Are you unsure about how to shop for an engagement ring? Do you want to learn more about diamonds and the buying process, but you’re not sure where to look? This article will give you all the resources and information you’ll need to shop for an engagement ring.
Questions we will answer:
- What diamond ring should I buy?
- How much should I spend on a ring?
- Where do I shop for a diamond ring?
- Do I need help from experts to buy diamond jewelry?
- What do I need to know about diamond rings?
- How do I shop for an engagement ring?
These are all the questions that will run through your mind as you figure out how to shop for an engagement ring. We are here to make the process as easy and as straightforward for you.
What Diamond Ring Should I Buy?
You can’t go into a car dealership without knowing what car you want. You’ll be there looking at pros and cons all day, and end up going home with nothing. The same goes for an engagement ring. This is how to know what diamond ring to buy.
Buy the One Your Partner Wants
The first question to ask is what ring does your partner actually wants before you shop for an engagement ring. In most cases, women will already have a good idea of what they want for an engagement ring. Your partner’s opinion matters the most as she is the one you are buying for.
Follow these tips to know what diamond ring your partner wants:
- Ask their closest family or friends – Your partner’s best friends or sisters will most likely have the answer ready for you. It’s a topic they would have discussed in the past. And if they haven’t, they’ll have the best idea of what ring design she would like.
- Check her social media – Jewelry and rings are something your partner may have already searched for themselves. If you’re lucky enough, they may have saved this on their Pinterest, Instagram, or shared this on a post on Facebook. This is a good place to start if you’re looking for clues of what engagement ring your partner wants.
- Get a friend to help – Have someone close to her figure out what ring designs she would like. A friend can help you find out, without her ever knowing that you’re looking to propose to her.
- Observe her personal style – A good indicator would be how your partner wears jewelry, or how she dresses. If she likes to wear bold and bright outfits, she will most likely want a ring that makes a statement. If she wears minimal jewelry or has a simple, low-key style, she would want a ring that’s low-key too.
These are helpful tips to get you started on your search for the perfect engagement ring. The next thing to consider is how much to spend.
Buy One that You Can Afford
You can’t go shopping for extravagant diamond ring designs that cost up to $10,000 if you’re budget is around $5,000. A good way of determining what type of diamond ring you should buy will depend entirely on the amount of money you can spend.
For example, our Devotion in White Gold with a 1.24 Carat is just around $4,000.
To give you a better idea of how much you should be spending on an engagement ring, here’s an estimate of how much different Diamond sizes cost.
| Diamond Carat Weight | Average Cost |
| 1.00 Carat | $2,000 – $5,000 |
| 2.00 Carat | $5,000 – $10,000 |
| 3.00 Carat | $10,000 – $20,000 |
| 4.00 Carat | $20,000 – $30,000 |
What to consider when deciding on a budget for an engagement ring:
- What can you afford? – The general rule is to commit to 3 months worth of your monthly income for your engagement ring. If you earn $2000 a month, you can afford to spend $6000 on your ring.
- How much are you willing to spend on it? – If you are willing to spend beyond 2 months’ worth of income, you need to decide on how much you are willing to spend and commit to that.
- What will you spend at the wedding? – After the proposal comes to the wedding. It’s important to also consider how much your wedding will cost and set aside a fair amount for that.
- What type of ring does your partner want? – If your partner wants a small diamond with a minimal ring design, you can shop for an engagement ring between $1000 to $3000. If your partner wants a big diamond with a bold design, you’ll be looking at prices between $5000 to $10,000
There’s no right or wrong answer here. You can decide to approach this with affordability in mind, or you can shop with a bigger budget. What you really need to do is to decide on a number and commit to it. There’s a lot of thought that goes into the decision you’ll make, it’ll be difficult if you don’t have a specific budget you set for yourself.
As soon as you have a good idea of how much you are willing to spend on an engagement ring, the next question is where to go shopping for one.
Where do I Shop for an Engagement Ring?
With a budget in mind and a ring design you’re hoping to get, the next question on your list is where do you shop for an engagement ring. This, of course, is another overwhelming factor to consider as there are hundreds of shops online. The real question is, who can give you what you need?
Where to Buy Affordable Engagement Rings:
- Shop online, not at the mall – The prices at jewelry shops at the mall are around 20% to 40% more expensive than shops online
- Shop at lesser-known brands – Avoid designer brands such as Tiffany & Co and Cartier as they are very expensive.
- Shop for Lab-Grown or Moissanite Rings – This is a good alternative for diamond rings if you’re looking for a more affordable price range. Click here to learn more about earth-mined, lab-grown, and moissanite rings.
Where to Buy Luxury Engagement Rings:
- Shop at Designer Jewelry Stores – The well-known luxury engagement ring brands promise the best-of-the-best in diamond jewelry and experience.
- Shop at Jewelry Stores at the Mall – It’s likely that you’ll find a luxury jewelry shop at your local high-end mall.
Do I Need Help from Experts to Buy Diamond Jewelry?
