Let’s be honest. Every woman secretly hopes her boyfriend or husband understands the complex lingo of the diamond world…therefore, understanding how to select the perfect piece of diamond jewelry for her.

But, I say “hope” because for many cases, the answer is “No, he has no idea.” Sorry guys, but we know it’s true.

That’s why I’ve reached out to a few of my male teammates here at Hearts On Fire to get their help. To pick their brains about all things guys want (and need) to know when it comes to buying diamond jewelry, especially engagement rings.

As the first major diamond purchase a man will likely ever make, buying an engagement ring can quickly become an uncomfortable, stressful and frustrating situation. The guys I spoke with here all agreed. But I’m hoping that with their help we can make this process a little bit easier for everyone, starting with an understanding of a few of those daunting terms:

• The 4 C’s – The four characteristics used to describe the quality of your diamond: clarity, color, carat weight and cut.Read more about all four in our Understanding the 4 C’s section.
• Setting (also, blanks or mounts) – This is the mounting on which the diamonds sit and holds the diamond in place.  A setting alone does not include a center diamond.
• Semi-mount – A ring that is already decorated with diamonds and has space for a central, featured stone. Again, this alone does not include a center diamond.
• Pavé – A semi-mount featuring tiny diamonds on the band set closely together (so that very little metal shows through).
• Complete Engagement Ring – A ring that already includes a center stone and any accent diamonds in its setting.
• Solitaire – A diamond engagement ring with one featured (center) diamond.
• Multi-stone – A diamond engagement ring with two or more featured diamonds.
• Fire (or dispersion) – The flashes of color in a polished diamond.
• Brilliance – The brightness that comes from the center of the diamond.
• Inclusion – An impurity on the inside of the diamond and generally formed from the Earth.
• Blemish – An impurity on the outside of the diamond and generally formed from the environment it encounters.
• Proportions – The measurements of the diamond that determine the quality of the cut.

While this list doesn’t include every diamond term out there, it should help get anyone started!

Stay tuned for Part 2 with my HOF Guys (better name TBD)…as they continue to offer invaluable advice for any man immediately sweating at the thought of entering a jewelry store.

♥ HOF Girl

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• Hearts On Fire
• secrets for men
• diamond jewelry
• diamond engagement rings
• diamond terminology