If you’ve decided to propose, there’s probably a part of you that wants to run out right away and buy a ring. That’s understandable. After all, you’ve found the special person that you want to spend the rest of your life with! It’s only natural that you’d want to propose as soon as you can. However, when it comes to buying a diamond engagement ring, it’s very important that you do some research before you make your purchase.
Why? There are several reasons. The first is that a diamond engagement ring is typically a big purchase, both financially and emotionally. Not only will this ring likely cost a fair bit of money, but it is also a powerful emotional symbol. An engagement ring represents your love for your partner, and they will wear it every day of their life. So it’s not a decision that should be taken lightly.
Another reason why research is important is that buying a diamond engagement ring is likely to be the first experience with buying diamonds for most people. While you may have purchased earrings or a necklace before, those pieces typically contain smaller stones, so you may not have learned much about diamond quality before you made your purchase. A diamond engagement ring often features one larger diamond (and sometimes several smaller ones as well) so the quality of the diamond is more important.
What sort of research should you do? You’ll want to familiarize yourself with diamonds and engagement rings, you’ll want to research the jewelry stores themselves, and you’ll want to find out a bit about your partner’s tastes.
Researching Diamonds
You won’t need to become a diamond expert, but it’s definitely a good idea to do some diamond research before you buy a ring. Our diamond education center is a good place to start.
One of the main things that you’ll want to learn about are the “4 Cs.” This refers to color, clarity, cut, and carat weight. Knowing more about these different aspects of diamond quality can help you compare diamonds and find the one that is right for you.
Researching Jewelers
It’s also a good idea to research different jewelry stores. Once you start looking for a ring, you’ll soon realize that there are many different places to shop. And not all jewelers are created equal. There is a difference between local chains, nationwide chains, and independent jewelers when it comes to variety, level of service, price, selection, and the services that are offered.
You might want to talk to friends or family members who have purchased engagement rings recently. They can help steer you in the right direction.
Remember that, if you’re looking for a service such as custom engagement ring design, not all jewelers offer this service. This means that you will need to choose one that does.
Researching your Partner
It sounds a little strange, but you’ll also need to do some research into your partner. Primarily, you’ll need to find out what they would like in an engagement ring. There are many, many different kinds of engagement rings available in a wide variety of different styles. All of them are beautiful in their own way, but there’s a really good chance that your partner would like some a lot more than others.
To find out what they would like (while still keeping the proposal a secret) there are a couple of things that you can do. First, you’ll want to look at their current jewelry and clothing. Do any trends start to form? Do they like simple styles or more elaborate pieces? Is most of their jewelry yellow gold, platinum, or white gold? What they already own can tell you a lot about the type of diamond engagement ring they’d like.
You’ll also want to think back to any time that they may have talked about engagement rings in the past. Maybe a friend got engaged and they commented on the ring. Maybe they were passing by a jewelry store and they stopped to look at a few rings in particular. Maybe they’ve fawned over a celebrity’s ring. These are all clues that can help you find the right ring for them.
