Engagement Ring Advice

by Eli Butbul

An engagement ring is one of the most significant purchases you will have to make, not because of the price but because of what is symbolises. An engagement ring implies a commitment to spending the rest of your life with your partner. Diamond engagement rings are a symbol of love which is the lead up to the unbreakable bond of marriage, seen as an institution in our society. Historically the betrothal ritual was comprised of the exchange of gifts which often included property from the groom-to-be to the bride-to-be's parents. This was an important part of the marriage contract as it was perceived that the bride's family was losing their daughter to another family forever and therefore needed some sort of compensation for their loss. Once the eighteenth century hit the concept of a courtship occurred where the groom chose his bride for reasons of love. The groom would ask his bride-to-be’s father for his daughters hand in marriage. The groom asking for permission from his father-in-law to be still occurs today in many cultures.

Searching for the perfect engagement ring can be extremely time consuming and stressful. The different types of diamonds, styles, designs, settings, sizes and most importantly prices are endless. Adding to the stress is that most women have been dreaming and planning their wedding day for a long time and therefore the build up to the day needs to be perfect. The beginning of the wedding day journey all starts with the engagement ring.

At GoldeNet Australia we would like to make the task of choosing the engagement ring as easy and stress free as possible. The following information will help to make this purchase as painless as possible with the outcome being breathtaking:

Budget:
Before you begin your research, determine how much you want to spend on the engagement ring, as once you have outlined your budget this will help you determine which types of engagement rings you are eligible to purchase. It is important to arrive at this budget by taking everything into consideration; financial experts as a rule of thumb recommend that couples spend no more than three weeks' salary, or roughly 6 percent of annual income on their engagement ring. However, for couples with limited finances, jewellery experts like to remind couples that it is simple to reset the stone or add extra stones at a later date.
Her taste:
If you would like to choose the engagement ring without her, you need to start taking notice of her taste. Does she wear yellow gold or white gold, does she like big rings or small, does she like stones with colours or does she like diamonds. Diamonds are a girls best friend, therefore our guess is that she definitely would like to show off sparkling diamonds on her finger.
However, if you are unsure of her taste it is best to ask for help from her friends or close family. We recommend talking with her best friend for she would definitely know what type of engagement ring she has been dreaming of. Otherwise if ‘popping the question’ is not going to be a surprise the safest way is to ask your future fiancé what she would like or have her browse GoldeNet Australia’s website for things she likes.
Diamond Education:
Become familiar with the 4Cs. The diamond industry has identified the four C's; colour, clarity, cut and carat weight as a guide to help you make an educated purchase. Therefore becoming familiar with the 4Cs is extremely important when choosing an engagement ring, as these characteristics contribute to a diamond’s beauty and value which is a large part in the decision making process. If you are familiar with diamond terminology it makes understanding different prices much easier.
The Diamond:
After you have researched what type of engagement ring your bride-to-be would like, you have set your budget and are familiar with the 4Cs; it is time to choose your diamonds. At GoldeNet Australia we have found that the most common and popular diamond shape for engagement rings is round brilliant. This is because round diamonds appear to sparkle more than other shapes. We recommend you looking at difference types of loose diamonds to get a feel for the wide variety that exist and decide on one you know she will love. Most women have a pre-determined desire for a particular diamond.
The Setting:
Once you have decided on a diamond for your engagement ring, it is time to learn about the abundance of different settings available to mount the diamond on. The most common settings for diamond engagement rings include the Solitaire, the Prong setting, and the Channel setting. The metals most commonly used for engagement ring settings are white gold, yellow gold and platinum. GoldeNet Australia also offers rose gold which we sell for the same price as yellow and white gold. Gold can be made in 18ct or 14ct; 18ct gold is the better and preferred choice for engagement rings. Platinum is the best metal to make an engagement ring in as it is more durable and long wearing then gold, however it is also more expensive for those very reasons.
The bottom line is that there is no magic formula for choosing an engagement ring; it all depends on individual tastes. However there are a few simple rules that need to be applied during the decision process.
Comfort:
An Engagement Ring has to be easy and practical to wear. This depends on the day-to-day routine of the wearer, as a large stone may get caught on things. Secondly, it needs to be able to worn every day without any issues. Things that need to be taken into consideration are; if she works a lot with their hands and if she comes into contact with chemicals and dirt for example in a factory. Harsh environments will wear down jewellery; therefore a durable setting is required, for example platinum. Lastly the ring needs to look beautiful; something she cannot take her eyes of and is proud to show-off.

Engagement rings are gorgeous and are highly symbolic. A lot of thought and decision making will come into play when choosing the ring of her dreams. Therefore if you cannot find that special ring you think she would like or you know she will love on our website, we can custom make any design or style at great prices. Remember we can also engrave any message on the ring for you.
Please contact us to discuss the ring you would like to have made, or if you any questions regarding any ring on our website; We are eagerly waiting to help you make her engagement ring as special and as beautiful as it deserves to be!