Buying an engagement ring is one of the most important and exciting purchases you will ever make! How do you know if you are making the right choice?
Ideally, your engagement ring should be an endearing AND enduring piece that brings you joy and uniquely captures everything about your love and commitment. There are so many things to consider before making a lifetime purchase such as this, so we’ve put together a buyer's guide to help you make an engagement ring buying experience a great one!
Understand and Set Your Budget
Money isn’t everything, but it’s very important to consider when you are shopping for an engagement ring. Throw out those antiquated guidelines about 3 months salary or the impression that the amount of money you spend on an engagement ring is some reflection of your affection or commitment. The right amount to spend on an engagement ring is the amount that enables you to obtain a quality piece that you both love that won’t hinder your ability to enjoy it. When you begin shopping, let your jeweler know what your budget is so that they can point you in the right direction, which will save both of you time and frustration.
Know Your Stones, Styles, and Materials
There are so many beautiful options to choose from when it comes to your engagement ring, from traditional to custom. Before you start shopping, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the different stones, cuts, styles, settings, and materials that an engagement ring can be crafted from.
Stones
While diamonds are the most commonly selected stone, sapphires are very popular, and you don’t need to stop there! Depending on your passions and personality, you may prefer another precious stone for your forever piece, so do some browsing to be aware of all of your options.
Style
Your engagement ring should bring joy and reflect who you are as an individual or a couple for life. So when choosing a style, it’s good to keep this in mind. Modern with clean lines? Classic? Bohemian? Vintage? Look around your home, at the things they enjoy shopping for, looking at and dreaming of on Pinterest boards, for example, and let this be your guide.
Shape and Setting
The shape and setting of the stone or stones in your engagement ring directly complement the style you gravitate towards. Round, emerald, square, marquis, princess, cushion, oval: they are all beautiful and perfect for the right stone. What about settings? There are dozens: halo, pave, prong, tension, gypsy, the list goes on different types of settings, so peruse your options while keeping in mind that not every setting is suitable for everyday use or for every type, cut, or size of the stone.
Material
Gold is always a classic choice, but did you know that you can choose from white gold, rose gold, platinum, silver, and even green if you are really looking for something unique! Each material has its own hue, durability, and cost associated with it that will compliment your style, setting, and the stone or stones that you have selected.
Know Your Band Size
This is one of those things in life where guessing is not a good idea. Some styles and materials can be intolerant of resizing, and it’s not very romantic to not be able to wear your engagement ring after you’ve said “yes!” So either select a ring your partner already wears, mark where it falls on your finger, leave an impression in a bar of soap or use the string method, but make sure you have the correct ring size!
The hard part is already done. You’ve chosen someone to share your life with. Now enjoy shopping for the perfect engagement ring with what you’ve learned in this guide.
Are you ready to start shopping, or do you have more questions?
Check out our education center to learn more about diamonds, gemstones, and jewelry. And if you're ready to start browsing all the engagement rings and styles we offer, head over to our engagement rings page to shop our favorites, learn more about custom engagement rings, and view our engagement ring FAQs.