An engagement ring is a beautiful, meaningful representation of love and commitment. It’s one of the most significant purchases you’ll ever make– but how can you make sure you choose the right ring?
There are thousands of engagement rings for you to pick from, but finding the perfect ring will be easy if you take the process one step at a time. In this engagement ring shopping guide, we put together here at JustDesi, we’re sharing how you can do just that. Here are the six steps JustDesi recommends that you take to help you choose the perfect engagement ring.
- Decide On a Budget
First things first, you want to decide on a budget. When you set a budget early, you set yourself up for success. Deciding on your maximum budget before you start seriously shopping gives you a solid understanding of what’s possible within your budget. This will not only help you avoid accidentally overspending but will also help ensure you spend your money on what matters to you most.
It’s best to set a budget well before you start looking at rings, but how much should you spend on your engagement ring? Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to spend two months’ salary on your ring. You should simply spend an amount that works for your unique financial situation. Carve out some time to consider your budget and priorities, then choose an amount that you’re happy and comfortable with.
- Consider Ring Style Options
Now that your engagement ring budget is set, it’s time to start exploring your ring design options and narrowing in on your preferences. If you already have a good idea of what you like in engagement rings and fine jewelry in general, you may be able to skip this step. But if you’re unsure, you need to spend time looking at engagement rings so you can understand your options and see what you’re drawn to.
If you’re shopping for your ring or are shopping for the ring as a couple, start browsing engagement rings in your spare time. Whenever you come across a ring you like, save an image of it to a Pinterest board or a folder on your computer. After you feel you have a solid collection of engagement rings, take a step back and look at what you’ve saved. You want to see if there are common themes within the rings you collected so you can figure out the qualities you want. Here are some questions JustDesi suggests you ask yourself:
- Are the designs you like more classic or more unique?
- Are you drawn to intricate designs or more minimalist designs?
- Do you prefer the classic diamond engagement ring or a colorful gemstone ring?
- Do most of the rings you saved have the same center stone shape?
- Are most of the rings you saved made of the same precious metal? Are they platinum, white gold, rose gold, or yellow gold?
- Do most of the rings you saved have prong settings or bezel settings?
- Do most of the rings you saved have pavé diamond accents, larger accents, or no side stones at all?
- Are the rings you like mostly the same style? For example, are they all solitaire designs, three stone rings, or halo engagement rings?
Once you can answer all of these questions, you’ll have a very strong idea of what you want in an engagement ring.
If you’re shopping for your significant other and you want their ring to be a surprise, you need to investigate their preference more subtly. If you’ve been dating for a long time and your partner uses Pinterest, they may have engagement rings saved to a board that you can discreetly browse. If that’s not the case, you’ll need to evaluate their style and jewelry preferences based on what they usually wear or based on hints they’ve dropped. You can also try asking your significant other’s close friends or family members what they’d like in a ring.
- Choose Your Center Stone Type and Shape
Next, narrow in on exactly what you want for your engagement ring’s center stone. First, you need to decide on what type of center stone you want. Do you want a colorless diamond, a colored diamond, or a gemstone? Once you’ve picked your desired gemstone, don’t forget to consider the shape you want for your center diamond or gemstone. Examples of common diamond shapes include round brilliant cut, oval-shaped, pear-shaped, cushion cut, princess cut, emerald cut, marquise cut, and radiant cut. Be sure to choose your desired shape before moving on to the next step, since this will affect your ring setting options.
- Select Your Ring Setting Design
It’s time to make a big decision and choose your engagement ring setting. At this point, you should know what you’re looking for when it comes to your center stone, your ring’s style, and your precious metal. So, picking out the exact engagement ring setting you want is simply about finding a ring that checks all your boxes. When you find a ring design that fits the bill and makes you feel genuinely excited, you’ll know you’ve found the one.
- Select Your Center Stone
Some engagement ring settings come pre-set with center stones, but others are sold separately. If you’re buying a pre-set ring, move on to the last step. If you’re buying a center diamond separately, now’s the time to choose your specific center diamond.
First, be sure that any loose diamond you buy has been certified by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or another reputable diamond grading lab. Certification provides proof that the diamond you’re buying has the qualities the jewelry store says it has. Once you know to only buy a certified diamond, your goal should be to find a center stone that looks beautiful to you. At JustDesi, all of our diamonds are certified to ensure you are geting the best quality diamonds.
Understanding the three quality aspects of the Four Cs–diamond cut, diamond color, and diamond clarity–can help you pick out a center diamond you like. The most important of those grades is diamond cut. Choose a diamond cut of Very Good or Excellent for a diamond engagement ring. Then, color is largely about personal preference and clarity is something you can usually be flexible with unless you’re buying a step-cut diamond.
When it comes to the fourth of the Four Cs, diamond carat weight, that’s largely determined by budget. If you’re like most people, you’ll simply choose the highest carat weight you can fit within your budget.
- Know Your Ring Size
Last but not least, you need to know the right ring size before you can order your ring. If you’re shopping as a couple, get sized by a jeweler if you don’t know the size of your left ring finger. If you’ll be surprising your partner with their ring, you may need to guess their size. To make your guess more accurate, you could measure one of their existing rings to get an approximate size. You can also try asking around to see if any of your partner’s friends or family members know their size.
But it’s important to know that you don’t want to guess if you’re buying a ring that can’t be resized, like an eternity band or a tension set ring. In most cases, however, resizing an engagement ring is fairly simple. If you end up having to guess their engagement ring size, we recommend going with a larger size than you think you need. It’s better to have the ring be a bit loose than it is to have it get stuck in the middle of their finger during your proposal.
Find Your Perfect Engagement Ring
If you’re ready to find your perfect engagement ring, browse our Perfect Match Collection online or stop by our Beverly Hills showroom to see our full engagement ring selection. Our expert jewelers would love to help you find your dream ring.