How To Buy An Engagement Ring

So you've found her. The good news is, that was by far the hardest part! So now you are ready to pop the question, and need to purchase an engagement ring? Here are a few helpful steps.

1. Determine Your Budget.
2. Do Some Detective Work:
   1. Figure out her ring size.
   2. Determine what style of jewelry she likes: elegant, or more showy? Modern & streamlined? Elaborate and detailed? Look at what she normally wears. Your clues are in what jewelry she reaches for most often from her jewelry box. (Especially if she is in a hurry!) Her favorite pieces will have some common characteristics. Your goal is to figure them out.
   3. Figure out what precious metal she would like. Does she usually wear yellow toned jewelry (gold) or white toned jewelry (white gold or silver)? Is she allergic to nickel or copper? Some white gold contains nickel, and rose or pink gold contains copper.
   4. Ask her family if there is an heirloom ring available, which would merge her past and your future together.
   5. Go ask her best friend or her mother what she would like. Most women have had many discussions over the years about their perfect engagement ring.
3. Educate yourself
   1. Learn about the 4C's of diamonds here.
   2. Learn about the various precious metals here.
   3. Learn about appraisals here.
   4. Learn about the various gemstones, their meanings and care here.
4. Time for the Ring
5. 1. Pick out the center stone. It may be a diamond, or it could be another beautiful gemstone.
   2. Pick out the setting, the metal & the accent stones.
   3. Another option is to work with a Jeweler to design a custom ring. (read about our design service here).
   4. If there was an heirloom ring, consider updating the stones or reworking the setting in some fashion.
   5. Consider purchasing an antique ring.
6. Ask her.