Experts reveal five things that make engagement rings look cheap

Experts have revealed five obvious signs that your engagement ring looks cheap. Photo / 123RF

For many, an engagement ring will be the most expensive item you'll ever wear.

However, there are a few signs to suggest your shiny rock might not be worth as much as you may like.

British jewellery experts have shared with fashion news outlet WhoWhatWear five things that make a ring look cheap.

They also shared tricks to make your ring appear more expensive than it really is.

The first mistake that makes a diamond look cheap is to do with the colour.

Octavia Zamagias, from Octavia Elizabeth Jewellery, told WhoWhatWear that diamonds with a low colour grade are an obvious giveaway the ring is a cheap one.

Low colour grade diamonds like K, L and M are more yellow than the rest, rather than white and sparkly like the diamonds we dream of.

If you're concerned about cost, a smaller white diamond appears more valuable than a larger yellow diamond.

Zamagias said it's also important that the halo around it needs to be the same colour. This works to trick the eye, making the rock appear larger.

Looking closely, Corina Madilian, jeweller for US manufacturer Single Stone, says there's nothing that points to a cheaply manufactured ring more than bad metal work.

It's better to have a smaller white diamond than a larger yellow diamond if you want it to look expensive. Photo / 123RF

Pick a ring where the details have been paid close attention to, rather than one with rough edges and shoddy workmanship on the metal casings.

A more subtle sign of a cheap ring is large prongs on either side of the rock, says Ashley Zhang, from Ashley Zhang Jewellery.

Garish prongs can steal the focus from the ring's centre diamond, devaluing its appearance.

The use of sharp claw prongs makes for a more delicate result. It sounds like a simple element but it makes a huge difference, says Zhang.

She told WhoWhatWear: "Even if your stone isn't top-notch in quality or huge in carat weight, if it's set well, it'll look and feel far more expensive."

Another clear giveaway for a cheap ring is a high-set diamond, which suggests the ring was mass-produced and the base was used for a range of diamonds.

Zhang said the space between the culet, the flat face on the bottom of a gemstone, gives this away. The setting should be made from scratch and specially for each individual diamond. She added that the closer it is to the wearer's finger, the better it is for day-to-day life.