What questions should you ask your jeweller when buying an engagement ring?
Do not panic! Buying an engagement ring can certainly be a stressful experience. There is a lot to consider and many people do not know where to start. Like any big life decision, you must prepare yourself, ask yourself questions and eliminate options. That being said, who better to help you demystify these questions than your experienced jeweller. They have all the tools and the knowledge to guide you when buying your engagement ring.
Four essential questions to ask before buying a engagement ring
In order to help you with this important mission, firstly let’s determine the 4 essential points that you need to discuss with your jeweller before purchasing your engagement ring..
- What is your budget?
- What metal would you like the ring to be made of?
- What stone will be chosen to adorn the engagement ring?
- What kind of rings does your significant other like?
The size of the ring, the manufacturing time line and the after sale services and guarantees are also important details when buying an engagement ring, although today we will only be focusing on the four questions above.
- The budget
A jeweller cannot determine your budget for you, but most agree that an engagement ring should not cost more than one to two months of your salary, even if it is a modest one. Besides, you can always change the ring over time when you feel like investing a little more. There are three main factors that affect the price of an engagement ring; the reputation of the jeweller, the materials used and its originality. However, it is possible to get a quality engagement ring at a reasonable price. You can consult this text on the prices to pay for an engagement ring to help you.
- The metal: Gold, Silver or Platinum?
In Quebec, it is common for the couple to participate in the selection of the engagement ring, which takes away some of the spontaneity but makes the decision-making process much easier. On the other hand, if you decide to embark on a romantic adventure, you should study your sweetheart's preferences before buying the engagement ring. Take the time to inspect their jewellery box or ask their friends if they know your loved one’s preferences, such as: white, yellow or pink gold. For the past years, white gold and platinum have been the preferred choice for engagement rings, but times are changing, and all three colors are back in style. Not to mention the fact that rings can also be two tone or even three tone.
Platinum, a rarer and denser precious metal than gold, is 30-40% more expensive, but it retains its silver hue forever, wears out less quickly and requires less maintenance. White gold, which does not occur naturally, is an alloy that turns yellow over time. It can be plated with rhodium to restore its silver lustre. We strongly advise against sterling silver. This metal tarnishes quickly and requires a lot of maintenance. Does your lover like originality? Why not give her a two-tone ring in pink and white gold?
An important detail: if you decide to purchase a gold ring, you will still have to decide whether it will be in 10kt, 14ky or 18kt karat gold. As 18-karat gold is purer; it will consequently also be more expensive. To help you understand the differences in karats, here is an article explaining gold and its karat.
- Precious Stone
There can be one or more stones on a ring according to its design, however choosing the main stone first is essential. The stone par excellence is undoubtedly the diamond, symbol of love, purity and eternity. The quality and price of a diamond is determined by the (4C) criteria: cut, color, clarity and carat (weight). The diamond is clearly the stone of choice when buying an engagement ring, but if you want a large natural diamond at a reasonable price, you will have to sacrifice on its purity and color.
More ethical, laboratory-created diamonds are less expensive and are identical in every respect to natural diamonds. To learn more, read this text on laboratory-created diamonds.
The Moissanite is also created in a laboratory and almost identical to diamonds. It is an interesting option because of its lower price. This text on moissanite as an alternative to diamonds may help you.
Would you prefer a colored stone? There are several choices available: the most popular colored precious stones are sapphires, emeralds and rubies. However, it is important to point out that these blue, green and red stones can exceed the price of a diamond, depending on their quality. Every stone is different, and they all have certain particularities as well as weakness, therefore it is very important to combine your colored stone, with the proper setting, with a safe design and the correct metal. The sapphire is the most widely traded precious stone in the world and it evokes loyalty, the emerald expresses hope, and the ruby suggest passion. Colored stones can be created in a laboratory with great success and precision and can also be a great inexpensive alternative when buying an engagement ring.
diamond and moissanite
emerald
ruby
sapphire
See our page on metals and stones for more details.
- The type of ring
This is were the decision making gets slightly more complicated due to the fact that there are so many different styles of rings and options. Once again this is a good time to ask help and guidance from friends and family, however, do not lose confidence in your own judgment. Do not stray too far from the beaten path, try to choose a style that is similar to what your loved one usually wears. Keep in mind of their lifestyle and that this ring is meant to be worn everyday for the rest of their life…..
You can think of the mount of the ring as the stage and the center tone as the star. You have selected what kind of stone you wish to adorn your ring with, you must now determine the cut of the stone. Understandably, every element is interrelated, however the shape/cut of the stone is what gives it its character. Round, princess and cushion are more classic cuts. Pear and marquise are whimsical and romantic. Trillion and emerald tend to give a more modern look to a ring.
Let’s now set the stage for the star. The setting which means how the stone is mounted also has a great impact. Once more there are many factors to consider and every element chosen must technically complement each other. There are two main styles of setting when talking center stone. One is the classical claw or also called prong setting. This style is by far the most popular, it is the best way to display the stone, it lets the light shine trough which amplifies the beauty of the stone and there are many variants of this styles allowing you to personalize it. Secondly is the bezel setting, this setting is almost like a tube, the stone sits on top and the metal is pushed down all around it. This style of setting requires lees maintenance and protects very well the stone; however, it hides most of the stone, thus not letting the light shine through evidently taking away some of the magic of the stone. This style of setting is perfect of an active lifestyle, gives the ring a more contemporary look and or subtle.
The solitaire is an engagement ring with a single stone. The semi-eternity ring has a pavé of small stones that goes halfway around the ring. When the pavé goes all the way around the ring, it is an eternity ring. A solitaire can be combined with a semi-eternity or eternity ring. Obviously, the more stones, the higher the price. Regardless of the shape of the ring, it is important to remember that the wedding ring will eventually have to be combined with the engagement ring on the big day. This is a very important question to ask your jeweller.
Making the right choice when buying an engagement ring
You are now hopefully better equipped and ready to buy the perfect engagement ring .
At Flamme en rose, our role is to accompany you in the important moments of your life and our know-how is our greatest pride. In addition to offering unparalleled customer service, all of our engagement rings are handcrafted in our Montreal workshop by experienced jewelers. Don't know which Size ring you need? We can send you a ring set free of charge. If in the end, the Size doesn't fit, no worries, we offer the first setting for free Size.
Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or to make an appointment. At Flamme en rose you will always be assisted by a jeweller with years of experience.
We wish you a lot of happiness!