Engagement Rings - A to Z Selection Guide

What should a ring be like?

The main thing to remember is the size of the decoration. Yes, if you make a mistake, the ring can be reduced or, conversely, stretched a little. But not always: the inlay and complex design do not allow you to change the size, so you will have to spy on your other half.

We’ll tell you how to find out the size of the ring without anyone guessing, a little later, and now that your attention is fully attracted, a little information about where to buy amazingly beautiful jewelry, sure to include precious stones, and at the same time inexpensively. There is a wedding ahead, the purchase of wedding rings (these are different, don’t confuse them!), as well as a honeymoon and a mortgage, so you need to get used to saving now.

An engagement ring is traditionally more beautiful and/or more expensive than a wedding ring. Therefore, it is important to calculate your financial capabilities - in case the budget is not too large, you can focus on creativity: good design in our time is more expensive than diamonds.

Although who are we kidding, only a few diamonds are more expensive than diamonds. If you have the financial strength to bear the purchase of a ring with a good, clean, large diamond, feel free to accept this decision as the best one. It is impossible to make a mistake and give the wrong diamond, but to be refused for such beauty and your generosity of care is unlikely.

It just so happens that a diamond is just one of the stones that is among the ten most expensive. Don’t worry, the rarest red Australian diamond, priced at over a million dollars per carat, is in first place forever. We’ll probably cross out engagement rings with it, although the stone is truly incredibly beautiful. But the diamond has better PR.

In addition to diamonds, rings are decorated with sapphires, rubies, emeralds, amethysts, tourmalines, peridots, citrines, corundums and other beautiful stones. Don’t forget about an ensemble of several – it looks luxurious, avant-garde in places, bold, definitely not stereotyped, but most likely not intended for everyday wear. Well, perhaps, for the first time, to get a good look at each line of the graceful cut of the stones. And then - to the replenished family treasury.

Choosing a ring for a man

With the choice of rings for women, everything is more or less clear; it is huge. But what to buy if the proposal is made to a man? The stronger sex is not particularly fond of all these beautiful things, there is no desire to give a simple ring, and the classic signets are already quite tired. And they can hardly be considered a decent tone in secular society.

Not certainly in that way. Signets are beautiful. Of course, we are not talking about those “inflated” copies, a symbol of the dashing 90s. Modern jewelry designers offer an endless amount of truly stylish, elegant jewelry, but at the same time with a pronounced masculine character.

"Wow! - the girl will say, “I would wear those too!” Jewelers have absolutely nothing against it and recommend not focusing on rings made of the usual gold or platinum. Although, this is also very beautiful, a classic, and will always remain so.

But progress does not stand still, and rings made of titanium alloys, silver and even tungsten carbide are increasingly appearing on the shelves of jewelry stores and at shows of new unisex collections (photo No. 2). There is nothing precious in this material, it is just a very strong chemical compound of carbon, refractory tungsten and ceramics. With such a ring you can go to the mountains or attack. But it would be dishonest not to mention this trend among others. Rings that do not need to be taken care of, they do not tarnish, do not scratch, do not require polishing - this is about those who like to go on extreme hikes and about those for whom eternal time pressure has become the main problem of the digital era.

Where do they sell beautiful rings?

You won’t see this on the shelves in regular jewelry stores; ordering from a manufacturer from the latest collections is expensive; in online stores it is sometimes dangerous. We found several of the men's rings presented above on the websites of large pawnshops with a good name and good reputation. And don’t rush to turn away from the monitors in bewilderment: is it really possible to give someone else’s ring, which has become unnecessary, as an engagement gift?

Pawn shop sales

Note to the owner: in online pawn shops, in addition to used rings, they always sell new items. Jewelry factories will not miss the opportunity to offer their assortment at any point of sale where traffic is consistently high, and, taking into account the specifics of the establishment, they set very loyal prices. A special convenience is that modern pawnshops have online stores where you can easily read the description, compare several rings, order and buy rings without leaving your home. Sometimes pawn shops host and conduct auctions. We must use it.

