Congratulations! You are about to embark on one of the most joyous times in your life when you ask your soul mate to marry you. Of course, every proposal needs a stunning engagement ring to commemorate the occasion and to mark the beginning of a lifelong journey. While there are endless choices out there, we're here to help you avoid making some common mistakes when you buy hers.
1. Buying what you like instead of what she likes
You may have a clear idea of what you like and don't like, but don't forget that the engagement ring is for your fiancé to wear, not you. Take the time to notice her taste in precious metals. Does she tend to wear jewelry, shoes, and handbags with white metal, yellow metal, or rose metal? This will help to decide whether you should buy a white gold, yellow gold, rose gold, platinum, or even a two-tone engagement ring. After all, since she'll be wearing the engagement ring every day, she'll want it to match the type of metal she tends to wear more.
Also, how does your future fiancée like to dress? Is her style classic, vintage-inspired, preppy, dramatic, or glamorous? These are all signals of her personal taste and are a good guide on what kind of engagement ring she would love.
Another good way to determine what she likes is to check out her social media. If she has a public Pinterest page, see what kinds of things she saves to her boards to get an idea of her taste. Or have a look on her Instagram—she may have liked some engagement ring styles or jewelry pictures that may give you a clue.
2. Going it Alone
Don't try to shop for an engagement ring all by yourself. Go ahead and tap into her network of friends or family for some advice. Chances are her best friends, sister, or perhaps even her mother will have an idea of what kind of engagement ring she'd like. Maybe she's spoken openly about what kind of engagement ring style she loves and hates.
But, a word of caution—make sure they can keep a secret! You don't want to ruin the surprise after all.
3. Only focusing on the size of the diamond
Yes, the size of the diamond is important. But carat (i.e. the weight of the stone) is not the only factor to consider when shopping for an engagement ring. There's the color, which can range from white to yellowish. Then there's the clarity, which determines if a diamond has detectable flaws or not. And finally, there's the cut, which refers to the diamond's proportions, symmetry and polish, and controls how the diamond reflects light. All of these factors, dubbed the four Cs of diamonds, plays into the stone's beauty, appearance, and value.
Here are a few quick charts for your reference:
Diamond Color Scale – D to Z
• Colorless: D, E, F
• Near Colorless: G, H, I, J
• Faint Color: K, L, M
• Very Light Color: N, O, P, Q, R
• Light Color: S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z
Diamond Clarity Chart
• Flawless: FL
• Internally Flawless: IF
• Very, Very Slightly Included: VVS1, VVS2
• Very Slightly Included: VS1, VS2
• Slightly Included: SI1, SI2
• Included: I1, I2, I3
Diamond Cut
• Shallow-Cut: A shallow-cut diamond will allow too much light to emit from the bottom, thus dulling a stone’s brilliance.
• Ideal-Cut: An ideal-cut diamond is well proportioned to allow light to shine upwards and outwards, which is what you want.
• Deep-Cut: A deep-cut diamond will allow too much light to emit from the sides, making the diamond appear smaller than it's true size.
Another important element to consider when shopping for an engagement ring is the shape of the center diamond. Here are some popular ones to choose from:
4. Forgetting about the engagement ring setting and matching wedding ring
While the center diamond is of course the focus of the engagement ring, that's just one component. There is the overall style of the engagement ring to consider. For instance, halo engagement rings surround the center diamond with even more diamonds to lend a larger look. The band of the engagement ring can range from simple precious metal bands to lavish diamond-paved ones to seductively curvy ones in all sorts of shapes. You can opt for a single solitaire diamond engagement ring or one that has even more diamonds in a variety of configurations, silhouettes, and styles.
We also offer complete customization, where you can create the perfect engagement ring for your future fiancé. We'll help you create a design to accommodate the shape and size of your chosen center diamond, and in the precious metal of your choice. With a custom ring, your future bride can enjoy a truly unique engagement ring made just for her.
Plus, don't forget the look of the matching wedding band. Your soon-to-be fiancé can wear the wedding ring along with, or in lieu of, the engagement ring, so make sure it's suitably beautiful as well.
5. Not considering the the comfort of the ring
Appearance is important but so is comfort. Remember, this will be the jewelry piece that she will wear the most—in most cases, it will be on her finger every day. So the comfort of the engagement ring should be a top priority.
Look for hypoallergenic nickel-free metals. Also consider one, or some, of the many, modern ring designs that allow air circulation and room for skin to expand and contract as necessary. Finally, to avoid uncomfortable twisting and turning of the ring, make sure that the design you choose has a center diamond that stays balanced and centered on the finger.
6. Not buying from a reputable source to save a few dollars
Buying an engagement ring requires a significant investment, and you may be tempted to buy from less-than-reputable sources to save a few dollars. However, in the long run, that'll cost you. You may unknowingly purchase an engagement ring that is not the quality you've paid for, or even worse, a fake one.
Make sure that you only buy an engagement ring from a trusted source that can guarantee the quality of their products. Our team of master jewelers crafts our custom engagement rings to the utmost standards using only the best materials. All of our 18k gold is 100% nickel-free and is alloyed with 40% more palladium that other jewelers to guarantee your precious piece will stay bright for years to come.
Jewelers Trade Shop has four Gemological Institute of America (GIA) certified gemologists on staff. A GIA stone analysis is the industry's most accurate and reliable stone analysis. Additionally, all of the diamonds at Jewelers Trade Shop are guaranteed "conflict free", which means our diamonds have been bought from legitimate sources and comply with the Kimberly process. The Kimberly Process is a joint government, industry and civil society initiative to stop the flow of conflict diamonds.
And finally, every ring we sell is guaranteed authentic and comes with our warranty. If the diamond was originally purchased at JTS we will allow the full amount originally paid with no minimum out-of-pocket requirement as a trade.