Engagement Ring Guide

So, you have found the love of your life and had decided to pop the question. All you need to do now is to buy the engagement ring and propose. Sounds simple right?

But the problem is, most guys don’t have the faintest idea about how to buy an engagement ring or even where to shop for one. That’s why we’ve put together the ultimate guide to help you purchase a proposal ring that will make her say “Yes!”.

When considering options beyond traditional engagement rings, black rings have become a stylish choice for many couples. These rings, like those from the Peacefield Titanium collection, offer a modern twist on the classic ring styles. Each ring in this collection features unique materials that make your wedding band unlike all the others, symbolizing a distinctive bond between you and your partner.

Whether it’s the sleek black titanium or the subtle accents that catch the light just right, choosing a black ring can add a touch of sophistication to your proposal moment.

Buying an engagement ring is actually far less daunting than you think it is and there are only 6 steps you need to follow. Let’s get started…

1. Determine the Budget You Want to Spend

The first thing you need to do is to decide on how much you are willing and able to spend on the engagement ring.

Now, you may have heard that you are supposed to spend 2-3 months of your salary on an engagement ring but this is nothing more than a crafty marketing gimmick to make you spend more.

In my opinion, you should only spend what you can afford without going into debt. If you don’t have an exact figure in mind, come up with a range that is comfortable for your current financial situation. You could refer to this study that shows the average amount that others are spending on an engagement ring too.

Of course, you may also want to sound your partner out to see what she expects or prefers. Instead of blowing up your budget on the ring, she may prefer that you spend the money on a honeymoon or towards the home instead.

One way to do this discreetly could be to casually mention how much a friend paid for his diamond ring and see how she reacts in the conversation.

2. Find Out Her Ring Size

Getting the ring size right will save you the hassle of resizing it.

Getting the ring size of their partner correct is the part where a lot of men screw up when buying an engagement ring. So, if it matters to you that your proposal ring fits her finger perfectly when you go down on your knees, make sure you pay attention to her finger size.

If your proposal isn’t meant to be a surprise or your partner is shopping for the ring together with you, this will be easy. All you need to do is to bring her to the jeweler to measure her finger size or try on rings in the cosmetic jewelry section of a departmental store.

However, when it comes to finding her ring size discreetly, you may need to be a little sneaky to keep the surprise under wraps. If she currently wears a ring, the best way of doing this is to secretly “borrow” it when she’s not aware to measure it.

If she doesn’t wear any rings, then you will need to get creative. You could get her close friends or family to help you by bringing her out for casual shopping in a jewelry store or ask for her ring size without raising suspicion. Alternatively, you could also try out the methods here.

3. Learn And Understand the 4Cs

Before you shop for any diamond, it is important that you know what the 4C’s are – clarity, carat weight, color and cut. Each of these factors can affect the appearance of the diamond and directly impacts the value (cost!).

More importantly, a good knowledge of the 4Cs will set you on the right path to choosing the best possible diamond based on your budget. Here’s an overview of what they mean:

Cut – The cut of the diamond refers to the diamond’s ability to reflect light. Cut determines the brilliance of a diamond and how much it sparkles. You should only consider diamonds with a GIA triple excellent or AGS triple ideal cut rating.

Carat Weight – Diamond carat weight is the measurement of how much a diamond weighs. In general, prices follow an exponential relationship as carat size increases because of demand and rarity reasons.

Color – Diamond color is graded on a D-Z based on how white or colorless the diamond is. D represents the most colorless while Z represents a noticeable color tint. I recommend a G or H color rating to get a white looking diamond without paying the premium for a colorless diamond.

Clarity – The clarity of a diamond is evaluated based on the severity of its inclusions and blemishes. The scale starts from Flawless (FL) to Included (I3). For practical reasons, I recommend buying eyeclean VS2 or SI1 diamonds to get the best value for money.

Out of all the four C’s, cut is the most important factor because it has the biggest impact on the beauty of a diamond. Color is the most misunderstood factor as many people get overly obsessed about buying a higher color grade even though most of them aren’t able to see visual differences.

4. Find a Reliable Jeweler to Shop From

For the uninitiated, navigating the jewelry world is like steering a ship through fog. It doesn’t help that many traditional jewelers run their businesses with opaque or unethical sales policies.

