Ah, the perfect engagement ring—a timeless symbol of ever-lasting love and commitment. But where do you even start when it comes to finding the right one? Worry not, for we have four tips to help you find that special adornment for your true love. Grab a cup of coffee and let’s jump in!
With so many styles and options to choose from, finding the perfect engagement ring can seem overwhelming. But, with a little knowledge and research, you can find a ring that perfectly expresses your love for your future spouse. Here are four tips for finding a ring as special as the person who will be wearing it.
When it’s time to search for the perfect engagement ring, there are so many options that it’s hard to know where to start looking. A solitaire engagement ring would be beautiful, but so would halos and other styles.
The plethora of options makes shopping for an engagement ring a challenge, but the following tips will make your search a little easier.
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1. Research all available styles first
You can’t look for something you don’t know exists, so why not make a list of all possible ring styles before you even start your search? Start with the four Cs – clarity, cut, color, and carat. Then, consider things like setting and accent stones.
Clarity is simple – you want a stone that isn’t colored or clouded. Unless, of course, you’re looking for a colored diamond.
For cut, you have the following options:
- Round
- Pear
- Emerald
- Raidant
- Marquise
- Heart
- Baguette
- Oval
- Cushion
- Princess
Each cut has a unique shape and the facets are also cut differently, which makes each type of cut shine differently. You might have a specific preference for how the light reflects in the facets of your diamond, or you might just prefer a specific overall shape. Either way, it’s good to know what your options are.
For color, clear is ideal, but you might actually want a yellow diamond. It’s really up to you.
When it comes to carats, bigger is not always better, but it will always be more expensive. Keep in mind that lab grown diamonds are about 30% cheaper than mined diamonds.
The setting is a big part of an engagement ring. The most common settings are prong, halo, bezel, channel, bar, gypsy, tension, and pavé. For settings, you can choose from platinum, gold, white gold, rose gold, titanium, and other metals, depending on the jeweler.
2. Shop together
Finding the perfect engagement ring for your partner is easiest when you shop together. Traditionally, most couples don’t shop together, but that has been changing over the years. Now, more couples are shopping for engagement rings together for many reasons, but it’s primarily to make sure they get the right ring. It’s not always easy to know what ring your partner will absolutely love, but with their input, you’ll get the perfect ring for them.
It’s been said that most people should know a proposal is coming, so it wouldn’t be weird to shop for an engagement ring together. If you’re going to propose, it probably shouldn’t be a complete surprise. Your partner should at least know it’s a possibility, but ideally, you will have already started to discuss plans to start a life together before you consider proposing.
When you shop for a ring together, your partner won’t know when you’re going to propose, so your actual proposal will still be a surprise.
3. Look online
Traditional jewelry stores are everywhere, but you don’t have to leave your house to start looking for an engagement ring. In fact, if you start looking online, you’ll have a head start if you look at rings in person. Once you start narrowing down your options online, you can tell a jeweler what you’re looking for and what you don’t want.
Starting your engagement ring search online is a great way to save time, but you can also save some money if you find the right ring. Many people buy their engagement rings online and are totally satisfied.
4. Consider vintage rings
If your partner likes vintage rings, you have two options: find a vintage ring or buy a new ring made in a vintage style. Both are excellent ways to get the right ring if this is your style.
Vintage rings aren’t hard to find, but finding your ideal ring from individual sellers can be a challenge unless you know exactly what you want. The best way to shop for a vintage ring is to browse rings available from jewelers. They’ll know how to categorize vintage rings in a way that makes it easy to find your style.
Get Professional Advice
Getting professional advice is important in your search for the perfect ring. Jewelers are knowledgeable about the various types of diamond settings, band materials and price points which can help you find something within your budget that looks amazing. You can also get additional insight on important factors like choosing the right carat size or if you should go with a classic or contemporary design.
Professional jewelers have experience in knowing what works and what doesn’t, so don’t be afraid to ask questions! Additionally, some jewelers will let you create custom designs based on your ideas which can truly make the ring feel like it was made just for the special person in your life.
Don’t settle for an almost-perfect ring
It’s possible to find the perfect engagement ring, so don’t settle for anything you don’t see as perfect. Technically, your partner will be the final judge, and this is why many couples choose to shop together. However you choose your ring, don’t settle for something just because you feel pressured to act fast.
Take some extra time to find the perfect ring – in the end, you and your partner will be glad you didn’t rush the purchase.