This is a big question as you may feel that you yourself will not know enough about engagement rings, or diamonds, to make a sound decision on your own. You’ll be tempted to ask for the opinion of experts, but be cautious as it is often a biased recommendation for a sale.
This is what you need to know if you are talking to experts:
- The important thing is for a diamond to be certified.
- As long as the diamond looks beautiful and clean to the naked eye, the details of its clarity and color don’t have to be perfect.
- Ask as many questions as you want to confirm that you are getting what is advertised
- Always ask for a warranty and return policy
- Don’t just talk to one expert/shop. Do a little window shopping before committing to a shop.
Try to observe if an expert is listening to you and your preferences, or if they are insisting that you shop for the more expensive choice. This is really important as you don’t want to over-spend when you go shopping for simple engagement rings.
Additional Tip: Read Online Reviews
With the age of the internet and social media, people are more transparent with their experiences purchasing products. And this is particularly true for jewelry. A good tip when figuring out how to shop simple engagement rings is to read through online reviews from customers.
You can browse through Google reviews, Facebook reviews, or even through people’s personal experiences that they have shared on social media. The more you read, the better idea you’ll have of what to expect from a jewelry shop and if this is the right one for you.
A good example is these Brillianteers Customer Reviews. You can read reviews from different previous customers, to get a better idea of what to expect from a jewelry shop. This will eliminate any possibility of you making the wrong choice regarding what shop to buy from. A jewelry shop that has many credible and positive reviews is easier to trust than one that has no significant reviews.
What Do I Need to Know About Diamond Rings Before Shopping?
Doing research when you’re learning how to shop for an engagement ring goes a long way if you know what you need to learn.
Here are all the articles to get you started:
- Diamond Ring Designs – An article on all the different diamond ring designs that you can choose from for your engagement ring.
- Diamond Certification – An article explaining everything you need to know about Diamond Certification, all the Gemological Laboratories that provide Certification, and how this all affects the price of a diamond ring.
- Diamond Carat – An article answering all-important questions about Diamonds and their Carat weight.
- Diamond Color – An in-depth explanation about diamond color and how this affects the price of a diamond ring.
- Diamond Clarity – An article discussing everything you need to know about diamond clarity, including a clarity chart and how to save money on your engagement ring by choosing the right diamond clarity.
- Diamond Cut – A closer look at the purpose and value of a diamond’s cut/shape.
These articles will be of great help when you’re trying to find out how to shop for an engagement ring. The more you know about diamond rings and why they are expensive, the better you’ll be at judging what ring is best for you.
It’s a common practice that people who are trying to sell you rings will bombard you with information and terminologies that you may not be familiar with. If you do know what they are talking about, you can ask more informed questions and have a better understanding of what you are shopping for.
How do I Shop for an Engagement Ring? – The Process
Once you have the time and all the information that you need to shop for an engagement ring, you can follow this process, or to-do-list, of how to shop for an engagement ring.
Do a Lot of Research
Before you jump into any purchase, do all the research necessary to help you make a decision that you are happy with. Read the reviews, browse the different websites, compare the prices of similar diamond rings. The more research you do, the better.
Narrow-down Your Options to a Workable Number of Choices
When you have done a sufficient amount of research on how to shop for an engagement ring, certain designs and jewelry shops will stand out from the crowd. List down your best options and compare their characteristics. This is where the 4 C’s come in, and where you can compare what their certifications say.
Ask About the Warranty and Return Policy
You’ll want to purchase a ring that comes with a good warranty and return policy. This is to protect yourself and your valuable ring. The best way is to simply ask about this, and decide which jewelry store offers what works best for you.
Request to See the Ring Under a Bright Light
One thing you shouldn’t forget to do when you shop for an engagement ring is to ask to see the ring under a bright light. You’ll be able to better see the quality of a diamond ring. It’s a good idea to request to see this first before you decide on a ring to buy. This way, you’ll be able to see if it looks as beautiful as you want it to look.
What if I’m shopping online and I can’t see the ring in person?
This is a great question. What you can do is to ask for a video of the diamond ring moving under a bright light. This will give you almost the same view of the ring as how you would see it in person. A photo is simply not enough, and can sometimes be deceiving. A video will give you a better idea of what you are buying.
Buy the Diamond Ring that’s Best for You
When you are 100% comfortable, and actually excited, about one ring, after all the research you’ve done, then it is time to finally buy that ring. Don’t settle for one that you are unsure of. There are a lot of different ring designs to choose from.
Have the Ring Insured
The final, and most important part of the process is to have your very valuable ring insured. You can add this on to your current insurance, or have the jewelry shop guide you on doing so.
Conclusion: Follow Your Instincts
Remember, this is the ring that will promise your partner a lifetime of love and commitment. It should be as magical for you to buy, as it is for her to receive. These tips on how to shop for an engagement ring aim to make this entire process easier, and thus, far more enjoyable to do. Enjoy this moment. If a ring doesn’t feel right to you, follow your instinct. The best engagement ring to buy is the one that you’re 100% happy with.
Click here to shop for more affordable engagement ring designs, all customizable, all available at budget-friendly prices.