The Fine Art of Choosing the Perfect Engagement Ring

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Buying a proposal ring for your partner signifies not just your love and commitment, but also the first tangible item that marks your new chapter together.

Now that the time has come to plan a proposal, the pressure is on to pick a beautiful diamond proposal ring that you will gift to the person you plan to spend forever with. However, with so many choices to consider (think shape, cut quality, colour and carat size), it isn’t hard to see why you might feel overwhelmed during the process.

Not well-versed in diamond talk? No problem! Here is a guide to help you pick out the right ring that your partner will treasure for years to come.

Consider your partner’s style.

Given that your partner is likely to wear her ring daily, consider her style to help you gain some insight. Is she classy? Modern? Traditional? Or glamorous? You can also look at her wardrobe for clues and think about the types of clothing and accessories that she tends to gravitate towards.

If the two of you have previously discussed an engagement, there’s a good chance that they might have dropped some hints about their preferences or saved some ideas on their Pinterest board.

For example, if she is someone who prefers something classic, she is bound to love a round cut diamond. As the most popular diamond shape on the market, round cut diamonds have a timeless and elegant appearance—making them a wise choice for those who have no idea what to get.

Set your budget.

Long gone are the days where you need to spend 2-3 months’ worth of your salary on an engagement ring. Deciding on a budget early on allows you to fully explore all your options when it comes to diamond characteristics and designs. You can even let your jeweller know your budget beforehand so that they can provide the best recommendations based on your preferences.

While you don’t want to sacrifice the beauty and sparkle of your stone, there are many options that you can turn to if you are on a tight budget. For instance, Star Carat’s 1-carat lab-created diamonds are IGI certified and land themselves in the prestigious Typell A category, all while staying affordably priced.

Familiarise yourself with the basics.

While an engagement ring should be unique and personal, there are still some basics that you need to get to grips with. Most definitely, you need to know the 4C’s: Carat, Colour, Cut and Clarity. Then, the most important step is to decide which elements are the most important to you and your partner.

Our recommendation is to prioritise the Cut as it determines the diamond’s ability to reflect light. A well-cut diamond enhances the illusion of a sparkle that can even make a diamond look bigger!

The setting of your engagement ring can also affect its beauty—the most popular style being the claw setting, which can make a stone appear larger by elevating the diamond and maximising the light that reaches its surface. It is also a highly secure setting, making it a good choice if your partner leads an active lifestyle.

Getting abreast of the basics can also facilitate communication with your jeweller and make the process a lot more seamless. Bonus tip: make sure to look for rings that come with certification performed by an independent, accredited 3rd party agency such as the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or International Gemological Institute (IGI) as it places a guarantee on the quality of the diamond that you are investing in.

Figure out her ring size.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to focus too much on the design that you forget about taking your partner’s measurements! Proposing with a ring that is too small or too big is a sure way to spoil the occasion.

Wherever possible, “borrow” one of her rings and use an international ring size chart to determine her ring size.  While the average women’s ring size is a 6, it’s best not to leave this to statistics. Instead of playing guesswork, request a free ring sizer from us. If you purchase a ring from Star Carat, we also offer a complimentary resizing service should you find that the ring doesn’t fit well.

Finding the one doesn’t have to be daunting.

With most diamonds, there is more than meets the eye! Getting a ring to propose is never easy, but it pays off to put in some effort because it expresses your love for your partner and the magnitude of the occasion to kickstart your unique love story on a good note.

If you still find yourself stuck during the process, call in the diamonds experts to get in on your team! At Star Carat, our specialists will work with you to figure out the details of your ring and hand-pick a diamond for an enchanting and memorable proposal. Start browsing our new engagement ring designs or book an appointment with us today!