When it comes to shopping for a wedding ring, there’s a myriad of terms that you’ll have to become familiar with if you’re to choose the one that’s perfect for you. We’ve compiled a handy ring terminology guide for those who are in the dark about the four Cs, settings, blemishes and cuts.

• Carat – This is the standard term used for the weight of a diamond. Generally speaking, the more carats, the better!
• Clarity – This means the absence of internal inclusions and external blemishes on a diamond. These are ranked in ‘Grades’, and go from Flawless to Included.
• Colour – This may seem simple, but actually this term refers to the lack of colour in a diamond. The less body colour the diamond has, the more valuable it is considered.
• Court – Court-shaped wedding rings are curved on the outside and on the inside for a highly comfortable fit.
• Cut – The proportions, finish and symmetry of a diamond. It can also refer to the shape of the diamond (round, pear, oval, etc.) – more about this later!
• D-Shaped – These rings are flat on the inside and curved on the outside; often the cheapest type of wedding rings.
• Flat / Flat Court – Flat rings are entirely flat both on the inside and the outside, while Flat Court rings are the inverse of Court rings – flat on the outside and curved on the inside for a comfortable fit.
• Scintillation – It’s likely that the bride-to-be is going to be most preoccupied with the scintillation of her wedding ring. It means the reflections of light caused by a diamond’s movement – or, in other words, how sparkly it is!
• Semi-Mount – This is usually more relevant for engagement rings than wedding rings. It refers to a ring sold with only the side stones, allowing for the centre stone to be sold separately, accounting for size, shape and colour of the stone.
• Setting – This is where the diamond sits on the ring. The term also refers to the materials used to hold the diamond in place, also known as ‘blanks’ or ‘mountings’. There are many different settings – cathedral, prong, bezel, channel, bead and cluster, to name but a few.
• Shank – This is the part of the ring that encircles the finger.
• Solitaire – A single stone set on a ring. This is the most common type of ring, and shows off beautiful stones to perfection.

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