Finding a reliable jeweler that has a consumer’s interest in mind will mean that half the battle is already won when you are shopping for an engagement ring. Here are 4 things that I personally look out for when I choose jewelers to work with.

• Good selection of loose diamonds for you to cherry pick from.
• Availability of tangible data like videos/scope data.
• Excellent workmanship in their ring setting.
• Money back guarantee (exchanges don’t count).

In essence, you want a jeweler that is willing to stand behind their products with rock-solid money back guarantees. This protects you with a completely risk-free shopping experience.

I know many stores offer trade up policies or even free after-sales services like cleaning or rhodium dipping. Most of these “extras” are bells and whistles that are good to have but not necessary.

What is important, is the tangible data that helps you assess how well cut a diamond is and how it looks like in real life. And these are features that you rarely get at physical retailers.

James Allen, White Flash and Brian Gavin are 3 of the most highly recommend places to buy a high quality diamond engagement ring. In fact, they make it super easy for you to design your own engagement ring. Check them out for yourself today!

5. Selecting a Diamond For the Engagement Ring

When buying a diamond, there’s more to it than just basing your decisions based on a lab report. Think about this. If all GIA or AGS certified diamonds are equal, why do you think that 3 different diamonds with identical grading look different and differ in pricing?

You need to go beyond the 4Cs to be a smart shopper. And this is the reason why I always emphasize on the need for tangible data.

Instead of relying on fluffy marketing sales talk or making impulsive purchase decisions, the use of tangible data will allow you to make rational decisions. It also makes the entire shopping process transparent for you as well.

One of my favorite vendors is White Flash and for good reasons. Their signature diamonds are extremely well cut for light performance and they are extremely transparent in their diamond listings.

Not only do you get to see exactly how the diamond looks like in a magnified photograph, they also provide a video to show you how much it sparkles. On top of that, light performance data like the ASET/Idealscope images and hearts & arrows images of the diamond are also available for easy analysis.

6. Choose a Ring Design And Style She Likes

Once you’ve settled on a diamond, the next step would be to choosing the engagement ring setting. Basically, the setting is the mounting where the stone is set and typically made of platinum, white gold, yellow gold or rose gold.

Personal taste and budget constraints would help you narrow down on the choice of metal. If you need more information, read this article on the differences between white gold and platinum ring settings.

I’ve also recorded a video below to show you how the various metals used in jewelry look like in a side by side comparison.

For some guys, choosing an engagement ring style can actually be the hardest part of the shopping process because they have absolutely no idea what the recipient wants. If this sounds like you, my advice is to look at her Pinterest board for clues or think about her fashion style that she gravitates towards.

Here’s a quick primer on the different types of settings (I’ve also included popular designs) so that you have some idea of what is available in the market when finding your perfect engagement ring.

Solitaire

14k white gold four-prong comfort fit solitaire ring at an affordable price of $560.

The solitaire ring is a classic and evergreen design that goes well with different types of diamond shapes and finger types. As the name suggests, solitaire rings feature a single diamond that is usually prong-set onto a metal head.

Since there is minimal metal coverage, this setting brings out a diamond’s brilliance and makes the diamond the brilliant focal point without compromising security.

Pave

A beautifully crafted cathedral french-set diamond engagement ring.

A pave setting can be domed or flat and has numerous small diamonds that are encrusted on the ring’s surface. These small diamonds (melees) are held in place individually with beads or small prongs.

Pave rings help offer another dimension of bling and are a cost effective method to add sparkle to the engagement ring. The drawback with this type of setting is that they can catch onto things like clothing easily.

Channel

This elegant ring setting features 24 channel-set princess shaped diamonds.

Chanel settings incorporate numerous tiny stones into open rows or channels that are flushed with the shank’s surface. The channel setting is popular for wedding rings but it’s not a good option for fragile gems, such as opals, emeralds, and the like.

Halo

Bright, dazzling melee diamonds outline the perimeter of the diamond in this ring design.

The halo ring is a setting that encircles with a row (or even multiple rows) of melee diamonds. This outline of melee diamonds helps to increase the brilliance of the setting and also makes the center diamond appear larger.

Besides the 4 types of settings I have listed here, there are many other designs such as bezel and tension settings that you can choose from. At the end of the day, the choice of ring setting design boils down to your personal taste, lifestyle and budget.

