When it comes to buying a diamond engagement ring, the process can feel a bit overwhelming. With so many different factors involved, it’s easy to feel like you’re missing something or being misled. But if you slow down and approach it with meticulous attention to detail, everything will work out.
5 Tips for the Perfect Engagement Ring
First off, it bears stating that there’s no such thing as a “perfect” engagement ring – at least in the universal sense of the word. What’s perfect for one person will be undesirable to the next. Engagement rings are highly personal, and you have to look for your version of perfect. Here’s how we recommend doing this:
1. Understand the Parts of the Ring
You can’t buy your perfect ring if you aren’t intimately familiar with every part of it. Take some time to familiarize yourself with the anatomy of the diamond engagement ring so that you’re speaking the same language as jewelers and other industry experts. In essence, there are three parts to the ring:
- Center Stone: This is the bling, if you will. It’s the focal point of the ring and is typically a diamond. However, it can also be a birthstone or some other type of gem.
- Setting: While the center stone may be the most valuable part of the ring, it’s the setting that makes or breaks the ring. It can contain unique designs, a collection of smaller diamonds, side stones, or almost anything else you want. It can also be as simple as four prongs holding a solitaire diamond in place.
- Band: Finally, you have the band. This is the circular section of the ring that slips over the finger. The inner circumference is determined by the size of your finger, while the material is typically silver, gold, or platinum.
When shopping for engagement rings, these are the three elements you have to think about. They each go hand in hand and must be viewed in relationship with one another.
2. Select a Budget
Once you feel fairly educated on the anatomy of the diamond ring and what it is that you’re paying for, it’s time to set a budget. While budgets are important, you should know that it’s possible to buy a beautiful ring with both a small budget and a large budget. The important thing is that you determine a range, which simplifies the shopping process and give you a more realistic selection to choose from.
3. Find a Jeweler
It’s a great idea to shop around for a diamond engagement ring, but make sure you’re working with the right jewelers. Consider things like reputation, inventory, and auxiliary offerings and services. (For example, jewelers will offer various guarantees, discounts for existing customers, warranties, etc.)
4. Balance Modern Trends vs. Classic Style
When selecting a diamond engagement ring, there’s a delicate balance at play between choosing something that’s stylish and modern, yet simultaneously classic and timeless. In other words, you want something that looks good now, but will still be visually compelling in 10 or 15 years.
“As we all know, trends come and go,” Love & Promise Jewelers notes. “When it comes to your center stone, we suggest selecting a cut that you will love for years to come! At the moment, the trend we are seeing is the pear, oval, and cushion cut. From our experience, the trend of shapes is directly aligned with celebrity engagements.”
If you choose a trendy center cut diamond, then it’s recommended that you select a more classic setting (or vice versa). The key is to avoid being overly trendy, as trends in this space have a way of quickly running by the wayside.
5. Select the Right Diamond
You’ll definitely want to consider the entire look of the ring, but a setting can quite easily be replaced, swapped out, or designed by hand. The one thing that can’t be is the center cut diamond. Thus, choosing the right diamond is the secret to making the rest of the ring beautiful. In addition to popular cuts like pear, oval, and cushion, you’ll find a variety of other classic diamond cuts. These include round, marquise, emerald, and asscher.
Enjoy the Process
Buying a diamond engagement ring is exciting and meaningful. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience that should be enjoyable. While it’s easy to become intimidated by price, terminology, and variances from one ring to the next, don’t let yourself get so caught up in the details that you forget to enjoy the moment.
