Shopping for the Perfect Engagement Ring
If you are reading this article, then a congratulations is in order. You have found that perfect someone and are ready to spend the rest of your life with her. Now that you have made that decision, the next step is to pop the question. Its tradition that the man gets down on one knee and pulls a velvet ring box out of his pocket, but what is the perfect engagement ring to put in that box? Choosing the right engagement ring for your fiance can be a stressful task, so here are a few tips to guide you along the way.
Price
The first thing to consider when shopping for an engagement ring is your budget. Would it surprise you to know that the tradition of spending two months salary on an engagement ring was recommended by the diamond and jewelry industry? Well who are they to tell you how much you can afford? In today's economy, spending two months salary on a piece of jewelry is almost unthinkable, unless of course you are rich or famous.
Cash or Charge?
If you plan on paying cash for the engagement ring, will forking out all that money at once put you in a financial bind in the future? If so, consider saving money for a few months before making a purchase or asking your significant other for her hand in marriage. If you are going to finance the ring, are you going to be able to make the monthly payments? Is going in debt a wise way to start this new chapter in your life? If you are financially stable, then these questions may not be a concern of yours.
Should you buy a cheaper ring?
In today’s economy, choosing an engagement ring on the lower end of the price range most likely will not be frowned upon. The state of the economy is only one reason a man may opt to select a less expensive engagement ring. Another reason would be because an engagement ring is only one of the many expenses in getting married. After the ring, you may be expected to pay for a wedding gown, catering, professional photos, or a honeymoon. Additionally, choosing to purchase a less expensive engagement ring may allow the unspent money to be spent on a downpayment on a house or other place to live.
Now that you have set your budget, its time to purchase an engagement ring for your future wife. First, choose a stone. Diamonds are the traditional stone for an engagement ring. When choosing the perfect diamond, look for the 4 C’s: carat weight, color, cut and clarity.
A carat weighs one fifth of a gram, and it has always been tradition to select a full carat for an engagement ring. A thing to remember is that the larger the diamond, the more its value. Thus, the price of a diamond will go up as the size goes up. Here again we see how the economy breaks traditions by giving reason for choosing a diamond not weighing a full carat.
Secondly, look at the color of the diamond. The color of a diamond is graded from D to Z with D being the whitest, and the most expensive, and Z being the most discolored and least expensive. When looking at the diamonds, you will begin to see yellow in any grade below an H.
The clarity of a diamond is determined by the imperfections it may have, known as inclusions. The larger and more abundance of these inclusions, the lower the diamonds clarity.
When speaking to a jeweler about the cut of a diamond, he or she could be speaking about the proportions and symmetry of the stone or about its shape. The proportions and symmetry of a diamond determine how much it will sparkle. A poor cut diamond will not have as much sparkle as a good cut diamond. When cut is referred to as the diamond's shape, it is really all about a matter of taste.
An engagement ring doesn't necessarily have to have a diamond stone. To add a personal touch to the engagement ring, you might consider having your fiances' birthstone as the stone.
Now that you have chosen a stone, its time to choose a setting for it. This can be a little tricky because there are several things you need to know before hand in order to do so successfully. You will need to familiarize yourself with your fiance's taste in jewelry. Does she prefer gold, white gold, silver, or platinum? Does she have a vintage or more contemporary sense of style? Does she like larger or smaller jewelry? Once you are comfortable that you can choose a ring to fit her style, you must choose a ring to fit her finger as well. If you are unsure of her size, consider secretly asking a family member or close friend to find out for you. If you can't seem to come to a conclusion on a setting for the stone you have selected, you could present the stone to her loose and then let her choose her own setting.
Nowadays, it isn't uncommon for an engagement to be decided upon mutually between a couple seeking to get married. Thus, if the engagement isn't a surprise, you could just let your future wife chooser her own engagement ring. In doing so, you won't have to worry whether or not she will like the ring you have selected for her.
Between the price of the stone and the price of the gold, engagement rings can be pricy. You can expect to pay in the thousands for a decent ring. However, choosing the perfect ring at a price you can afford won't matter as much to your fiance as what it symbolizes: love and commitment. Most women care more about that than how much you spend on an engagement ring alone. The final factor in choosing an engagement ring: choose a ring that is just as perfect as she is.