What You Need To Know Before Purchasing an Engagement Ring

It is no secret that the holiday season is one of the most affluent times for proposals and engagements. This means that men and women alike will be browsing for the perfect ring (either for themselves or their partner), so we wanted to give you some tips before doing so! Read on to get the inside scoop. 

1. Know if you should go alone or with your partner. Historically, the one doing the proposing usually went to pick out a ring either on their own, or with their partner’s loved one, best friend, sibling etc. Now, however, more and more couples are going in and looking together. Now, you might think this will ruin the surprise, but you can actually still keep things a secret, even if a ring is found! One thing you can do, is have your partner pick their top 3, then let you make the final decision. You can also have your partner pick the ring, but make them leave the room so they don’t hear when it will be ready/when you will be picking it up! This will leave at least some room for surprise, as they won’t even have an idea of when you will be getting down on one knee.
2. What your budget is. This could be one of the bigger purchases you have made in awhile, and even if the ring were free, asking your love for their hand in marriage would be nerve-racking! So let things be that much easier by being realistic about what you feel comfortable spending. Since Mark’s has financing options, this makes things much easier. Know if you want to pay it off or finance it and work with your sales associate to get the biggest bang (read: sparkle) for your buck!
3. What’s most important. Going off of number 2, if you know your budget and know what’s most important in a ring, your life will be a whole lot easier. For example, is the sparkle the most important thing to your partner? Or would they be willing to have a little less sparkle for a little more finger real estate? Would your partner be open to a solitaire, or do they want a diamond-studded band? When you know exactly what you are looking for, it is easiest to maximize your experience and what you can get. If you are familiar with the 4 C’s, ranking the importance of them would be helpful as well.
4. Consider the metal. Aesthetics isn’t the only thing that matters when it comes to rings. When you are choosing your setting and band, ask your sales associate what the best metal would be to hold up, not scratch, and support your diamond/stone.
5. Know their true ring size. Now, this can be tricky, and there might not be a way to get it EXACTLY right, but getting as close as you can will help! When the conversation of engagement inevitably comes up with your partner, no matter how far out you are from the event, ask right then and there what their ring size is. If they don’t know, ask if they can find out or you can find out together. If they think they know, just confirm that it’s true to the finger the engagement ring will be on.
6. Ring insurance is an important thing. How to add the ring to the ring-wearer’s insurance will differ for everyone (if you will be living together it can usually go on yours) but keep in mind this is something you will most likely want to do!

And there you have it! A few things we thought you should know before choosing the perfect engagement ring. If you have taken all of this into consideration and feel ready to take the exciting step and look at rings, click the link below to schedule your appointment with someone at Mark’s!