10 Shopping Tips to Help You Find the Perfect Engagement Ring
10 Shopping Tips to Help You Find the Perfect Engagement Ring
A proposal is not complete without a diamond engagement ring. And since this will cost you a few months’ salaries, you need to be careful when choosing one!
Get your partner to say yes while still saving money in the process by following these tips on how to find the perfect engagement ring: 10 shopping tips to help you find the perfect engagement ring.
1. Settle on the Shape
Each diamond shape comes with a different price, so knowing which shape to buy will help you prepare your budget.
The most expensive style is a round-cut diamond ring, while pear and marquise-shaped ones are slightly cheaper.
If you’re looking to get a bigger ring, a non-round diamond shape will give you more carats for your buck.
2. Mind the Metal
Engagement rings, as well as wedding bands, are usually made from certain metals. The most popular are yellow gold, platinum, silver, and white gold, although rose gold has gained footing nowadays.
While silver and platinum look alike, the latter is usually more expensive. That’s because it’s rarer and denser compared to other metals.
As some metals get scratched easily, you should consider your partner’s lifestyle as you search for a diamond ring. This is especially the case if you want to have a stone setting around the band.
Most importantly, don’t neglect your budget!
3. Size Matters
The definition of a perfect diamond ring varies from person to person. Some would like to have a huge stone, while some like their diamonds to be crystal clear.
If your partner wants it big, you can always save some money by choosing a peculiar carat size. This is because diamonds are more expensive when they weigh by half and whole carats, such as .50, 1, and 1.5.
You can avoid the money trap by going for a 0.92-carat ring. At first look, this makes the diamond appear like it’s a 1-carat ring. No one would be able to tell the difference.
4. Choose the Perfect Measurement
A perfect diamond ring is all for naught if it doesn’t fit your partner’s finger. It could be too tight that it leads to an indentation. Worse, it could be too loose that it falls off.
While the perfect ring size is easy to take if you are shopping together, it can be a challenge if the proposal is a surprise.
You can subtly weave this into a conversation or simply ask your partner’s friend for the size.
5. It Should Complement Your Wedding Ring
The quest for the perfect diamond ring makes couples forget about one crucial thing: the future wedding band. This official symbol is often overlooked, so the two rings end up not looking well together.
Take the case of a diamond bezel setting ring, which is styled so that it doesn’t allow a ring to fit on top of it.
To prevent this problem, you need to make sure that the engagement ring style complements the wedding ring design.
6. Check for the Certification
Diamonds are expensive, so you need to be prudent when purchasing your engagement ring from a jeweller. You need to make sure that the stone is certified by either the Gemological Institute of America or the American Gem Society.
While other labs certify engagement rings, they usually give an inflated grade setting. This can make you think you’re getting a great deal when you’re actually buying a smaller stone.
If the jewellery store can’t produce a certification from any of the accredited bodies, you should look for another shop.
7. Double-Check the Certification
While certification is good, you should be able to double-check it with the ring.
Diamonds have laser-inscribed girdles so that you can verify the setting with the jewellery store’s loupe.
A good engagement ring usually comes with inclusions that allow you to check the diamond’s imperfections against the certificate map.
8. Choose the Color, Clarity, and Cut
The clearer the diamond, the more expensive it is.
But if you’re working on a limited budget, you can always go for the lowest colour as this looks colourless to the untrained eye.
For an engagement ring with round diamonds and white gold metal, I or J colours are good options. As for a yellow gold band style, a K colour diamond is a worthy option.
In terms of clarity, the same philosophy applies. You can choose the lowest clarity diamond that appears clean to the naked eye. The differences between SI1 and SI2 are tremendous, after all.
While you can save money on colour and clarity, the stone’s cut is something you should not take for granted. This is what gives the diamond’s sparkle, to begin with.
Even if the engagement ring is made from a rough diamond, it will look perfect if it’s styled flawlessly.
9. Find the Right Seller
If possible, you may try to find wholesalers or private retailers to avoid markups. These people can also work with you one-on-one to create a customized ring that doesn’t break the bank.
10. Be a Smart Buyer
Negotiate! Remember, a diamond engagement ring can be marked up by as much as 200%.
You can have the best engagement ring that your partner will say yes to by doing diligent research.
