My niece, Maggie, got a huge case of sticker shock when she spent time online last week investigating top designer engagement rings.

Now she says she’s thinking of designing her own diamond engagement ring.

She started at Blue Nile, where she chose a .23 carat round-cut diamond with a “very good” cut rating, a color rating of “J” (that’s the worst rating) and a clarity rating of VS2 (that’s five notches below the best rating).

That diamond cost $279.

Then she chose the least expensive setting, a plain band in 18 karat gold with a six-prong setting for $360. That brings the total to $639.

With a budget of $1,000, she has room to make adjustments to improve the clarity and cut of the diamond.

For example, she can get a diamond of the same weight (.23 carats) and cut (round), but with a color rating of G (that’s “medium” on the color scale) and a clarity rating of VVS2 (that’s medium on the clarity scale) for $401. And that diamond has a cut rating of “Ideal.”

Switching to the $401 diamond brings her total to $761, which still leaves room to upgrade the setting by $239.

Maggie said the Web site helped her learn about diamonds and how they are rated and a good job of helping her narrow her search for the most affordable, highest quality ring.

But she still hasn’t decided on a ring. Now she thinking of learning how to make jewelry and really design her own engagement and wedding rings and getting get her fiance, Lucas, to take a class at their local community college.

Who knows, maybe Maggie will end up running her own jewelry-making business, all because she wanted to design her own diamond engagement ring.

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Whether you want to make a unique keepsake or just want something out of the ordinary, designing a diamond ring involves two very important steps. The first? Selecting the perfect diamond. To do this here are a few tips.

The shape of the diamond is very important. Think about your daily activities and hobbies. Marquise diamonds, with their sharp points, tend to catch on things and can leave a nasty scratch on skin, so if you have young children or work with patients, you might want to avoid this shape. After that it’s up to personal preference and style. Traditional favorites like solitaires and ovals tend to sparkle the most while emerald and and cushion cuts are more subdued. The square princess cut is a modern favorite as is the radiant cut. Heart shaped cuts are less popular but more unique.

The next step is to consider the 4Cs- Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat. The finest and priciest diamonds are the ones that are whitest, except for the “Fancy Diamonds” which can be yellow, blue or green. (They are extremely rare and have a very high price tag) Cut is extremely important as a poorly cut diamond will be dull and lifeless. Clarity refers to the amount of inclusions and blemishes the stone has. Being a naturally formed stone it’s normal for there to be some, and again, the less blemishes and flaws a stone has, the higher its quality-and price. Carat is more of a personal preference. The higher the carat weight the higher the price! Some other things to consider are the size of the fingers your creation will decorate. Small fingers make small stones look big but are dwarfed by large stones.

To be sure you’re getting the best, go to a local jeweler where you can examine the gems yourself rather than buying blindly online. Choose diamonds that have been certified by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) or AGS (American Gem Society) so you know you are getting the highest quality diamonds.

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Are you having a hard time looking for the right diamond for your special someone or even for yourself? Are you having trouble looking for the right kind of cut or size for your diamond? Maybe you should consider designing your own diamond, make your own unique self designed diamond, the way you want it. The right cuts, the perfect shape, the exact size, the way you totally like it. There are now online sites that are availing this feature on designing your own diamond. They are going to have you create and design your own diamond, the way you desire it.

For your best convenience, look for sites that allow you to design your own diamond. Always make sure to check how long it takes for your order to be ready until the time they could deliver it to you. Don’t forget to check the payment methods offered by your chosen provider. One of the benefits of designing your own diamond ring is that you can be sure that you have a one of a kind design. You can be sure that you won’t bump in to somebody with the same ring. I was once asked by a co worker where I get the rings I wear which differs based on the occasion. When I told her about designing my own ring, she was thrilled and started to follow my lead. We now design rings together as our bonding activity. We either use it for ourselves or give it as gifts for our loved ones. We sometimes even sell it!

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There are special times in our lives that a very unique gift is appropriate. Engagements are one of these special occasions. There are several options available for purchasing an engagement ring.

One option is to visit a local jeweler and peruse through their current selection for a ring or you can ask if they have a designing service. First you must have a specific design in mind before requesting to speak to a consultant. If you would like to have that one of a kind ring this is your best option.

It is best to really think about what kind of design you are looking for, such as a thick band or thin, engravings, inlays or solitaire settings. Another consideration is whether it will be part of a wedding set. If it is to be part of a complete wedding set it would be best to consider what type of style the second band will be, and how the engagement ring will fit together with the wedding band.

A specifically designed engagement ring or wedding set can be a very wonderful surprise for your future bride. She will appreciate the efforts you have made to make this a special gift and wonderful surprise for her. A great way to spend some time together is to do this activity together; after all it will be a ring she will be wearing for some time to come. It also may become an heirloom passed down from generation to generation. It can be the beginning of a very bright future for you both.

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There are many websites online that will offer you the ability to design your own diamond ring and create a beautifully crafted engagement ring or simple accent to your hand. Make sure that you look into the various options available to design your own diamond ring online as there are many of these websites available that will allow you to choose what you need. Make sure that you take advantage of the great design your own diamond ring options online and make sure that you have some money saved to purchase the ring that you design for whatever reason. There are plenty of ways to build a ring that you can afford and this is because some of these sites have a budget calculator which will be able to limit your options based on your budget to allow you to choose a ring that you absolutely will love on the budget that you can afford.

Make sure to look into the various options that you can use online when you decide to design your own diamond ring because there are plenty of great options. The more money you have to spend, the better the options will be when you decide to build up and purchase the diamond ring you make. Of course there are some diamonds that have different tints and you can also use other gemstones instead of a diamond in your ring to give it some flare. Design your own diamond ring online to prove that the extension of your love is real and that you took the time to create the ring that you wish to give to the woman you love so that she could make an important decision to spend the rest of her life with you!

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