Choosing the Ring

The right place

You found the person you want to be with forever, but what about the ring? Relax, in Temprell, you’ve come to the right place.

Choosing an engagement ring may seem daunting at first but with a little advice from our experts you’ll be well on your way to seeing it being worn with pride at every party from now to the big day and beyond. Scroll through the panel below for the four Cs, the main things you need to watching out for as you set about the task of picking your ring.

Cut

Now this is important

Cutting diamonds is a serious business - obviously they don’t just come out of the ground in the form you see them in the ring. The act of cutting and polishing the various facets is an art of exact dimensions and angles. A diamond featuring ideal proportions will reflect light back towards you, creating optimum sparkle.

When you see a diamond from the side too much depth means loss of light through exterior facets. Too shallow and light is lost through the girdle facets. The diagram above shows you exactly the sort of stone shape you need to be looking for.

Once you’ve established your ideal proportions, you need to consider the actual shape of your stone. The one you have in your mind’s eye is almost definitely the brilliant-cut, the classic vaguely round shape that's on every advertisement and movie. However, as you’ll see from the diagram above, there are others such as the Princess or Emerald cuts. Each have their own properties and each has its place in the various settings you could choose.

At Temprell we rigorously select our diamonds for cuts. We’re constantly on the lookout for the very best in terms of artistry and brilliance - we never buy anything but the very best. Which means, even if you aren’t a qualified diamond grader, you can rest assured that your diamond isn’t just the real thing but the best real thing.

Colour

The white wedding

The generally accepted idea of a diamond is the classic absolutely pure polished ice conception - flashing tiny rainbows under candlelight. However, like almost everything else diamonds come in variations of colour. Grade D indicates a perfectly colourless diamond with Z being a diamond markedly tinted. Colour distinctions are so subtle from grade to grade they are often unoticeable to the untrained eye but the practical guidance offered by Temprell will have you confident in your choice.

Since it is those diamonds at the top end of the scale that emit the all important flash of beauty, exceptional white and rare white are the ones chosen by Temprell for our engagement rings. We want your ring to catch the eye of everyone in the room and, for that reason, only the whitest diamonds form the centrepiece of our engagement rings.

Clarity

The diamond’s fingerprint

No two diamonds are the same, even when they have an identical cut weight and colour-grade. What makes them different is their clarity, the various properties imparted to the stone as it was forged under pressure and heat in the earth millions of years ago. Normally this takes the guise of other minerals having been present at the stones formation, disrupting the alignment of atoms as the crystal forms and changing the refractive qualities of areas within it.

Sometimes this can be so extreme as to create a wave of dullness through the stone, other times it creates internal fractures. At Temprell we hand select stones that are flawless to the naked eye which depending on the carat weight starts around SI1 and above. Only somebody trained would discern anything shy of perfection, even under magnification.

Carat

Watch your weight

Many people believe that carats refer to the size of a stone. Indeed whenever we refer to carat its normally accompanied by a comment about the proportions of the stone in question. However, what we’re actually referring to here is weight.

As a general rule of thumb, the higher the carat, the higher the value of the stone. That said, any jeweller will tell you that its better to have a higher quality small diamond than a poor large one. In diamonds, as in life, size might be important but it isn’t everything.

Ring Advice
The cut
The Setting
Sizing up

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The cut in detail

Round brilliant

Round brilliant

Princess

Princess

Emerald

Emerald

Oval

Oval

Cushion

Cushion

Marquise

Marquise

Pear

Pear

Asscher

Asscher

Brilliant

With its 57 facets, the ideally proportioned round brilliant cut proves the most popular thanks to its extreme sparkle. The perfect choice to represent tradition and timeless style.

Princess

The square modified brilliant cut or less formally the 'princess' cut radiates fire and brilliance. Due to its recent creation in 1981, the princess offers a more modern and bolder statement compared to the standard round.

Emerald

Pure elegance with a touch of deco styling, the emerald cut proves the most popular amongst our step cut family of diamonds.
With its facets cut and polished into extending oblong windows it allows for maximum viewing therefore high colour and clarity grades are paramount.

Oval

The oval represents a softer variation on the classic round cut. With a larger surface area than a round of equal weight, ovals are perfect when size matters. This organic shape harmonises well in trilogy or halo designs.

Cushion

Traditionally earlier brilliant cut diamonds were characterised by their square yet rounded shape, making the modern cushion cut perfect for vintage ring designs.

Marquise

An elongated fancy shape, the marquise cut is there to make a statement. Symmetry is key and poor cutting can display bow-ties but find the perfect marquise and you will be dazzled with fire and brilliance.

Pear

The elegant drop of a pear cut is both as unique and charming as its owner. Temprell recommends the wearer chooses point up or down.

Asscher

The individuality of the Asscher cut is unrivalled by all of the others at Temprell. It's Art deco opulence radiates from this octagonal beauty.

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Find your setting

Halo

Halo

Solitaire

Solitaire

Trilogy

Trilogy

Diamond shoulders

Diamond shoulders

Halo

Much like a bride with her bridesmaids, the halo setting features an important central stone with a halo of attendant stones surrounding. Its a classic setting that evokes engagements rings of yesteryear and is guaranteed to dazzle.

Solitaire

Sometimes simplicity can be spellbinding. The solitaire takes this maxim to its logical end by elegantly placing a single magnificent diamond on the ring. It’s the most recognisable engagement setting and the absolute epitome of quiet sophistication.

Trilogy

Representing the past, present and future of your loved one, the trilogy makes a stunning formal arrangement of stones in a setting that’s arresting and chic. Perhaps the only instance in an engagement where three isn’t a crowd.

Diamond shoulders

Mixing the simplicity of a solitaire with the added brilliance of smaller diamonds. Wrapping neatly around the finger your partner will be impressed with the extra detail she has to admire with a lifetime of wear ahead.

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Sizing up

The perfect fit

Getting the right size for a ring is something best left for an in store visit. However, we know it doesn’t always work like that… and everyone loves a surprise. So, if you absolutely have to get the ring before popping the question, we’ve included a downloadable size guide on the link below.

You’ve got a few choices, with varying levels of sneakiness! Either use an existing ring against the guide or bring it into Temprell surreptitiously. Maybe, if you’re struggling for a window, press the ring into Blu-tac and bring that to the store or wait until your loved one is asleep and use the paper size guide on the downloadable document. Whichever way you go, don’t get caught.

Download the Document