If the love of your life really loves you back and both of you are already dreaming of a future together, she would not say “no” once you propose marriage. She will gladly say, “yes,” no matter what ring you present to her. She will probably just look at your eyes, smile and then hug or kiss you after you put on the ring to her fingers. But of course, the engagement ring you pick is very important, because she would like to wear it all the time for the rest of your life. After the proposal is over, you bride-to-be must be gushing at how pretty the ring is. This is why it’s crucial to find right engagement ring for the love of your life.
If you are ready to shop, here’s what you have to consider before buying an engagement ring:
1. Shapes
The shape of the stones matter most when choosing an engagement ring for your partner. It indicates the actual geometry of the stone, as opposed to cut. What do you think is the right diamond shape for the one you love? Round, princess cut and cushion are the most popular shapes, but if your partner loves being different, she might prefer other shapes. These include oval, pear-shape, marquise, emerald, heart-shape and Asscher. To find the right shape, you must know what fits with her personality best.
2. Style
While it is totally normal these days for couples to shop for a ring together, this takes the thrill of it all if you are the type of person who loves surprising your partner (or if your partner loves surprises). If you want to buy it on your own without having your partner know about it, be sure to do some reconnaissance. You can ask their best friend or sibling for help. If she uses Pinterest often, she may have created a board of her dream engagement rings. If she doesn’t share it with you, ask her best friend if she did see it or if she shares what she likes with her.
If you don’t want to tell anyone because you want it to be a top secret, you can pay attention to the jewelry she likes to wear. Check the metal – is it yellow gold, platinum, silver or rose gold? Probably she would want the ring to match her essentials. Does she like bold and statement-making accessories, or is she more of a minimalist? Does her style gravitate towards vintage or is she a modern-loving gal? You must take note of this things.
Her style might be classic if she has a classy attitude, a refined look and loves to surround herself with things that exude elegance. Try a round, diamond-faceted ring or a single rectangular-shaped diamond as these are timeless choices that would probably suit her style.
If she’s a romantic and easily gushes over your little gestures of love, a heart-shaped diamond may be perfect for her. If she has modern tastes, she probably loves to embrace current trends. She may love a rose gold ring, as this metal is trendy nowadays. If she’s a traditionalist who loves antiques and history, check out vintage and Edwardian style engagement rings for inspiration. If she’s artsy or creative, she will most likely appreciate Art Deco and Art Nouveau style rings. Better yet, get her a custom engagement ring to be unique.
3. Four C’s
When it comes to shopping for diamonds, consider the four C’s: cut, color, clarity and carat. This is the global standard for assessing the quality of the diamonds, and allows you to compare one diamond to another. If you want to learn more about this, check this out (https://engagementringcalculator.com/know-about-four-golden-cs-of-diamond-before-getting-diamond-engagement-ring/). But in brief, here’s what the 4C’s are about.
Cut
The cut determines how well the diamond can reflect light. It relies on the facets of the symmetry and proportion of the diamond – the more perfectly symmetrical the cut is, the brighter the stone.
Color
Isn’t diamond colorless? That’s what many people think. However, many diamonds actually have a slightly yellow or brown tint depending on their grade. On a scale of D-Z, D is completely colorless, while Z is a noticeably yellow diamond. Usually, only diamond experts can tell the difference in any grade higher than G. To get the most bang for your buck, purchase a diamond in the G to H color grade.
Clarity
The clarity of the diamond refers to the absence of inclusions and blemishes. Absolutely flawless diamonds are extremely rare and comes with a very high price. This is a measure of purity and rarity of the diamond graded by the visibility of the blemishes under 10-power magnification.
Carat
Diamond carat is often associated with the size of the diamond, but it actually denotes the physical weight of a diamond. Larger stones usually become heavier, which is why they typically have a larger amount of carat.
4. Metal options
When it comes to the band of the ring, you’ve got a variety of metals to choose from. Platinum, gold and sterling silver are the most common choices.
Platinum
Platinum is durable, pure and rare. It’s a hypoallergenic material, which is good to consider if your loved one’s skin is sensitive. It’s also corrosion-resistant, so you can expect it to last long. However, it is generally more expensive than gold.
Gold
Gold is naturally very soft and malleable, so it’s a common ring material. Karat (K) is the term used to measure its pureness, which is based on 24 parts. Gold that is 18K or purer is hypoallergenic, but the most popular gold jewelry in the US is 14K gold.
Yellow gold is the most traditional color. You can easily find a gold, diamond engagement ring because it’s pretty much a traditional and popular choice.
White gold is considered by many to be more versatile. It is made by alloying pure gold with white metals like silver and palladium. It’s a durable and beautiful choice for an engagement ring.
Rose gold is a popular trend in engagement rings. It has a pinkish hue, thanks to its alloys copper and silver, and it’s found to be more durable than yellow gold. Rose gold is a great choice also because it can complement any skin tone.
Sterling silver
Sterling silver is a common jewelry material, but it is rarely used in engagement rings. It’s also comparatively softer than platinum or gold, and is not the most durable of metals. But it’s the most affordable choice, so if you’re short on budget for a ring and the love of your life isn’t hard to please, you can consider this metal.
5. Setting
Sometimes, the right setting can make all the difference as it can set the tone for a ring. Setting is the metal framework in which the diamond is mounted. Do you want the ring to have a large stone to be the focal point, or do you want a cluster of smaller stones? The setting you choose can make the diamond/s appear larger, more striking and more sparkly, so think about the ring as a whole.
You can choose the classic and most common prong setting that looks like a metal claw that holds the diamond in place, or you can opt for the bezel setting, which holds the diamond in place with a thin metal rim or frame. There is the traditional cathedral setting that uses arches of metal to hold the stone high above the shank, or a bar setting that leaves the diamond exposed on two sides. There are other settings too – the pave, channel, tension, etc., but the important thing to consider is if it can show off the diamond safely and securely. You must consider your partner’s lifestyle with this. If she is an active person, go for a setting that secures the diamond closely to the band of the ring, so as to lessen the risk of getting it snagged.
6. Ring size
When it comes to engagement rings or any ring for that matter, it is important to get the perfect fit. Not every ring can be resized to fit the wearer’s finger, so it is best to buy the right ring size. To sneakily determine your partner’s ring size, you can snatch your partner’s often-worn ring from her jewelry box to bring to the jeweler. Or you can put one of your partner’s rings on your own finger and see how far down it slides on yours. Then, the jeweler can match this measurement on their sizing tool.
7. Your budget
Last, but definitely not the least important thing to consider, is your budget. You need to figure out first hand – how much can you afford to spend on a ring? Traditional rule says an engagement ring must be equivalent to one to three month’s salary, but you don’t have to follow that. In reality, the proper amount to spend on a ring is whatever you feel comfortable spending. You may be tempted to go overboard because you seriously value that person, but your betrothed-to-be wouldn’t want to begin your life together under a big credit card debt. It would be best to spend the money you have already saved up for this, instead of owing it to your credit card because you don’t have the money.