Engagement Ring Buying Guide: How to Choose the Perfect Ring for Your Girlfriend

Men have been choosing diamond engagement rings for their girlfriends since 1477. That's right, men have been struggling to know what to buy for more than 500 years!

An engagement ring is one of the single most expensive things that you'll ever buy for your partner. This is why it's important that you get it exactly right.

Follow the steps in this engagement ring buying guide and you've got a much better chance of choosing a ring that she loves.

Know Her Style

The first thing you need to know when choosing a ring is your girlfriend's sense of style.

If she wouldn't be seen dead in diamonds then choosing her a huge rock isn't going to go down too well. By the same token if she's all about fashion that makes a big statement, then a really subtle ring probably isn't going to be her thing.

Think about what she likes to wear on a night out, and take a look through her wardrobe to get a better idea of exactly what kind of style she prefers.

Consider Her Personality

Another important thing to consider is her personality.

If she's someone who prefers to shun the limelight and doesn't like to be the center of attention, then buying her an enormous ring that sparkles like the sun is likely to draw unwelcome attention. If she's someone who is always the life of every party, then a more ostentatious ring might be just the thing.

Try to imagine your partner wearing each ring you consider, and think about how wearing it would make her feel.

Check Out Her Current Jewelry

A great way to get an idea of the kind of jewelry that she likes is to take a look at what she already owns.

You can get an idea of what type of styles and materials she likes from looking through her jewelry box. You should, of course, pay close attention to her rings, but things like earrings and necklaces can also give you an idea of what type of styles and colors she likes, too.

Just don't get caught sneaking through her jewelry box or you may find yourself facing some awkward questions.

Get Outside Help

Choosing her engagement ring is one of the biggest decisions you will make so it's important to get a second opinion.

Speak to her friends and family and get their advice. You may find that she has confided in her family, or one of her friends, about exactly the kind of ring that she would love. This can give you a real head start when it comes to choosing a ring.

Be careful to find out exactly when this information is from, however. The rings she loves now may not be the same ones as she loved when she was five.

Find Out Her Ring Size

If you want to wow her, you'll propose with her ideal ring and it will slip smoothly onto her finger and be a perfect fit.

By far the easiest way to get this right is to sneak out a ring that you know she wears often, and get it measured by a jeweler. That way you can be sure that the ring you buy will be exactly the right size.

Be careful to choose a ring she wears on a similar finger; if it's a ring she wears on her little finger, it will probably be too small.

Figure Out Your Budget

The average cost of an engagement ring is around $6,000.

That doesn't mean that's what you have to spend. You certainly shouldn't spend more than you can afford; there's no point getting into crippling debt when she would have loved a slightly less expensive ring just as much.

Take a look at your finances and work out how much you can realistically afford to spend, or to borrow, in order to buy the ring. Remember that there are plenty of options out there. You don't have to buy a diamond or other expensive gemstone; there are some fantastic fake engagement rings out there that look just as beautiful for a fraction of the price.

Choose a Style, Stone, and Setting

Once you've got all the information you need, it's time to choose a ring.

There are a number of different decisions you'll need to make. Firstly there's the style of the band. You could opt for a plain band in gold, platinum, white gold, or silver, or opt for a brand that's inlaid with smaller stones.

You'll need to decide what stone you're going to go for. Diamond is the obvious choice, but there's no reason why you can't consider other stones, too. Rubies, emeralds, and sapphires are all great options for engagement rings.

Finally, you'll need to decide on the setting, which is the part of the ring that holds the stone. The classic design is the Tiffany setting, but there are plenty of other options such as bezel and pave that can look truly stunning.

Pop the Question!

Once you've decided on the ring, there's only one thing left to do: ask her to marry you.

That's a discussion for a whole new article. But hopefully, if you follow the advice above, you'll know you've found the perfect ring for her, and at a price that you can afford. You can also refer to this ultimate guide to buying diamond jewelry for some in-depth information on diamond rings.

Good luck!

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