Engagement rings: how to choose the perfect diamond engagement ring

So you’ve found the person you want to spend the rest of your life with…now it’s just a matter of choosing the perfect diamond ring!

Much like a wedding dress, some people spend their whole lives dreaming about their perfect engagement ring, while others simply can’t get past the complex jewellery terminology – for instance, should they choose a solitaire, princess cut, bezel set diamond?  How many carats?  Platinum setting or white gold? 

With an infinite amount of styles possible, choosing a ring can be a very complicated process, so it’s important to have all the facts before you begin.  Hopefully, this page will provide you with a few ideas.

How to choose a ring

The traditional engagement ring as we know it today consists of two parts: a diamond and a setting.  The classic princess-cut, single diamond in a 6-prong “Tiffany” setting (so-called because it was first introduced by Tiffany & Co in 1886) is usually considered a safe starting point when trying to predict what women want.  But beware – nobody wants an impersonal ring! 

How much should consumers spend on buying an engagement ring?  A good guide is to follow the “2 months salary” rule, which keeps prices relative to your budget.  But remember, an engagement or wedding ring will need to last forever, so be sure to shop for quality and value.

Whether you want to select the ring on your own, or whether you want her involved in the decision, you have several options to consider:

• choose the ring metal: while platinum lasts the longest, 18k gold is the classic engagement setting
• choose the style of setting: the three most popular styles are solitaire settings (with a single, centre diamond), settings with side jewels (a centre diamond with smaller gems on either side), and settings with matching wedding bands (these engagement rings are designed to match your wedding ring, if you choose to wear them both together)

If you do want to surprise her with a ring without her knowing, keep the following tips in mind:

• find out her ring size
• take notice of the colour jewellery that she wears regularly
• ask her friends and family if she’s ever brought up engagement rings before

Even if you want to keep the actual proposal a surprise, it’s still quite common for couples to discuss engagement ring choices with each other.  So don’t be afraid to ask!

How to choose a diamond?

So you’ve got the ring style and the setting under control, but how do you choose the diamond that will set it all off?  Just follow these guidelines!

Shape: Diamonds come in many different shapes, the most popular ones being round, oval, emerald-cut, pear-shaped and princess-cut.  Try to find out what shape she would like – nowadays, most diamond engagement rings are set with round shapes, but if you know she would like something different, go for it.

Size: The first point of difference here is budget, so that should narrow down your list to start with.  From there, you’ll need to choose the quality of your diamond.  Popular choices here range from 0.5 carat to 2.0 carat diamonds.

Colour: Colourless diamonds are highly-valued, but so too are coloured diamonds.  White diamonds say “classic”, while coloured diamonds say “unique”.  This is really a matter of personal choice and budget (as coloured diamonds are often just as, if not more, expensive than regular diamonds).

Clarity: Diamond clarity is determined by the inclusions or internal flaws within the diamond itself.  Diamonds completely flaw-free are very highly-valued, so again, this is a matter of budget size.

Needless to say, perhaps the most important part of buying your ring is making sure you use a trusted jeweler.  Find a reputable one that you can count on to be honest with you.