As an industry leader in the Toronto wedding and engagement jewellery scene, we know a thing or two about choosing your engagement rings. Below, you’ll find our ultimate guide on choosing an engagement ring in Toronto.
Understanding Engagement Ring Styles
When starting to look for an engagement ring, one of the first things to consider is what style you prefer. Below are a few of the classic and most popular engagement ring styles.
- Solitaire Rings: Timeless and elegant, solitaire rings feature a single, dazzling diamond or gemstone set atop a simple band. This iconic style highlights the beauty of the center stone, making it a popular choice for traditional brides.
- Solitaire with Sparkle: Similar to your classic solitaire ring, a solitaire with spark ring features other stones on either side of the center gem, down the shoulders of the ring adding that extra bit of “sparkle”.
- Halo Rings: Halo rings feature a central diamond or gemstone surrounded by a halo of smaller diamonds or gemstones. This design enhances the brilliance and perceived size of the center stone, creating a stunning and radiant appearance.
- Three-Stone Rings: Also known as trilogy rings, three-stone rings symbolize the past, present, and future of a couple's relationship. Typically, the center stone is flanked by two smaller stones, representing the journey of love and commitment over time.
- One Ring: Also known as an all-in-one ring, it’s a single ring that acts as an engagement and wedding ring, a modern choice that makes life a little simpler. With one ring, anything is possible since there’s no need to fit it against another band, and they can be classic or unconventional in design.
Choosing a Ring from the Showcase
Just like other Toronto jewellery stores, our rings are available for purchase straight out of the showcase. You can choose from a wide variety of our ready-made wedding and engagement rings on display. Our Toronto engagement rings come in all precious metals including diamonds and coloured gemstones in a range of styles and prices. We are also famous for using rare and unusual materials. Our shop is open 7 days a week and there is no appointment necessary. Purchase a ring, present it to your partner, and if it is not quite right, come on back in and choose something else. We’re your go-to Toronto jewellers for engagement rings and beyond.
You can also explore a curated selection of our engagement rings online. This is a small representation of all the rings we have available in our Parkdale shop. However, they're great inspiration to show what's possible and are a selection of our most loved styles.
Designing a Custom Engagement Ring
We have been making custom engagement rings in Toronto for over 20 years. Many of the rings featured on our site are pieces that have been made for our customers. Tell us what you have in mind and share some images for inspiration, we will match you with one of our 20 talented in-house designers. All of our designers are highly skilled professionals with vast knowledge, experience, and accreditations.
For more information, visit our Custom Design Jewellery page to learn more about our process and submit a request.
Propose with a Stone
If you would like to surprise your partner but are unsure about having something custom-made without their input, why not surprise them with a stone? We will provide you with some beautiful stone options based on your specifications. Present the stone and then visit the gallery together to decide on the final ring design.
Providing Your Own Stone
Have you inherited some jewellery or have an existing stone that you would like to incorporate into a new piece of jewellery? We can remove your stone from its old setting and design a brand new engagement ring for you! We think this is a lovely way to honor the past but also a great way to have a new design that is a reflection of you.
When providing your material, our team will verify the quality and integrity of the stone. We are seasoned experts with years of training under our belt and can give you honest guidance and advice regarding the stones or diamonds you give us. Unfortunately, many online sellers sell less favourable stones at lower prices to make a quick buck. These gems can end up being nearly impossible to work with due to a lower standard of integrity in the material. Working with a reputable and knowledgeable industry professional is a great way to avoid any disappointments with the quality and integrity of your engagement ring.
Viewing Stones & Engagement Rings
We have a wide variety of finished engagement rings and wedding bands containing precious gemstones in our showcases for you to check out in person. Once you have a clear idea about what you are looking for, our designers can provide a gem show for you based on your specific requests. We can borrow gems from our dealers and bring in a wide variety of options for you to choose from. We will bring in gems that are at your budget, above and below, so you can see what the differences are. Providing gems for you to look at is considered part of our customer service approach and there is no obligation.
The 4 C's of Diamonds
If you’re looking for a diamond engagement ring, you’ll start hearing about the 4Cs. The 4Cs stand for color, clarity, carat weight, and cut, and they make up a grading system that determines the quality and price of a diamond. It’s important to note that this grading system is a guideline and doesn’t indicate whether a diamond is “good” or “bad”. At the end of the day, what matters most is what YOU think of the diamond.
CUT
A stone’s “cut” refers to the diamond’s reflective qualities, not the shape. The quality of the cut greatly affects the overall look of the stone. A good cut gives a diamond its brilliance, which is the brightness that seems to come from the inside of the stone. The angles and finish of any diamond are what determine its ability to handle light, which leads to brilliance.
When a diamond is well-cut, light enters through the top of the stone and travels to the pointy end where it reflects from one side to the other before reflecting back out of the diamond through the top, into the observer’s eye. This light is the brilliance we mentioned, and this flashing, fiery effect makes diamonds so mesmerizing.
CLARITY
Clarity refers to the presence of identifying characteristics within the stone, called inclusions, that occur during the formation process. Most diamonds have flaws or inclusions. It is extremely rare to find a stone with no internal flaws.
Inclusions are flaws such as air bubbles, cracks, and non-diamond minerals found in the diamond. Diamonds with no or few inclusions are more highly valued than those with less clarity because they are rarer.
Diamonds are graded for clarity under 10x loupe magnification. Grades range from Flawless to Slightly Included. Clear diamonds create more brilliance, and are therefore more highly prized and priced.
