Everything You Need to Know Before Buying an Engagement Ring

engagement ring guidance

We strive to simplify the process of choosing an engagement ring for our customers. The following guide will help you make your decision regarding an engagement ring.


Choosing the Right Diamond


choosing the right diamond for the engagement ring

Learn About the Four Cs

Diamonds are the most desirable choice for engagement rings as they possess qualities that no other precious stone can match. You learn all about the four Cs here.


Selecting a Colored Gemstone

Sapphires are a very attractive choice and offer a great alternative to diamonds. They come in colors ranging from feminine pinks to vivid blues. In addition, sapphires are much more affordable compared to diamonds which means you can buy a large sapphire studded ring on the same budget as that of a small diamond one.

When making the pick, the most influential parameters are the sapphire’s shape, color and size. Unlike diamonds, sapphires have no standard criteria such as the 4Cs. The most demanded sapphire color is deep blue. The saturation of this color is a major marker of its quality and sapphires that have a more uniform color are much more desirable and greater in value than lighter or darker sapphires with uneven color distribution. Furthermore, checking a sapphire for inclusions or irregularities is a very important aspect of sapphire selection.

To improve their contrast and sophistication, sapphire rings are often accented with diamonds or engraved with details. Engagement rings with sapphire at the center and diamonds on the edge are also a popular choice. Such rings are frequently worn by royalty such as Kate Middleton, who wears an oval sapphire ring flanked with 14 round diamonds.

However sapphire rings don’t always need diamonds to enunciate their appearance. Vibrant sapphires alone can draw a lot of attention and have a very unique appeal to themselves.


Select a Ring


choose a setting for your engagement ring

Choose a Setting

Purchasing an engagement ring from an online dealer gives you a vast sea of rings to choose from. We offer almost all possible styles and still if you’re not satisfied, we offer customized designs just for you. Knowing your partner’s personality and lifestyle is the first step to choosing the perfect ring. Here are a couple of suggestions based on various personality traits.


traditional & elegant engagement ring

Traditional & Elegant

Chivalry won’t ever die! A classic solitaire ring is priceless and ageless to say the least. It has the diamond at its center and no other distractions. Solitaires are one of the most classical of all diamond rings and feature one central diamond.
Due to their elegant look, they are the most desirable style of rings. You can add more detail to the design by considering a basket or trellis setting. If glamorous is what you’re after, then you can modify the design by selecting a ring that has a row of diamonds studded on the band.
Three stone rings are also a very popular choice and a worthy alternative to the vintage solitaire.


styling & outgoing engagement ring

Stylish & Outgoing

If glamor is her top priority, then go for a diamond ring that has the stone placed at a higher level so it appears more noticeable. Either that or a ring that has sparkling set of diamonds on the band.
One very popular choice among fiancés is halo engagement setting.
Such a setting features a circle of diamonds around the central stone making it appear bigger.


outdoorsy & nature lover engagement ring

Outdoorsy & Nature Lover

Are you proposing someone who is happiest when surrounded in nature? Ring settings that have natural elements in their design such as vines and leaves are an excellent choice in this case. For women who love to stay outdoors, a ring that holds the diamond lower to the hand is preferable.
A metal band or bezel setting is also great for ensuring the diamond stays protected from unnecessary damage.


modern and contemporary engagement ring

Modern & Contemporary

Is your future fiancé someone who is too caught up with the modern world to set its values aside?
Then take a look sculptural rings that feature no traditional qualities.
A thin bezel setting or a metal band that hugs with the diamond is recommended.
You could also consider choosing a wide band ring and add sparkle to it through gemstones.


romantic engagement ring

Romantic & Timeless

Want a romantic setting? Take a look at rings that have scrollwork patterns, milgrain details or intricate galleries. Check out the Antique Collection for a better viewpoint.
If your partner loves all things unique then you must take a look at the collection as there is an array of exclusive rings in our chest.


Still Unsure?

Selecting “just the right” diamond ring can be a tricky business. Counter this by selecting a temporary engagement ring, just for proposing. This approach will give your fiancé the freedom to choose her own engagement ring, one that she loves, thus flawless.


Precious Metal Options


platinum engagement ring

Platinum


Appearance

Platinum is a space-age metal that has a silvery white appearance and is desired because of its hypoallergenic status as well as beauty.

Durability

One of the best things about platinum is its durability. Platinum requires very little care as it is resistant to corrosion and tarnishes.

Price

Due to its superior physical properties and amazing appearance, platinum is the costliest of all precious metals.


18k white gold engagement ring

18K White Gold


Appearance

18K gold is visually similar to platinum, making it an excellent choice.

Durability

White gold has to be re-plated as it is coated with rhodium, in order to improve its dexterity.

Price

Compared to platinum, white gold comes at a lower price but requires extra care.