To view 100s of bespoke ring designs in HD 360° videos, visit James Allen and White Flash. Even if you are just window shopping, you can get inspiration and ideas for your future diamond ring purchase.

Summary: Design And Choose Your Own Engagement Ring

Searching for the perfect engagement ring can be a straightforward and fun process. The key is to understand what you are buying and take on a rational approach to buying the ring.

As with any major purchase, it pays to do your due diligence and research. In fact, I personally follow the steps outlined above when I buy diamond rings. Check out the most recent ring purchase I made at White Flash below.

Lastly, you should give yourself ample time to buy a ring and I recommend at least a 4-6 weeks time frame in advance instead of leaving things to the last minute. This will help you avoid any hasty decisions which may result in costly mistakes.

And with that, we’ve come to the end of this guide. If you have any questions or need a second opinion, feel free to get in touch with me. I would also recommend checking out the readings below to build up your jewelry buying knowledge.

More Articles on Buying And Designing Your Own Engagement Rings

• Should I Choose a Solitaire Ring Setting?
  The classic solitaire ring setting was first made popular by Tiffany & Co. and had since become the iconic symbols of a couple’s engagement in modern times. Find out what we think about the setting that has survived centuries of fashion changes.
• Difference in 14K Gold – 18K Gold – Platinum Ring Materials
  Having difficulty in choosing the correct material for your proposal ring? Find out more about the differences in popular metals used in jewelry before you come to a decision on which to use.
• Everything You Need to Know About Purchasing a 3 Carat Diamond
  If you are ever in the market to buy a large sized diamond, make sure you read this article to find out how you should approach such a huge purchase correctly.
• How to Determine Ring Finger Size of Your Partner
  Planning a surprise gift for your loved one? A major stumbling block for many guys is that they do not know the ring size of their partner. We give you some handy suggestions to help you out here…
• How Rings Are Created – A Peek Inside the Workshop
  Ever wondered how beautiful pieces of jewelry get created? We take you behind the scenes to look at the process of ring crafting in a jeweler’s workshop.
• Tension Set Rings – Things You Should Look Out For When Buying
  Contemporary designs in tension settings had raised the bar for people who are seeking a bold and stylish outlook in their ring. Check out some cool designs that will blow your mind away.
• Celebrities And Their Engagement Rings
  We probably heard about the mind-blowing diamond rings that Hollywood stars purchase from tabloids and magazines. Let’s admire some pictures of these ridiculously insane expensive rings.
• Prongs of a Ring – What Are They?
  Prongs are the part of the ring that holds the diamond in place securely. So, what do you really need to know about them? Well, if you don’t want to lose your center stone, you better read this…
• Getting Your Ring Resized
  Our body masses change as we grow older or as we face some lifestyle changes. So, what happens when you find your ring no longer fits the way it used to be? You will probably need to get it resized and I’ll show you things to take note here.
• Danhov Designer Ring Settings
  Looking for unique designs for your proposal rings or wedding bands? Danhov is an award-winning jewelry company based in Los Angeles who offers a plethora of contemporary designs for you to choose from.
• Fancy Buying a 1.5 Carat Diamond Ring For Your Marriage Proposal?
  Get insider tips to buying a 1.5 carat diamond ring and discover how you can get better value for your money. We also reveal some of the best places you can safely shop for an engagement ring.
• The Truth Behind Cheap Engagement Ring Deals And Wholesale Prices
  I know the jewelry advertisements of wholesale jewelry and cheap diamond rings sound really tempting. However, the truth is that these ads are just plain misleading and are full of misrepresentations. Find out more in this article.
• Palladium vs Platinum vs White Gold Rings – What’s So Special About Palladium?
  In this comprehensive write up, we take a look into the palladium vs platinum wedding rings and the differences between palladium vs white gold diamond rings.
• The Definitive Guide to 2.5 Carat Diamond Rings – Price + Quality
  A 2.5 carat diamond ring is the dream size for many women and can cost a significant sum of money. Find out how you can get the best value for your money and tips you can use to get a high quality piece of jewelry.
• The Best Engagement Ring Brands And Designers in the Market
  For people who are considering a designer engagement ring and aren’t sure which brand to go with, make sure you read this article. We reveal the different features of the competing brands in the industry to give you more insights.

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