Tips on Buying an Engagement Ring
Buying an engagement ring can be a stressful experience for many couples, but by reading our tips below we hope to ease your anxiety, by not only building your knowledge but helping you to build confidence so that when you start the hunt for your ring, you will be well informed and enjoy the process.
So, you’ve been through the gruelling dating process, swiped endlessly on Tinder, have been ghosted, stood up and wasted countless hours “on the hunt”. In a moment of defeat you sign up for MAFS and delete the apps and swear to your friends that you will “never online date again”. But then one lonely Friday night when you still haven’t received a call back from channel 9, you download Tinder “one last time” and BAM! you weren’t ghosted this time and actually ended up having a second and third date, fell in love and you actually found your person, your penguin - you know, how a penguin stays with one mate forever? Well that’s you now, congratulations! It’s now time to find your forever ring and with our tips below, we hope that this process is far more enjoyable than the one you went through getting to this point. This ring will be a symbol of your love, engagement and upcoming nuptials, it will reflect your style and be an extension of your wardrobe forevermore. It’s something that is not only personal, but hugely sentimental.
There is shape, cut, quality and stones to consider, not to mention metals, golds and sizing. It can be a lot. Luckily, with the right approach, buying an engagement ring doesn’t need to be stressful, in fact you can find a ring that you and your partner will adore for many years to come with the right approach and by using our top tips below.
So let’s get down to business…
TIP #1 - Know Your Budget
Understanding your budget will help determine if you go with a mined diamond, lab grown diamond (you can check out our blog post linked here to understand more about this). A moissanite is another great option if you're trying to work within a lower price point. Moissanites are a gemstone created in a lab and are durable.
TIP #2 - Choose A Style
Do you prefer vintage or modern pieces? Do you gravitate towards florals and flowing items of clothing, if so you may consider a halo round ring. If you prefer to wear sleek, modern clothes then you may prefer an emerald cut. If you are someone who considers themselves fashion forward and daring when it comes to fashion, you may consider an East to West Emerald (link all these rings).
This will help narrow down your list and what you are looking for in an engagement ring.
TIP #3 - Choose A Cut.
There are many shapes to choose from when considering an engagement ring.. We’ve provided a list below and we suggest googling them to become familiar with the names and what they look like. Then narrow it down to your top two so when you begin your search, you are only investing your time in looking at the shapes you love. In our experience, the most popular cuts are emerald and pear, but there are so many beautiful cuts to consider.
Round
Princess
Emerald
Oval
Baguette
Pear
Marquise
Heart
Radiant
Cushion
TIP #4 - Understand diamond basics
Cut, colour, clarity and carat. These are the four C’s when it comes to evaluating diamond quality.
Do:
- For a round diamond, ensure it has an excellent or ideal grade in cut.
- Do not overpay when it comes to colour and clarity. A higher grade will result in a premium price but not a visible difference.
- It’s good to find a balance between the four C’s so each individual quality works with one another to elevate the beauty of the stone.
Don’t:
- Avoid putting too much of your budget towards carat size while sacrificing too much in other areas.
- Don’t buy a diamond off its grades alone. Inspect the diamond yourself to ensure it lives up to its certificate.
TIP #5 - Choose your metal
Consider your style and what will compliment that style. If you’re drawn to cooler hues and silver-toned jewellery, then platinum or white gold is the way to go. Yellow gold or rose gold are good choices if you gravitate toward warmer tones. Mixing metals like white gold and yellow gold is a smart option, because it increases versatility and allows you to complement any piece in your existing jewellery wardrobe. If you decide on a warmer metal like yellow gold or rose gold, you can set the diamond in a white metal head (which holds the diamond in place) like platinum or white gold and this will accentuate the diamond, showing off its brilliance to sparkling effect.
Platinum - Naturally a white metal and accentuates the diamond’s sparkle. It is a very popular choice and is durable and would suit you if you have an active lifestyle.
Gold - Another popular choice for engagement rings and is available in 18k, 14k and 10k. This means that The remainder is made up of other metals — like silver, copper, nickel and zinc — to lend strength and durability, because gold in its purest form is too soft. The percentage determines the shade of the gold, for example, 22K gold tends to be a rich, saturated color, while 14K gold may appear as a slightly paler yellow.
TIP #6 - Setting Style
There's so much more to an engagement ring than meets the eye. At first glance, you'll probably notice the centre stone before any other element. The centre stone is the focal point, but it isn't the only part that matters. The setting chosen to showcase your centre stone, impacts the engagement ring's appearance and aesthetic. A setting can really personalise your ring and make it your own.
You can choose from a solitaire, which is a singular stone on a band. Or you might opt for a halo which is a centre stone surrounded by lots of smaller stones to create a halo. Then there's pave, bezel, bar and channel settings.
A factor that needs considering when deciding on a setting that is right for you, is your lifestyle and career. If you have an active lifestyle or a job that requires you to use your hands, then a lower setting might be better for you. A higher setting in these circumstances may result in damaging your ring, or worse, losing your stone.
TIP #7 - Getting your rings size
You can quite easily head into a jeweller for them to use a mandrel and obtain your ring size. Or you can do it at home with these easy steps:
- Wrap string or paper around the base of your finger.
- Mark the point where the ends meet with a pen.
- Measure the string or paper with a ruler (mm).
- Pick the closest measurement on the ring size chart to find your ring size.
When you choose your ring size, remember to consider the temperature of the room when you are measuring your finger. In the heat, your fingers are prone to swell and on the contrary, the colder weather will result in less fluid and your fingers become slimmer.
TIP #8 - Consider a Sentimental Touch
Have you got an heirloom from a deceased relative or a promise ring from your partner? If you have a sentimental piece of jewellery you can use a stone from this to incorporate into your engagement ring. You can hide a little stone on the inner side of your ring or even use them in your band if you choose to go a diamond band. The stones/diamonds can be easily matched in size and colour to ensure they are consistent and look amazing.
Getting in touch with a reputable jeweller, such as Morgan & Co, will help help with the process of designing, making and selecting your precious stone. You can make a no obligation consultation in studio or virtual and start your forever, today.