Our engagement ring series continues…
Okay, guys and gals, now that we have your future fiancés all ooohing & ahhhing our favorite engagement rings (see our last blog post here), we are writing a post for YOU! We know there are SO many questions running through your head when purchasing an engagement ring, such as:
How do I know which kind of engagement ring she wants?
What is her ring size?
Is she a white, yellow, or rose gold kind of girl?
And if you haven’t visited a jewelry store yet, even more questions will surface like: Does she want channel set? Wait, WHAT IN THE WORLD IS CHANNEL SET? Don’t freak out just yet, we’re going to break it down for you.
HERE’S HOW TO PICK THE PERFECT ENGAGEMENT RING:
Start with HER Style
It could be that you know exactly what she likes and if that’s you, way to go! You’re a step ahead. If you’re like most partners, you might not and that is okay. Think about this: has she has mentioned the types of rings she likes or maybe you’ve even heard of something called Pinterest? Most girls will already have a few engagement rings pinned by the time you’re talking about taking the next big step. If you’re unsure if she has a Pinterest, no worries, read on.
Ask Her Closest Friends
When it comes to a girl’s best friend, whether it be a sister by blood, sister by choice (because you know us girls, we consider our bestest friends to be our sisters) or cousin, they usually know exactly what your girl might wish for. Talk to them (as long as they won’t spill the beans). See if they have talked to your future fiancé about it (we would be shocked if they hadn’t) and even see if they could show you a few pictures. If you feel comfortable enough, you may even ask them to tag along as you visit a few stores.
Know Your Budget
A diamond is to last forever but we do not want it to forever affect your credit. Someone once said: you should spend three months of your salary on the ring, but that is FALSE. You do what you are comfortable with. An engagement ring could cost you anywhere from a few hundred to several thousands of dollars. Don’t freak out just yet, because we have had a lot of friends whose fiancé’s have done a 1 year, 0% financing to help them pay it off over 12 months.
All in all, there is no right answer to the amount you need to spend. You should feel proud when your fiancé shows off her ring to her friends, family, coworkers and all of Facebook and/or Instagram, because we all know it’s going to end up on social media one way or another.
Look Around
Please, please, please promise us you will not go to one shop and purchase on your first visit. Be sure you are getting the best deal by going to a few places in your area. Don’t forget about those little ma & pa shops near you, too. You can get some great deals there; plus, it could be more of a one-on-one experience over the big box stores. We have heard wonderful things about both! Okay, enough about the place – let’s talk about the engagement ring!
The 4 C’s
Each ring has a spectrum of the 4 C’s: Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat.
- Color is really the absence of color on a scale of D-Z. A colorless diamond (D-F) is as close to the color of a raindrop, where as Z has a prominent yellowish color.
- Clarity are the characteristics of the diamond. There are internal (inclusions) and external (blemishes) flaws of a diamond. A diamond’s clarity is on a scale of flawless to included.
- Cut (although many refer to it as the shape of the stone) is actually how well the diamonds facets reflect light. It is based on a scale of Poor-Excellent. Diamonds are rare in that they sparkle like no other stone. So, you guessed it: excellent diamonds will sparkle and shine more than one of a poor cut.
- Carat is the weight of the diamond itself. 1 carat is defined as 200 milligrams. Note: When a jeweler or website says total weight (TW), that is considering all the diamonds on the engagement ring. So if you decide to purchase a ring with diamonds on the band and maybe a halo around the center stone, it’s the weight of all the diamonds combined, not just the center stone.
- The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is a great resource to help guide and protect you when investing in a diamond.
Diamond Shapes
Diamonds come in all shapes that sparkle. This is where her style really comes into play. Is she traditional? If so, you cannot go wrong with round!
Photo Courtesy of Beverly Hill Jewelers
Mounting Styles
There are so many ways a diamond can be mounted onto a band. The most popular are prong and channel set.
Diamond Alternative
Although most engagement rings today still consist of a diamond center, many couples are opting for other gemstones. A few popular ones are moissanite (a lab created diamond with the same characteristics as a mined diamond), opal, sapphire, ruby and aquamarine. These alternatives are stunning and affordable!
Give Yourself Time
Remember that purchasing an engagement ring is a process. More than likely, it will not happen overnight. If you’re planning on proposing on a specific date, we suggest you begin shopping a month or so before. Allow yourself time to visit a few stores, make a decision, order a custom setting if you decide to or resize a ring from the display.
Purchase the Engagement Ring!
You’ve come far enough that you’ve decided you want to propose and read this blog, now JUST GO DO IT!
Next week we will go over some tips and ideas for the perfect proposal! Check back then!