![\"How](\"http:\/\/www.brillianteers.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/shutterstock_95080729-300x225.jpg\")
# 1\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>Who\u2019s she closest to?<\/b><\/h3>\nThink you\u2019ve got to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out what she wants?\u00a0 What gold color?\u00a0 Does she even want gold?\u00a0 A single big diamond, or several stones?\u00a0 Didn’t even know<\/i> diamonds came in different colors?<\/p>\n
Choosing an engagement ring is a quite elusive task, but\u00a0you don\u2019t really need an assistant named Watson to know what she\u2019ll love – just follow these 20 easy, foolproof steps, from folks who have been there.<\/p>\n
# 1\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>Who\u2019s she closest to?<\/b><\/h3>\nBefore you pick out an engagement ring, find a woman to talk to –\u00a0 a friend, a sister –\u00a0 the closer in age to your girlfriend, the better.\u00a0 Her mother, grandmother and aunts are not your best bet:\u00a0 their taste lags behind hers by at least a generation.\u00a0 Katie says, \u201cMy fianc\u00e9, Drew, picked out my engagement ring and my wedding band. He took my sister with him to the jewelry store, so that made it a lot easier.\u00a0 She picked out a few rings she knew I\u2019d like and put them in front of him.\u201d\u00a0 Drew just needed to pick the one he liked most. \u201cHe asked my sister and she said, \u2018She\u2019ll love it; great choice…\u2019\u201d\u00a0 Katie adds, \u201cIt was; I do!\u201d<\/p>\n
Can somebody on your side of the family help?\u00a0 Maybe the girlfriend or wife of a buddy?\u00a0 \u201cI was amazed what a good job Daniel did buying a ring for his surprise proposal (in a hot-air balloon…),\u201d says Kim.\u00a0 Daniel agonized over the choice for six months until finally, \u201che consulted his best friend\u2019s wife, who has a thing about rings.\u00a0 I\u2019m glad he did, because he has no sense of fashion or style.\u00a0 It\u2019s not that I wouldn’t trust him, but there are times you want an expert on your team.\u201d<\/p>\n
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# 3\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Check her dress sense<\/b><\/h3>\nHow does she dress?\u00a0How long does it take her to get dressed for typical occasions like going to work or school, going to the grocery store, or going out for a special evening?\u00a0 Does she take her time and come out late but polished to perfection?\u00a0 Or is she ready to go at a moment\u2019s notice, more into jeans and spontaneity than hair and makeup?\u00a0 Hone your powers of observation, starting now.\u00a0 But use this information carefully; \u00a0A woman who dresses for comfort and practicality may be more likely to admire a ring with fewer bells and whistles, but not necessarily a tiny, modest jewel.\u00a0 Think about a single impressive stone instead of an elaborate princess-style cluster.<\/p>\n
Should you go the e-snooping route, peeking at her email, browser favorites and other trails online?\u00a0 If you\u2019re both open about sharing devices, it\u2019s fine \u2013 within reason.\u00a0 Type in a few letters of the word \u201cdiamond\u201d or \u201cengagement\u201d into her browser\u2019s address bar to see if any recent visits pop up.\u00a0 If you have more privacy and time, a peek through her browser history might turn up jewelry websites<\/a> or frequent visits.<\/p>\n Be honorable.\u00a0 Draw the line at wedding or engagement message boards:\u00a0 don\u2019t stop by to see what she\u2019s said about you or your relationship.\u00a0 Unless she\u2019s already said you could go into her personal email account, keep it off limits.\u00a0 Even if she\u2019s stepped away leaving it open and it\u2019s calling to you, resist.\u00a0 But it\u2019s worth noting that, in legal terms, peeking at emails on her computer is not illegal.\u00a0\u00a0According to the Michigan Bar Association<\/a>, \u201cJust as reading a letter left on a desk is permissible conduct, so is reading an opened e-mail.\u201d\u00a0 That doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s the gentlemanly thing to do.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to make a career of diamond-buying to learn a few basics before you get started.\u00a0 These are the things women seem like they\u2019re born knowing.\u00a0 Like the choices of metal:\u00a0 yellow gold, white gold, or platinum, for example.\u00a0 Will the band be plain metal or pav\u00e9, lined with tiny diamonds or other gems?\u00a0 Diamonds also come in shapes, like round<\/a>, princess<\/a>, asscher, marquise, baguette.\u00a0 And the ring itself can range in style from a simple solitaire to a very ornate vintage setting.\u00a0 Do your research at home, where there\u2019s no pressure, to get a general idea of what you\u2019ll see once you start to look around.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to go into jewelry stores, or even peek at price tags, to get a sense of what she loves.\u00a0 Next time you\u2019re out at the mall, walk slowly past the jewelry stores and let her linger if she\u2019s interested.