Like peanut butter and jelly or Santa Claus and Christmas, celebrities and diamonds seem to go hand and hand. Has it always been that way? Maybe. Does it seem as if this pairing is more apparent today than ever before? “Yes” would be a safe answer. The obsession celebrities have with gifting their sweethearts with diamond engagement rings seems to have almost gotten out of control.

Many argue it all started with Jennifer Lopez, and her stunning pink diamond ring she was giving by the then-popular, Ben Affleck. Oh, Ben is still popular on the red carpet. It’s just that the diamond engagement ring he gave her seems to have ignited a diamond jewelry giving frenzy among celebrities that burns stronger than ever today. Why are celebrities so obsessed with diamonds?

One logical answer to that question would be that one is always trying to outdo another. And, who can blame them? Every time one celebrity gifts another with diamonds, it’s plastered all over the front pages of magazines and newspapers. The news of these elaborate gifts is even broadcasted on radio shows, and there are segments on popular television talk shows, and entertainment news shows dedicated exclusively to announcing that this celebrity gave that celebrity a diamond something.

The news of Fringe actor, Joshua Jackson gifting long-time girlfriend, Diane Kruger a stunning white diamond necklace set in 18-carat rose gold hit the airways even before they returned from their trip to Monte Carlo.

Let’s not forget (How could we?) the self-made diamond jubilee that seems to follow Kim Kardashian wherever she goes, and whomever she’s with (At that moment in time!). Is all that diamond gifting and giving done with true intentions or are they ploys to keep Kim, and her fading stardom, in the spotlight? Fans don’t seem to care either way.

And, the celebrity diamond giving continues regardless of whether or not the union works out in the end.

Katie Holmes scored a magnificent 5-carat oval diamond engagement ring from Cruise, Ashley Simpson received a 4-carat square cushion cut diamond from Wentz, and Gwyenth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston and Jolie all scored diamond engagement rings from Brad Pitt at one time or another. OK, so it seems to still be working out between Jolie and Brad, but time will tell the true final Hollywood story.

No matter how many diamond engagement rings one celebrity may give another (Or a combination of others!) people may still wonder; why? Because they have the money and can afford to gift so elaborately? Because they want to get more photo opts on the red carpet than other celebrities? Maybe it’s just some sort of deeply-rooted egotistical thing.

No one really knows except the celebrities themselves. But, you can bet none of them will ever admit to any motive other than love. Any other reason would just be tacky!

 

It can be hard for the average person to detect the difference between a quality diamond and a mediocre one. The truth is that a diamond’s quality isn’t always relevant to its outward appearance. What really makes a diamond a high quality stone is the way it’s cut, it’s lack of color and imperfections, and the number of carats it has. Simple enough, right? Well, if you know how a diamond is graded it may help.

All certified diamonds are graded according to an industry-wide scale that grades them on their color, cut, clarity, and carat. It goes without saying the higher the grade the more valuable the diamond. It can often times go beyond that, however.

Take, for instance, a pink, 1.5 carat, radiant cut diamond that has been clarity-enhanced, with excellent polish and symmetry. Sounds like something Jennifer Lopez wore on her finger at one point in time. Of course, that ring had five additional carats, but still, it was one of the first pink colored diamond engagement rings to hit the red carpet, and some even attribute that ring with the sudden pink diamond craze that soon after swept over Hollywood.

In any event, if you were to compare the 1.5 carat pink diamond with a 1 carat yellow, emerald cut diamond that hasn’t been clarity enhanced but still has excellent polish and symmetry. Which diamond would be the higher quality one? Before you try to answer that, consider this.

Diamond color is measured not only in the color itself, but the hue (Or intensity of the color) as well. The darker the hue of a colored diamond, the more value it is given. So if the pink color has a darker hue than the yellow diamond, the pink diamond may actually be more valuable, but still hold the same level of quality.

The quality of a diamond is more than its value. It’s a good cut verses a bad cut, darker hued fancy diamonds than lighter hues, better symmetry and so on. It quickly becomes apparent that the price tag on a diamond doesn’t always mean it’s a higher quality stone, though it may be.

The best way to determine the quality of a diamond is by the way if feels when you or the one you give it to wears it. Or the way it draws the attention of others as they pass by, and captivates the imaginations those who draw near to get a closer look.

Diamonds are incredible unique, and there are no other stones on the planet that can capturing the attention of people that a diamond will. That attribute alone is something that amplifies their quality when compared to other stones.

Like many other things in life, there is more ways than one to determine the quality of a diamond. It’s up to you to determine which qualities are most important to you as an individual.

engagement ring is a special way of saying you love someone, and you want to take the first step in being committed to them for eternity. It’s a big commitment that many a folk have made throughout time. Here are some interesting facts about diamond engagement rings, and diamond settings.

There are six common diamond ring settings to choose from. Here’s a brief look at each one of them.

Invisible Setting

Developed in France more than 200 years ago, the invisible setting is a great way to make a diamond look larger than it actually is. This setting entails creating a groove(s) in the girdle of a diamond and placing the diamond into the setting so it rests on the girdle.

The girdle of a diamond is that point at which a diamond’s top and bottom surfaces meet. By setting the diamond at this point the actual setting can’t be easily seen, thus making the diamond appear larger than it is.

Illusion Setting

An illusion setting refers to a diamond being set on a plate that has the same qualities as a mirror, and then the unit is set onto the ring’s band. This setting also makes the diamond look larger, but it’s harder to repair if the setting or diamond becomes damaged.

Pave Setting

A pave setting is when small diamonds are set side-by-side inside tiny holes, giving the appearance of one continuous diamond surface. This is one of the more intricate and difficult diamond engagement ring settings to create.

Channel Setting

Unlike the pave setting where each individual diamond is separated by metal, a channel setting places the diamonds side-by-side into a channel with no metal separating them.

Prong Setting

This is the most common setting used with all rings, including diamond engagement rings. This setting exposes more of the diamond, but because you can clearly see the setting, it doesn’t make the stone look bigger. This setting is easier to make, and therefore less expensive, and the diamonds are easier to keep clean.

Bezel Setting

This setting is a metal rim (Also called a collar) that circles around the sides of the stone and extends just slightly above the surface of the stone. This setting can encompass the entire stone or only a portion of it. It’s the most secure of all diamond settings, and therefore provides the most protection.

Now let’s take a look at some interesting facts about diamond engagement rings.

 

• The very first engagement ring was reportedly presented to Mary of Burgundy by Archduke, Maximilliam

 

• The DeBeers Platinum Ring is thought to be the most expensive diamond engagement ring and weighs 9-carats

 

• At the turn of the Twenty-first century, the average cost of a diamond engagement ring was around $3,000.00

 

• The round-cut is the most popular cut for engagement rings

 

• The average size of engagement rings is size 6

 

• December is the most popular month for getting engaged

 

• Most people wear their engagement rings on their left hand

 

• In the United States, the giver of an engagement ring can legally take the ring back when the engagement is called off by either party