Choosing the perfect engagement ring is a big responsibility, especially if you’re planning a surprise proposal. Not only will you want something that your partner will love as a piece of jewellery, but something that they’ll never want to replace. In this guide, we’re talking you through eight steps on how to choose the perfect engagement ring.
Budget
The first thing you must consider is your budget. It’s all well and good buying the ring of your partner’s dreams, but if that means you can’t pay the bills that month they’ll not thank you for it in the long run. Engagement rings come in a wide range of prices, so make sure you stick to what you can afford.
Surprise
If your proposal will be a surprise, try to keep it that way! Asking questions about engagement rings will set alarm bells in your partner’s mind, especially if they’ve been talking about marriage for a while. Take a look at their Pinterest account if they have one – there may be a board dedicated to engagement rings. This will give you an idea of the kind of things they like, and help you choose the perfect engagement ring. You may also be able to get advice from their close friends or family if needed.
Ring Size
Getting the correct size ring is possibly one of the most difficult things when having a surprise proposal. You’ll need to measure your partner’s finger at least three times to make sure it’s right. Some jewellers save the need for this by providing ‘proposal rings’. These are sample styles, usually with defects, that can be used for the proposal. You can then go back into the store together to get the real ring, in the correct size.
Style
You may have some idea of the style of rings your partner loves from snooping on Pinterest, but there are a couple of other things you can do too. Take a look at what they wear every day. If it’s a lot of gold, a silver engagement ring probably won’t be what they’re looking at. Similarly, if they wear emeralds more than any other stone, choosing a ruby probably won’t be the right way to go. You know your partner better than anyone, so go with your instinct.
Band
The wedding band can come in a variety of metals. Gold, white gold, silver and platinum are all popular choices at the moment. They all come with positive and negative points, so it’s worth doing a little research on each. Ultimately though, you’ll want to think back to what your future spouse would choose.
Stone
Diamonds are best friends, forever, and the most popular choice for engagement rings. But they’re not your only choice. Most jewellers will stock a range of stones that can be fitted into an engagement ring. If you’re looking for something really different it may be worth speaking to an independent jeweller for bespoke ideas.
Set
This is how the stone is fixed to the ring. There are a lot of options for the set, from a traditional to a channel setting, but there are two main things to think about when choosing this option.
The first – will it be practical? A flat ring may be more suitable than a traditional setting depending on your partner’s job. Second, will it be simple to find a wedding band to match? We’ve seen a lot of beautiful, unique engagement rings that have needed a bespoke wedding band to fit around them. If this is something you’ll need, make sure it’s within budget.
Insurance
No matter how much you choose to spend on the perfect engagement ring, make sure you have insurance for it. High street shops will offer some as standard, there may be some cover in your home insurance or you may need to purchase it separately. Check the terms for each and make sure your engagement ring is fully covered.
Want to know where the engagement ring came from? Here we’ve looked at The History Of The Wedding Ring.