Diamond Engagement Ring Buying Guide

Engagement Ring Buying Guide

Where all of your engagement ring questions are answered.

 When you're lucky enough to be in the position of shopping for a diamond engagement ring then you must do homework on how to buy one.   You want to make sure you are making an informed buying decision after you comparison shop and settle on that perfect loose diamond and engagement ring setting.  The diamond engagement ring consists of two main parts, the center diamond and the engagement ring setting.  It’s wise to learn about both parts.  This will help you make an informed decision when choosing your loose diamond and engagement ring setting, in turn creating the completed perfect engagement ring.  Below is a 3-step quick guide to buying an engagement ring as well as a question and answer engagement ring guide.

Step 1.  Learn about the 4c’s of Diamonds

 The four c’s are the most important part of buying a diamond engagement ring, these four factors determine the value of a diamond; they are color, clarity, cut, and carat weight.  With an understanding of the four c’s you'll be able to find a balance amongst the four, in turn finding the best possible loose diamond for your budget.  If you still have questions regarding diamonds, after you’ve read about the four c’s, please see our well-written diamond guide for in-depth answers to almost any question regarding diamonds.  

 Step 2.  Set your Budget

            Once you’ve become familiar with the diamond 4c’s and understand what diamonds you can afford, it’s then time to set the budget.  The conventional way to go about this is to spend two months of a yearly salary, some in the engagement ring industry will say 6% of a yearly salary.  No matter what you spend, make sure to start with a budget and seek the absolute best quality GIA, EGL, or AGS certified loose diamond and ring setting for your budget.  Remember, the diamond engagement ring represents your endless love and devotion towards her.

Step 3.  Build your perfect engagement ring

 Building a diamond engagement ring that will take her breath away is not as hard as you might think, it can be done in a few clicks.  Many couples have talked about getting engaged and many couples have even talked about what kind of diamond engagement ring the future bride likes.  If you haven’t spoken about the diamond engagement ring with her yet then you might want to ask her family and friends if she has ever mentioned a certain style or diamond shape.  When you are shopping for an engagement ring, take into account her personal style, lifestyle, the shape of her fingers and hands, and her ring finger size.  With your newly found diamond knowledge from step 1, you can now make an informed buying decision (based on the four c’s), choosing a loose diamond that suits her likes, your likes and your budget.  After choosing your loose diamond, please browse our perfect collection of ring settings to pair with it.      

Q&A and ring sizing chart is below

How much should I spend on an engagement ring?

The conventional way to go about this is to spend two months of a yearly salary, some in the engagement ring industry will say 6% of a yearly salary is perfect as well.  No matter what you spend, make sure to start with a budget and seek the absolute best quality GIA, EGL, or AGS certified loose diamond and ring setting for your budget.  Remember, the engagement ring represents your endless love and commitment towards her.

Should I buy a 14k gold, 18k gold, or platinum engagement ring setting?

We’ll start with 14k and 18k gold.   Both of these metals are perfect for engagement rings.   Both 14k and 18k gold ring settings are much less expensive than platinum ring settings.  14k gold, whether it be yellow or white, has a 58.33% gold content and the rest of the alloy is other harder metals such as nickel, copper, palladium or zinc.  18k gold, whether it be white or yellow has a gold content of 75% with the rest of the metal or alloy mixture being other hard metals.  So, 14k gold, whether it be white or yellow, is harder than 18k gold, therefore being a more secure choice for diamond engagement rings.  Platinum on the other hand is very rare and it’s the hardest(60% more dense than gold) jewelry metal.  Platinum is much stronger, heavier and more expensive than gold.  Platinum won’t tarnish and will keep its shine for a lifetime.  Platinum is not only expensive due to its rarity, hardness and shine, it’s also expensive because it takes an extremely skilled craftsman to work with platinum or make platinum engagement ring settings.

What about the diamond four c’s?

If you are buying a loose diamond you must learn about the four c’s in order to make an informed buying decision.  The four c’s are the most important part of buying a diamond engagement ring, these four factors determine the value of a diamond, they’re color, clarity, cut, and carat weight.  If you’re interested in learning even more about diamonds, please see our well written diamond guide where all of your diamond questions can be answered.

What are the different types of engagement ring settings?

• Solitaire Engagement Ring Settings

Solitaire settings are the most popular engagement ring setting of all time, its prongs position the center diamond to capture and play with the most amount of light.   A four-prong solitaire setting shows a little more diamond compared to a six-prong setting but the six-prong setting is slightly more secure. 

• Engagement Ring Settings with Sidestones

An engagement ring setting with accent diamonds on its sides will certainly add more sparkle and luxury to the overall look.  There are a few different ways sidestones are set in the engagement ring setting.  Sidestones are usually secured along the shoulders of the engagement ring setting with prongs, bezels, channel setting, or pave setting. 

• Three-Stone Ring Settings

The three-stone ring has one diamond that represents the past, one diamond is for the present, and the third diamond represents the future.  Most men still buy three stone rings as anniversary gifts, however it’s become much more common today for women to want a three-stone ring as their engagement ring.

What's her ring size?

Worn on the third finger on the left hand, it’s started as ancient Egyptian belief that this finger is the only finger with a vein that led straight to the heart (vein of love).  If you don’t know your future brides ring finger size, discreetly, ask family and friends if they can help you.  Family and friends can usually solve the ring size puzzle.  If it’s not a secret that you’re going to propose then you can measure her finger with a simple piece of string or strip of paper.  Just wrap the string or paper strip around the ring finger and mark it where it overlaps.  Then lay the string or paper on a flat surface and compare the measurement to the international ring sizing chart below.