Engagement Ring Advice | All About Engagement Rings
If you have decided to get married soon, congratulations!
Most people wear their engagement ring for their entire lives. Therefore, looking for an appropriate engagement ring is not an easy task. Before searching for an engagement ring at jewelry stores, you will need to accumulate as much information as you can. Which ring is the right one? Will your fiancée like it? Will the ring fit her? Before you start your search, read the following steps below that will help you in finding that perfect engagement ring.
|
 |
Step 1: Find out what your fiancée likes
Finding out what kind of ring your fiancée likes will be a little harder if you want to give her or him a surprise. However, if both of you have been serious about getting married for some time, you have probably talked about the engagement ring. Most likely, your fiancée has mentioned the topic to their friends or family members. It might be a good idea for you to ask your fiancée’s friends or relatives for advice and even take them to the store for their suggestions. Of course you need to make sure they
can keep a secret.
Step 2: Decide your budget
There is a widely used budget rule for purchasing an engagement ring. Most people save an amount equal to a two-month’s salary for an engagement ring. Obviously, you do not need to follow this rule exactly. If you find a perfect ring that is less than your two-month’s salary, save the difference for future needs. At the same time, if the engagement ring turns out to be bit more expensive than your budget but you know that it’s the perfect ring for your fiancée, you should consider chipping in a little more for
the ring. As soon as you make the decision on a ring, try to negotiate with the sales person. Buying an engagement ring is no different than buying any other item. You can always negotiate the price. Do not feel intimidated when you walk into a fabulous jewelry store. When you decide to buy the engagement ring, try to talk the price down to about half the asking price. Remember that jewelry salesmen are no different than any other salesmen in the world.
Step 3: Find a good and trustworthy jewelry store
The best way to find a good jewelry store is to consult with friends and relatives who have recently gotten married. Because they have gone through the process of purchasing an engagement ring themselves, they should be able to give you suggestions on where to buy the ring. You can also try the well known name brands but don’t feel compelled to buy from these stores. There are many good and trustworthy jewelry stores out there if you spend some time looking for them.
Step 4: Select your stone
After you have decided one or more reliable stores to approach, it is time to think about the type of stone you should pick. Most people follow the 4-c policy: clarity, color, carat, cut. Clarity, color and carat are determined by nature and gemologists can hardly do anything to change these features. The emphasis should be on the forth point: cut. It is the craftsman’s work that makes a stone bounce the light back on to itself and achieve the effect of scintillation. Therefore, when you are choosing a stone,
make sure you pay special attention to the “cut” of the stone. A good cut should not be shallow. A cut that is too shallow will make the light fade away when it reaches the bottom of the stone. A cut that is too deep will make the light escape from the side of the stone and darken part of the stone. Also, be attentive to the symmetry of the cut. A good symmetry helps the play of light that enables a stone to bring its brilliance into view.
Step 5: Choose a good setting
Before choosing the setting of the engagement ring, you need to select the type of metal for your ring. Most people choose platinum or gold for their engagement rings. However, people also use other metals such as white gold, titanium, silver etc.
If you are not sure about the setting style your fiancée likes, you may want to ask their close friend or relative for suggestions. There are many different settings to pick such as cluster, bar, prong-solitaire, gypsy, pave setting, etc. It is usually easier to pick out the setting if you have already chosen the type of stone.
Step 6: Make the deal
After you have gone through all these steps, pay the bill and get the engagement ring to propose to your beloved one. Although the engagement ring should last forever, keep the receipt just in case you need to bring it back to the jewelry store for any reason.
|
|
|