\u00a0 Notice where her eye lands; you can come back another time to get a better look and start your idea factory brewing.\u00a0 Even when it\u2019s a store you\u2019d never consider buying in (perhaps too low- or high-end for your taste), it\u2019s still a good starting point.\u00a0 Some guys also plan a trip to a larger, \u201cdestination\u201d store that specializes in engagement rings.\u00a0 Do this well ahead of when you plan to start shopping so your timing will be a true surprise.\u00a0 Let her know you\u2019re just window-shopping, and don\u2019t let a salesperson pressure you into a price point or style you\u2019re not comfortable with.<\/p>\n If she\u2019s hinting, make sure you\u2019re really<\/i> listening.\u00a0 \u201cMen tend to think more globally, while women tend to focus more on details and subtleties,\u201d says psychologist Dr. George Simon (more differences between the sexes here<\/a>).\u00a0 You might think you\u2019ve gotten the idea \u2013 but be very, very certain.\u00a0 Ryan thought his girlfriend Emily didn\u2019t want diamonds \u2013 \u201cShe said, \u2018you don\u2019t need to buy me a diamond\u2019\u201d \u2013 so when he was given a family heirloom ring, he went and swapped out the original diamond for an expensive sapphire\u2026 and she wound up furious.\u00a0 It turned out she was crazy about diamonds, but just didn\u2019t want him to splurge, since they were joining finances soon and needed to save for the wedding.<\/p>\n This is a big step for a lot of guys.\u00a0 On the one hand, it\u2019s the ultimate romantic gesture, customizing your ring and ensuring that it\u2019s unique, just like she is.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t have a background in design, it\u2019ll be harder to create a piece she can show off.\u00a0 After window-shopping with his girlfriend Andrea, Kyle thought he thought he\u2019d do something special and designed a ring himself\u2026 and she told a friend it\u2019s terribly tacky and word got back to him.\u00a0 They\u2019re currently in the market for a \u201cbackup\u201d ring she can wear every day.\u00a0 That doesn\u2019t mean designing a great ring is impossible;\u00a0 Maybe a local artisan can work with you and help create something perfect.\u00a0 The downside is that you have zero options if she doesn\u2019t like it.\u00a0 That\u2019s a lot of pressure on her, so make sure you consult with people who know her well.<\/p>\n Finding her ring size professionally is way better than guessing or measuring with string.\u00a0 You\u2019ve got two ways to do this:\u00a0 ask her, or sneak another ring away.\u00a0 If you ask outright, she\u2019ll have some idea what you\u2019re up to, but that\u2019s not all bad.\u00a0 She may see this as the right time to drop a few hints and help you out.\u00a0 It is possible to maintain the element of surprise if you borrow a ring she doesn\u2019t wear very often.\u00a0 (Make sure it\u2019s one that\u2019s sized right for her ring finger) Keep it for the shortest time possible \u2013 ideally, while she\u2019s out of town and unlikely to miss it at all.\u00a0 Then, sneak it right back into her jewelry box before she has a chance to notice.<\/p>\n Have you looked at her jewelry lately?\u00a0 Not what she owns, but what she wears regularly and really loves.\u00a0 Maybe she only wears one treasured childhood necklace every day.\u00a0 Or maybe she has a regular rotation of colorful bracelets or earrings.\u00a0 Is her watch tiny and delicate, or chunky and bold?\u00a0 These are clues you can\u2019t afford to miss.\u00a0 If she doesn\u2019t wear jewelry, that\u2019s not a dead giveaway that she doesn\u2019t like it.\u00a0 She may be waiting until she can afford \u2013 or be presented with \u2013 a piece that\u2019s simply stunning.<\/p>\n It may not always seem like it, but you\u2019re on the same team financially, and most women don\u2019t want you breaking the bank on a ring.\u00a0 You\u2019ll be joining lives and bank accounts soon, if you haven\u2019t already.\u00a0 That doesn\u2019t mean you have to embarrass her with a ring that screams \u201cbargain!\u201d\u00a0 While the 2-months-salary guideline is helpful, don\u2019t take it as gospel.\u00a0 Keep an eye out for sales before, during or after the holiday season, but even a lackluster time of year may offer sweet price deals.\u00a0 When buying online, always search for coupon codes \u2013 it\u2019s perfectly legit to use these and they may help you afford a better class of ring than you\u2019d been planning on<\/p>\n You\u2019ve put so much thought into what kind of ring she\u2019ll adore.\u00a0 Don\u2019t let a sale flyer or website popup with great prices steer you away from the decisions you know are right.\u00a0 Noriko says, \u201cI wanted a square diamond; Bryan bought a round one.\u00a0 I wanted an antique-inspired classic; he bought me a very plain, modern style\u201d\u00a0 It\u2019s pretty clear what Bryan was thinking about when he bought that ring\u2026 and it wasn\u2019t Noriko.\u00a0 Price is important, we\u2019ll never say it isn\u2019t.\u00a0 But don\u2019t let a fantastic price on a ring she\u2019ll hate derail you from finding the best ring for a reasonable price.