Engagement Ring Shopping Tips to Help You Find the Perfect Ring
Shopping for an engagement ring and planning for the big day is an exhilarating experience, and you can easily get carried away in the planning. But don't forget – an engagement ring is usually an expensive affair, so making an educated decision matter.
Trying to find the best engagement ring comes down to a variety of factors. If you are starting to feel overwhelmed about embarking on your search for the ideal representation of your love and commitment, don't worry.
Whether you are shopping alone to surprise her with the ring of her dreams or going out together, we are here to help you find the perfect engagement ring for your partner.
Pick your shape or the “cut”:
A stone's cut is defined by the number of facets and angles that can affect the sparkle and brilliance of the diamond. If you know what your partner wants in terms of diamond shape, that'll help immensely to narrow down the focus in engagement ring hunt. Every diamond shape, is priced differently, and each diamond has a different price per carat.
For instance, diamonds in round cuts are more expensive than pear shape or oval shapes, or marquise. If the size of a diamond matters more than its shape to your partner, you can get more carats at a better price. So, before you begin the hunt for an engagement ring, research about your partner’s preferences and have one or two favourites in mind.
Choose the metal:
The type of metal you pick for an engagement ring band affects the overall look of the piece. Traditional engagement rings and wedding bands were made in yellow gold, white gold, silver, and platinum, etc. But, recently, rose gold has emerged as a fresh, modern, and trendy alternative. Out of all, platinum is significantly more expensive as it has a greater density (and is also rarer), whereas others are common. One thing you must consider is, some metals scratch easier than others, so be sure to consider lifestyle and also the budget, before deciding how important metals are in the final decision.
Carat size:
The diamond’s carat weight is one of the serious considerations in the decision. People usually make use of the word Carat while discussing how large a diamond is; on the other hand, "Carat" essentially refers to the diamond’s weight. There are some individuals that want their diamond engagement rings to be prominent and hence purchase a stone with a superior carat weight, while others want the absolute clearest possible diamond, despite the carat count. The size of the diamond is the kicking off point, because the other things; colour and clarity can always be adjusted to fit in your budget.
Tip: Diamond prices increase when they weigh the most desired weights, you can save some amount if you go with un-common carat size.
Have a budget in mind:
First, let's clear up the myth that an engagement ring should cost the equivalent of three months’ salary. That was a marketing ploy create in ‘30s and it should not impact your plans to buy a ring at all. What you buy will come down to how you prioritize the budget and what you are comfortable with. Our advice is; Spend as much as you think is appropriate. In the end, it’s not how much you spend, but how much love the ring represents.
Tip: If you can’t afford any major bling now, go with a simple platinum or pave band that offers room to grow as you grow together.
Find out the ring size:
Don't have a clue what her ring size is? Then find out. You don't want a ring that's cutting off the circulation or, even worse, so loose that it's at risk of falling off. It should feel snug but comfortable. If you're not shopping for engagement rings together, or if this is to be a surprise, ask her friends or family member to find out her size for you. Friends really make a great source of information. Chances are they might know her ring size and if they don’t, they will get the size somehow & will deliver the vital information to you. Bang! Bull’s eye!
Consider how your engagement ring will look with the wedding band:
When you go shopping for an engagement ring, think about what style of wedding band would go with your ring. Some engagement ring styles may not allow a wedding band to fit flush against them, so it's crucial to consider the full package of prong versus pave or channel-set stones before committing to an engagement ring style. If you’re looking to match, think proportions, think metals, think styles, think sets. And if you’re not, well, you don’t have to worry about it.
Buy certified diamonds:
An engagement ring is one of the most expensive purchase, so take time and shop smartly and spend wisely. When you finally find the ring of your dreams, make sure you are buying a certified stone from an accredited laboratory such as GIA, AGS, IGI, EGL, GSI, and HRD. The certificate is a document from an objective, independent third-party laboratory that describes a diamond in all its features. Each diamond certificate is marked with a unique number that matches the exact diamond it describes. All of our diamonds, at Forever Yours, are accompanied by a third-party diamond certificate.
Be smart about the quality of the cut and clarity:
Diamonds do have a colour rating system, where D, E, and F coloured diamonds are the rarest ones. Believe us, you can save big by purchasing the lowest colour diamond that will still look colourless to the naked eye once set in a ring. But one thing you should never compromise on is the cut because it's the cut of the diamond that gives it that sparkling shine.
Tip: Go for the lowest clarity diamond that is still clean to the naked eye, as it'll look identical to a flawless diamond assuming all else is equal.
No matter what kind of diamond you choose, as long as you have made an informed decision and utilised all the knowledge and tips provided to you, you will still wind up with an eye-catching and gorgeous diamond engagement ring.