ArtCarved has gotten into the limited edition engagement ring business. They have announced a partnership with 100 authorized retailers to sell the individually numbered series of 250 rings. The ring's design, which has been nominated for several design awards, features tapered baguettes and pave diamonds that cascade down the shank. The shank of each ring is engraved with its own sequential number. It will come in platinum but it will also be available, by special order, in 18k gold or palladium.

[via JCK Online]

Say the words engagement ring and the first thing that often comes to mind is the classic ring, the brilliant-cut round solitaire, most often set in a white gold mount on a yellow gold band. But the times are changing and other cuts are becoming the new trend. Bloomberg has a report on diamond cut trends for engagement rings. While the round is still the most popular shape, research from the Diamond Information Center reports that square cuts are now a full 30 percent of the market up from just nine percent in 1999.

Why the squares? Part of it is that celebrity brides have been spotted wearing cushion cuts, Asscher cuts and other more squared stones. Also today's advanced cutting techniques can deliver as much fire and brilliance from a square cut stone as a round one. The round stone also has the reputation of being both classic and perhaps a bit staid. A quote from Tracy Lantz of the Diamond Information Center used in the article gives another clue behind the trend. Lantz says that she received a round stone for her first engagement ring and now on her second marriage she wanted something different. I think the round is often the first engagement ring, the ring of the of the young bride whereas the older bride, with a craving for something different, and perhaps a groom with a bit more cash to spend opts for a squared cut such as the Tiffany Novo shown above.

Square cuts aren't exactly new, even Marilyn Monroe sung about them in the song "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" saying "square-cut or pear-shaped, these rocks don't lose their shape." The pear shape however, has fallen out of favor lately.

Here's one for the romantics. Instead of having two diamonds side by side, the Kissing Diamonds ring sets them end to end (or, more properly, culet to culet) so that the shape of the diamonds from kissing lips. The design is available in a wide variety of styles with a solitaire or three-stone designs in a yellow or white 18K gold settings. The potential for scratching here seems pretty high but My first concern here is that the diamonds would chip but the stones seem to be carefully chosen and matched to avoid potential calamity.

It's not the most exciting ring design I've ever seen but it's hard to fault the brilliance of Elizabeth Hurley's massive engagement ring. Vogue UK points us to a pic of the Chopard ring that Arun Nayer gave to her. It features a 15.09 carat Asscher cut diamond in a white gold setting with pave diamonds along the shank. The ring is from Chopard's Haute Joallerie collection and Chopard is also behind Hurley's wedding band of 20 square cut diamonds set in white gold.

Where are the best places in the world to buy a engagement ring? Telextext Holidays has created the list for the top ten places to buy a diamond and perhaps even save a bit of money.

1. Antwerp-- The Belgian city is famous for its Diamond District and the area has a history of processing diamonds that dates back to the 15th Century.
2. South Africa--Kimberley is famous for its diamond mines.
3. New York--Not cheap, but it is the home of Tiffany's as well as many of the worlds top jewelers.
4. Australia--The Kimberley diamond mine is home of the Australian Argyle diamonds and is famous for pink diamonds.
5. Amsterdam--Like Antwerp, Amsterdam has a long history of diamond processing and the local factories offer guided tours.
6. Paris--Like New York, not so much a budget option as a romance option.
7. India--As we have mentioned before India's diamond industry is still in a nascent phase but the area of Jaipur offers a variety of semi-precious stones and unique ethnic designs at a reduced price (especially if you are a good haggler).
8. Canada--Canada is the home of beautiful conflict-free diamonds.
9. Botswana-- world's largest producer of gem diamonds and the most diamond-dependent country in the world.
10. Thailand--The low cost of manufacturing means that you can find a good deal on jewelry and there are plenty of factories in the country.

Of course if you plan to visit an exotic location to pick up your diamond you always need to do due diligence to make sure that your stone and ring are everything that the person selling them says they are. But having a romantic adventure to find the ring might make the event even more special.