Engagement Ring Buying Guide For Both of You

More and more couples are now choosing to buy the engagement ring together so this guide is for both of you (but really it’s for her). Read on for our expert advice on choosing and buying the perfect engagement ring.

OUR TOP THREE TIPS FOR A BLISSFUL BUYING EXPERIENCE

Be Practical

Sparkly things have a way of making even the most sensible person giddy. And whilst it’s lovely to splash out on a ring, you don’t have to throw all your money away to get something stunning. Agree how much you want to spend before you start looking so you can save the rest for an unforgettable honeymoon or, you know, water and electric.

Be Indulgent

The whole concept of an engagement ring is decadent. So yes, agree on a budget (yawn) but then let yourself go. Cherish the experience, savour the excitement, and don’t stop looking until you find a ring you absolutely, positively want to jump into bed with.

Be Smart

Buying a ring isn't just about choosing which one looks the nicest. You also need to know what you’re buying, so it makes sense to spend a few moments learning about the Four C's. Armed with that knowledge, you’re free to decide whether you’d rather spend your money on a diamond with a higher carat weight, one with a purer colour, or one that’s absolutely flawless.

FINDING A RING YOU CAN FALL IN LOVE WITH

Along with your wedding rings, the engagement ring will stay with you as a lasting symbol of your commitment to each other, and may be handed down to your children and your children’s children. But more so than a wedding ring, an engagement ring is a piece of jewellery with a strong individual design. You want to be sure you’re getting something now that you will still love in 10, 20, 30 or 50 years time (much like your betrothed).

1% Perspiration, 99% Inspiration

Buying a ring is easy. It’s knowing what you want that's hard. Fortunately, you can find engagement ring inspiration almost everywhere you look. Admire the rings of your friends and colleagues. Tell them you’re trying to find your own perfect ring – if you’re lucky, they might let you try their ring on to see how it suits you.

You can also check out photos of celebrity engagement rings, past and present. You might not be able to afford the same size diamond but there’s no reason why you can’t have the same design.

Shaping Your Style

Our website allows you to select any diamond, setting and metal which we will then craft into a beautiful ring for you. But it can be dizzying choosing a ring if you don’t already have a style in mind.

There are so many choices to make - from the setting (pave, twist claw, Tiffany style) to the metal (gold, platinum, palladium) to the shape of the diamond (princess cut, round brilliant, marquise and more).

Making some basic choices up front about what you like and don’t like in terms of shape, setting style and metal will really help to narrow the field and make it easier for you to find the one design that sets your heart racing.

Discover diamond shapes
Setting styles
Metal types

What if we want a design you don’t offer?

We can make any style of ring you want to go with your chosen diamond. Just drop into one of our offices or contact us to tell us what you want.

FIVE QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU FIND YOUR PERFECT STYLE

Once you've done some research, try answering the following questions to help you focus on what you like and don’t like.

1. Do you prefer gold or ‘silver’ coloured rings (white gold, platinum, palladium)?
2. Do you prefer rings with a single diamond or those with multiple stones?
3. Do you prefer the diamond to sit high on the finger or more closely follow the contour of the band?
4. What shape diamond do you like? (Note: it might be easier to pinpoint those you don’t like.)
5. What item of clothing or jewellery did you last buy that you've never worn? (Just because you love something doesn't mean you like wearing it. Learning from past mistakes can help you make a better choice this time.)
   
   

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Hopefully you now have a clear idea of what you’re looking for. Just follow these three simple steps and your dream engagement ring will be yours!

Choose the Stone

Do a search on our website for the shape of diamond that you want. Narrow the results down by price and use the Four C's to get a diamond with the exact characteristics you’re looking for. You can also use our unique Quality Diamond Score to help you choose between similarly priced stones.

Choose the Diamond

Decide first whether you want a solitaire or multi-stone ring. Next select the metal. Finally, select the specific style from those shown. Note that not all setting styles are automatically available for all diamond shapes and vice versa. If you can’t find the combination you’re looking for, contact us and we can make it for you.

Choose the Size

If you’re not sure what size ring you need, you can request a free ring sizer. Alternatively, choose "Not Known" as the size and we’ll send you it in a standard size. After you've tried it on and you know the correct size, you can return it to us to be resized once at no extra cost.

Can we try the ring on before we buy it?

All our engagement rings are made to order so unfortunately it’s not possible to try a ring on before you buy. You can, however, arrange to view the diamond and different settings at either our Hatton Garden, Birmingham or Milton Keynes showrooms. Remember, we also offer a 60-day money back guarantee if you’re not completely enchanted with your new ring.

FROM “WILL YOU?” TO “I DO”

Once you have that pesky engagement ring buying task out of the way, please don’t forget we also sell wedding rings. We’re happy to advise you on any aspect of buying your wedding rings or you can click here to view our wedding ring buying guide