You have set the scene, spoken to her father or maybe you have already popped the big question; “Will You Marry Me?”. The four words that every girl wants to hear – the majority of us have been dreaming about it since we were children. So choosing the perfect engagement ring has never been more important, but as with every big decision in life it can get confusing. Here is your definitive guide to picking the exact ring that will make her light up inside.
Know what your budget is
Many people commonly panic when they begin to consider how much to spend on that one ring that will change their lives. Everyone has a different theory on how much is acceptable, or right. The honest answer is that you should set a budget that you can afford – it really is that simple. You may have been saving for months, or you may not have, but either way you should have an amount of money set aside.
The ring is a symbol of your love for each other, so if you don’t have the budget you want then don’t let that postpone the proposal. You can pop the big question and find the ring at a separate time; there are after all hundreds out there to choose from. Have a look at the collections in different stores such as Michael Hill for some inspiration.
Know her style
This may sound completely obvious, but knowing her style is the key to picking the right ring and let’s face it many of us simply don’t know. If you don’t want to ask out right, then you are going to have to get a little creative, starting with looking at her current jewellery choices. Does she wear more silver than gold? Or is she a fan of precious stones like rubies? You can learn a lot from looking at her current choices.
Once you have a starting point, then you can look at her fashion choices in general, is she a glamorous lady or a tom boy? The clothing she chooses to wear is a great way to look for colour choices and how big a ring she would like. Finally you can ask her family or friends; this is where you would have to be very careful of who you would trust – you don’t want the news to get back to her.
Brush up on your diamond and metals knowledge
By this point you will have a pretty good idea of the style that you are looking to buy, now you just need a little research behind you so that you can find the ultimate ring. There are many cuts of diamonds, from hearts through to ovals – this will determine the main shape of the ring and you will need to take into consideration the size of the diamond. Plus you have to look at different fittings such as Pave or Bezel Set. It is these finer details that will determine the price, size and style of the ring that you choose, so do your homework first. If you head to the jewellers with a well thought out plan you will be a lot less confused by viewing multiple styles.
Image via Flickr via tarale