14k rose gold engagement ring

14K Rose Gold


Appearance

Rose gold is an alloy of copper & gold and has a blueish-pink lustrous color.

Durability

Copper adds to Rose Gold’s durability eliminating the need for extra maintenance.

Price

Costs less than platinum, almost as much as white and yellow gold.


18k yellow gold engagement ring

18K Yellow Gold


Appearance

Yellow Gold is considered true gold by many due to its rich gold hue.

Durability

18K yellow gold has the following proportions: 75% fine gold, 25% alloys. The alloys do their part and make Yellow Gold resistant to everyday wear & tear.

Price

Costs less than platinum, almost as much as white and rose gold.


Find your Ring Size

Follow these tips to determine the ring size as closely as possible:

  • First and foremost, try the most successful method of them all: inquire the size through a parent or close friend.
  • Borrow your partner’s ring, making up any kind of excuse and determine its size. Keep in mind that the ring should be from the correct finger.
  • Women usually have a finger size ranging in between 6 – 6.5 while men have 9 – 10. If you have no other information to rely on, make a guess in between these ranges.

Helpful Hints

  • The dominant hand is slightly larger than the other one. Be sure it’s the left hand you’re measuring.
  • Rings that feature wider bands can be slightly tighter.
  • If it all boils down to guessing, lean to the larger size as you’ll feel a lot better if the ring is loose, rather than if it doesn’t fit at all.

Caring for Your Jewelry

Giving due care & attention to your jewelry is a fundamental part of owning gemstones and precious metals.
Making sure that your jewelry is free from wear & tear will help prolong its life for the years to come.


White Gold

White gold gets its bright white color from a coating of rhodium. When jewelry made of white gold is worn on a daily basis, it gets exposed to chemicals that can react with the plating and expose the natural, yellow metal underneath. Most people chose to ignore this and continue wearing their jewelry even after the plating has completely worn off. However, by spending a small amount of money, you can have it re-plated and back to its original color.

Platinum

Platinum can easily make it through small scratches, and day to day wear & tear. But if platinum is left unattended for too long its color may start to change and it may develop a lustrous shade. Many people enjoy this color but if you want your platinum jewelry to regain its lost color, you can have it re-polished.

Silver

Humidity is enough to tarnish sterling silver. It is very much recommended to keep silver in an air-tight container when it’s not being worn. A special jewelry cleaning cloth can be used to remove tarnish from silver and keeping it bright. There are also special liquid silver cleaners that can do the job for you.
Note: Chemicals containing bleach and chlorine should be avoided at all costs.

Gemstones

Ensuring the security of your settings should be a top priority. After a couple of jerks, timeworn prongs can become very vulnerable and may start to loosen up. Loose prongs mean loosened gemstones that ultimately would result in the gemstone falling off. If you own jewelry that is studded with gemstones, then we recommend professional inspections after every 6 months to make sure the settings and prongs are intact.

Pave Settings

Pave setting styles are exceptionally delicate and are always at risk of getting loose. In order to eliminate the risk of gemstones falling off, avoid wearing such jewelry in occasions where frictional contact can’t be avoided. Also try to avoid scratching or applying undue pressure on Pave settings. It is recommended you take your pave set jewelry for inspection after it gets scratched or at risk of getting lose.

Wearing Jewelry

Try to avoid all kinds of activities that would impact or cause abrasions, i.e. sports or mechanical tasks. Even diamonds have the tendency to chip away if impacted with enough force. Also keep all your jewelry away from harmful chemicals like bleach or chlorine.

High temperatures can also adversely affect your jewelry while apply gripping force such as holding bars can permanently deform the metal ring.

Home & Professional Cleaning

We live in a world where air pollution is rampant. This combined with daily intensive activities can cloud the real physical characteristics of your gemstone. We recommend professional cleaning sessions at least once a year. In between these sessions, you can employ self-made tactics to keep your jewelry as clean as possible. You may buy special gem cleaners, mix them in water and apply them to the gemstone with a mild brush.

Such cleaners are commonly available in the market and don’t contain any harmful component, both for you and your gemstone. With that being said, pearls & emerald require extra servicing and shouldn’t be cleaned with normal cleaning solution. Instead using a weak soap solution would be effective against any marks or inclusions. Use a soft cloth free of lint to wipe moisture off of it.

Antique & Vintage Jewelry

Antique jewelry are usually one of a kind and thus require an extra inch of care for their proper maintenance.
This is especially true for vintage pieces that have been passed down as heirlooms. For such jewelry, the best policy is keeping them in a moisture free environment for as long as possible, wearing them only on special occasions.

In addition, keep the away from all kind of chemicals and avoid submerging them in water for long periods of time. It is best to have your antique jewelry dealt with by a professional inspector, every 6 months.

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