Purchasing an Engagement Ring Can Be Daunting
Deciding to surprise your S.O. with an engagement ring is a daunting task – after all, an engagement ring is an eternal symbol of love and devotion. Trust us though, all the stress of choosing the perfect ring is worth it for the look on your partner’s face when you get the ring just right.
This brief guide will help you to select an engagement ring that your partner will love. If you have any doubts along the way, don’t hesitate to contact us – we’re experts when it comes to engagement ring shopping!
Set a Budget
The first step you need to take is to establish your budget – this is whatever you can comfortably afford to spend on a ring. You don’t want to start your shared future with a large engagement ring debt weighing you down. There are beautiful rings for all budgets, so don’t worry that you will have to sacrifice on quality.
Determine Their Style
In the lead up to your decision, you need to pay particular attention to your partner’s style. Are they casual? Classy? Quirky? Gothic? Athletic? Vintage? Minimalist? Also take note of the jewellery they wear – Does it stand out or is it understated? Is there a particular type of stone or metal that they love to wear? Rifle through their closet and their existing jewellery and try to gauge their overall ‘look’. If your partner doesn’t wear any jewellery – or if they are particularly active – something subtle and unobtrusive will likely be best.
If you’re not sure how to define your partner’s style, consult their friends and family!
Choose the Metal
There are two popular choices of metal for engagement rings – platinum (a natural white metal that pairs beautifully with diamonds) and gold (including yellow gold, white gold and rose gold).
Consider the jewellery your partner wears (if applicable):
- If they’re drawn to cooler hues and silver-toned jewellery, platinum or white gold is likely the best choice
- Yellow gold or rose gold are good choices if they tend to gravitate toward warmer tones
- If they wear both silver and gold jewellery, you can choose a ring with mixed metals
You can also determine which metal will be best by considering your partner’s skin tone. If their veins appear blue or purple, they have a cool skin tone, which means they look great in metals like white gold, platinum and silver. If your partner’s veins appear green, they have a warm skin tone, which means they look good in yellow or rose gold, copper and brass jewellery. If their veins appear blue in some areas and green in others, they have a neutral skin tone – this means they suit both white and yellow metals.
Choose the Stone
The most popular gemstone choice for engagement rings is clear round diamonds, followed closely by blue sapphires. However, there is no set rule when it comes to engagement ring stones, and it’s best to choose whatever you think best suits your partner’s personality. Take into consideration how conventional your partner’s taste is (if they have unconventional style they will probably prefer a less common gemstone than a diamond or sapphire), and also consider their favourite colours and the colours of the clothes they wear. Once you have your gemstone selected, you need to consider the four C’s – cut, colour, clarity and carat weight. Find out more.
Determine Ring Size
Determining your partner’s ring size can be tricky. The easiest and most accurate way to get your partner’s ring size is to find a ring that they already wear and have it measured by a jeweller. You can also make a guess based on general ring sizes – typically, women range from a ring size 5-7 and men range from a size 8-10. Try to ascertain whether your partner’s hands/fingers are small, average or large and go from there (remember it is always easier to make a ring smaller than larger if resizing is necessary).
If you can’t go by the methods above, you may need to get a little creative. You could enlist the help of family or friends who may have a better understanding of their ring size (or who may be able to subtly coerce your partner into trying a ring on and make an estimation). Finally – and this method is a little risky – you could attempt to loop a piece of string around your partner’s finger while they’re asleep (this sounds a little creepier than we intended!). Don’t wind it too tightly, as engagement rings should be able to gently move over the knuckle. Once you have the string wrapped around, make note of the meeting point of the string and mark it with a pen.
Contact Argyle Jewellers
We provide a range of services including jewellery design, repairs, maintenance, cleaning and valuations. If you have any questions about our Brisbane engagement rings or how you can choose the perfect ring for your partner, don’t hesitate to contact our friendly and knowledgeable staff today.