How To Buy An Engagement Ring

So you are about to buy that all important engagement ring. Needless to say you want to be sure you choose the right one – but ironically the very person who could help you choose is the person you will be giving it to!

This is one decision you will have to make on your own. But that doesn’t mean you can’t go prepared to some degree. As such here are some tips that should make the task easier than it would be otherwise.

Stunning Engagement Rings

How much are you looking to spend?

An engagement ring is a very romantic purchase. But you also need to be practical to a certain extent. It would be lovely to be able to walk into the nearest jeweller’s and select the most expensive diamond ring they sell. But in reality you need to think about how much money you can afford to spend on the ring.

The more time you have to prepare for buying it, the more time you will have to save for it as well. So bear this in mind and start saving at the same time (or before) that you start looking.

Do some surreptitious research to find the right style of ring for your loved one

You might not be able to ask your intended for help to buy the right ring, but you can still get clues from them. If she wears rings regularly have a look to see what they are like. Does she love gold and nothing else? What about titanium or even platinum?

And are those rings ornate or plainer in design? Whatever you find out, you must stick with that same style if you want to please her. If she wears very plain rings and you present her with a huge diamond in an ornate setting, you may not get the reaction you hoped for.

What size?

Another aspect you need to think about is the size of the ring you will need. If you are lucky she may already wear a ring on the appropriate finger. If she does you need only borrow it or make an impression of it to get the right size. Treat her to a hand massage if you are having trouble lifting the ring – she’ll need to take all her rings off to have one!

If she doesn’t wear a ring on the correct finger, one of the best ways to find out what you need to know is to ask some of her best friends to find out for you. Women will quite often discuss the possibility of a wedding at some point in the future with their best pals, without ever thinking that there is an ulterior motive behind their friends asking this kind of question.

What type of stone do you want to buy?

Diamonds are the obvious choice, but you don’t have to pick a diamond if you don’t want to. For starters you should go back to thinking about what your intended bride likes to wear jewellery wise. If she dislikes large stones and ornate settings you should look for something a little more understated.

For example, small diamonds can be set into the basic ring shape, providing something that is more expensive but not of the traditional engagement ring style.

You could find out what her birthstone is and buy that particular stone or you could even be bold and select the month for the wedding, and use that stone as the one for the ring. Another idea would be to pick the stone that signifies the month you will propose in.

Think about what design and setting you want

There are lots of settings to choose from when you are on the lookout for that perfect engagement ring. You may have less to choose from depending on the size of the stone you want to have included in the ring’s design.

Watch out for prong settings, bezel settings and pave settings. Prong settings are well known and very popular, but you might want to ask the advice of your chosen jeweller if you want to be sure you have got the right setting for your requirements. For example, the latter two settings make a diamond look larger than it actually is. These will therefore be good if your budget is tight and you want to make the most of it.

Pick a good jeweller

You need to feel comfortable with the jeweller you choose to buy the engagement ring from. Get advice from people you know and make sure they aren’t just trying to sell you the most expensive ring in the shop. If in doubt try several shops and then make your decision.

Be prepared and don’t leave your purchase until the last minute

Don’t forget that you may not be able to buy the ring off the shelf. Even if you have the cash ready in your pocket it could be that you need to get the ring sized and made especially for your needs.

When you initially start looking round ask how long it would take for a special order to be made. This will give you more information to go on and it will also help you to pick the right jeweller for your needs.

Still stuck? Think about treating your loved one to a shopping trip

It doesn’t beat getting down on one knee when she isn’t expecting it, but if you are really stuck this could be the best course of action. You could still surprise her by taking her into a jeweller’s and telling her why you are there.

This isn’t such an unusual way of buying an engagement ring, and if you are worried you will pick the wrong thing it could save you from making a big mistake.

But whichever way you choose to surprise her, the above information should help to ensure you pick just the right engagement ring to put on her finger when the time comes.