Engagement ring buying guide for men – words Alexa Wang
Buying a house. Buying your first brand new car. These are the things men tend to think of when they think of some of the most important and most expensive purchases of their lives.
But what about an engagement ring? While substantially smaller in size than either of the other two purchases, an engagement ring is far more sentimental and, hopefully, longer-lasting.
You know that you need to go to a quality jewelry store and those are easy enough to find, but do you know what to do once you go in? What you are looking for and what types of questions to ask are an important part of the engagement ring buying process. Here is a handy little guide to help you through it.
Budget
The amount of money that you are able to spend on the ring is something that you need to work out before you set foot in a jewelry shop. You need to figure out what makes the most sense for your specific financial situation. The outdated rule of “three months’ salary” isn’t a thing anymore, so don’t bother with that. Being willing to compromise on certain features of the ring such as diamond symmetry is going to be the best way to keep your purchase within the limits of your budget unless you’re rich, in which case you probably aren’t reading this article.
Style
Keeping your intended style in mind is another important aspect of buying the perfect engagement ring. The stones come in many different styles and they can be placed in a nearly endless number of settings. Pay attention to the rings she usually wears. See if you can spot anything they all might have in common. Are all the stones round? Pear-shaped? If diamond symmetry is an important point to you, you might want to research which cuts display it the best. Take notice of the width of the bands that she prefers. Pay attention when you are out with her if she comments or oohs and aahhhs over any jewelry. You can also enlist the help of one of her friends. Ask her to come with you and get her input. If none of this is helping you to find something you know she will love, consider ditching the element of surprise and bringing her in on the ring buying process. This will at least ensure a foolproof choice.
The Four Cs
Diamonds are judged according to four Cs. These are cut, color, carat, and clarity. Being open to different grades of each aspect will help you stay within your budget. For example, if diamond symmetry is very important to you then you may need to get something in a smaller carat to compensate. This flexibility will also help you to put together a ring that is as unique as your relationship.
Whether you want your ring to be a complete and total surprise or you intend on keeping her involved every step of the way, hopefully, you now have a little bit better of an understanding on what you are looking for when you finally go ring shopping.