The diamond clarity scale is as follows:
- F – Flawless: No internal or external flaws. Extremely rare.
- IF – Internally Flawless: no internal flaws, but some surface flaws. Very rare.
- VVS1-VVS2 – Very Very Slightly Included (two grades): Minute inclusions. Very difficult to detect under 10x magnification by a trained gemologist.
- VS1-VS2 – Very Slightly Included (two grades): Minute inclusions seen only with difficulty under 10x magnification.
- SI1-SI2 – Slightly Included (two grades): Minute inclusions that are more easily detected under 10x magnification.
Remember that no two diamonds are ever the same. It is not like buying a TV where the working parts are identical and your decision is about the choice of brand and the cost difference. This is a different kind of purchase and we are here to help you learn about how to make the best choice for yourself.
COLOUR
A diamond’s colour refers to the presence or absence of colour in white diamonds. Colour is a result of the composition of the diamond, and it does not change over time. Colourless diamonds are considered the most desirable since they allow the most refraction of light or sparkle but are also the most rare. Off-white diamonds absorb light, inhibiting brilliance. However, many of our customers appreciate the unique beauty of off-white diamonds and we do not want to suggest that any colour is “better” than another. The whiter a diamond’s colour is, the greater its value.
To grade ‘whiteness’ or colourlessness, most jewellers refer to a professional colour scale that begins with the highest rating of D for colourless, and travels down the alphabet to grade stones with traces of very faint or light yellowish or brownish colour. The colour scale continues all the way to Z.
Note: Diamonds graded “G” through “I” show virtually no colour that is visible to the untrained eye.
CARAT WEIGHT
A carat is the unit of weight by which a diamond is measured. Because large diamonds are found less commonly than small diamonds, the price of a diamond rises exponentially to its size. One carat is equal to 200 milligrams, or 0.2 grams. Be sure not to confuse “carat weight” with “karat,” the method of determining the purity of gold.
These details are meant to give you a brief overview of the factors that go into pricing diamonds specifically. Coloured gemstones are graded individually based on each of their unique characteristics and we are happy to give you more details about that based on your needs. When you visit our gallery we have a variety of charts and visual tools to help you understand more about diamonds and their grading qualities. When you sit down to meet with one of our in-house designers they can go into much more detail with you.
Repurposed Rings
Have you inherited a piece of jewellery that you would like to have turned into something new? We can take your stones out of their old settings and give them new life in a design of your choosing. We can either incorporate your old metal or exchange it for money to be used towards your new engagement ring or wedding band.
Our Commitment to Ethical Diamonds and Gemstones
Ethical Engagement Rings & Stones
All of the diamonds we source are in accordance with the Kimberly Process. This is an international law that tracks a diamond from rough to consumer to ensure that the stone is conflict-free. Our diamond suppliers have a guarantee on every invoice that certifies that the diamond you are buying is in accordance with the law.
Natural Resources Canada has a Green Mining Initiative, so Canadian diamonds are a great choice. This initiative regulates greener mining practices, from using cleaner vehicles on mine sites, water protection and conservation, to flora and fauna restoration after mining has ceased. Canadian diamonds can be more expensive due to higher wages for miners and market demand.
Use Grandma’s stone. Re-using family gems is a great way to make an ethical stone choice. We can create a design that suits you and works for the size and shape of the stone you have. Stones can even be re-cut to create a new look!
Considering a lab-grown stone? Lab-grown sapphires and coloured stones are readily available, but range greatly in quality. Some lab-grown stones look better than others. Lab-grown diamonds are still not widely available in Canada. There are many suppliers on the Internet who sell directly to the public. Be mindful that not all ‘synthetic’ diamonds are actual diamond material. It may be a cubic zirconia, which would not hold up well for long-term wear.
Ethical Metals
Everybody has different priorities when it comes to making decisions about where you will purchase your special jewellery. We can assume that if you are interested in Made You Look, not only are you interested in owning something handmade, but perhaps you are also prioritizing shopping locally and supporting a business that is in your city. And, if those two things are important to you, then we can also assume that you would like to make sure that the raw materials used are also sourced ethically and responsibly.
We are happy to tell you that all of our suppliers are working hard to implement better business practices and are ensuring that their production processes are being executed with our environment as top priority. The jewellery industry is dedicated to recycling and improving environmental practices and some of our major suppliers are spearheading these initiatives.
Here are all of the reasons that you can feel good about your choice to have jewellery made here at Made You Look.
- We recycle all of our metal – we even sweep up our dust to take to the refinery. Since metal is valuable, none of it is being wasted.
- We can use 100% recycled metal – we have access to several suppliers who provide SCS Certified 100% recycled metal. (SCS Global Services is the certifier of choice for recycled content claims around the world, and for companies seeking certification of their in-house recycling programs.)
- We can provide you with information about our suppliers' Toxic Reduction Plans and Promises to act responsibly in all areas of production including water, waste, and energy management.
- You can feel good about shopping locally. Buying local means you are giving jobs to people in your neighbourhood and keeping money in the local economy.
- Everything is made right here, not in a factory overseas. Many of the artists pick up their supplies on foot, by bike, or TTC!
Keep in mind, jewellery is not the only reason for new mining. Global demand for commodities and the use of precious metals in the tech industries also contribute greatly. Many countries, including Canada, have Green Mining Initiatives and are working to improve safety and standards of living for miners and their families.