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Length-to-Width Ratios: Everything You Should Know Before Purchasing an Engagement Ring

If you’re thinking about buying the special woman in your life an engagement ring, congratulations! Even just thinking about popping the question is a big step in any relationship. If you’re in the preliminary phases of purchasing the perfect ring, there’s probably a lot more to consider than you even think. If you have no idea where to begin, don’t sweat it, just keep reading!

If your future fiancée would prefer a round diamond, you really only need to worry about cut, clarity, carat, and color—which are commonly referred to as the four c’s. However, if you think she’d be interested in something less conventional, you may also need to think about length-to width-ratios. Here’s everything you should know before making the final purchase.

When do length-to-width ratios become important?

Obviously, you want the diamond you purchase to be as stunning as the woman who will wear it. Round cut diamonds are more straightforward when you’re determining the quality. If you’re venturing into the territory of “fancy-shaped” diamonds—like pear or oval—the rules begin to change a little.

According to the Gemological Institute of America, it’s important to keep proportions in mind when shopping. There’s a significant draw to oval and other unconventional cuts because they have a larger surface area. This makes them appear larger than round diamonds with the same carat weight. An oval-shaped ring can also make the wearer’s finger appear longer, and therefore more elegant.

Ratio Mathematics 101

It might have been a while since you went over ratios in high school or college. Finding the length-to-width ratio is very easy. All you have to do is divide the length of the diamond by the width, and viola! You have the number you need to inform your purchase.

If you’re looking for a magic number, unfortunately, you won’t find one. Like most everything in life, the ratio that will be perfect for you and your fiancée all depends on your aesthetic preferences. The GIA surveyed people and found that the most popular length-to-width ratio of an oval diamond was 1.7:1.

However, this number is difficult to find, because “it is not practical to cut such long oval diamonds from the original rough.” You’ll more likely find diamonds with a 1.3:1 or a 1.4:1 ratio. This preferred ratio changes, depending on the cut, but you can use the oval ratio to get a feel for how it works.

Think beyond looks.

I’m sure, no matter how physically attractive your fiancée-to-be is, you also love her for her other great characteristics, like her humor, her work ethic, her confidence, etc. When shopping for a ring, you should also be looking for more than what meets the eye. Not all diamonds are the same, but some are better for humanity and the environment than others.

When purchasing an earth-mined diamond, you have to do your research to make sure the company you’re purchasing from is truly ethical. You may also want to consider synthetic or lab-grown diamonds as a great alternative to earth-mined diamonds. Lab-grown diamonds are real diamonds; they just weren’t grown under the natural pressure of the ground.

For a company that can give you incredible, ethical options of all three kinds of diamonds in whatever cut you’re looking for; consider making your engagement ring purchase from Agape Diamonds. Their high-quality jewelry comes at an affordable price, you can take care of everything online, and they have a thirty-day money-back guarantee if you need a second chance to get that ratio just right. Check out Agape Diamonds reviews to see just how much other people are loving their jewelry.

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