We can’t say it enough. Cut is, in our opinion, the most important of the 4 C’s! More than carat weight, clarity, or color, nothing determines a diamond’s overall appearance more than its cut. The skill with which a diamond is cut determines how well it reflects light, which basically means it determines how much fire, sparkle, and brilliance your diamond has. A well-cut diamond will more often than not appear larger than a poorly-cut diamond of the same carat weight with a better color or clarity.

Round diamonds account for the majority of engagement rings sold in the US, but are often the most expensive diamond shape per carat weight. Fancy shaped diamonds (aka any shape other than round) are great alternatives to making your ring appear larger or more unique… you can afford a slightly bigger stone if you go fancy shape instead of round! Elongated shapes like oval, emerald, or pear-shaped stones also have more surface area per carat weight (they’ll take up more room on your finger!).

Surrounding your center stone with a halo of smaller sparkling diamonds will add to the overall appearance of your engagement ring, making the center stone appear larger. If the halo is done well, you can hardly even tell that it’s not just one big center stone! An optical illusion, if you will.

Three stone rings have such romantic symbolism: they symbolize the couple’s past, present, and future. For this reason they have always been a popular choice. But lately they’ve become even MORE popular since Prince Harry proposed to Meghan Markle with a gorgeous three stone ring. Three stone engagement rings feature two smaller stone accents embracing a center diamond, making the center diamond look larger and more dazzling.

Dainty, delicate bands will make your center stone appear larger than a more traditionally sized band. Often times these delicate bands will include micropave diamond accents or hidden halos to add some extra sparkle.

Gorgeous detailing like hand engraved precious metals, milgrain, and wispy vines of diamonds will add to the overall shimmer and visual interest of your ring.

Once you have your beautiful diamond ring, keeping it clean will seriously help to maintain its appearance and sparkle! A ring that is dirty will look dull, with less fire and sparkle than a clean diamond (much less impressive). For an at-home solution, jewelry cleaner (our favorite is a product called Sparkle, Sparkle), polishing cloths, or a few drops of dish soap in warm water will work just perfectly! After cleaning your diamond ring, use only soft, lint-free cloths to dry and remove any excess oil or film. Always be careful to avoid snags when you’re drying!

While diamonds are still definitely the most popular gemstone used for engagement rings, other gemstones are becoming increasingly more popular each year that passes. Our suggestion for this is so choose a gemstone that ranks high on Mohs Scale of Hardness (to make sure it’s a durable enough choice for an engagement ring). Sapphires, for example, are the second hardest gemstone after diamonds and come in multiple colors – including white –  which makes them a great alternative to a diamond. Katy Perry, Olivia Wilde, Kate Middleton, and many other celebrities are choosing gemstone engagement rings!