If you've made the decision to acquire a diamond engagement ring there are a few more decisions you need to make. You'll need to pick a diamond shape, setting type, and style. Here is brief overview of the available options. 

Diamond Shapes

Diamonds are cut into a variety of shapes for engagement rings. Some of the most popular include:

Round
The round brilliant, considered the most classic diamond shape, contains 58 facets throughout the stone to achieve maximum fire and brilliance. More than 75% of diamonds sold are round brilliant cut diamonds so this is considered the safest choice. 

 Princess

The princess, often considered the square brilliant cut, is a square or rectangular diamond with pointed corners and numerous sparkling facets.

Emerald
The emerald, a rectangular shape with cropped corners and long, stair-like facets, was a cut originally developed for emeralds because it tends to be less fiery than a round brilliant, but it can also have broader, more dramatic flashes of light. When buying an emerald cut the clarity becomes particularly important.  

Asscher
The Asscher, often considered the square emerald cut, is a stepped square cut with cropped corners. Again, this cut highlights the clarity of the diamond. 

Marquise
The marquise is an elongated shape with pointed ends that is said to make fingers appear long and slender. 

Oval
Resembling its name, the oval is an elliptical version of the round brilliant.

Pear
The pear combines the round brilliant and marquise to resemble a teardrop.

Heart
Considered the ultimate symbol of romance, the heart is essentially a pear shape with a cleft at the top.

Radiant
The radiant, a square or rectangular diamond with cropped corners, combines the elegance of the emerald with the brilliance of the round.

Cushion
And finally the cushion is a cross between an oval and a rectangle to resemble a pillow shape. Rounded corners and larger facets increase its brilliance.

Setting Metal

The three most common setting metals are gold, white gold, and platinum.

Gold

Yellow GoldGold, with its excellent working properties and more affordable price-point, is the most popular metal choice for bridal jewelry, but there are two things to consider: karat and color. Because pure gold is too soft for most jewelry applications, it must be mixed with other metals to increase its hardness. Karat (or K) measures the proportion of pure gold that's mixed with other metals to create the final metal. The higher the proportion of pure gold used in the final metal, the more valuable and expensive (and also the softer) the gold will be. Therefore, an 18-karat gold ring will be more valuable, expensive and softer than a 14-karat gold ring.

The color of gold is dependent on its combination of metals. Pure gold, or 24K, is always the most yellow, with that brightness decreasing as other metals are added to increase its hardness. If you prefer the hardness of a lower-karatage gold but desire a brighter yellow, one practice is to plate 14-karat yellow gold with an 18-karat yellow gold finish. This finish might wear off after several years, however, but can be re-finished by a reputable jeweler.

White gold

White gold is a combination of pure gold and several white metals such as silver and palladium. White gold is also frequently plated with rhodium, a rare and more expensive metal from the platinum family, to create a whiter, brighter finish. The rhodium does wear away, however, so to keep a white gold ring looking its best, it should be re-plated with rhodium periodically by a reputable jeweler. 

Another consideration with white gold: while it's harder and more resistant to scratches than platinum, it's more brittle and susceptible to stress corrosion than both platinum and yellow gold. Therefore, you should also have your jeweler check your ring's setting--especially the prongs--every year.

Platinum

PlatinumPlatinum is somewhat softer and more malleable than white gold, making it an ideal choice for the intricate settings of bridal jewelry. It’s much easier for a jewelry designer to use platinum for pavŽ settings (designs in which the stones are set as closely together as possible) and to make safer settings since platinum conforms so easily to the shape of a stone, reducing the risk of damage.

Platinum is also more rare, valuable and expensive than gold, and is considered the purest metal. Because platinum is so pure, it does not cause allergic reactions. In addition, platinum is much heavier and stronger than other precious metals. The most important benefit of platinum, however, is that while it’s softer than gold and can scratch, it is more durable and does not wear down or abrade like gold. Therefore, over time, platinum settings last longer than gold ones.

Setting Type

SidestoneThe solitaire setting is precisely what its name denotes: A single (solitary) stone of any shape mounted in a setting of any style that sets off the stone to its best advantage. A solitaire can also have smaller side stones that enhance the center stone. These can be either diamonds or colored stones of any shape, but two favorites are triangular-shaped stones called trilliants and rectangular, step-cut stones known as baguettes.

The three-stone setting, a concept De Beers introduced in the late 1990s, holds three stones, or one each to represent the past, present, and future of the relationship.

Setting Style

ClassicClassic
The classic setting is traditionally a single diamond set on a gold or platinum band. This is the most popular because it works with the widest variety of diamond shapes.

Antique
Antique settings offer a distinctive look with a nostalgic element. They often capture the flowing lines and foliate forms of the Art Nouveau period, the lacy look and romantic themes of the Edwardian period or the geometric designs and bold lines of the Art Deco period.

AntiqueDecoModern
Modern settings are essentially limitless, with many offering sculpted bands and fancy-cut center stones.

RingTutor can help you navigate all the options and pick the perfect diamond. For more on RingTutors personal shopping services click here.