Engagement Ring

How to Buy Her an Engagement Ring It must be one of the toughest choices a man must make, second to the decision to finally marry her.  However, more and more women are taking the pressure off their men by being more open to a "ring date" or a date when you take her to a jewelry store and you let her pick out a ring herself.  That is a surefire, no-miss way of actually getting her a ring that she'll truly love.  Naturally, she'll pick out a ring that she'll wear everyday and openly adore it in front of her female friends. 

However, for the vast traditional majority of men, this "ring date" thing doesn't quite compare to the squeals and the delight when you finally get down on one knee and ask her to marry you.  Or maybe you just don't want her to know about the price or the ordeal you had to go through to finally get the one "perfect" ring.  Any reason is fine-however, you're going to have to do your homework.  Be assured however, that after understanding the ins and outs of buying jewelry, not only will you be able to choose a really good ring, but you can now also look at the ring and gauge it as a valuable investment piece.  First things first.  Don't go to the jewelry store and take out a wad of cash on the day before you propose.  Rather, give yourself a month or less to ask about your girl's basic likes and dislikes.  You have to be aware of her stone and metal preferences, her stand on jewelry (some girls may not be into jewelry at all!) and the style of jewelry that makes her head turn when you pass by a store.  This is the crucial first step most men tend to overlook. 

Next, know what kind of metal your lady wears.  Some women are allergic to certain types of metals while some can wear any metal easily.  Most women like platinum or white gold finishes, but your lady might like the glow of yellow gold.  Or maybe she likes silver better.  You must know what metal she wears before deciding on the stone.  A diamond doesn't set very well with yellow gold.  Here's a crash course on gold (either white or yellow): metal bands are usually engraved with 18K, 24K, or other numbers ending with a "K". K stands for karat, which describes the percentage content of pure gold within the band.  So the higher the number before the "K", the higher the percentage of gold in your piece of jewelry.  24K stands for 100% pure gold and this is your base for measurement.  18K is 18 parts of gold plus another 6 parts made up of other metals.  This means that 18K is only 17% gold.  14K is 14 parts gold and 19 parts other metals, making it less than 60% gold. 

Third, know her type of jewelry.  Does she like modern styles?  Vintage?  Does she like stones in her jewelry?  Or carvings in the metal?  Look carefully at the jewelry she wears everyday.  That is the kind of jewelry that she is most comfortable with.  The best indication of her tastes is the jewelry she wears all the time, not items she only wears occasionally, because it's the full-timers that she's most comfortable with.  Pay attention to her comments when you pass by a jewelry counter.  You can be subtle and ask her to join you when you're looking for a "new watch". 

Fourth, check what stones she likes.  Some women love diamonds while others prefer other colored stones like rubies and emeralds.  See which cut would suit her.  A marquise or oval cut looks best on women with short fingers.  Longer fingers can wear bolder and bigger cuts.  Some women like a solitary stone, while others like a cluster or row of stones (called the "eternity" setting).  Fifth, check if the ring you would like her to have would fit her lifestyle.  If she is active, a delicate ring might break.  If she is a professional, a pointed stone could snag her clothing or look out of place.  

And finally, learn her ring size.  You can ask a family member to help you out with this.  

Put together her metal of choice, the stone that fits her personality and her ring size and you have an idea of that perfect engagement ring.  Best wishes!