For many people shopping for an engagement ring is a confusing experience at the start. They haven't ever shopped for a diamond - how can they know what to look for? Hopefully I can help you get started. Shopping for an engagement ring should be a fun thing. It's such an exciting time of your life so try not to get stressed about this purchase. Let's look at the first three things you should do. Once you get these out of the way, you can focus on the most important part of the ring - the diamond.
1) Set a budget
This is the first thing I recommend to my clients. You want to set a price that you can afford and stick to it. There isn't any rule that is set in stone about how much you would spend, but many people fork out about two months worth of salary for their ring.
Please don't spend more than you can afford. I have friends who took out a massive loan just so they could buy a bigger ring and they are still paying it off years after the fact. There is no point putting you (and her) in financial difficulties. If you can't get her the size of diamond you want right now, you can always "upgrade" her ring later on in life when money isn't as tight. Your budget is going to depend on a number of different factors, but be prepared to fork over a decent chunk of change. Diamond aren't cheap, but she will wear it forever and I promise the smile on her face will make it worth it.
2) Choose the type of metal for the band
You have three main choices here - Yellow gold, White gold or Platinum. Have a look at what she already owns when it comes to jewelry. If she wears only yellow gold, then it's an easy decision. If most of her jewelry is silver or white gold - you are left choosing between white gold and platinum. Platinum is about 3 times the price of gold. It is the most durable metal and many people love the fact that the ring could be passed on to future generations in their family. You will have to get it polished occasionally as it can start to have a "matte" look, but other than that there isn't much upkeep.
White gold has a little more shine than platinum and is quite a bit cheaper. It can damage a little easier but usually that isn't something you have to worry about. You will have to take it in to get replated every year or two - keep this in mind. White gold isn't actually white - it is gold that is mixed with other metals to give it a white look. It is also plated with rhodium to take away any yellow tinge. As the plating wears off, you will start to see a slight yellow tinge come back. Having it related isn't expensive but do keep in mind that it will need to be done.
It's not a bad idea to go and have a look at how both white gold and platinum look. Some don't like the way platinum looks and vice versa. It will help you out as you make this decision.
3) Choose the setting
The setting is the basic style of the ring itself. Does it have one diamond? Are there several diamonds on the ring? This is determined by the setting you choose for your engagement ring. You have three main choices to chose from. A solitaire engagement ring is the simplest but also the most popular. It is one single diamond mounted on a band. This is the perfect way to show off a diamond. A three stone engagement ring has one center diamond, and two smaller diamonds beside it - one on each side. These side diamonds are usually about 30-60% of the size of the center diamond.
A diamond engagement ring with side stones has one main center diamond, and then several small diamond on both sides. These diamonds are usually very small so they don't cost an arm and a leg. If you aren't sure what she would prefer, try to find out. The best way is to have one of her friends (that you trust!) ask her and then let you know. Girls talk about jewelry so she won't automatically suspect anything. You will feel a lot better knowing you got her the right one.
After you have these three steps down, you can move on to the fun part - choosing the diamond! She is going to be wearing this for life so make sure you focus on getting a stunning diamond - it's so much fun seeing my wife get compliments on it. Reminds me of the good job I did!
I put together a guide that you find at my website that will help you save money and pick out the best diamond in your price range. Have a look - I hope it helps.
All the best!
About this Author
Tom Mason is a diamond expert and specializes in finding his clients engagement rings at prices far below retail. His experience and expertise have led to the publication of the book The Ultimate Diamond Buying Guide - A guide that has helped people from around the globe find the perfect diamond ring at a great price.
Visit his website for more tips on saving money on your engagement ring purchase.
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