Stylish fashionable new rings can be purchased at a discount of up to 40%, and during global sales the discount reaches 70%. Now is the time to try your luck and stock up on a ring, even if you're not ready to propose yet. Perhaps you will mature in a couple of months. Be prepared in advance - this will be very useful in family life.

Sales in jewelry stores

Factory showrooms that sell rings without intermediaries, and fashionable jewelry stores also systematically organize global sales with good discounts. But there is a caveat: if your significant other closely follows trends in this direction, you are taking a big risk by buying a ring on sale, while she (he) is dreaming of an item from the collection presented a couple of weeks ago. The choice is yours, but think that you will live next to this person for many happy years. There is a possibility that in 20 years this ring will be inherited by a daughter or daughter-in-law.

Do it yourself

And we're not kidding. We are talking about an order to develop an exclusive project in a jewelry studio or from a private designer. This will be guaranteed to be a unique product, in the creation of which you will literally take an active part. Together with the master, choose stones, their cut, weight, combination with white or yellow metal, engraving, inlay and any other nuances. Of course, within your budget.

By the way, if you have long dreamed of gaining new knowledge, experience and skills, why not take up jewelry 3D modeling yourself? Try to master the Rhinoceros and T-Splines programs, and if your other half doesn’t get tired of waiting (unlikely!) for you to create your dream design, in a few years you will be engaged to an exclusive ring, a new profession, and, most likely, a new lover . The old one, alas, did not wait for your triumph.

My favorite color, my favorite size

We’ve almost decided on the design of the ring (in fact, no, spoiler alert – there will be a lot of interesting things about famous jewelry designers ahead), but there’s another problem on the horizon: it’s not so easy to figure out the size of the jewelry. But if you try...

Method 1

. Requisition (borrow) one of your couple's rings. Awaken the pirate in you and quietly steal the jewelry that is most often worn on the ring finger. Do it. Don't forget to put it back after. And if your other half notices that it’s missing, just throw the ring where it will definitely be found. Everything will be attributed to absent-mindedness.

Method 2

. While your love is splashing in the shower, try on her ring on your finger and remember this position, or circle it with a ballpoint pen to be sure. When you come to the jewelry store, using a ring meter, you can find out the exact size of the ring for your betrothed. All questions about the appearance of this strange line are elegantly translated into a description of the latest football match.

Lovely girls. Of course, you yourself came up with these simple methods for your loved ones. If not you, then the mothers and sisters of your chosen ones. Thank you so much for so artistically portraying sincere, genuine surprise every time you receive an “unexpected” gift - an engagement ring. You are beautiful!

There is also plasticine on which you can make a cast of a ring, or a friend of your beloved who helps you and at a party asks: “Please, just for a minute, can I try on your ring? And how I didn’t notice before that you wear it every day.” And there is a special article on our blog about all the ways to find out your ring size without being noticed.

If no method is suitable, and you are sure that you will not succeed as a spy, take a sleeping pill, give it to your significant other, and while you are still sleeping soundly, wrap a narrow strip of paper around the ring finger of your beloved victim. Mark the junction of the two ends of the tape. The exact ring size is ready.

We joked about sleeping pills. Friday, a little alcohol, a club, a lot of alcohol - tested, works!

Find out the girl's preferences

Does your beloved value uniqueness? Then buy an engagement ring that suits her taste. In this case, the jewelry will not gather dust on a shelf among others: your beloved will often wear it.

Receiving an original piece of jewelry, the girl will think how attentive and caring my man is. A woman will carry this warmth through the years. Every time she looks at the single player, she will experience pleasant emotions.

The following techniques will help you find out the tastes of your loved one:

1. Consult with your chosen one’s close people: mother, friends, relatives. They will tell you which style is best to buy a ring in.
2. If you are afraid that someone will spill the beans about the proposal, it is better to do everything yourself. Think about whether your woman wants to be original or like her friends. Take a closer look at your girlfriend’s surroundings and draw the appropriate conclusions.
3. Study the jewelry your loved one already wears. The chosen engagement ring is in harmony with the entire set of jewelry - which means the chosen one will wear the accessory for many years.

