Firstly have an idea of your budget, however, don't be confined by this. Many independent jewellers will be open to negotiation, and you may be able to get a discount. Go for the best ring you can afford, after all, it is forever. When budgeting for engagement rings, a rule of thumb is two months’ salary, but it comes down to what you are comfortable with says orlajames.com
Think about your wife to be. Does she like modern styles or is she more traditional? Does she wear yellow gold or does she prefer white gold or platinum? White metals are very fashionable at the moment, be it white gold, palladium or platinum.
White gold is very popular. In this country white gold is usually 9 ct or 18 ct. 9 ct gold is cheaper than 18 ct as there is less gold in the ring the rest being made up of other alloys. A consideration with white gold is that it may need to be rhodium plated every two or three years to make it bright and shiny again.
Palladium is from the family of platinum but is less expensive. It is tough and has a look that never tarnishes. It is popular for men's wedding rings especially and can have a slighter darker look than white gold.
Platinum is the purest and valuable precious metal there is and it is said it is the best metal to show off a diamond as it stays true white and does not impart any colour hue on the diamond. It is also the most expensive metal on the market, but after all, it is the rarest.
Yellow gold has a bright yellow colour and is the traditional choice for an engagement ring. Usually, a yellow gold engagement ring will be 9 ct or 18 ct.
Now to the style of ring. The usual type of engagement ring is a diamond ring however there are no hard and fast rules these days and coloured stones are starting to become fashionable however in this post I will concentrate on diamond rings.
When you are buying a diamond ring the 4 C's come into consideration - Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat weight. The Cut is the shape of the stone - from brilliant-cut diamonds to more unusual shapes. The Colour is the colour of the diamond - the whiter clearer diamonds being the most valuable in general. The Clarity is how clear the diamond is, the best diamonds are flawless with no carbon deposits, however, if the diamond is smaller than a carat in weight you may not see these with the naked eye. The Carat weight is the size of the diamond. Diamond rings increase in cost when you get to the .5ct and 1ct mark and so on increments.
Diamond rings can be multiple stones, single solitaire or cluster rings made up of smaller diamonds. This is a good choice if the cost is an issue. Round stones are usually brilliant-cut with many facets. Square-cut stones are called Princess cut and Emerald cut diamonds are rectangular in shape. Emerald cut diamonds are often more expensive than brilliant-cut diamonds as the cut of the stone can show any imperfections. Consequently, these stones are usually excellent quality with little carbon deposits. Trilogy rings are rings with one centre stone and two smaller stones set either side. These are said to represent past, present and future.
I hope this has helped you in your choice of engagement ring, and at the end of the day buy a ring you think she will like and that reflects her and her personality, be it stylish and classic or more detailed and elaborate. And don't forget as they say "Diamonds are Forever" and will last a lifetime.
Online Jewellers David M Robinson has a guide to buying the perfect engagement ring on their website if you need any further help.
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Being married I already have an engagement ring, but this is a fab article.
ReplyDeleteJust remember you will be looking at it for the rest of your life!! @msedollyp
That is one point i forgot to make - thank you!
DeleteI Loved my Engagement ring until my father bought my mum a stunning, really well cut 2ct platinum ring costing well over 18,000!!! Mine doesn't look as fab anymore. Great post
ReplyDeletewow that's one lucky mum!
DeleteOh my this is really helpfull for first time buyers , I am happy that I have one already from the hubster :)
ReplyDeleteEngagement ring buying doesn't have to be tricky.
DeleteTruly these collections are perfect. They are beautiful in every way. Please write something about how to buy a diamond online.
ReplyDelete