How to Shop for Engagement Rings - Getting the Right Ring

Buying an engagement ring is a daunting prospect for many. It is a massive investment of time and energy and the ring that you buy will also have a fair financial impact as well. Whether you are buying a ring as a surprise or buying your ring together it is important to know how to shop for engagement rings.

When you are learning how to shop for engagement rings the most important thing that I can tell you is to have a good idea of what you want your ring to look like. This one thing alone will make the job far easier.

There are many different styles available, but the most popular are;

The Solitaire - this is by far the most popular style of engagement ring. It is elegant in its simplicity and involves just one diamond.
The Side Stone - One main diamond with smaller diamonds either side
The Three-Stone - Three larger diamonds that represent the past, present and future
The Gemstone - this is where your main diamond had colored gemstones like rubies, sapphires and emeralds as the side stones.

Once you have an idea of how many stones you want, the next thought should be towards how those stones should look, do you want an;

Antique style - often called a vintage style, this is a more elaborately styled ring, with more detailing and lots of smaller diamonds and gemstones,
Contemporary style - just as the antique is more elaborate and involved the contemporary style is a modern and often minimalist twist on traditional settings.
Designer style- a unique twist to any of the above, designer rings are made to stand out.

You then need to select a setting that holds your diamonds in place;

Prong - this is the traditional setting for a center diamond
Pave' - lots of small prongs holding lots of small diamonds - like a cobblestone path.
Bezel - a modern setting where your band encases your center stone
Channel - smaller diamonds are set into a channel in the band of the ring
Bead - like a pave' setting but using larger stones with bigger gaps to create a bolder statement
Tension - your center diamond is squeezed between the ends of your band, making it appear as though it is floating.

To complete the look of your ring you need to select a precious metal for the band. Your options are;

Rose gold - because of the large amount of copper this a red or pink tinged gold
Yellow Gold - this is the most common form
White gold - gold mixed with nickel and coated with rhodium
Platinum - the most durable but also the most expensive precious metal commonly used for rings.

Select a diamond

Once you know what style, metal and setting you want, you need to choose a diamond to be the centerpiece for your ring. This is a really important part of the process. Your diamond will be roughly half the value of your ring and all the qualities that you should look for can not be described here, so he last thing that you need to do when learning how to shop for engagement rings is to learn about diamonds.

Most online stores have plenty of information on the 4 C's of diamond quality - the Carat, Clarity, Color and Cut. It will only take a few minutes of your time to learn about them, but they might just save you thousands when it comes to buying your ring.

Where to buy?

You can buy your ring from a jeweler on the street, a second hand store or from an online jeweler. There are just as many unscrupulous retailers offline as online, but as long as you are educated you will avoid getting caught in the unlikely event that there is a scam.

Whether you are buying online or offline the process of how to shop for engagement rings is the same, have a good idea of the perfect ring for you, choose a diamond that suits your ring and your budget and keep looking until you find a ring that is perfect. You will know it when you see it and you won't regret waiting for it.

For a comprehensive guide to buying a diamond engagement ring and to find out how to easy it is to design a stunning engagement ring that she will love, then read Mandy's story at James Allen Reviews

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