Buying an engagement ring can be both a very daunting thought and experience, especially because for most of you, it will be your first time. You’ve almost certainly come across rings before and may even own a few, however when it comes to engagement rings this is new territory. You may benefit from understanding more around the technical elements and details. It’s highly likely your partner you plan to propose to has got an engagement ring in mind. It’s possible they already know the diamond shape they want or what metal they want the ring band to be, or what size carat they are after.
It can get complex so it’s important you put research in to ensure you can create or select the most beautiful ring for your partner to be. So here is our guide to helping you understand key elements you should know about Engagement Rings. Hopefully, you will find this information useful for when you visit the jewellers.
Decide on a budget
We firmly understand the sentimental value that comes with jewellery like engagement rings. The meaning behind it will far outweigh the price paid to obtain the ring or diamond of choice. However, it is important to consider the budget right away as it will truly help you understand from the beginning the options you should be considering. It’s also important to understand that there is no right or wrong price for purchasing an engagement ring. We feel you should personally spend what makes you feel completely comfortable. From our experience in selling engagement ring insurance over many years, it really is the thought that counts.
Once you’ve decided on a budget and start visiting jewellers, you’ll quickly realise many can be fully flexible in creating an engagement ring that is perfectly balanced based on the amount you have to spend. This means you can get exactly what you and your partner to be wants and the jewellers can work it into your budget.
Spy on your partner’s style
Before, booking appointment after appointment with jewellers we strongly recommend taking some time to figure out what type of engagement ring your partner would love. If you happen to have a relationship whereby you ring shop together then that certainly makes things a lot easier. If you are more of a traditionalist, looking to surprise your partner then you’re definitely are going to need to do some observing over some time. In addition, you could get some help, ask your partners best friends or siblings. You can even invite them along to help select the engagement ring too.
Engagement Ring Shapes
Most people will consider the most important attribute of an engagement ring to be the shape which is completely dictated by the choice of diamond. The diamond can be cut into different shapes which can change the overall appearance of a ring. It’s important to have a view of the type of diamond shape your partner would love. Shapes you will likely come across include:
- Round – Perfectly rounded into a circle shape. This particular shape is great for taking in the maximum amount of light which delivers an exceptional sparkle.
- Princess – A diamond which has a square cut and is pinned in at all four corners which standout.
- Cushion – A square cut with rounded corners, similar to a ‘cushion’ as you can see by its name.
- Oval – A shape which can look quite traditional delivering an oblong circular shape.
- Marquise – Similar to the oval shape oblong cut, however, has pointed ends with a narrower middle.
- Emerald – This shape is rectangular with cropped corners. When looking through an emerald you should be able to look straight through form the top of the stone. The facets are located in the edges through the centre.
- Pear – Getting even more popular recently it resembles the shape of a pear.
Know the 4Cs
When looking for an engagement ring it’s likely each and every jeweller you see will be mentioning the 4Cs. It may help if you knew exactly what they were. The 4Cs are:
- Carat – Carat refers to the weight of the diamond stone. It’s worth asking to view a selection of sizes to get an idea of the comparison between weight and actual size. Just because a diamond is heavier, doesn’t mean it’s the biggest looking option.
- Cut – The cut refers to the angles and propositions of the stone and not the shape at which it is cut. The cut is important as it can represent the quality of the stone. Ideally, a well-cut diamond should have mirror like facets and a white light reflected both internally and externally.
- Clarity – A stones clarity is measured on a scale. Ideally the perfect diamond is internally flawless internally. This can be more visible using a magnify glass. The less impurities or inclusions a diamond has the more expensive it will be. It is possible to get diamond stones with impurities and inclusions which are not visible to the naked eye.
- Colour – Diamond’s colourlessness is graded on a scale of D which is colourless to Z which is light yellow. Colourless is the most valuable as a perfect diamond structured well should have no hue.
When it comes to choosing the perfect diamond to create the engagement ring your partner will love, you need to consider the 4Cs.
Find out her ring size
Extremely important before you decide to propose. Know your partners ring size. The simplest way of figuring out your partners ring size is to sneak through their jewellery box and take an existing ring that actually fits them and take it with you to a jeweller. Always keep in mind you may not get the sizing right, however rings can usually be resized so ask your jeweller about resizing.
Consider the creation and delivery time
When you’ve chosen the desired engagement ring for your partner it needs to be created to your specification so it’s always important to keep in mind that time for creation and delivery. If you’re planning on doing an elaborate proposal, you need the ring to be available so definitely consider adding this time into any plans if you’ve already started plans on the proposal.
Ensure the diamond comes with a grading report or certificate
When the jeweller you obtained the engagement ring from has provided you with the ring as you requested, ask about a grading report or certificate on the diamond. This can be important and helps to substantiate a diamonds value, it can help if you need to make an insurance claim at a later date. The grading report, will list all of the physical attributes of your stone, attributes that give it that special uniqueness as every diamond is different in some way.
Jewellery Insurance
Engagement Rings are one of the most expensive items of jewellery we all own so it’s important to ensure the monetary investment is protected. Whereby we hold engagement rings as sentimental items, they can be lost or damaged. It’s important to ensure you have the necessary protection to avoid any issues once the engagement ring leaves the jewellers.
If you’re interested in jewellery insurance, then see our insurance for engagement rings here.
