So, you’ve decided that your girlfriend is the love of your life and you want to take the next step by asking her to marry you. Do you ask her first and then both go out and choose an engagement ring? Or do you want to surprise her over a romantic dinner by getting down on one knee and producing a ring which you have selected for her? If you’ve chosen the second route there are a few things to consider before dashing off to the jewelers to look at their selection of heart engagement rings.
First and foremost, has your lady love ever expressed a preference for one shaped ring over another? Although it may seem to be the ultimate in romantic rings, not all women like the idea of a heart shaped engagement ring. Some ladies find the design “cheesy” or “tacky” and would much prefer a more traditional diamond shape in their engagement ring.
The most popular shape of diamond is the round brilliant cut as it best optimizes the fire and the brilliance of the diamond. However, there are at least nine other cuts to consider. A princess cut stone is a favorite shape for engagement rings. It is usually square and has pointed corners. Whereas an emerald cut is oblong with rectangular facets. If you like the emerald cut but would prefer a square shaped diamond then an Asscher-cut diamond is the one you should choose.
Other shapes you may want to consider are oval, marquise, radiant, cushion or pear. One cautionary note, take a note of the shape of your girlfriend’s fingers as this may help to determine which shape would best suit her hand. Certain shapes look better than others depending on finger length and chubbiness. A reputable jeweler will be able to give you information on the differences of all the different cuts and which shape would be best suited for your choice of ring.
Okay, so now you’ve chosen the shape of diamond you want, now you need to think about the color and again you may have a range of choices depending on your budget. By far the most usual color of stone for an engagement ring is the white diamond but if money is no object and you want to be truly romantic you might try to get a pink diamond. This is the rarest diamond in the world and the deeper the color the more the cost. If your wallet won’t stretch that far but you want something different you may want to consider colors such as champagne, pink champagne, blue, yellow or green diamonds.
Nearly there now, all you need to think about now is the setting of the ring and the choice of metal. Look at what jewelry your intended usually wears and that should give you some indication of whether she prefers gold, white gold or platinum. And does she already have any other heart jewelry? You may care to match with that. When it comes to which setting to pick, ask the jeweler to show you different designs to help you make your decision. Also make sure that the store has a returns policy in case it turns out not to be the ring of her dreams.
That’s all there is to it!
Bet you thought that you could just walk into the jewelers and look at the heart engagement rings, then pick one pay for it and wait for the right moment to present it! To save yourself a lot of headaches over the right ring to get it is worth doing a bit of homework. Ask her friends and family if she has said anything specific about the kind of ring she would like and listen carefully for any hints she might drop if the subject comes up. No matter what ring you choose she will love you for it and always treasure it.