Selecting an Engagement Ring
Finding the Right Ring for a Perfect Proposal
In this first part, we cover how to select the perfect engagement ring to make your proposal impossible to forget.
The Pinnacle of a Perfect Proposal
For most guys the idea of planning a proposal starts to form in their minds a few months or even just weeks before they do it. Women, on the other hand, have been dreaming about that moment since shortly after birth, when they got their first set of boy and girl dolls, so it’s no surprise that men are at a disadvantage. The most important part of the entire proposal is “the rock.” You’ve got to find just the right ring, so at that crucial moment when she slides the lid back on the little suede box, she’ll find the perfect glittering treasure there waiting for her. That alone could help ease her past the fact that you had your proposal broadcast on the big screen during a baseball game. Maybe. The problem is, unless you happen to be a rapper or Mr. T., most guys know very little about “bling.”
Research
The first thing to remember is that this is about her. The ring will be resting on her finger, so choose something she will love. Now, in order to determine exactly what she wants, you’re going to have to do a bit of research. No, you won’t find her tastes in a book somewhere; you’re going to have to pay attention.
Watch how your girlfriend reacts to her friends’ jewelry. If she runs into a friend who’s just gotten engaged, they will probably spend at least ten minutes talking about the ring. Resist the urge to turn away and engage in your favorite football fantasy. Keep your eyes and ears peeled. Here’s what you’re looking for:
The Diamond
The shape of a diamond is determined by the way it has been cut. The most common shapes for an engagement ring are round, square, football, teardrop, and rectangular. So look at the diamond first and remember which shape it is then compare it to the picture listing the name of the cut below it.
The Ring
Now that we know how she likes the stone cut, we can figure out how she’d want it set, after all, gluing the diamond to her finger wouldn’t get you the “yes” answer you so desperately want. There are two big factors here. The first is the type of setting.
Setting
The most common types of settings are tiffany, channel, and three stone rings. The tiffany setting is the traditional ring setting – a simple, elegant statement and the kind you usually see in Hollywood movie proposals. A channel setting incorporates an inset groove into the band of the ring, which is filled in with tiny diamonds. The three-stone setting has become more and more popular lately. It consists of three diamonds lined up in a row, representing the past, present, and future of your love. Usually the center diamond is the largest of the three.
Metal
The two most common metals used in engagement rings are gold and platinum. Platinum is the strongest and is a silver color. It resists chips and scratches much better than gold, but it’s also more expensive. Gold is the most common. There’s yellow gold and white gold, which is just yellow gold treated with a silver-looking finish. This finish will wear away with normal use and must be re-applied throughout the life of the ring. One other thing to keep in mind about gold is that because it’s a soft metal, a pure gold ring (24k, or twenty-four carats, is pure gold) will scratch and chip easily and will have to be repaired fairly often. Because of this, many engagement rings are 14k gold, which is mixed with an alloy to strengthen the metal.
What We’ve Learned
If you’ve kept your eyes and ears opened you should be able to narrow down the type of ring that’ll make your lady love you despite the forgotten anniversaries and bad haircuts of your past. The last vital piece of information you’re going to need is her ring size because walking into the jewelry store and saying, “I think she’s a medium” just isn’t going to cut it. A good source for ring size info is her best friend or her mother. They’ll also be able to fill you in on other tidbits that may help you in your search.
For the next step - buying the perfect ring - please see part 2 of this article!
