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

1/19/2017

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!

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...
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?)
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.)
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?
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
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).
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
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.

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.