How to Buy Diamond Engagement Rings...

There is much to consider when purchasing a diamond – especially a diamond engagement ring!

The tradition of presenting a woman with a diamond engagement ring when making a marriage proposal began in 1477, when Archduke Maximilian presented a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy – and in most cases, the woman you plan to propose to will expect a ring to accompany that proposal! First, determine your budget. Most people use the ‘two months’ salary’ guideline, but this is widely flexible and depends on your personal circumstances.

Shopping at ‘brick and mortar’ stores

If you haven’t saved up for an engagement ring and if you plan to buy the ring at your local jeweler’s, you should consider financing. Simply go to the jeweler of your choice and tell them that you plan to buy an engagement ring, and that financing will be necessary. Go ahead and get the credit check out of the way, find out what your payments will be, and how much of a down payment is required.

Next, get a family member or your girlfriend’s friend to take your girlfriend shopping, and make sure that they gaze at the engagement rings, to get an idea of what she might like.

Make sure that the jewelry store you buy the ring from will allow you to return the ring, if that is necessary, or will allow your girlfriend to exchange it for another if she isn’t happy with it!

Shopping at ‘click and mortar’ stores

Just about the only disadvantage of going this route is that most online jewelers don’t give you financing options. However, there are a whole bunch of advantages to offset that...

• First, you’ll be spending considerably less online than you do at a regular store.
• As online jewelers bank on customers’ goodwill to keep in business, it’s in their best interest to only sell you GIA certified diamond rings of lasting value.
• You’ll have a far wider range of options and can take as long as you want to select the perfect ring.
• It is a lot easier to comparison shop online. You only have to specify your budget and what you’re looking for and you’ll be given a range of styles and stones that match your wallet.
• Browse though a selection of STUNNING Classic Solitaire, Side-Stones, 3-Stones and Pre-set Engagement Rings.
• Just follow the basic guidelines to shopping online, and you’re sure to find just the engagement ring you want for that special someone.

As with shopping at a regular store, recruit the help of family and friends to gauge your girlfriend’s preferences.

Ring size

You will need an accurate ring size before you begin shopping, especially if you are buying online. To do this, wrap a string or a thin strip of paper round the ring finger and mark where the two ends meet. Measure out the string or strip against a ruler to get the ring circumference. Divide the circumference by 3.14 to get the diameter.

Unless your girlfriend is very gullible, you may need to recruit her friend, sister, or mother to help you get this vital statistic!

The surprise factor

At the best of times, it’s difficult to know what a woman really wants! Before you rush in to buy that engagement ring, try finding out what she wants, while still maintaining a level of secrecy. Use your imagination.( James Allen Engagement Rings ) You can ask her family or friends about her jewelry preferences. Pick up cues from the way she dresses (conservative, adventurous, or flamboyant). Besides, there are pictures in magazines, engagement rings in store windows as you stroll through the mall, and most women will gladly talk about the jewelry they like if you give them a gentle start. Specifics you want to find out (apart from the ring size, of course) are:

• Solitaire, or something with side stones or pave stones?
• Choice of metal: platinum, gold, or white gold?
• Round, oval, or some other shape?

When you have this information, you’re all set to begin shopping and start planning on when you’ll pop the question!

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