5 Things To Consider When Choosing Your Engagement Ring

Getting engaged is (usually) a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and hey, sometimes “third time’s the charm!”  Whether it’s your first time or your fourth shopping for an engagement ring, there are multiple things you need to take into consideration before making your final purchase. Just like buying a car, this is a serious expense on your end – and you don’t purchase the first car you test drive. By having a list of things to keep in mind as you look around, you can be better prepared for such a significant decision. Let’s look at factors that go into buying your beloved’s forever ring. 

Your Budget Comes First 

Obviously, the amount of money you are willing or able to spend on the engagement ring is paramount. You may be wondering if diamond engagement rings are worth it – to many consumers, they are, and to others, not so much. Do some research into the various types of diamonds out there, like earth mined, lab-grown, or simulants. They used to say that a person should spend one month’s salary on the engagement ring, but times have changed significantly since this was the standard thought process around purchasing. Determine your budget before your next move. 

Your Partner’s Tastes 

Of course, you want to consider your partner’s aesthetic and taste when it comes to the ring you’re planning on wearing every day for the rest of their lives. If they are more minimalist in style, a smaller stone in a solitaire setting is likely what they’re looking for. If they’re a bit extra in their daily attire, you’re likely looking at a larger stone, possibly colored in a more elaborate setting. If you’re lucky, maybe the two of you have already had conversations around what type of ring they’d want for a proposal so that you can skip this step. 

Picking the Rock 

At this point, you’ve decided on lab grown diamond jewelry or the real deal, and maybe you’ve gone with another stone like the popular Morganite or Moissanite. Whichever direction you go in, remember that when purchasing from most reputable jewelers, the cost of the stone is separate from the settings you’ve been looking at in-store. While retailers sell “ready to wear” engagement rings, if you’re shopping locally, you’ve likely been looking at setting prices only. 

So, choose your stone at a price point that you’re comfortable having it set in the setting that you’ve chosen too. Once you decide on your center stone, you can purchase it online, in person, and even from an estate sale. You can have it set by any jeweler you trust. 

Having It Certified & Appraised 

It’s a good idea to have your stones certified and your ring appraised. When you take your ring (or stone before setting it) to a jeweler, they will inspect it and give you a certification of the stone’s qualities – like color, clarity, cut, and carat weight. After this process is complete, they can also assign an appraised value to the ring. The certificate is an important document to hold onto for insurance purposes, or if things don’t work out, unfortunately – resale value. Just like no one likes to talk about a prenup, you have to be realistic that things may not work out, and having this paperwork is essential no matter how romantic and committed you are. 

Their Ring Size 

Knowing your love’s ring size sounds like a no-brainer and something that may even need to be considered before the budget, but it’s a blunder that is made more frequently than one might imagine. Make sure you know your partner’s ring size, so when you’re purchasing, you don’t have to keep coming back to get things right. You want to pop the question with the ring, and then your partner never takes it off, right? So, measure their finger with a string while they’re sleeping or outright ask them, but you must know their ring size before purchasing. You don’t want to offend their sensibilities by buying a ring that is either way too small or too large. 

The items mentioned above are critical starting points to consider before you embark on the journey of shopping for a ring and getting engaged. By doing your homework and finding the perfect ring for your significant other, you’re also showing how much they mean to you by trying to make things as perfect as possible. Now, time to plan that perfect proposal. Congratulations!