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9 Essential Things You Need to Know About How Engagement Rings Work

1/19/2017

8 Comments

 
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​You may be already starting to feel overwhelmed by all the different looks out there, all the diamond information, and the barrage of marketing coming your way. It is time to stop the madness. LOOK, before you even step foot into a jewelry store or spend another hour poking engagement ring shopping online, you'll need answers to these 9 questions below. 

This should give you some insight and help you determine what direction you should focus your attention and research energy. By the end of this lil exercise, you should have a firm idea of your next steps and whether or not you need additional guidance along the way. ​

NOTE: we recommend copy and pasting this list into a Google doc or similar and recording your answers in note form so that you can actually reference back to it. Seriously, if you bring these answers with you anywhere you will have a much more successful experience. Ok, here goes!

  1. What is she like? 
    What does she do professionally? What's her personal style of dress? Does she already wear lots of jewelry? Does she like to shop? You want to get the full picture. Where does she shop, what shoes does she wear on the weekends... what shoes does she gravitate towards. Trust us, simply saying that her style is "classic" won't help you find the coolest "classic" ring to match her personal tastes. Get specific. Perhaps check out her Pinterest page...

  2. What is your timeline? 
    Most rings need to be made from scratch, as very few of them are just sitting on a shelf. Is there a specific trip, date, season, due date or pocket of time in which you would like to have the ring in hand? (For more info on what to expect in terms of timeline check out: How Long Does It Take to Get an Engagement Ring?)

  3. What is your desired price range? 
    We are going to ignore all rules here. Try to steer clear of averages or monthly salary bologna. What feels right? What is realistic for you and for your partnership? (If you're really not sure what to expect based on what you suspect she will want - and you don't want to feel like a sucker - you might benefit from our complimentary BIRD CALL.)

  4. Shopping locally or remotely? 
    There are some major pricing and selection differences based on where you look. Sometimes the ideal jeweler just isn't in your area. Other times the perfect designer is nearby but you're not sure how to find them. Maybe shopping online feels really overwhelming, but you notice the pricing is more in line with what you're looking for. List specific aspects you're looking for in a jeweler so you can narrow your search: Trusted brand name? A small studio jeweler? An indie designer? The list goes on. What are you looking for in a retailer?

  5. What style of setting are you interested in? 
    Rings are a two part process. You pick a setting AND a central stone (see this part in #6). The central stone shape an type can be a bit easier to sort out, and we find that most folks really grapple with understanding the anatomy of the setting itself. You'll want to know exactly what type, shape and number of prongs, what the "gallery view" of the ring looks like, cathedral shoulders or no, will it sit flush with a wedding band, the list goes on. To get started in identifying the ideal setting, check out our Pinterest to learn about the different types of rings and their anatomy:
    Solitaire Engagement Ring Designs
    Diamond Band Engagement Ring Designs
    Halo Engagement Ring Designs
    Three Stone Engagement Ring Designs
    Antique Engagement Ring Designs
    Unconventional Engagement Ring Designs

  6. What type of center gem you are going for? 
    Do some quick research on the 4 c's and decide where you think you might fall. This is important stuff. Again, this is totally stuff we go over during our complimentary BIRD CALL. So, if you think you might benefit from a bit more personalized guidance here, take us up on our offer to help (for freeeee).

  7. Have you figured out her ring size? 
    Yes. You'll need to address this at some point. For the complete guide to ring sizing: 11 Things You Need to Know about Engagement Ring Sizing
    ​
  8. Do you know what type of metal is right for the ring and for your partner?
    Platinum, white gold, yellow gold, rose gold, palladium... the list goes on! If you're just saying "white or silver metal" then you have some research to do. It's  a good idea to look at her other jewelry, survey some of the other rings you see on friends, etc.

  9. Are "ethical origins" important to you? 
    ​
    ​It's ok to say "I don't know". Brush up on your "conflict free diamond" definitions here: Diamond Politics - or - What Would Leonardo DiCaprio Do? (WWLDD)

Ok! This should get you started on the path toward optimizing your engagement ring shopping. If you still have some question marks running through your head, then you might benefit from going through these questions with an unbiased expert (ehm ehm, US!). Together we can go over each question, identify any potential obstacles in your way and get you cleared up so that you can nail this whole engagement ring thing. So before you have a full-blown panic attack, let's get you on a FREE BIRD CALL and go over these questions together.

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Custom Rose Gold Pavé Basket Solitaire with a 1.25 carat round brilliant diamond
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Custom 18K Yellow Gold East-West Emerald Cut Diamond in a Matted Bezel with an Eternity Shared Prong Diamond Band, Nick Engel
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An assortment of bespoke engagement rings by Nick Engel
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Bespoke 18K Yellow Gold Tapered Baguette Setting with a 2 carat Asscher Diamond center, by Scout Mandolin
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The ring stack to end all ring stacks, curated by GemHunt.Co
8 Comments
Joy Butler link
7/18/2018 08:47:53 pm

I'd like to thank you for your explanation about engagement rings. Actually, what we are looking at the moment is the information intended for their wedding rings. Nonetheless, I found it interesting when you mentioned something about the ethical origins.

Reply
David Johnson link
5/22/2019 12:28:59 pm

I like how you point out that you might feel overwhelmed shopping online but the pricing is more inline with what you're looking for. In my opinion, a benefit of shopping online along with pricing might be that it would allow you to be able to compare prices and shop at your own speed without anyone leaning over your shoulder, pressuring you to go one way or the other. I'll have to look more into online engagement ring purchasing options.

Reply
LITTLE BIRD
5/22/2019 12:31:52 pm

Yes, David! Glad you found that part of the article validating. There is so much research to do and online platforms are so very helpful! Best of luck and let me know if you would like to set up a call to help get your further down the path:
http://www.littlebirdtoldyou.com/the-bird-call.html

Reply
Callum Palmer link
10/31/2019 04:34:45 pm

I'm looking to propose to my girlfriend. Finding the right ring would be a good idea. I'll for sure follow these tips and see what I can do with them.

Reply
LITTLE BIRD
10/31/2019 05:27:49 pm

So fun, Callum! We are happy to help. Feel free to reach out for a free consultation, they are super helpful:
http://www.littlebirdtoldyou.com/the-bird-call.html

Reply
Signet Ring link
5/7/2020 02:50:08 am

Love your collection. These are beautiful patterns. I wish to add some of these in my collection. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Reply
Eli Richardson link
11/9/2022 12:37:58 pm

It really helped when you elaborated on knowing what type of materials you'll want for your engagement ring. I want to find the perfect ring for my proposal, so I want to visit a few shops this weekend, and I think your article will help me know what to consider before buying anything. I appreciate your insight on which types of metals are used in engagement rings.

Reply
Victoria Addington link
1/28/2023 09:04:50 am

I was captivated when you mentioned that the majority of rings must be made from. My friend wants an engagement ring that reflects her identity. I think she should go to a jeweler that offers custom engagement rings.

Reply



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    the LITTLE BIRD blog, by Danielle Mainas

    Ever wonder how to figure out her ring size? Select the perfect center stone? Pick the ideal jeweler? Read on, my friends. 

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