Unfortunately, most engagement ring tips that are out there are very misleading and vague. Luckily, working out how to buy an engagement ring does not have to be a difficult process. With the right approach you can surprise your partner with a ring they will cherish for years. Whether you have ideas or are starting from total scratch, these tips will help you get the right diamond, jewelry style, and settings for your engagement ring.
The following tips are here to help you buy an engagement ring with confidence and a great result.
Set The Budget
Among the many engagement ring shopping tips, you may have heard the advice that you should spend two or three months of your salary on an engagement ring. You may have even read engagement ring pricing guides that provide very high estimates for how much a “good” engagement ring should cost. You should instead determine your budget by looking at your financial situation along with specific desires of your fiancé-to-be. Getting married and starting your life can be a costly process. By purchasing an engagement ring that you can afford, rather than following outdated “rules” you will reduce your financial stress.
Style
The second step is creating a ring your partner will love by taking into account their style. Look at their other jewelry. Are the pieces mostly made of white gold or yellow gold? Does he or she prefer vintage pieces or modern designs? Talking to the fiancé-to-be’s family is a great way to gain insight as well. Do not be afraid to lean on the ones closest to your soon to be fiancé, such as best friends, parents, or even siblings.
Decide on Your Shape
When the time comes to design your ring, one of the aspects that you will have to consider is the shape. The main consideration for shape is personal preference. There are shapes for every personality. The shape you choose will also help you dictate your setting style. Most importantly, you want to ensure that your diamond is secure in the setting.
Understand The Diamond Basics
Having a solid understanding of the four C’s (cut, color, clarity, and carat) will help you make an educated decision on a diamond. The quality and beauty of each diamond can differ dramatically. Here is our recommendation for each of the four C’s.
- Cut: Only choose an excellent or ideal cut diamond to ensure that your stone offers only the most brilliance. Cut is the number one decider of a diamond’s beauty.
- Color: Opt for a diamond in the nearly colorless range from G-I to the naked eye, the diamond will appear just as colorless in the D-F range but will cost far less.
- Clarity: A VS1 or VS2 usually offers the best value for what can be seen with the naked eye. Inclusions and blemishes are not noticeable on these grades.
- Carat: because beauty and sparkle matter the most, focus on purchasing a beautifully cut diamond rather than a certain carat weight.
Find The Most Brilliant Diamond
Of all the other buying tips this might be the most important one. More than any other aspect of your ring, the sparkle-known in the diamond world as brilliance is a diamond’s most eye-catching feature. That is why it is encouraged to spend more of your budget on cut quality than any other characteristic. You want to find the sweet spot for the cut. Having a diamond that is cut too shallow or deep will reflect light poorly.
Choose The Perfect Metal
First step in choosing the right metal is picking one that compliments your partner’s style. If they tend to wear silver jewelry, choose white gold. If they prefer more color, consider a rose gold. White gold will require less maintenance and is cheaper compared to platinum. Second, when deciding between 14k and 18k gold, keep in mind that the main difference is their alloy composition. It all comes down to personal preference.
Select Your Setting
There are settings to match any personality, from the simple of a solitaire design to the features on a vintage ring. If your fiancé-to-be is someone that lives an active lifestyle consider a bezel setting or even a flush setting. That way the diamond will not protrude as much. For someone that is looking for a unique ring there are plenty of customization options.
Get The Right Size
Yes it may seem obvious, choosing the right size will help to keep the excitement rolling after the proposal. If the ring does not fit it may make it harder for it to feel like it is the “right ring”. It also means that you will need to send the ring for resizing which can take days to weeks depending on the style of your setting.
Contact Tower Square Jeweler
If you are in the market for an engagement ring Tower Square Jeweler offers a unique collection of engagement rings! Our team has professionals that have years of experience in the jewelry industry to help you find the perfect ring. Get started today by calling us at 508.699.7855 or by filling out a contact form on our website.