If you and your other half are wanting to get married, then the next step is getting a ring, right? You may be surprised when the actual proposal happens, but most engagements themselves are rarely a surprise, as most couples have already talked about it and know that it will happen at some point. This means that buying an engagement ring will be right around the corner.
But the engagement ring can cause a little bit of a hassle; what if you don’t choose the right one?
And if you’re new to buying rings, or fine jewelry in general, then all of the words you’ll be hearing like ‘princess cut,’ ‘inclusions,’ and ‘eternity band’ can leave you wondering what on earth anyone is talking about.
So whether you’ll be the one doing the buying or doing the wearing, here are some steps to help you choose the perfect engagement ring.
1. Establish A Budget
When it comes to getting engaged and buying a ring, you need to know how much money you are going to be working with. There is no point browsing the Tiffany and Co. site if you are on more of a mall jewelry store budget.
Traditionally, an engagement ring is three months salary. But that is quite an old tradition; so just look at what you can afford, and certainly don’t get into debt to get a ring.
2. Choose The Metal
The budget can help determine what type of metal you get the ring in, simply because some metals are more expensive than others. The most common metals are yellow gold, white gold, rose gold, silver, and platinum.
You can buy rings in a variety of metals, (my ring has both yellow gold and white gold), or made from just one metal. Having an idea of what you like best, or what your partner likes best, will help you to narrow down your choices. If you think back to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle getting engaged, he knew yellow gold was her favorite. And even after that statement, some engagement statistics have shown that the sale of yellow gold rings has risen by around 30%.
So know what you and your partner like, then you can go from there.
3. Look For The Diamond
Traditionally, an engagement ring has a diamond. But the stone could be any type, from ruby to opal or sapphire, for example. But if you are choosing a diamond engagement ring, then you need to know ‘the four c’s’ when it comes to picking out the diamond.
First of all there is the cut of the diamond to think about. This doesn’t mean the shape of the stone, though; it is more about the cuts on it and the angles. For example, a diamond that is well cut will reflect lots of light and really sparkle.
Next there is the color of the diamond; yes, they do come in more than just clear! Colored diamonds can be popular, but colorless ones are the most rare.
Clarity (the quality of the diamond regarding the existence and visual appearance of internal characteristics called inclusions, and surface defects, called blemishes) and carat weight (the measurement of how much the diamond weighs) are next. These deal with the composition of the diamond and its weight; as you might imagine, the heavier and less imperfections, the more expensive.
Follow these three tips and you (and your partner) will end up with an engagement you both will love.
* This is a contributed post
I hope you found this information useful!
Hearts, Joy, Love!
Jean
For planning help and unique ideas for your wedding call or text me at 937-581-3647, or email me at jean@weddingsfromtheheart.net!