If you’re looking for a really dubious theory about the origin of the engagement ring, here’s one: Prehistoric men tied the intended’s arms and legs together so that she could not escape. Eventually her legs were released, and if she made no attempt to run away, then she wore a cord tied around a finger.
OK, well, fast forward to the dawn of the 21st century, a time when an estimated 80 percent of brides wear diamond engagement rings. And these days women wear the ring willingly; they don’t have to be lassoed like a runaway mastodon
Pavé diamonds are popular, according to Jana Lhotak of D’Amore Jewelers in Cliffside Park. Pavé literally means “paved” with lots of little diamonds. In this economy, she says, “It’s not the time to buy diamonds, but people do it anyway—it’s their wedding.”
Tony Lenardo of Hoboken’s Diamond and Gold Exchange agrees. “Bridal doesn’t get affected. Everybody needs wedding bands. People still get married and engaged.” He says the most common diamond is the round cut. “They’re the most traditional and hold their value.” He says 95 percent of his customers buy white gold or platinum, and the most common carat weight for diamonds is 1 to 1.5.
The Exchange does all its work on the premises. “We customize,” Lenardo says. “We make anything. They can bring in a picture, and we will match the engagement ring to the wedding band. The majority of men are into plain gold or platinum rings, no fancy diamonds.”—Kate Rounds
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Resources
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D’Amore Jewelers
731 Anderson Ave.
Cliffside Park, 07010
(201) 945-0530
Diamond and Gold Exchange
115 Washington St.
Hoboken, 07030
(201) 659-0486
Diamonds 101
Folks who know diamonds usually point to the four Cs when picking them: cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. For more help, visit www.gia.edu or www.bluenile.com.
Cut
The cut of a diamond determines its brilliance, and nothing could be worse for a diamond than dullness. How wide or deep the diamond is cut affects how light travels within the diamond and how it exits in the form of brilliance. A well-cut diamond will return the maximum of light to the eye.
Color
When it comes to diamonds, lack of color is a plus. Diamonds are rated with letters that indicate their degree of color. For example, D-J are colorless or near colorless. However, there are rare natural diamonds that present as yellow, pink, blue, or red.
Clarity
Scratches, trace materials or other blemishes are known as “inclusions.” The clarity grade shows how clean, or free of inclusions, your diamond is. Clarity is most important in larger diamonds whose large facets make blemishes more visible.
Carat Weight
Here’s where value comes into play. The word “carat” has entered our lexicon as an indication of value, even when we’re not talking about diamonds. Diamonds are measured in carats and the higher the carat weight, the more it will cost.