Photo (above): Emily Chelsea Jewelry
How do you find an engagement ring worthy enough to ask your partner to be yours forever? Choosing an engagement ring challenges many, especially those unprepared for the task. Luckily, you’ve arrived at a blog offering tips that ease the momentous challenges of accommodating the engagement ring purchase process. Use this information to help find a ring that wins over her heart and express your undying love and commitment without saying a word.
Tips To Find the Perfect Engagement Ring
The following tips are designed to alleviate the headaches associated with shopping for an engagement ring. Use one or more tips outlined in this list to ensure you find the perfect engagement ring for your partner.
1. Determine Your Budget
Before you start shopping for engagement rings, determine your budget. This will help you narrow your search and focus on rings within your price range. If you choose lab diamonds, your dollar goes further.
When determining your budget, forget the old adage that a ring worth marriage cost three-months income. Love comes from the heart, not a price tag. Consider the following when setting a budget:
- Your monthly salary
- Your debts, including credit cards
- Monthly expenses, such as mortgage, utilities, food, and car insurance payments each month
Live within your means. An expensive, flashy diamond engagement ring does not prove your love more than a ring that fits your lifestyle and budget. Unless you have Kings and Queens to impress, buy an engagement ring that expresses your love without a dollar value attached. There are many ways to get a high-quality diamond engagement ring at an amazing price. We’ll talk more about that later.
2. Consider The Four C’s
The 4 Cs- clarity, color, cut, and carat- are the globally accepted grading standards developed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) to determine a diamond’s overall quality and price. Always consider the 4 Cs as you shop for a diamond engagement ring.
Cut refers to the sparkle and shine the diamond presents. Color refers to how white or yellow the diamond appears. Clarity refers to the imperfections or flaws in the diamond. Carat is the weight of the diamond.
Never purchase a diamond engagement ring without considering the 4Cs. Buying without first evaluating the ring may lead to disappointment later.
3. Choose Lab Grown Diamonds
Mined and lab-grown diamonds come from different places but are virtually indistinguishable. Lab-grown diamonds are real diamonds, despite common misconception. Diamonds grown in a lab offer the same quality and durability as mined diamonds. In fact, the quality of a lab-grown diamond is measured using the 4 Cs and meets the GIA’s standards for quality.
Although indistinguishable to the naked eye, lab diamonds have numerous advantages over mined gemstones, including:
- Cost 80% less than natural mined diamonds
- Created in a controlled environment
- Versatile selection of jewelry
- Magnificent purity- lab diamonds are almost always imperfection-free
- Ethically sourced and conflict-free
- Lower impacts to the environment
Your partner will love showing off her ring, and you’ll appreciate the savings that come with lab diamond engagement rings from labgrown.com.
4. Involve Close Friends and Relatives
Consult with close friends and family who know your partner best concerning ring styles. It’s comforting when someone can help browse engagement rings to find one that sends your partner’s heart into a whirlwind. Having a second educated opinion can help avoid investing in rings your partner may not like and help find one that makes the proposal a little more special.
5. Involve Your Partner
According to a 2022 poll conducted by The Knot, 28% of couples discussed rings before the proposal, while 78% shopped for rings together. Inviting your partner to browse engagement rings with you alleviates a lot of the stress associated with shopping for an engagement ring.
If you don’t have your heart set on a secret proposal, join this growing trend and pick your rings together. Asking your partner to narrow the selection down to a few of their favorites can keep the element of surprise in your engagement while guaranteeing you purchase a ring they love.
6. Take Your Time Browsing Rings
When your heart decides it is the right time to propose, waiting around to pop the question is daunting. Yet, if you rush the selection process, you may later live to regret your decision. Take the time to browse and consider several rings rather than rush into the purchase and grab the first one that catches your eye.
As you browse the ring selection, ensure you keep in mind her style and design preferences so you get a ring that melts her heart as much as seeing you down on bended knee.
7. Research Ring Styles
Engagement rings serve as a symbol of love and commitment. There are endless ring styles to choose from, each offering its own unique personality and symbolism. Spend time looking through the ring styles to get to know the ones that suit your taste.
Engagement rings are typically elaborate, featuring large center gemstones. The ring should appeal to your partner as much as it appeals to you. Classic Solitaire is one of the most popular styles for engagement rings.
8. Ring Size
What is her ring size? Before shopping for an engagement ring, you must know her size, unless you purchase a one-size-fits-all contraption from a bubble gum machine. We recommend you avoid buying any engagement or wedding-related items from a machine!
If you don’t know your partner’s ring size, there are many fun, sneaky ways to learn this information. Ask friends or family if they know her ring size, peek at rings in her jewelry box, or hint around while you’re shopping.
On The Road to The Perfect Engagement Ring
There are many ways to alleviate the stressors associated with shopping for the perfect engagement ring, like the eight awesome ideas outlined above. Ensure shopping for an engagement ring is an adventure rather than a burden by including these tips and information in your shopping experience. Here’s to a lifetime of happiness with the person you love.
