Betteridge Jewelers Engagement Ring Book

Hand c r af ted Engag ement Ring s Since 18 97

Now & Forever We consider it our privilege and duty to learn from over a century of Betteridge craftsmen.

This wealth of experience enables us to create the most beautiful and durable engagement rings in the world.

Our jewelers have witnessed firsthand the strengths and weaknesses of every ring design and understand what gives a ring enduring style and comfort.

It is our dedication to the creation of lasting beauty that makes each Betteridge ring truly unique.

Selecting an engagement ring is an extremely personal choice that should be driven by a complete understanding of your options and opportunities. Read on and we’ll take the guesswork out of finding the perfect ring...

Terry Betteridge F I F T H G E N E R AT I O N J E W E L E R A N D O W N E R O F B E T T E R I D G E

Education Diamond Shapes The 4 C’s of Diamond Quality Diamond Certification The Betteridge Difference

4 | Diamond Shapes

Round Brilliant

Emerald

Asscher

Cushion

To create your perfect engagement ring, you should introduce yourself to the broad variety of diamond shapes available.

Diamond cutting styles vary widely, so you need to determine which shape is right for you.

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Oval

Marquise

Pear

Heart

Although the majority of engagement rings feature round brilliant cuts, many of the most distinctive and elegant rings are built with emerald, asscher and cushion-cuts, as well as other fancy-shaped diamonds.

6 | The 4 C’s of Diamond Quality: Color

D-COLOR CUSHION-CUT DIAMOND

A diamond’s color grade actually refers to its lack of color.

Diamonds with little or no color receive higher color grades.

“Color is the most important characteristic to consider when selecting a diamond, because particularly with larger diamonds, it’s the first thing that people notice.”

-TERRY BETTERIDGE-

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D

-F

COLORLESS

G

-J

NEAR COLORLESS

K

-Z

NOTICEABLE COLOR

Color Grades D

Highest color grade. Extremely rare.

E-F

While colorless to the unaided eye, minute traces of color can only be detected by an expert gemologist.

G-H

Color is only detectable if the diamond is compared to another diamond of a rarer color grade.

I-J

Color is barely noticeable as a slightly warm tone.

K-Z

Betteridge does not recommend purchasing K-Z color grade diamonds for your engagement ring.

8 | The 4 C’s of Diamond Quality: Clarity

FLAWLESS EMERALD-CUT DIAMOND

Most diamonds have minor imperfections, whether internal ‘inclusions’ or external ‘blemishes.’

Diamonds with fewer, or smaller, imperfections receive better clarity grades.

“We don’t sell diamonds with visible imperfections.

Although it might be microscopic in a diamond, it grows in the mind.”

-WIN BETTERIDGE-

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FL,IF

VVS1, VVS2, VS1, VS2, SI1, SI2

I1, I2, I3

NO VISIBLE IMPERFECTIONS

BARELY NOTICEABLE IMPERFECTIONS

OBVIOUS IMPERFECTIONS

Clarity Grades FL

Flawless

No internal or external imperfections. Extremely rare.

IF

Internally Flawless

No internal imperfections. Very rare.

VVS1, VVS2

Very Very Slightly Included

Difficult to see imperfections under 10x magnification.

VS1, VS2

Very Slightly Included

Imperfections are imperceptible to the unaided eye.

SI1, SI2

Slightly Included

Imperfections are easy to see under 10x magnification and may be visible to the unaided eye.

I1, I2, I3

Included

Betteridge does not recommend purchasing I-clarity grade diamonds for your engagement ring.

10 | The 4 C’s of Diamond Quality: Cut

IDEAL ROUND BRILLIANT CUT DIAMOND

A diamond's cut grade is an objective measure of its brilliance. A poorly proportioned diamond allows light to escape through the bottom or sides of the crystal. The finer the cut, the more light is returned to the wearer through the top of the gemstone.

“Although it’s often the most overlooked of diamond qualities, no other characteristic has a greater influence on a diamond’s sparkle than its cut.”

-BROOKE BETTERIDGE-

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TOO SHALLOW

IDEAL

TOO DEEP

Cut Grades for Round Briliants Excellent

Reflects the vast majority of light. Symmetrical pattern of light and dark areas.

Very Good

Reflects the majority of light that enters. May be slightly darker in center or towards edges than an excellent cut.

Good

Reflects much of the light that enters. Somewhat asymmetrical pattern of light and dark areas.

Fair

Noticeably less brilliant than better cut grades. Obvious dark patches in the center and towards the edges.

Poor

Betteridge does not recommend purchasing poor cut grade diamonds for your engagement ring.

12 | The 4 C’s of Diamond Quality: Carat Weight

2.01 CARAT OVAL-CUT DIAMOND

A carat is a measure of the weight of a diamond.

All else being equal, the price per carat increases with carat weight.

“Diamond price per carat does not increase linearly; it tends to jump following whole number carat sizes.

For instance, the price per carat of a 0.98 carat diamond may be substantially less than that of a similar quality 1.02 carat diamond. If you want to maximize the size of your diamond on a budget, then look for carat sizes that are just below ‘milestone’ weights.”