What affects the cost of a ring?

In this exciting quest, we have already reached the point where we know what kind of ring we want to present to our other half, and what size. It remains to find out a very small question: how much money do we want to pay for evidence of our boundless love, devotion and respect.

The cost of a ring consists of several parameters:

Precious metal type

• silver is the most affordable option
• gold of different types in the middle price category (white, pink, yellow)
• platinum is the most expensive on the list

The metals palladium and nickel are only added to yellow gold, giving it light aristocratic shades.

Copper, nickel or platinum (rarely) are also added to silver to make the metal harder and more wear-resistant. Pure silver is quite soft in composition, products made from it are susceptible to mechanical damage.

Rhodium is a durable platinum group metal, used for sputtering, which helps preserve the appearance of jewelry for as long as possible.

Rings made of combined metals are very stylish, beautiful, not stereotyped.

Precious and semi-precious stones

In this case, you can always turn to girls’ best friends (diamonds) and friends of friends (sapphires, emeralds, rubies, pearls, etc.). This group has its own system for determining weight: carat = 0.2 grams and, together with color, clarity and cut, it regulates the cost of the stone and, as a consequence, the ring in which it is used.

Semi-precious stones - garnets, tourmalines, topazes, zircons, amethysts, quartz - are used more often to create compositions with precious stones, reducing the price of the ring.

Artificial stones - cubic zirconia, Swarovski crystals, an analogue of moissanite (carborundum) - provide more room for imagination, performing both solo and in an ensemble with older precious “brothers”. By the way, moissanite, even in its artificial origin, has better light refraction characteristics, which makes it more sparkling than a diamond. It is impossible to predict the cost of an engagement ring with different stones; sometimes a piece of jewelry with one diamond is cheaper than a designer composition with moissanite and a scattering of small diamonds.

Shape, ring design

The parameter is quite controversial, since there is no sustainable fashion in the jewelry world, except for the classics - it is not going to give way to any new trend. Unless, of course, we are talking about famous series from such brands as Pandora, Cartier, Tiffany, or models developed according to an individual sketch. Rather, the cost is influenced by the credibility of the brand - this is a guarantee of the highest quality jewelry, high style, as well as the opportunity to leave the rings for descendants in almost perfect condition (it depends only on you). But the unusual design is very beautiful.

Decide on a stone

Diamond engagement rings are a classic choice. Jewelry with semi-precious stones (for example, topaz or rubies) belongs to the group of original engagement rings.

Diamond - embodies the characteristics of a long and stable relationship. Among all the stones, this is the only precious mineral. The rest are considered semi-precious or non-precious. Diamond is the strongest mineral of all existing ones, the embodiment of stability in relationships.

The main characteristic of a stone is carat. The carat is used as a unit of weight for precious stones. 1 carat is equal to one fifth of a gram. Depending on the weight of the jewelry, stones are divided into three groups:

1. Small (no more than 0.29 carats).
2. Medium (stones from 0.3 to 0.99 carats).
3. Large (from 1 carat).

The second important characteristic is the purity of the stone. The purity index indicates the amount of turbidity and impurities in the mineral. To describe the characteristics of transparency, there is a scale of twelve divisions:

• indicator "1-4". Defects in the stone are visible to the average person. Even a layman will pay attention to the problems of jewelry;
• indicator "5-8". Stones in the mid-price segment have good reflectivity;
• indicator "9-12". In stones with such characteristics, the play of light is extremely beautiful.

Types of Engagement Rings

In fact, the list is much longer, and it all depends on the relationship between you. If your significant other adheres to classical traditions, you should not give her an engagement ring in the form of Lego, Tetris or other creative format. Stick to what everyone knows.

A ring with a diamond

. Modest, stylish, universal option. The cost of such a ring, of course, may not be modest at all, especially if it is a Solitaire model, for example, from Tiffany.

The name comes from the French word Solitaire - single. Such a ring is always decorated with a large diamond, from one and a half carats or more. The color of the metal does not matter; it can be a classic gold ring, platinum or different shades of gold.