\u00a0 Psychologist Dr. Susan Krauss Whitbourne writes in Psychology Today<\/a> that despite aggressive sales tactics, it\u2019s okay to turn down a \u201clow price\u201d that may not be such a bargain.\u00a0 \u201cIf you hold your ground, you’ll find that there are lower-priced options that will still make the recipient happy.\u201d<\/p>\n Check the terms before you buy.\u00a0 Whether online or in-store, be sure you\u2019ll have the flexibility to make small changes \u2013 and find out how to do it, just in case.\u00a0 Even if the ring is perfect, there\u2019s a chance something will need to change.\u00a0 Janice says, \u201cHe picked out my ring, and it was lovely\u2026 apart from the ruby.\u201d\u00a0 Shane originally picked out a wonderful trilogy ring with princess-cut diamonds flanking a slightly larger ruby.\u00a0 \u201cHe didn\u2019t know I don\u2019t love colored stones in an engagement ring,\u201d she says.\u00a0 It was an easy fix, and everybody went home happy.<\/p>\n Take a leap of faith:\u00a0 buy the ring that thrills you.\u00a0 If it doesn\u2019t, put it down and walk away.\u00a0 If it does, it may be the one, even if it\u2019s something different from what you\u2019d planned on.\u00a0 You know her better than anyone else, right?\u00a0 You might even know her better than she knows herself… \u00a0Tracy found herself shocked and surprised by Steve\u2019s pick\u2026 but blown away by how wonderful it was.\u00a0 \u201cMy stone of choice has always been a pear-shaped diamond.\u00a0 Steve picked me out a marquise and I am completely in love with this ring!\u201d<\/p>\n Once you have the ring, don\u2019t just run over to her house and \u2026 hand it to her.\u00a0 She\u2019s already dreaming about the special moment, so make it an occasion.\u00a0 Girls love to talk to their friends; swapping engagement stories the way guys talk sports scores.\u00a0 They\u2019re fascinated, sure, but they\u2019re also all trying to have the best<\/i> story.\u00a0 Give your girl hers; \u00a0Is she the type who wants to glimpse the ring for the first time on Christmas morning?\u00a0 Will she prefer a getaway weekend, a simple restaurant dinner, or a big splashy public \u201cWill You Marry Me?\u201d\u00a0 You\u2019ve planned and saved for the ring; think of your timing as a frame<\/i> that shows that well-chosen ring in the best possible light.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve followed all these tips, you should be feeling great<\/i> about the ring.\u00a0 But stay humble. Remember, it\u2019s impossible to get mad at a teddy bear, and that\u2019s what you should look like when you hand her that box.\u00a0 Big eyes and a loving smile are all the psychic power you need.\u00a0 Let them speak for you, convincing her that you have gone to the ends of the earth to find a jewel that expresses the power of your love for her.\u00a0 Karin says, \u201cEvery time I look at the ring, it reminds me of Jarrett and the effort he put in.\u201d<\/p>\n Once she\u2019s seen the ring, tell her why you picked it.\u00a0 What made you think of her when you saw it?\u00a0 How is it unique or special?\u00a0 Tell her anything that comes to mind (except the price tag).\u00a0 This helps her know that you thought about her and made a careful decision.\u00a0 Let her know how proud you\u2019ll be to see her wearing the ring you chose.\u00a0 Before she got engaged, Matthew\u2019s girlfriend Courtney thought she knew what she wanted, but decided to trust him completely instead of trying to steer his decision.\u00a0 \u201cI was going to marry him, after all…\u201d she says.\u00a0 He picked something completely different from what she\u2019d been thinking\u2026 and it was perfect.\u00a0 \u201cI love it more then I would have loved one that I picked out myself.\u201d<\/p>\n If she doesn\u2019t like the ring after all that, she might have a good reason.\u00a0 Shanell\u2019s fianc\u00e9 Emory tried, but failed.\u00a0 \u201cHe proposed with his mom\u2019s old ring.\u00a0 He was so sweet; I totally tried to like it.\u201d\u00a0 Shanell got the ring remodeled, but the diamond simply \u201cwasn\u2019t what I ever wanted.\u201d\u00a0 His mother\u2019s marriage had ended in divorce, so the symbolism behind the ring also bothered her.\u00a0 \u201cI pretended all was good, but eventually, I had to speak up.\u201d\u00a0 She finally told Emory, \u201cand he was great.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know why I was scared of telling him.\u201d\u00a0 They bought a new ring that weekend.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s not the biggest, but it symbolizes our fresh start, and I love it\u201d<\/p>\n Yes, these are foolproof tips.\u00a0 But what if a ring just doesn\u2019t speak to you?\u00a0 If it seems like the decision is getting tougher and tougher, and each new ring you see, each new website, each new store, just adds to the confusion, go easy on yourself.\u00a0 Take a deep breath.\u00a0 And then head downtown to a funky import-jewelry store or even the mall accessory shop.