You just made one of the biggest choices of your whole life.
You’ve decided to propose to the man or woman of your dreams.
You’re sure about your future spouse, but you’re less sure about the engagement ring shopping process. While your lover’s best friends, your parents, and your friends are helpful, you’ll still need professional help.
That’s why we’ve put together some tips for buying an engagement ring that will make sure you’re making the right choice.
1. Remain Calm.
The engagement ring is a big deal, but it doesn’t need to give you a panic attack to get right. While there seems to be a lot of pressure from the media to get the proposal perfect the first time, all you want is to make your significant other happy.
Try to make this purchase as personable and relatable to your future spouse as possible. Take your time so you don’t make any rushed decisions. Above all, remain calm.
2. Set Your Budget.
You’re in a tough position: you don’t want to break the bank, but you don’t want a cheap purchase. Basically, the ring you choose should be a testament to your love, not a financial burden. But before you can begin looking at the price of details, you need to have a plan on how much to spend.
In recent years, there have been “rules” about how much you should spend on an engagement ring.
Is it one month’s salary? Two months? Three?
The real answer is whatever you can afford.
Figure out a date for when you plan to propose and if your current bills and your current income will change (for better or worse) in the near future. Formulate a plan of how much money you can reasonably save within that time frame, set a budget for yourself, and stick to it. If you have a set range when you set off, you’ll have a lot less stress over the vast variety of choices at hand.
Know also that the price of a ring is usually negotiable, too. If a choice is slightly out of your range, tell the jeweler.
You may be shocked at how much your budget can get you (and your spouse).
Check our buying guide for 1-Carat Diamond Engagement Ring
3. Do Your Research & Listen to Your Significant Other.
Has your significant other ever dropped hints about a style or cut they’re interested in? Have they commented on someone else’s ring—perhaps in your friend group or from a celebrity’s engagement?
Look for their style preferences by listening when they comment on jewelry. Create situations that will jog their imagination without letting in on the big surprise. You could go “window shopping” together. You could ask his or her friends for ideas. You even could ask your partner outright for ideas.
4. Know His or Her Ring Size.
What good is getting the perfect ring if it doesn’t fit in the end? But how can you get the size and fit right without letting in on your plans?
The answer isn’t surprising: You’ll have to take a ring they’re not using as a model. Look for the ring of the typical ring finger on either hand or look to rings he or she wears on his or her pointer finger.
Just make sure you cover your tracks well to maintain the surprise. It’s wise to avoid raising suspicion, though, so don’t get too lost in your schemes.
5. Don’t Be Afraid of Color.
Gone are the days of everything white and silver! Modern brides and grooms are incorporating more and more color into every aspect of their weddings.
Diamond rings with diamond accents are a traditional and classic look. But it can also be somewhat generic, and it’s a good idea to explore your options.
Sapphires, amethysts, and even clear pink morganite not only make the ring stand out, but these accents can make a center diamond look more stunning. You can also stick to diamonds but branch out to yellow or chocolate diamonds.
6. Make the Cut.
Diamonds actually look and feel different depending on the cut. No matter how many carats are in a diamond, a rough cut can make the stone look cheap.
The most popular cuts for an engagement ring are round, princess, and square cut. Recently, pear and marquise-cut diamonds are becoming more popular for their vintage appeal.
Look at pieces of jewelry that your bride to already own is a good way of seeing what cuts she prefers. Trust your gut when looking, and be sure to work with a jeweler that will show you different cuts.
7. Size Does Matter.
When looking at diamonds the beginning point for any shopper is going to be size.
Deciding with your spouse to be, or asking his or her BFF, on how big the stone should be will influence other decisions such as cut, style, and if there are accent gems.
But how are diamonds measured? Diamonds are measured via carats, which is a jeweler term for weight. The more carats the more expensive the diamond will typically be. The scale goes roughly from 1 carat to 5 carats.
Bigger may not always be better. The bigger the diamond the more of a statement piece the ring will be, and it may not stack with a wedding ring. Getting a feel of how flamboyant your future spouse wants his or her diamond is key to choosing a ring that reflects him or her.
8. Get Expert Advice.
In our technological age, there are almost unlimited choices when you’re making a purchase. While you may get a good deal ordering shoes or razors online, this is one purchase that you want to do in person.
Working with a reputable and GIA-certified jeweler and diamond expert ensures that you’re getting the best diamond at the best price.
Many places that source their own gems are also able to customize and custom design the perfect ring for your spouse to be. There’s no reason to go it alone when making one of the biggest purchases of your life.
Contact Us for More Engagement Ring Buying Tips!
While buying a diamond ring can be stressful, it doesn’t have to be. When you plan correctly, the shopping process can be smooth—enjoyable, even.
Let Wulf help you in the diamond engagement ring buying process. We pride ourselves on keeping GIA-certified experts in our employ. And with haggle-free, no-pressure pricing, we are here first and foremost to help you find the ring that’s best for the special person in your life, not to push you into a compromising purchasing plan you can’t get out of.
Reach out to us. Do you need additional advice about buying an engagement ring? Or are you looking to sell it to buy a different one? Either way, we’d love to hear from you. Just drop us a line online or by phone.
