In regards to wedding jewelry, everyone’s first thought is always diamonds. However, if you’re getting ready to propose, why not shake things up a bit? Try a pearl as the main jewel instead of a diamond. Pearl engagement rings aren’t unheard of, but they’re certainly less common.
diamonds and pearls
There are several other difference between diamonds and pearls, apart from the obvious disparities in appearance. Pearls, for example, are borne from oysters in the sea, built up over time from the secretion of nacre (otherwise known as mother of pearl), while diamonds must be mined from the rocks that naturally contain them.
Unlike diamonds, pearls can be artificially cultivated by impregnating oyster shells with nacre. Also unlike diamonds, pearls cannot be cut into various shapes, remaining smooth and rounded, though there’s a wide range of pearl sizes. While pearls cannot be intentionally formed into certain shapes, they do form into a variety of shapes on their own, including round, semi-round, button, drop, pear, oval, baroque, and circled. (On that note, bear in mind that apart from the potential wrath of a diamond-crazy lady, the only possible concern with a pearl engagement ring rather than a diamond one is that pearls are a bit more likely to fall out of their setting than diamonds, due to their smooth, round surface.)
The way diamonds and pearls are priced is also very different. The cost of a diamond is based on cut, color and carat rating. Ironically, a colored diamond, hued because of imperfections within the stone, are rarer and therefore more valuable, while clear, pure diamonds are the most common. Therefore, a heart-shaped pink 14-carat diamond, for instance, will be more expensive than a shapeless clear 10-carat diamond. Pearls, meanwhile, are priced by their rarity and luster; perfectly round pearls are the least common and thus the most costly.
wedding rings
If you do decide to go with a pearl engagement ring, there are plenty of designs you’ll be able to choose from, or you can design your own. It all depends on the woman, of course, but many would probably agree that pearls are classier than diamonds. Of course, you’ll always have the women who are crazy about diamond jewelry, plus your bride-to-be might worry that people won’t realize it’s an engagement ring. The easiest way to preempt this is by including diamonds in the design. It could be as simple as a ring of small diamonds around the pearl, or inlaying many tiny diamonds into the band itself. Even nestling a smaller pearl in between two larger diamonds with a smattering of little diamonds creates a nice effect.
Keep in mind that the more you add onto a pearl ring the more expensive it will be. Look into stores that sell discount pearls and have diamond rings for sale that the pearl can be set into.
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