Engagement ring shopping is a lot like hand-selecting a beautiful work of art. The amount of intention, time, effort, and of course, money that can go into finding an engagement ring for your love is something that can set the stage for an incredible wedding and beautiful marriage for the rest of your life.
But with so many options available, it can be hard to make the small decisions necessary to find the perfect fit. Do you want a lab grown diamonds or mined ones? Flashy or simple? Diamond or other gemstone?
At the end of the day, finding the perfect engagement ring comes down to knowing your partner and surprising them with a ring that fits their style, taste, and personal values. An engagement ring is also an opportunity to go above and beyond in expressing your love and showing how much your love story means to you.
Buying the perfect ring is a series of small choices and special moments that will help you understand what your partner will love the most and how you can find a ring that fits them in every way. Still not sure where to begin? Here are a few simple steps to get you started:
Gather As Much Information As You Can
If you and your partner have already been talking about getting married for a while, you’ve most likely heard them drop hints or blatantly express what they’d like in their ideal ring. However, sometimes you may find yourself in the position where your partner hasn’t given you any indication of what they’d like – if this is the case, finding a ring will be slightly tricky, but not impossible.
A great idea in this case is to recruit one of their closest friends or family members to help you with your shopping. This should be a person who is close to your partner and knows them well enough to be able to offer ideas of what they’d like or even casually ask them for information that they can then pass along to you.
A ring expert can also help you figure out what kind of ring your partner would like based on their personal style – for example, a classic cushion cut with a simple band for a timeless style or a brilliant ruby for someone whose style is a bit outside the box.
Know The 4 Cs And The Difference Between Lab-Grown and Natural
If you do collaborate with one of your partner’s friends or family members on your shopping journey, it can be helpful to ask them to gather information about your partner’s dream ring and how big, shiny or unique it is. The “4 Cs” of diamonds include cut, clarity, color and carat.
Once you’ve decided on the qualities you’d like each of these Cs to have, it’s time to decide whether you’d like to go the lab-grown diamond route or natural diamond route (or whether it truly matters to you either way). Lab-grown diamonds are a great choice if you’d like to save a bit of money and be more environmentally-friendly. This is also a great option if you want a unique color of diamond, like blue, pink or yellow.
Know The Details Beyond the Diamond
When shopping for an engagement ring, there are so many more things to consider than just the diamond itself. The metal of the band, the setting of the stone, the intricate details you may want to add … everything about the ring speaks volumes about your partner’s style, your attention to detail and even the type of proposal and wedding you may be planning.
If you’re not sure which route to go with any of these decisions, do a little snooping in your partner’s jewelry box to get a sense for their style. You can also ask your partner in crime to give their opinions on what your partner would like best.
Find Out Your Partner’s Ring Size
If you’re lucky, your partner has already told you their ring size many times. If not, you may need to get a little creative when it comes to finding the right fit.
If possible, sneak into their jewelry box and “borrow” a ring that you can use to measure out their approximate size. If this isn’t a possibility, ask their friend or loved one if they can casually try to find out their ring size for you.
Be open to the likelihood of having to get the ring resized after you pop the question. This happens in many situations, and don’t worry – it won’t detract from the romance of it all!
Protect Your Ring Like You Protect Their Heart
Okay, it doesn’t need to be this corny, but this is a serious step that a lot of people miss. An engagement ring is an expensive investment that needs to be insured like any other major purchase. This will give both of you peace of mind in case anything should ever happen to the beautiful ring you’ve spent so much time finding.
