How to choose an engagement ring
Deciding to propose is a momentous step in your life, filled with excitement and anticipation. Along with the joy comes a series of questions: What should you say? Will they say yes? And, of course, how do you choose the perfect engagement ring? Allow Aspire Diamonds to be your guide. From determining her ring size to staying within your budget, our comprehensive guide covers it all.
Choosing an engagement ring
Finding the Right Ring Size
Discovering your partner's ring size, if not already known, can be a challenging task but is undoubtedly crucial. Here are some discreet ways to uncover this vital piece of information:
- Ask friends or family – Loved ones may have purchased a ring for her in the past or can subtly check the size of one of her existing rings.
- Sneak a peek at her existing rings – If she owns rings from reputable brands, you might find the ring size inscribed discreetly on the inner circumference.
- Can it be altered? – if you’re not sure on the ring size, but still want to purchase the ring anyway as a surprise, ensure that the ring can be easily resized. Remember, buying a ring that is too big is much easier to alter than a ring that is too small.
Setting a Budget
Arguably one of the most important considerations; how much should you spend on an engagement ring? Traditionally, the cost of an engagement ring should be equal to three months’ worth of your salary. Obviously, these days this doesn’t always have to be the case. There are options for lower budget styles, and with finance available we can help you if you have more expensive tastes! The most important factor in choosing a ring should be whether you feel it suits its’ intended recipient. The cut and style of ring you choose will obviously affect how much they cost, and we can help you find the best value for money example within the style you choose.
Choosing the Ring Shape
Usually, ring shape comes down to personal preference – but with so many ring shapes to choose from, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Should you choose a classic round-brilliant cut? Or go for something more unique, such as an Asscher cut? Here at Aspire Diamonds, our range of ring shapes includes:
Selecting the Ring Style
Ring style is often determined by the wearer’s personal preference – for example, if your partner has an eye for vintage style jewellery, she may prefer vintage engagement rings to classic solitaire. Here at Aspire Diamonds, we supply a wide range of ring shapes, including:
Ring Metal
Deciding on which metal to choose for an engagement ring is also an important consideration. For example, platinum and white gold metal are the most popular choices for modern engagement rings, whereas yellow gold is a traditional choice – creating a timeless piece of jewellery. You can also choose from:
The Four C’s of Diamond Buying
- Carat – potentially the most important factor - the weight of the diamond. This is measured by carat, for example, 1 carat is equal to 0.2gm. On average, the weight of engagement rings is typically around 1 to 1.5 carats.
- Cut – diamond cut is also another important factor to consider. The cut can alter that desirable sparkle that is the epitome of engagement rings if it’s cut incorrectly – as how the diamond is cut determines the character of the stone.
- Clarity – clarity refers to the inclusions (or ‘imperfections’) on the stone. Often, people can become fixated on diamonds that don’t include any imperfections when, in actual fact, they are typically invisible to the naked eye – so shouldn’t be seen as a fault.
- Colour – if a diamond is colourless (also known as ‘white’), this is deemed as the most valuable colour. This rare colour is graded the highest by jewellers on the scale, graded at Grade D. The scale moves all the way down to Z, and between D and Z lies a variety of diamonds displaying subtle coloured tones.
However, the most important piece of advice that we can give you is to buy her a ring that she wants. It’s likely she’ll have opinions on the type of ring that she wants – as she’ll be wearing this everyday for the rest of her life. So, make sure you listen to her if she drops hints, take note of her existing jewellery style and call on friends and family to help if you’re unsure. Now you have a better idea about how to buy an engagement ring, browse our selection of beautiful engagement rings online. Alternatively, visit us in store in our Jewellery Quarter store to view our engagement rings in person.