\u00a0 Grab a ring that\u2019s cute, or funny, or simple\u2026 but above all else, inexpensive.\u00a0 This is not the<\/i> ring \u2013 it\u2019s a \u201cdecoy\u201d that you can use instead (fake rings are HOT \u2013 even Kim Kardashian did it<\/a>).\u00a0 This is the ring that will send her the message that you love her more than anything else in the world, and that you want to spend your life with her.\u00a0 And it also tells her that you tried and tried\u2026 and you\u2019ll be looking forward to ring shopping together<\/i> someday soon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 20 Foolproof Ways to Pick an Engagement Ring She Loves Think you\u2019ve got to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out what she wants?\u00a0 What gold color?\u00a0 Does she even want gold?\u00a0 A single big diamond, or several stones?\u00a0 Didn’t even know diamonds came in different colors? Choosing an engagement ring is a quite elusive task, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":633,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[57,5],"tags":[40,38,37,108,109],"class_list":["post-449","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-diamond-jewelry","tag-buy-an-engagement-ring-online","tag-diamond-engagement-ring","tag-engagement-ring-2","tag-how-to-choose-an-engagement-ring","tag-how-to-pick-an-engagement-ring"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brillianteers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/449","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brillianteers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brillianteers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brillianteers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brillianteers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=449"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/www.brillianteers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/449\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3409,"href":"https:\/\/www.brillianteers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/449\/revisions\/3409"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brillianteers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/633"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brillianteers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=449"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brillianteers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=449"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brillianteers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=449"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}# 5\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>\u2026But don\u2019t be a creep<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"Round](\"http:\/\/www.brillianteers.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/15-300x300.jpg\" "\\"Round")
# 6\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>Do you know the lingo?<\/b><\/h3>\n# 7\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>Taken her (window) shopping lately?<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.brillianteers.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/shutterstock_91707734-300x235.jpg\")
# 8\u00a0\u00a0 <\/b>Hear her\u2026 right<\/b><\/h3>\n# 9 \u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Design a ring yourself<\/b><\/h3>\n
# 10 \u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Borrow a ring<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.brillianteers.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/shutterstock_91877261-238x300.jpg\")
# 11 \u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Notice the jewelry she loves<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n
<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.brillianteers.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/12345-207x300.jpg\")
# 12 \u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Are you budget-savvy?<\/b><\/h3>\n<\/h3>\n
# 13 \u00a0\u00a0<\/b>\u2026But don\u2019t let your wallet make the final decision<\/b><\/h3>\n
# 14 \u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Keep the receipt<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.brillianteers.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/shutterstock_94604020-300x230.jpg\")
# 15 \u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Go with your gut<\/b><\/h3>\n# 16 \u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Timing is everything<\/b><\/h3>\n
# 17 \u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Is it hard to be humble?<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.brillianteers.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/shutterstock_91705256-300x231.jpg\")
# 18 \u00a0\u00a0<\/b>Let her know how much you adore her<\/b><\/h3>\n# 19 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/b>If she hates it, suck it up<\/b><\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.brillianteers.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/shutterstock_121070404-300x238.jpg\")
# 20 \u00a0\u00a0<\/b>If at first (second, third), you don\u2019t succeed\u2026<\/b><\/h3>\n