Why do people associate wedding jitters with women mostly? People need to realize that us men also get super nervous. Especially because when it comes to proposals, the first step to marriage, the ball is in our court. Proposing your girlfriend is a daunting move no matter how smooth your love story has been. This is coming from a man who has been through it. I met my girlfriend 5 years ago and 2 years back decided that she was the one.
The decision came easily, like an epiphany. But the part where I had to pick a ring for her boggled my mind. It’s not as simple as rushing to a jewelry shop and picking up any random ring. Don’t believe me? A survey concluded that the average time spent looking for an engagement ring is 3.5 months.
If you’re at this page, you would have already met your significant other and are ready to take your relationship to the next level. For which, I am here to guide you. I am a picky man and spent hours researching, planning, making sure everything went perfectly.
So, you can rely on me. Here’s how I went about selecting the perfect ring.
Step 1: Plan your budget
The biggest stigma surrounding engagement rings is that they always have to be expensive and grand. That is incorrect. There was a time when men would prefer debt over buying a ring that fit their budget. In this era and year, we’re thankfully past that. Because debt is definitely not romantic.
So, figure out your budget and see what amount of money you can put into the purchase of this token of loyalty and love. If you want the price to be more in your favor, purchase from the sale section. However, you might not be in luck to have a running sale when you want to propose.
Don’t worry, though. You can source a coupon for jewelry shopping and make the most of it. This way, you’ll be able to bag a discount.
Step 2: Research about your girl
Once you’re done with the first step, put your detective’s cap on. If you want to surprise her, you’ll have to be stealthy. Coax out her choice; what does she prefer? Do your research. Find out her ring size without her knowing.
How will you do that? Here’s a piece of advice by Catbird’s cofounders Rony Vardi and Leigh Plessner. They say, “If you can, secretly slip a ring that she wears on her ring finger onto your finger and mark where it hits. If she wears it on her left hand make sure to size down a ¼ size. You can use a ring sizer to see what size the ring is that hits that same mark.”
Step 3: Choose the band
You can pick from several metal bands. Common ones include gold, white gold, sterling silver, platinum, and rose gold. Other less common choices include titanium, cobalt, and tungsten. Each band comes with its own qualities – some good, some mediocre. I’d personally recommend you to for a silver metal because that is trendy, and women tend to like it more.
Step 4: Pick the diamond
Let me tell you one thing crystal clear; women show off their rings. People talk about your ring. And while they might not be your concern, you would want to get her a ring that she wants to show to everyone. The main and the most complicated step of the selection process is choosing the diamond. I won’t confuse you by beating about the bush and lay it out simply.
The diamond selection part brings the 4 Cs into play. These make up the design and the cost. This is what the 4 Cs are:
- Cut: the cut of the diamond determines its sparkle. The proportions of the diamond should be just right. Not too deep or too shallow
- Color: diamonds come in an array of colors. These range from Z to D, that is from colorless to light yellow. The color of the diamond is decided by preference and also your budget. You see the more toward D the color, the more rare and costlier it is
- Clarity: clarity translates to how many imperfections the diamond has. It can be measured on a scale. Go for one that is in the range of SI1 and SI2. These imperfections are called inclusions. The more inclusions, the less brilliance
- Carat: this is the weight of the diamond. The more the weight, the bigger the diamond. However, a skilled artisan can make a diamond look bigger than what its carat weight actually is
Step 5: Select the diamond’s shape
Diamonds come in a lot of shapes. These include the round, princess, oval, heart and pear shape. Go for one which your future missus is likely to love. The round shape is the most popular one winning over other shapes by 53%. The second most popular shape is the princess one.
Step 6: Settle on the setting
The sixth step brings your closer to the final decision. When you go to a jeweler don’t be surprised to know that there are various ring settings. You can get an eternity band, a bezel, tension, gypsy or a tiffany setting, etc. You can notice what sort of rings your girlfriend wears typically and figure out which setting would delight her.
Step 7: Strike a deal
A ring doesn’t have to come at a set price. You can actually discuss the costs with the jeweler. If you have the budget, you can ditch the entire making process and go for a design that is already made. Also, don’t be pressurized into going for a diamond. Sure, diamonds are a popular choice for engagement rings but there are several other gemstones to choose from.
Once all is set and done, don’t forget to discuss the warranty, guarantee, insurance, return policy, etc. of the ring with the seller.
If you’re wondering which engagement ring finally went on the finger of my beloved, it was a diamond eternity ring with a platinum band. You see, eternity indicates forever, and I am not sorry to be a hopeless romantic. I wanted a touch of diamond on the platinum band because she mentioned once how sleek it looks.
Wrapping up, love is blind, but engagements are planned. So, make sure that your ring is one that reflects your love and willingness to aim for a happily ever after with your lady.
Images URL:
https://www.worthofread.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/main-e1427858494849.jpg
https://www.glamour.com/gallery/62-diamond-engagement-rings-under-5000-dollars#2