-TERRY BETTERIDGE-

ROUND BRILLIANT

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1 CARAT

2 CARAT

3 CARAT

4 CARAT

5 CARAT

6.5mm

8.2mm

9.6mm

10.6mm

11.4mm

EMERALD

1 CARAT

2 CARAT

3 CARAT

4 CARAT

5 CARAT

6.1 x 4.8mm

7.6 x 6.1mm

9.3 x 7.4mm

10.5 x 8.4mm

11.0 x 8.8mm

ASSCHER

1 CARAT

2 CARAT

3 CARAT

4 CARAT

5 CARAT

5.5 x 5.5mm

6.9 x 6.9mm

8.1 x 8.1mm

9.0 x 9.0mm

9.6 x 9.6mm

CUSHION

1 CARAT

2 CARAT

3 CARAT

4 CARAT

5 CARAT

5.9 x 5.1mm

7.9 x 6.9mm

9.0 x 7.8mm

9.8 x 8.5mm

10.3 x 8.9mm

* D I A M E T E R A N D D I M E N S I O N S A R E A P P R O X I M AT E

14 | Diamond Certification

5.24 CARAT EMERALD-CUT DIAMOND (D-COLOR, VS1-CLARITY)

Before you select a diamond, you should receive a copy of its grading report as verification that it has undergone an unbiased examination by a trained gemologist.

This report will include an analysis of a diamond’s color, clarity, polish and symmetry.

“The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) produces the most respected grading reports in the industry today.

Alternate reports, for instance, by the AGSL or EGL may grade diamonds to less strict standards than the GIA does.”

-WIN BETTERIDGE-

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16 | The Betteridge Difference

We handcraft all of our engagement rings. Unlike most of the jewelry industry that simply manipulates pre-made mountings, we make customized settings for each ring to maximize the beauty of your diamond and make certain it is completely secure.

“We only use the finest materials and engineer each ring to survive the joys and trials of marriage.�

-TERRY BETTERIDGE-

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Q

u a l i t y

Sta

n d a r d s

Characteristics

Betteridge Quality

Not Used in Betteridge Rings

Color

D, E, F, G, H

I-Z

Clarity

FL, IF, VVS1, VVS2, VS1, VS2, SI1, SI2

I1, I2, I3

Cut

Excellent, Very Good, Good

Fair, Poor

Our Standards We do not use diamonds with strong fluorescence, which alters the look of the diamond depending on the lighting.

We manufacture rings in platinum and 18k yellow gold; white gold wears poorly, and we avoid it.

Our mountings are forged, not cast. This gives each setting inherent strength.

Our Favorite Engagement Rings Round Brilliant Emerald Asscher Cushion Fancy Shapes & Colored Stones

20 | Round Brilliant

The round brilliant is the most popular and well-researched diamond cut. Using advanced mathematics, diamond cutters have optimized the number and placement of the round brilliant’s facets to disperse the maximum amount of light.

When evaluating round brilliants, cut and color tend to be the most important diamond qualities, while size, color and purity ultimately determine pricing.

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Round brilliant cut diamond engagement rings featuring, from left, three-stone setting, tapered baguette-cut sides, pavĂŠ-set diamond band, solitaire setting and vintage-style diamond surround with bead-set diamond band

22 | Emerald

Emerald-cuts are characterized by rectangular facets that run parallel along the length and width of the diamond, creating the iconic “step-cut.� This shape tends to be preferred by those who favor classic jewelry styles.

Emerald-cuts often have a more reserved appearance than round brilliant cuts, accentuating the clarity, or purity, of the diamond, as opposed to its brilliance.

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Emerald-cut diamond engagement rings featuring, from left, solitaire setting, half moon-shaped sides, three-stone setting, tapered baguette-cut sides and

East/West setting with pavĂŠ-set diamond band

24 | Asscher

Developed in 1902, the asscher-cut is an elegant variation on the classic emerald shape. For those who prefer a more vintage style, an asscher-cut diamond reinforces a historic tradition of beauty.

Color and clarity are critical when selecting an asscher-cut. Poor color tends to be visible in the corners of the diamond, and the asscher-cut’s large table, or topmost facet, accentuates internal imperfections.

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Asscher-cut diamond engagement rings featuring, from left, emerald-cut sides, bullet-cut sides, channel-set square-cut band, tapered baguette-cut sides and trapezoid-cut sides

26 | Cushion

The cushion-cut is one of the oldest diamond cutting styles.

Combining the old world elegance of larger faceting with abundant brilliance, this iconic diamond shape has been a Betteridge favorite for over a century.

When considering a cushion-cut, you should be mindful of the diamond’s color and clarity grade. Similar to an emerald-cut or asscher-cut, a cushion-cut’s larger facets call attention to poor color and inferior clarity.

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Cushion-cut diamond engagement rings featuring, from left, pear-shaped sides, tapered baguette-cut sides, bead-set diamond band, half moon-shaped sides and bead-set diamond band with milgrained edge

28 | Fancy Shapes & Colored Stones

Fancy-shaped diamonds, such as oval, marquise and pear shapes, as well as colored diamonds, are beloved for their uniqueness.

They offer the opportunity to break with tradition and express individuality.

Oval, marquise and pear shapes look particularly flattering are particularly flattering on women with long slender fingers.

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Fancy-shaped and colored stone diamond engagement rings featuring, from left, round brilliant cut fancy vivid yellow center with colorless calf’s head-shaped sides, marquise-shaped center with channel-set tapered baguette-cut sides, oval-cut fancy yellow center with colorless half moon-shaped sides, pear-shaped center with pavÊset diamond band and oval-cut center with tapered baguette-cut sides

Please visit Betteridge online at www.betteridge.com or call (203) 869-0124 to schedule a consultation with one of our engagement ring specialists. Š Betteridge Jewelers 2010

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