Guide To Buying a Diamond Engagement Ring
When planning to buy a diamond engagement ring, you will want to buy the best for your bride-to-be, but it may be the first time you have bought her jewellery and it is a pressure knowing this ring will be shown off to everyone. Our guide keeps things simple:
Take your time
A ring can take up to six weeks to arrive, after you have made your order. This is because you will be buying the stone first, then the setting and then it needs to be made up. You may need more time of you want a custom designed ring. Any engraving you want on the inside of the ring is best requested when you place your order.
Decide your budget
Spend what you think is appropriate and don’t go into debt over a diamond ring, since you’ll be needing to save for the wedding and honeymoon. The ‘rules’ about spending one, two or three months wages on a ring were all began by advertising companies for the diamond industry, so just ignore them. You can always buy her a better ring for an anniversary down the line and laboratory created diamonds look exceptionally good now.
Shape matters most
Before considering the 4 Cs of the diamond world, being cut, colour, clarity, and carat, you will need to make a decision about what shape your future bride would most prefer. This means the actual geometry of the stone, whether round, square, oval etc. rather than the cut which in gemology relates to the angles of the facets in the stone, which create the brilliance and fire.
Then choose the setting
A quality setting, being the metal framework in which your stone is mounted will complement and celebrate the diamond of your choice. A classic round engagement ring stone looks modern in a bezel setting and a modern oval can look more conventional in a four-prong setting
Pick a band metal
The band for the ring can be made from a variety of metals. Colourless or near-colourless diamonds are highlighted best with white metal. Platinum is also a good hypoallergenic choice for those with sensitive skin. If you want a yellow, white or rose gold band, white metal prongs can still be your setting.
Consider an antique
If your soon-to-be wife loves vintage jewellery or clothing, or if she loves history or old films she may adore a vintage engagement ring or even an antique (over one-hundred years old) engagement ring. These rings are usually unique and coming with a sense of history is something a lot of women love. Antique rings usually cost less than a new ring of similar quality.
Choose a jeweller
Choose your jeweller from recommendations from family and friends or look for a store with industry organisation affiliation. Ask if they offer the chance for you to change the ring setting if your future bride wants a different style to the one you’ve chosen, you want to exchange the stone or if you need to re-size the band.
Ask for a diamond grading report
A diamond grading certificate for a stone of one carat or more that will give you the exact details of your diamond, including its ratings and grades for clarity, cut, colour and carat weight, including details of any inclusions or blemishes in the stone. This is also necessary when buying insurance for the ring.
And Finally…
Spy on Her Style
If you want to surprise her and not go ring-shopping together, you need to become a secret agent and get some of the details right, since she’ll be wearing the engagement ring everyday for life. Find out what style she prefers by looking at the jewellery she wears most often. Does she wear gold more than silver or platinum? Is there a stone she wears a lot that she might prefer instead of a diamond? Does she like understated classic or big, glitzy styles? If you know she’s going to be showing off this ring to everyone, buy something big and sparkly. If she rarely wears jewellery, choose something simple like a solitaire. If you want something really special, a customised engagement ring from a contemporary designer will be uniquely hers.
To find out her style you could plan a clandestine trip to a jewellery store with her. Say you’re looking to buy some shoes, a shirt or something else and as you walk past a jewellers say that you want to drop in to look at watches (for yourself or for your Dad’s birthday… make up a believable story). She is almost guaranteed to start looking at rings. Make a note of what has her interest and perhaps say something casual like, “That’s a nice one” to gauge her reaction. Then go back to looking at watches, then leave.
