The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Perfect Engagement Ring

In this age of social media, life events, simple or big ones, are often documented, whether on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Wedding proposals and engagements, especially, make their routinary appearances in the news feed. Videos of romantic and creative flash-mob proposals are bound to go viral, becoming sources of ideas for those who plan to pop the question soon.

Before anything else, though, have you thought about the kind of ring you’ll give to your significant other? If you’re busy scouring YouTube for elaborate wedding proposals but you haven’t gotten around to buying a ring, stop looking at videos. Instead, do some research first.

Picking an engagement ring is not as easy as some people think it is. It’s not as simple as raiding the nearest jeweler in sight and buying the shiniest, most expensive ring on display. People have different tastes as to what kind of jewelry they like, so buying the perfect engagement ring takes a bit of research.

Engagement rings come in different styles. The usual stone of choice is the ever-classy diamond, of course, but there are other options too. You have many things to consider, such as the stone’s cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. You also have to think about the ring metal and the band design that will complement the stone you have chosen. If what we mentioned sounds overwhelming, start with choosing a local jeweler who can help you with the process. The decision still has to be your own, but talking to a professional can be of immense help.

Aside from that, you’ll need to brush up on your sleuthing skills—you know, for when you want to be discreet about your proposal—and you’ll learn all these things when you take time to read this infographic, for instance.

Once you’ve done your homework and bought the bling, get back to raiding your social media accounts, and start planning the ultimate wedding proposal that’s worthy of heart reacts and shares. Good luck!