Engagement Rings Buying Guide
So you've decided to take the plunge, but you're starting to believe that you're more scared about buying the engagement ring 
than you are of saying your vows. It doesn't have to be this way! Sure, there are a lot of styles and sizes out there, but we have confidence that you can get the ring she wants and the one that you can afford with a relatively painless amount of effort. You just need to arm yourself with knowledge before you hit the local jewellery shop or start scouring the web, and we're here to help. Because an engagement ring is such an enduring piece of jewellery--hopefully it will be on her finger for a lifetime--doing a little research first will ensure that the ring lasts as long as she loves wearing it.
Style Alert
This is where you'll need to do some investigation--or bring someone with a little expertise along in your search. Since engagement rings come in a bunch of different styles and materials, it may be a good idea to check out your soon-to-be spouse's jewellery box . Note some key things:
- Does she own more silver ,gold ,white gold or platinum ?
- Does a particular gemstone dominate? If not, what's your fiancée's favourite colour?
- Can you gauge whether she likes simplicity or opts for little more bling-bling?
If you're not much of a sleuth, your next best bet is to take along someone who knows a little bit about your fiancée, or at least, a little bit about jewellery! Try enlisting the help of her best friend, or take your mum along for the trip. Something to consider while on your search is the wedding band . Now is the perfect time to buy a wedding band to match the engagement ring, but only if you think she's going to love what you pick out. And to make it even easier on yourself, try looking for a bridal set with an engagement ring that fits snugly into the wedding band.
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Diamond Solitaire Rings - This design features a single diamond set on a band.
- If you're unsure of what style your sweetie will love best, this relatively simple ring is a safe option. Once you give her the ring, she can even change the setting to better suit the wedding band and/or her desires.
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Diamond Solitaire Rings with Accents - This design features one main diamond and uses smaller diamonds or other gemstones as offsetting accents.
- The carat weight on these rings will include the weight of all the stones on the ring, not just the diamond.
- This is a good option if you you're fairly confident of your fiancée's style. You can choose gemstones that she loves, or colours that she always wears.
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Diamond Three-Stone Rings - This design is also called a trilogy ring or a past-present-future ring.
- It often features three round cut diamonds that represent the three stages of your relationship (past, present, future), although the shapes of the diamonds can vary.
- It's often the most expensive of the common engagement ring styles.
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Stellar Shapes
Next on your to do list is figuring out which shape diamond/stone will best suit your fiancée. But if you're clueless about this along with carats, clarity and the other important C's of diamond buying, check out our diamond buying guide.
