You have been dating your girlfriend for a while now, and things are going really great. You love being with her, and she feels the same way about you. Now that things are getting serious, you have been looking for the perfect way to pop the question. You have booked her favorite restaurant – the same place you and she went on your first date. You have called the restaurant and let the staff know that you will be enjoying a really special night. Perhaps you have even made arrangements with the waiter to bring the ring to the table and present it under a silver dome.
Now all you need to do is choose the perfect diamond ring for the proposal. That might seem like a simple thing, but it is far more complicated than you might believe. Many men are ill-equipped to buy an engagement ring or even know which pieces of jewelry are good quality and which ones are all flash but no substance. If you are going to get one of the most important purchases of your life right, you will need to look for help wherever you can.
You may have heard the guidelines about spending a certain percentage of your annual income on the engagement ring, and that can be a good starting point. It is more important, however, to choose a ring that fits into your overall budget. If you have to stretch the budget to buy the type of diamond ring the formula says you should, it might be best to buy a slightly less expensive ring and save some money for the honeymoon.
It is also important to keep in mind that quality trumps quantity when it comes to buying a diamond engagement ring. As a guy, you might think that bigger is necessarily better, but that old saying definitely does not apply to diamond jewelry.
A huge diamond full of obvious flaws and large inclusions will not catch the light and sparkle like it should. You might not notice the difference, but your girlfriend – and her girlfriends – certainly will. Keep in mind that your girlfriend probably knows far more about diamond engagement rings, including their relative quality and value, than you do.
You can use the fact that women tend to know more about diamonds than their male counterparts to your advantage. If you have been dating your girlfriend long enough to pop the question, you probably know at least a few of her close friends. Choose the one that is best able to keep a secret, and then let her in on your plans. You might have to swear her to secrecy, but you will gather some valuable insights into her likes and dislikes, as well as some valuable shopping tips about buying the perfect engagement ring.
Once the shopping process is underway, it is important to look around carefully and not let yourself be talked into the first sparkly ring you see. No matter what the salesman might say, that ring is likely to be their tomorrow, so feel free to shop around, compare prices and get to know the diamond business before you part with your hard-earned money.
Keep in mind that an engagement ring is the once-in-a-lifetime purchase, so you do not want to rush into things or settle for less than your girlfriend deserves. You will want to deal only with reputable jewelry stores and retailers. Avoid anyone who seems shady or too anxious to make a deal.
Also, watch out for deals that seem too good to be true. While most jewelers are honest and forthright, the diamond business also attracts its fair share of charlatans. Watch out for the salesman who claims he can get you the engagement ring of your dreams for half of what the other guys charge. Chances are he will achieve those savings by skimping on the clarity of the diamond or the strength of the setting. The last thing you want is for the ring to give way when you put it on her finger for the first time.
Shopping for an engagement ring can be a trying experience, but keeping your eye on the ultimate prize will help you get through it. After you have chosen the perfect diamond and made all the arrangements, the only thing you have to do is sit back and wait for her to say yes.
Leave a Reply