Choosing an engagement ring can be nerve-wracking. Since your partner will be wearing it daily for the rest of her life, it should be beautiful, special, and comfortable. The fact that there are so many options can make the selection process even more complicated, and what one woman adores may leave another one cold. If you want to find a ring that your partner will be happy to wear forever, you need to consider her personality and preferences as much as the ring's appearance. Here are eight tips that can help make choosing an engagement ring as enjoyable as the thrill of receiving one.
Tip 1: Know if She Wants to Be Surprised or Involved
When selecting engagement rings for women, your partner might dream of a proposal that’s a bolt from the blue and includes a ring you somehow knew would be perfect for her. Or she might be one of the 96% of fiancées-to-be who don’t expect the proposal to be a complete surprise and prefer to be involved to some extent in the choice of the engagement ring. If you’re unsure, you could quote this statistic and note your partner’s reaction. Or you could make up a story about an acquaintance who chose her own engagement ring, and ask how she feels about that.
Tip 2: Decide on a Mined Diamond, Lab Diamond, or Other Stone
Gone are the days when a natural diamond solitaire was almost always the star of a woman’s engagement ring. With the growing concern about the environment and ethical diamond sourcing — to say nothing of affordability — many couples are opting for laboratory-grown diamonds that are just as brilliant and beautiful as the earth-mined ones, at about one-fifth the cost.
You need to know if your beloved thinks lab-grown diamonds are terrific, or she believes only natural ones proclaim true love. Also, keep in mind that not all modern women want diamond engagement rings, and some who do would rather have a colored diamond than a clear, colorless stone. Your bride-to-be might want to stand out with a different gem that has personal significance, like her birthstone or simply a stone that comes in her favorite color. Think of Catherine, Princess of Wales, who wears a stunning sapphire engagement ring, or Halle Berry, who sports a glowing emerald.
If you’re not sure how your partner feels about the different types of stones, you could start a conversation: Compliment her on a ring or other jeweled piece she’s wearing, and ask what the stone is and why she likes it. Or you could be a little sneaky and peek into her jewelry box when she’s not looking.
Tip 3: Familiarize Yourself With the Various Stone Cuts
When jewelers talk about a stone’s cut, they are referring to its shape. Engagement ring stones are usually round with a brilliant cut for maximum sparkle, but they are also available in many other shapes. Once you know what the various stone shapes look like, you can start to narrow down your options by eliminating cuts that don’t seem like good matches for your lady’s personality or style. The most common alternatives to round stones are:
- Oval cut stones
- Cushion cut stones
- Marquise cut stones
- Emerald cut stones
- Heart cut stones
- Princess cut stones
- Pear cut stones
- Asscher cut stones
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Tip 4: Remember That Bigger Is Not Always Better
When people talk about an engagement ring, the size of the stone is usually the first thing they mention. Large gems typically cost more and are more impressive, but bigger stones are not always better. The woman in your life might prefer a smaller gem with superior cut and clarity. Also, consider that an engagement ring with a large stone could cause problems if she has to work with her hands in tight spaces.
Tip 5: Take the Opportunity to Make a Statement
If you can’t find a stone shape that you really like, take the opportunity to make a bold statement. Traditional engagement rings have one large stone, but your partner might prefer a different style, such as three stones in a “past, present, future” arrangement or a large center stone accented by two smaller ones in a different color. Just ensure the center stone is larger than the stones flanking it.
Tip 6: Don't Stray Too Far Into the Avant-Garde
You may feel the urge to choose something different when you look for your partner’s engagement ring, but that could lead to a decision that you become less and less happy with as time passes. You hope she will be wearing your engagement ring forever, so try not to stray too far into the avant-garde when you choose it. You don't have to pick a classic solitaire style, but people should be able to tell she’s wearing an engagement ring when they look at her left hand.
Tip 7: Play It Safe With a Round Stone
If you find yourself torn between two or three engagement rings that you really like, it may be wise to take the safe path and pick a round, brilliant-cut gem. Round engagement ring stones are iconic and timeless, immune to changes in fashion or taste. They reflect light well and flatter just about any hand. If you choose a round stone, it will look as stylish decades from now as it does today.
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Tip 8: When in Doubt, Ask Her!
If you’ve considered all the tips above and still worry that you might not choose the ideal ring, ask your soon-to-be fiance what she prefers. Hinting at the question you’re about to pop is much better than choosing something she doesn’t really care for but wears because she loves you and doesn’t want to disappoint you. Her engagement ring needs to be something that makes you both smile every time you look at it through all the decades of your married life.