilliant with a SI1 clarity grade and an I in color. This is the perfect example of stretching your budget to get the biggest, best, sparkliest, “dayum”-est, B.A.D.

An emerald cut solitaire is something you don’t see every day, and that makes this one even more special. Add to that the fact that this beauty is internally flawless, 1.04 carats and an impeccable G color, and you’ve got plenty of reasons to stare!