The High C's

Today we're going to discuss the five C's. I know you've heard of the four C's, but there's an extra C you should be aware of. I'll also include a discussion of the other elements that complete my ideal band, just in case you were wondering.

For those of you who are lost right now, these C's relate to purchasing a diamond. I should put the disclaimer on here that I am not obssessed with diamonds (although they are a girl's best friend), but that I've recently spent a lot of time glancing at one and I felt I should share my wisdom on the subject with the world.

The typical four C's (in order of importance) are Clarity, Cut, Color, and Carat. The fifth C that I abide by is Cost (which is really number one but is not conventionally included in the C's). I'm sure many of you are surprised that Carat isn't first on this list, but my in depth explanation will shed some light on why this is a false assumption.

I am HIGHLY distracted by things that sparkle. This is why clarity takes the cake every time. For those of you who are unclear on what this means (punny!), clarity relates to the muddiness of the diamond's appearance. A cloudy diamond will not deflect light in all directions and will appear dull which will restrict the sparkle of the diamond, which is the unacceptable^infinity. Diamonds with imperfections will have brown spots when viewed under a microscope. This is also unacceptable. (P.S. A flawless rating is the only way to go in my opinion.)

Cut comes second on account of the way it looks on my finger. This is typically a personal preference, and mine rests on round cuts. (Cut relates to the shape of the diamond as it sits in the setting in case you didn't know.) If you know me then I'm sure your assumption was that I would prefer a princess cut, but you would be wrong. Princess cuts are too pointy for my preference, but I do enjoy the name. The round cut wins my vote on account of its ability to reflect light with ease even if it fails to pass my clarity and color test. I've included a diagram of cuts above to ease your personal decision.

Under the category of color I choose to include two topics. There's the conventional color which relates to the color of the diamond. I also include the color of the band and setting which case the diamond (I'm sure you already caught on that we're discussing engagement bands and not just diamonds in general. If not, SURPRISE! Now you know.). For the diamond color, less is more. The more colorful a diamond is, the more yellow it appears. The more yellow it appears, the less it sparkles. The less it sparkles, the less I smile. Thus a colorless diamond is the only way to go. As for the band, I have a personal preference. My father keeps telling me that yellow gold is about to come back into style. However, I have never been one to keep up with trends, especially not in jewelry. I am not a fan of yellow gold, and I will be wearing some on my right hand for the rest of my life due to my dedication to the traditions associated with my school, but my left hand is completely my choice. White gold/Platinum is my personal preference. Yes, it's more expensive, but only slightly, and isn't it worth it to put a smile on my face?! (If your answer was no, see me after class.)

Then there's the C that most women place high priority on, and I claim to place high priority on in casual conversation. However, if a diamond is chosen properly, this should be the least of the purchaser's concerns. A high carat, cloudy, yellow diamond may look impressive from quite the distance, but if you're easily distracted then you'll be quite disappointed with its lackluster appearance. It's better to have to have a modest-sized, flawless, colorless diamond than a large lackluster one. Keep this in mind.

Finally, there's the cost. The fifth C that everyone worries about but few include in the C's listing. It's true that designer diamonds are all the rage these days, and I'll admit that I have a Tiffany's catalogue page on the fridge beside my bed. However, I do not want a diamond that costs more than my car, and I do not want to be in debt because of the ring when I get married. Also, beware that not all designer diamonds are created equal. The prestige that follows the jeweler is grand without doubt, but there are other jewelers that will supply a much more spectacular diamond in a similar setting for approximately one-third of the price. I'm not saying by any means that I boycott designer diamonds; I encourage these if you have the funds to ensure the properly perfect diamond. For those of you who can't afford this, however, I must recommend the lesser-known jewelers who supply magnificient stones. Take for example my comparison of solitares from three different jewelers: 

• Tiffany 1C Solitare Starting at $9200 http://www.tiffany.com/Engagement/item.aspx?GroupSku=GRP10001&selectedSku=23281732#f+0/0/0/0/0/0 vs. A 14K White Gold 1C Solitare at Jared at $2899.99 http://www.jared.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryProductsView?No=12&Ne=1&Ntt=20806&Ntk=Category&langId=-1&topCatId=19061&bcCatIds=19061&storeId=10451&N=+0&catalogId=10001&categoryId=19061&viewTaskName=CategoryProductsView
• De Beers .3C Solitare Starting at $1800 http://www.debeers.com/Engagement-Rings/Forever-Engagement-Ring/invt/j1eu01b10p&bklist=icat,6,shop,toprings,ncrings,ringsengagement,j1eu01b10p vs. A 14K White Gold 1/3C Solitare at Jared at $499.99

So while we all sit at home and mock the "He went to Jared!" commercials, I fully endorse the Galleria of Jewelry's diamond quality, having witnessed them firsthand. However, a girl should never have to utter the phrase "He went to Wal-Mart!" If Cost is the first C on your list, look into jewelry stores at your local mall. They have plenty of reasonably priced, moderately magnificient to fully magnificient diamonds. Just because your local one-stop shop has a jewelry department does NOT mean you should frequent it for fine jewelry.

Just in case you missed the last important element of the perfect ring, it's setting. I prefer a solitare because of its simplicity. However, this is again a personal preference, and you are by no means obligated to share this view. Not only will a solitare be a nice transition from my True Love Waits ring (which I wear around my heart as well as my finger and the physical ring is simplistic and dainty), but there is more room to focus the fifth C on the fourth C without compromising the other three C's in the process. Something similar to the Tiffany setting is my ideal, although I recognize that the actual ring will likely not come from Tiffany's. This is perfectly acceptable to me.

I hope this overview has helped you in focusing on your ideal ring, and I hope that all the gentlemen who have read this far know what it is their future wives hope to obtain on their left finger at the time of proposal (and keep in mind that just because she knows what she wants her ring to look like does NOT mean she's ready for you to purchase it and pop the question, but it doesn't mean she's not).


Witticism of the Day: All girls over the age of 18 fantasize about their wedding day, and many already have most of the details hashed out in their minds. Don't freak out if you (as a gentleman) overhear a conversation about such things when your lady is among other women her age. This is perfectly natural and in no way means that she's waiting for you to pop the question. A lady always waits until the time is right.