An engagement ring is going to be one of the most important pieces of jewelry you will ever buy. There’s a lot of pressure on you to make the right choice, and buying this ring can be overwhelming. There’s a lot of decisions to make, from where to propose to the stone in the ring, size, cut, clarity, and making those choices can be tough. With these tips, you can choose the perfect ring, ready for that perfect proposal.
Engagement Ring
The Style
There are several different styles of engagement rings. It could be vintage, traditional, modern, or anything in between. How do you know which is the right style? Take a look at the jewelry your girlfriend already wears, and pay attention to the pieces that she wears the most. Does she seem to like delicate or chunky pieces? Is her favorite jewelry modern or more traditional looking? Is it subtle or striking? Match the ring to the style she already likes to wear so you can choose something you know she will like. Look at some ring websites to get an idea of what different styles look like. Pinterest is also a GREAT place to search for engagement ring styles.
The Metal
Engagement rings are usually made from yellow gold, silver, white gold, rose gold, or platinum. Choosing the right one can be a challenging decision. As you did with the style, look at the metals she already wears, and match the ring to what she wears most. If, like a lot of women, she wears a mix of metals in her day to day jewelry, ask a jeweler for some advice. They can help you to choose a metal that will flatter her skin tone and style. Also, it is important to note that Platinum will be the most expensive route, but it really lasts and is worth the money. While white gold looks very similar to platinum, over time the the rhodium plating in white gold will wear off and fade to a yellowish tinge. Once you re-polish and re-plate the white gold ring, it will look white again. Platinum, which is naturally white, will not fade to yellow.
The Stone
The most traditional engagement rings have a diamond, but many more engagement rings are now being made using alternative stones, like gemstones. This can be a bit cheaper, and many women might like a colored stone better. Think hard about whether your partner is the sort of woman who thinks diamond engagement rings are the best choice or if she’s the sort who would appreciate a more unusual stone like an emerald, sapphire, amethyst or morganite.
You should consider the cut of the stone as well. The stones in engagement rings come in a wide range of different cuts that change how the ring looks. The cuts can make a ring look more modern or classic and can change how sparkly the ring looks. Choose a cut that matches the style you have chosen. Remember the 3 C’s when shopping, cut, clarity, and carat weight, make a huge difference when purchasing a diamond. Of all of the C’s, the cut is the most important one when it comes to technically analyzing the stone. The diamond transmits light, and the cut determines how much of that light interacts with the facets in the stone. According to the Knot, an average engagement ring in 2019 was $5,900.00 Of course, many people spend more or less than that. You have to do what is comfortable for you, financially. Many jewelers will also finance the ring for you to allow you to make payments. Look into your options.
The Size
We aren’t talking about the size of the diamond here. This is the bit that frightens people the most. You want to make sure the engagement ring fits correctly, but how you can get her ring size without her guessing that you’re planning to propose? Secretly borrow a ring from her jewelry box. Even if it’s for the wrong finger, a good jeweler should be able to make an educated guess for what her ring size is. It will be close enough for the proposal, and then you can have the ring correctly sized afterward if you need to.
If you need help planning an amazing proposal story, you know where to find us!
XO,
Table 6 Productions