More than the women, it’s the guys who are feeling the pressure when it comes to choosing an engagement ring. This, aside from planning the one moment that should stand out from among the millions of proposal stories that’s been read a thousand times over by the woman they love. And have I mentioned the three months’ salary that should be saved up before going on a trip down the jewelry lane?
There’s always that scenewhere men just doesn’t seem to know where to start. The intention to find a ring is there, yes. The hilarious attempts looking for that perfect ring is another story. Will this be a similar scenario where men ask for direction, in this case, the right directions to the bling shop?
Panicking will always cloud your better judgment. Because it looks like you need some advice, let me be sympathetic to the crippling feeling of helplessness when you’re about to go down on one knee yet there’s no ring to show for it. If there’s one thing that we can learn from all this, it’s that help is always around.
Let’s get started with choosing your engagement ring right now!
Know Your Budget
There’s no point of getting into debt just to buy an engagement ring. Besides, if this will be the case, this reflects how you manage your finances. If you’re having difficulty now, how much more when you guys are sharing a household? Money is not the only factor that should matter. It should not limit you from picking the right ring for the right girl. Know how far your budget can take you before you go shopping. If you want you can go and visit www.jamesallen.com to evaluate how much you can afford.
Consider What Your Partner May Want: Ring Settings
Have you asked if your partner may want a solitaire cut? Not everyone likes them. Some would prefer the recent trend of pave settings, or the Three-Stone rings that we see on most fingers these days. Try to come up with creative ways on how you can ask your partner what they like, without giving away the idea that there’s a surprise in a few months.
Go for Quality
Always get the value for what you will be paying for. This is where the 4 C’s come in: Carat, Clarity, Cut, and Color. Just to give you a lowdown on what those mean, here is a brief summary of what it represents.
Carat is the standard used for measuring the weight of a diamond.
Cut is often confused with the shape of a diamond. Don’t worry, let’s clarify that now. Cut points to how light is effectively returned to a viewer’s eye, how brilliant it looks from your point-of-view.
Clarity refers to the natural inclusions that occur inside the diamond itself.
The best Color for a diamond is colorless, which allows the maximum passing of light, unobstructed, when it acts as a prism.
Certificates Matter
Every diamond should be appraised. The true value of your diamond is reflected in the certificate that comes with it, detailing its characteristics, as well as any laboratory enhancements done, if any. The standards used in diamond grading are those from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), American Gem Society (AGS) and the International Gemological Institute (IGI).
Which Metal to Use?
When it comes to choosing the metal for your engagement ring, always consider durability and value. The metals you can choose from are yellow gold, white gold and platinum.
- Platinum
Platinum is one of the strongest metals in the market. Also, it is hypoallergenic which makes it a great choice if you have sensitive skin. It does not tarnish and is very low maintenance, although it costs much than gold.
- Yellow Gold
Yellow gold is commonly used for engagement rings and wedding rings. As it is naturally a very soft metal, it is mixed in an alloy with other metals such as silver or copper. The higher the purity, in terms of karat gold (24k, 18k or14k), the easier it may be scratched or damaged. However, when this happens it can be easily repaired.
- White Gold
White gold is a very popular choice because it links the traditional to the contemporary. It has undergone treatment to come up with a seemingly-like silver finish. The rhodium plating gives it a dazzling white glint that does not wear off for a long time.
Now that you’re certain you want to propose, mastered what there is to know about engagement rings, you’ve saved up and everything is in the works, waiting, for the magical night. There will be a moment that you will be all choked up and won’t even know what to say. When the world seemed to have stopped moving and words fail you, just stay on that one knee a little bit more and say how you feel…with diamonds!
