Buying an engagement ring can feel incredibly confusing. Clearly, a physical object will never be as meaningful as the connection you share with your girlfriend. However, the engagement ring is a purchase that can quickly become stressful. It’s intended to adorn your beloved’s finger for her entire life. Also, in the weeks following your proposal, she will be displaying it to many of her loved ones, so you want her to feel proud when she does.
Here are a few tips from The Art of Manliness to guide you through the selection of an engagement ring, so that the process doesn’t seem quite so challenging.
Determine your price range.
As all jewelers know and many men have learned, engagement rings are often purchased impulsively. Acting too fast, though, can greatly expand the price range you could otherwise successfully target. Rather than immediately searching for options, think about how much you want to spend.
According to DeBeers (based on a marketing campaign they ran in the 40s), a man should designate 1/6 of his yearly income to pay for an engagement ring. The idea at the time was that everyone should be able to afford a diamond ring, so the price should be based on individual salary. However, in today’s economy, spending that amount of money on a ring can come across as irresponsible (obviously not the tone you want to strike in your proposal). Many women would prefer that the money be put toward a new home, the honeymoon, or paying off debt. Don’t let jewelers convince you to overspend.
Also remember at all times that an engagement ring is a representation of love. That sentiment is the essence of any proposal. Don’t wait to pop the question while you save up to buy a ring with a pricey stone.
Catch her off-guard.
Many jewelers have experienced an increase in the number of couples looking for engagement rings together. It certainly is practical to shop as a pair for the ring, because then you will know for sure that she appreciates the design and that the ring will fit. However, removing the element of surprise from the equation may prevent you from realizing the occasion’s full romantic potential. The proposal, after all, is a moment you and she can share for the rest of your lives.
That said, it’s not absolutely necessary that an engagement ring be a surprise. In fact, some women will already own the engagement ring they want to wear – as in the case of a family heirloom.
Figure out her size.
During the engagement ring selection process, many men get everything right but the size. You may think you want to resize the ring, if necessary, following the proposal. What you may not have considered is that she will give you her finger to slip on the ring, and it will be a bit of a letdown if you can’t get it to fit. Plus, if you do choose a ring that needs resizing, you will incur an additional expense.
One common way to figure out your future wife’s size is to take a ring that isn’t currently in use and measure it, then determine the ring size using an online conversion chart. It’s fast and relatively simple.
Choose a style that matches her.
You want to choose a ring that makes sense for your girlfriend’s personality. It’s not always easy to translate a person’s individual characteristics into the type of jewelry they would like best.
Determining what type of ring will make the most sense for your girlfriend, like with the size, involves some investigation. More than anything, it requires focus on the jewelry she currently favors. Pay attention to the type of precious metal that she seems to prefer, such as gold or platinum. Some women primarily wear pieces that are more subtle, while others enjoy more sizable, flashier jewelry.
Determining a style that will fit your girlfriend is not as complicated as it may seem. If she is a bubbly, gregarious person who is likely to spontaneously point the ring out to those around her, you may want something a little showier. On the other hand, if your girlfriend is not someone who often wears jewelry, look for rings that are elegantly small.
An additional tactic you can use to figure out what type of engagement ring will work best for your girlfriend is – as mentioned above – to look around on the Internet as a couple. Assuming you still want it to be a surprise, the key is to think of a solid excuse. Tell her you are helping your friend select a ring for his girlfriend, or figure out some other ruse that will throw her off your trail.
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At Birkat Elyon, our engagement rings are intended to fit any budget while also offering incredible quality. The best cubic zirconia stones – Russian Formula – are used with each creation, and they are placed in settings of pure platinum or 14K/18K solid gold.
By Kent Roberts