Choosing an Engagement Ring - Where to start?

A proposal marks one of the biggest steps in a relationship: it’s a commitment to the future and a promise of your love to your partner. But will the answer be yes? And will the engagement ring be the ‘right one’?

With so much to consider, and so many people and websites offering advice, it can be hard to know how to begin. The whole process can be an incredibly daunting experience, but if you’re armed with the right information, then it can make the this potentially overwhelming event a bit easier! Read on to help you start this next story in your life.

Going solo?

An engagement ring is a very personal choice. I know women who only wanted a solitaire diamond and I know others who only wanted a coloured stone with a halo. Whatever the preference, the first big decision after you’ve decided to propose is either to go it alone and get the ring by yourself or propose and then do it together. My husband opted for an IOU note and we chose together (definitely the right choice), but if you decide to choose yourself so you can pop the question with the ring, then there are a few things you might want to consider.

Budget

Only you know what you’re comfortable spending. Don’t let your mother/brother/colleague/cousin/aunt/neighbour/squash buddy/jewellery salesperson tell you what you should spend. And if you’re going to choose the ring together, and don’t want to discuss money in front of your other half, let the jeweller know beforehand. There are ways and means so that you’re kept in budget and your hand isn’t forced!

Diamond – the only choice?

De Beers did an excellent marketing job in the 1930s in making people believe that a diamond was the only stone you could propose with, but there are other options! If you know your partner would like a coloured gemstone, you need to think about lifestyle. If your partner is very hands on and manual, I’d recommend staying away from an emerald for example, as they aren’t as hardy as diamond, sapphire or ruby. If you are going for a single solitaire diamond, you then need to consider the 4 Cs (see the diamond blog!). Once you know a bit more, you can begin to make some informed decisions.

Inspiration

If you know it’s not a single stone ring, then design starts to play a part. What is the overall look you/your fiancée would like? Do they like floral, delicate designs or do they like blunter, statement styles? Look through their jewellery box and see if you can pick out a theme – you might suddenly notice something! I also recommend looking through the internet for style inspiration. If your partner knows you’re going to propose soon, you can get some feedback and maybe even ask for them to send you a few ideas. This helps in the bespoke jewellery design phase, making sure that your unique engagement ring is as perfect as you hope.

The Engagement Ring Stone Shape

There is an array of incredible stone shapes to choose from so you don’t need to stick with a classic round brilliant solitaire diamond or an oval sapphire. Often a pear or marquise shaped diamond looks larger than its round brilliant counterpart, due to the surface area it covers, so if size of the stone is important, than it’s a good way to get size for money.

Set or unset?

Want to propose with something? Proposing with a loose gemstone is the ideal solution: you have ‘part’ of the ring and then you can enjoy the design process together. This is becoming an increasingly popular way to propose and allows you the flexibility of not having a strict commitment to design. This way your new fiancée can be surprised by the proposal but still be involved in designing the ring – perfect!

Heirloom

You may be fortunate that there is a special piece of jewellery in the family – hers or yours – and you would like to incorporate this in to a new, updated, bespoke engagement ring, It could be stones/metal from an existing ring or gems from a brooch, earrings or pendant. Whatever the source, it can be a wonderful way to add even more sentimentality to your final bespoke engagement ring.

Ready-to-wear

Sometimes it can be a case that you think you’ve found the perfect ring in a store, but you’re not sure if it’s good value for money or what all the jargon you’ve been given when being sold to adds up to.  Although Sophie Flanagan Fine Jewellery excels in creating bespoke jewellery, there is also the option of a consultancy service, so should you decide you want some assistance in choosing a ready-to-wear engagement ring from auction or a private retailer, you don’t need to go it alone!

To recap…

However you decide to propose, with a ring, with a stone or with an heirloom to be reimagined, Sophie Flanagan Fine Jewellery can help. Don’t forget, the perfect ring is the one that’s right for you regardless of size, shape, cost, clarity and all the rest of it! Get in touch and let’s start your story.