Types of Engagement Rings

The perfect engagement ring is the engagement ring that’s perfect for the person who will wear it. Whether boldly distinctive or classically understated, Carats and Stones has the perfect engagement ring for your perfect match.

The choice is yours, so close your eyes and dream big. And if you can see it in your imagination but can’t find it in a store, Carats and Stones will be happy to transform your dreams into reality by designing your perfect custom engagement ring right alongside you.

When it comes to the many choices you’ll want to consider in the design of your engagement ring, preferences for metals and gems are at the top of the list. The metal you choose should be one that will complement the wearer’s skin tone, lifestyle, and fashion.

First Step: Gold

When making a choice of the perfect gold, here are some of the possibilities you’ll want to be thinking about:

White Gold: The Cool Classic

White gold is an alloy—or mixture—of pure gold and white metals such as nickel, silver and palladium, usually with a rhodium coating. Because it’s alloyed with stronger metals than yellow gold, it’s more durable and scratch-resistant. Many believe it best complements fair or rosy skin tones, as well as white diamonds.

Rose Gold: The Blushing Romantic

Pure gold is alloyed with copper to produce the rose color of this gold. The more copper used, the redder the gold appears. Because of the added copper, it’s a durable metal, and its variety of colors complements all skin tones.

Yellow Gold: The Timeless Beauty

Yellow gold is a mixture of copper, silver, zinc, nickel, and/or palladium. It has a warm luster and looks especially good in vintage settings, but is just as easily incorporated into a contemporary design. Yellow gold engagement rings provide a striking contrast to olive and darker skin tones.

The Next Step: The Rock

No matter the skin tone or metal, you can’t go wrong with diamonds! They look fantastic on both warm and cool-toned skin, and beyond the classic colorless diamond, fancy diamonds can also be found in colors like pink, champagne, cognac, blue, and black. Only one in 10,000 natural diamonds are colored, and yellow, red, purple, blue, and pink are among the rarest diamond colors, as well as the most expensive.

Diamond Cuts and Carats

The shape of a diamond is the appearance of the stone, and the cut refers to the diamond's ability to reflect light. The most common diamond shape is round, while rectangular shapes are known as princess, Asscher, emerald, or radiant. A square diamond is called a cushion cut, and some diamonds are heart-shaped, pear-shaped, oval, or marquise (like a pear but pointed on both ends).

Carats and Stones has a wide variety of engagement rings with diamonds in all of the above shapes available on-site, allowing you to personally experience the ways that the many combinations of metals, stones, and settings will best complement the hand that will ultimately be wearing it.

Solitaire Engagement Rings

A diamond solitaire refers to any piece of jewelry with a single diamond. With a diamond solitaire engagement ring, the diamond steals the show — because it is the show! This style of ring creates a pure and striking look, an unmistakable symbol that the woman wearing it is spoken for. Whether the diamond sits atop a simple yellow gold band or an ornately designed platinum band, the solitaire stone stands alone.

More on Solitaire Engagement Rings

The Latest Trend - Colored Diamond Engagement Rings

A tribute to her alternative style, a colored diamond engagement ring makes a bold statement, distinguishing its owner from the traditionalists wearing colorless diamonds. If this sounds like you or your betrothed, you’ll want to explore the possibilities of colored diamonds, from the inky dark black diamond to the dazzling pink, yellow, purple or orange. There’s a world of options available for you to explore.

Other Non-traditional Engagement Rings

Not sure what you want? At a loss for direction? If you’re thinking the classic diamond engagement ring isn’t for you, Carats and Stones can source alternative stones for an engagement ring with your direct input. Whether it’s an emerald, ruby, opal, sapphire, or another fabulous gem, we’ll work closely with you to help you choose the perfect stone or combination of stones to ensure that your unique bride gets everything she wants in her non-traditional engagement ring.

Carats and Stones can create a colorful, bold, and modern engagement ring, or a uniquely simple, conflict-free or repurposed ring. Whatever the combination, you’ll know it will be cherished for a lifetime.

If you’re ready to begin Call us now for a free design consultation at (415) 875-9438