Things you should know when you are looking for an engagement ring.
You have found the true love of your life and you are thinking about getting engaged.
If you are like most people you are filled with excitement and joy over finding the person of your dreams.
You may also feel a little overwhelmed by the online information about diamonds, gemstones, and engagement ring styles.
Well, you can relax. This guide will filter out all the noise and hype.
Engagement ring facts you should know.
1. What is your budget?
Everyone has a different financial situation which will determine their budget.
Most people budget anywhere from $1000 to $5000 for their engagement ring, with the national average being $6000
Your budget should reflect two basic jewelry questions.
a. Carat size of the center diamond or gemstone
Basically, how big would you like the stone size to be?
The larger the carat size of the center stone in the engagement ring, the higher the price.
We will get into the “Four C’s” in a moment which are the factors that determine the worth of a diamond or gemstone.
The center stone you choose should be considered an investment worn by your spouse for decades and will most likely be passed down to future generations. This is because family diamonds are remounted in new rings, and they represent your family legacy.
b. The style of the engagement ring
Are you looking to purchase a ring from the jeweler’s showcase or are you looking for a custom designed engagement ring made to your specifications?
2. What are the four C’s? Let’s take a look.
The four C’s refers to the factors determining a diamond’s quality.
Which are Cut, Color, Clarity, and Carat.
Cut – The cut refers to the shape of the diamond.
Color – The color refers to the color of the diamond.
Diamonds come in various colors, from colorless to yellows, reds, pinks, blacks, and browns.
Clarity – The clarity is the number of tiny imperfections in the diamond. Usually, these will not be visible to the naked eye.
Carat – The carat is the total weight of the diamond. A one-carat diamond has 100 points. So, A 3/4 carat would have 75 points. A half carat would have 50 points, and a 1/4 carat would have 25 points.
When it comes to the style of the ring mounting, it will depend on your spouse’s tastes. This can be hard to figure out, especially if you are trying to surprise them.
3. What type of metal should you choose for your ring?
Most engagement rings are made of gold, platinum or palladium. Gold comes in a few types of karats 10k, 14k, 18k, and 22k. The karat refers to the amount of gold that is mixed with the alloy. The higher the number, the more gold in the metal. For instance, 14k means that the metal has 58.5% gold and 41.5% alloy. 14k is one of the most used gold types for engagement rings.
Here is a chart to help you understand the gold qualities.
| Gold karat | Popular Colors | Percentage of gold | percentage of alloy | Wearability |
| 10k | White and Yellow | 41.7% | 58.3% | Durable – brittle |
| 14k | White and Yellow | 58.5% | 41.5% | Durable – good – |
| 18k | White and Deep Yellow | 75% | 25% | Durable – good |
| 22k | Rich Deep Yellow | 91.67% | 8.33% | Durable – soft – malleable |
Platinum is an excellent metal for engagement rings. Platinum is a white metal that is very strong and durable for everyday wear. It looks great with diamonds providing a wonderful surface to set diamonds and gemstones.
Palladium is another white metal that is in the platinum family. It has similar properties as platinum but is lower in cost. It is also a great alternative to white gold.
4. What engagement ring mounting should you choose?
After figuring out your budget, you must choose a ring mounting to hold that beautiful diamond or gemstone. So how do you choose the right one for the love of your life?
a. Looking at the jewelry they own is a great way to narrow your search. If they already have dainty jewelry with intricate designs, that may be an excellent style avenue to investigate.
On the other side, if they like larger rings, then take note of that. Use your cell phone to take a couple of pictures of what they already like and show them to your jewelry expert and have them help you by showing you some similar designs.
b. Look at their friend’s rings. Does your spouse like one of their friend’s rings? This can be a great way to check the ring style barometer. If you can find a way to bring up a friend’s ring and get a response from your spouse, good or bad, it can help steer you in the right direction.
c. Celebrity watching I call this celebrity watching because you wait till you are at the grocery store or a movie, and you simply point at the celebrities’ jewelry and make a comment about and gauge their response. If it was positive, make a note, “They like so and so’s ring.” If they don’t, then don’t buy one like that.
Note of caution if you start commenting on every celebrity’s jewelry choices, you may give yourself away. Especially if you haven’t ever commented on jewelry, and now that is all you talk about🙂
d. Consider their line of work – You should consider their occupation. If they are in the medical field, they may not be able to wear a tall or cathedral mounting with nylon gloves. A lower profile mounting may be more suited. If they are working in an office, they may be able to wear a style that sits up a little higher in the mounting.
When you are looking at rings, think to yourself will this ring be ideal for my mate’s lifestyle?
e. Pinterest – Pinterest is great to see if they are already looking at rings. Go to your spouse’s profile and look at their pins. They may already be looking at different styles of rings. If you don’t see anything, that’s okay. You can look at other profiles to see what might be popular now.
f. The safe way – The safe way is to pick out an awesome center stone and have it mounted in basic four prong mounting. This gives you the opportunity to present the ring and then invite them into the design and style of the engagement ring mounting. This is becoming more and more prevalent with new engagement shoppers.
g. Couples choice This is what we see more and more. The couple discusses getting engaged, and then they go engagement ring shopping together. This is a great way to find a ring and get exactly what you want. Most often a budget has to be set and the couple has figured out what type of diamond or gemstone they prefer.
Another great aspect of this is that it gives you the ability to have something custom-made to symbolize your relationship and your unique story.
3. Where to find that perfect ring? If you are reading this, you may have already noticed that thousands of stores are selling rings online. More confusing is that many of them look the same but cost different prices. There is very little recourse if you buy the wrong thing. Sure, everything online is guaranteed until you have a problem, then their service is nowhere to be found.
In an age where we can order everything from groceries to cars online, it may seem weird for me to have to say this, but you need to have a relationship with a jeweler who has you back and is invested in keeping your business.
It’s easy to be drawn in by shiny stock images of the ring only to get the ring, and is hollow, or the diamond quality has been exaggerated, or all the side stones start falling out.
You aren’t buying a pair of shoes. This is an investment that should last for many years to come. Don’t trust this decision with someone you don’t know.
4. Start a relationship with a jeweler. Working with someone you trust will help ensure you get the best quality within your budget. Jewelers have access to many reputable suppliers and can help find you many beautiful items to choose from. Diamonds and gemstones are complicated and having an expert explain the sometimes subtle differences means the difference between a great deal and a potential dud.
Another aspect of building a relationship is that over time you will need your jewelry cleaned and inspected for normal wear and tear over the years. By having this relationship, you will always have someone who is familiar with your jewelry and give you onsite repairs to keep your jewelry looking awesome for years to come.
Picking out an engagement ring is a big deal. We are here to help answer your questions and to find the best quality and design for you.
Call us today or visit us at our jewelry showroom. (507) 282-3233
1800 N Broadway Ave, Rochester, MN 55906
