A Simple Guide to Buying Engagement Diamond Rings

By Dave G Thompson


Before asking the big question, choosing a beautiful engagement ring to give your girlfriend is important. No doubt, as you start looking for diamond rings, you'll find that you have many options.

If you shop for jewellery online, you'll find even more options available to you. How can you choose the perfect ring to make her go "ahh" when you pop the question? Use the following guide to ensure you make the right choice as you buy the diamond engagement ring for your girlfriend.

Decide on a Budget

Ensure you have a budget in mind before purchasing the engagement ring. Figure out what you can afford before you ever visit a jewellery store. You definitely don't want to be sold on a piece of jewellery that you can't afford. When trying to figure out how much you can spend, it's recommended to never spend more than two months' salary, so you avoid overextending your budget. If you've decided on your spending cap, then decide if you'll be paying for the ring by financing it, by using a credit card or by using cash to pay for it.

Pick Out the Metal

The next thing to do is to choose the metal you want for the ring you're purchasing. Three popular choices for diamond rings include platinum, white gold and yellow gold. If you decide that gold is what you want, it's best to go with 14k or higher gold. While platinum is a stunning choice, remember that it can be very expensive.

Choose the Shape of the Diamond

It's time to pick out the shape of the diamond. The round or brilliant cut diamond is one of the most affordable and popular choices. Go this route and you'll never go wrong. Of course, the princess cut diamond is also quite popular, and this shape of diamond looks really big as well. Before making your final choice, check into some of the other available cuts.

Consider the Three Cs

The three Cs must be considered when you're looking for a great enagement ring. Included in the three Cs are Carat, Clarity and Color. Keep in mind that the solitaire stone is the main showpiece, so focus most of the carat weight in this stone. Your budget will help you decide on the carat weight you want for the ring. Take some time to research clarity and the ranges of clarity available, since this is important too. Average clarity in diamonds is considered SI1 clarity and it's usually a bad idea to go any lower. Diamond color is important too. The average color available is H-Color. However, it's a nice idea to go up to a diamond that has G-H color. Keep in mind that the closer to pure white you get, the brighter the diamond appears.