Your 5-Step Guide to Choosing the Perfect Engagement Ring for Her

Shopping for jewelry is never easy, especially when it comes to buying something for a special occasion. What can make it even more difficult is buying it for someone else! And to add to the difficulties, what if you had to pick the “perfect” engagement ring for her? Wow, now that is a real head-scratcher, isn’t it?

Selecting an engagement ring is a confusing and overwhelming process by itself, but what makes it even harder is trying to guess and predict what your partner will like. And of course, there are several other aspects that you need to look at while choosing what to buy. As long as you understand your personal preferences, apply a few basic rules of thumb, and shop at the right place, you should not have too much to worry about.

So, we will demystify the engagement ring buying process by pointing out a few steps that will definitely make your life easier.

1. Set a Budget Cap

First things first – it is critical that you decide on an upper limit for how much you are willing to spend on the ring. While having a broad range is good in terms of exploring diverse options, it can become really challenging to zero in on exactly what fits your needs and preferences. Setting a budget cap will also ensure that you don’t go overboard – if you like something that seems to be way beyond what you can realistically afford, just let go of it. There is no point in aiming for the stars when your budget dictates that you cannot. Yes, you might come across several beautiful engagement ring designs that you will want to buy for your beloved girlfriend, but thinking rationally will help you filter what really is or is not within your spending capabilities.

Another advantage of doing this right at the start is that it gives you (and your jeweler) a clear understanding of where to focus and what to steer clear of.

2. Understand Her Likes and Dislikes

Once you have defined your budget range, try to figure out what your partner’s taste in jewelry is like. Observe the kind of jewelry she wears on different occasions or what she gets excited about when passing by a high-end jewelry store or while shopping at the mall. Little clues will help you figure out her likes and preferences, thus giving you some idea about what to look for in the perfect engagement ring. Remember, an engagement ring is something she will wear every day for the rest of her life, so make sure it is worth it. Being both thoughtful and tasteful is equally important – after all, the ring signifies your special bond.

Of course, we are assuming that you are planning on giving it to her as a surprise, hence all this effort. Otherwise, in an ideal scenario, you could just ask your partner to pick what she likes!

3. Zero-in on a Stone

While you are on steps #1 and #2, there are some peripheral decisions that you will most likely have to make simultaneously. One of the most critical decisions is the choice of stone on the engagement ring. While diamonds are the preferred stone type on engagement rings for women, you could possibly explore options like rubies, emeralds, or sapphires, too. However, if you have settled on a diamond as the stone, you must understand how it is sourced, evaluated, and processed.

To start with, do some research on the four Cs – clarity, cut, color, and carat. These four parameters will help you gauge the quality of any diamond.

4. Choose a Stone Shape, Base Metal, and Stone Setting Type

This is where things can get really tricky because you have so many options and everything looks equally phenomenal. However, you must make informed decisions about these things sooner rather than later because it can shorten or extend your ring-buying process.

Choose a base metal on the look and color you are aiming for. You can go for yellow gold, white gold, platinum, silver, rose gold, or even black gold. The white and yellow variants of gold are possibly the most sought-after base metal choices for most people.

In terms of the stone shape (or cut type), you have options like round, oval, square, marquise, princess, pear, heart, or cushion. Unusual shapes are not uncommon for those who like to sport an experimental ring, but most people prefer taking the classic approach while choosing a stone for an engagement ring.

When it comes to settings, you could opt for a closed, pavé, split shank, shared prong, bezel, channel, solitaire, halo, vintage, or three-stone linear setting. Again, this decision rests on what kind of look or design appeals to you and whether you want the ring to feature a single stone or multiple stones in different sizes.

5. Customize It According to Your Preferences

You have two options here – you can either pick a readymade piece that you like instantly or get the engagement ring customized according to what you want it to look like. There are pros and cons to both approaches, of course.

The biggest advantage of buying a readymade ring is that you can get it almost instantly, making it ideal for those who do not have a flexible turnaround. With a bespoke engagement ring, the ring manufacturing and customizations will take time.

Shop High-Quality Diamond Engagement Rings for Women at A.JAFFE

At A.JAFFE, one of the only 19th century jewelers still active in New York City, we have an extensive catalog of the most jaw-dropping engagement rings for women. When celebs like Bella Hadid and Jennifer Lawrence swear by our brand, there is no reason why your girlfriend would not like what we have to offer.

Our skilled craftsmen are committed to delivering superlative quality and originality. We sell our bridal jewelry exclusively through our selected authorized retail partners – find a retail jewelry store near you and take your pick now!

Explore A.JAFFE’s selection of engagement rings for women.