White gold rings

. Engagement rings made of light metals are a classic of marriage proposals among Europeans and Americans. For centuries, platinum and white gold have been considered the best way to express their feelings, gratitude, and loyalty. Decorated with several diamonds at once: a large central one and scattered ones, or smaller stones nearby.

Platinum rings

. If the engagement party may not have a single stone at all, then the meaning of the engagement party is precisely in precious stones. And here jewelry craftsmen have fun with all their hearts. The soil for the realization of fantasy is the most fertile. Platinum is a metal that will emphasize the status of the donor and, subsequently, the recipient. Diamonds and any light stones look perfect with platinum - the white metal has a very soft shimmer, which perfectly highlights the sparkling lines of the gemstones' cut.

Rings with sapphire

. It’s correct to say - with sapphire and diamonds, because where would you be without them during an engagement? As a rule, sapphire is the soloist in such an ensemble. The different depths of color of this beautiful stone, shades, brilliance and equally noble proximity to yellow gold, white precious metals and diamonds captivated the brilliant Princess Diana at one time. It is absolutely impossible to blame all members of the British royal family for their lack of taste.

Vintage rings

. The passion for such jewelry captured the world about 20 years ago, when Western society began to get tired of consumerism. The fashion for visiting flea markets in Bruges (Belgium), Brooklyn (USA), Vienna (Austria) and other cities also captured jewelry makers; the result of inspiration was charming, slightly naive collections of vintage rings. This is really very cute, and in fact, such copies are not cheap. If your partner shares a love for the sweet goodness of the past, one of these vintage engagement rings is guaranteed to win her over.

Men's rings

. What would women do in the jewelry world if men didn’t sometimes want to experiment? Fortunately, the 21st century is conducive to this: you can combine textures, materials, go from classical canons and create unique designs literally from what is at hand. And most importantly, the ring must not be damaged, these are men. Rebuild an engine, conquer Everest, stop a lion in its tracks. For an engagement ring, the most suitable plan is to use titanium alloys, palladium, tungsten with gold, matte platinum and black diamonds. How about taking the idea of ​​a bearing and turning it into an ornament.

Outer ring – 14k white matte gold, inner – polished white gold, 48 black diamonds of 1.05 carats all around

For some reason, men are not delighted with everything shiny, so matte platinum and the combination of black and large white diamonds are not considered glossy. A ring that can be worn even if the engagement is broken.

A million more types of rings

. It's amazing that in this day and age there is no need to conform to standards if you don't want to. Don't like the classics? Consider Art Deco style rings. Do you want something completely unusual or even fantastic? Jewelers will create for you a ring that imitates the Tardis time machine from the popular TV series. Engraving, contrasting metal inserts, unusual shapes, rotating rings, double rings, transformers, Trinity (from Cartier), puzzle rings (gala-gala) and everything you can imagine - the main thing is that your half is delighted with the ring, and not those around you.

General rules and some differences in manufacturing

It was believed that diamonds have a magical effect and are capable of arousing reciprocal love in the chosen one. However, nowadays the belief in witchcraft is not so strong, so there are many other options for engagement rings.

Most of them are made according to the general formula: noble metal + precious stone.

The differences lie in the details:

• metal from which it is made;
• type of stone;
• design and decoration;
• combination with other decorations.

Manufacturers

We will not be mistaken if we call the French fashion houses Cartier and Boucheron leaders in the jewelry industry. Engagement rings made by the masters of these brands are an example of luxury and recognizable style. Basically, this is a classic based on the love of diamonds and expensive metals.

Another great couple is the Italians Bvlgary and the transnational company Tiffany. To talk about them in one block means to pay tribute to the skill of working with a variety of, at first glance, incompatible styles. In Bulgari's products, minimalism and hi-tech are gracefully intertwined with classics, and Tiffany's mischief-makers never tire of experimenting (give me two! We take both the engagement and wedding sets!)

What's on the Russian market?

With domestic gold mining and diamond mines, it is not appropriate to lag behind venerable companies. And the Sokolov brand is not lagging behind. The best stones, beautiful cuts, discreet, elegant style, charming details that you want to look at again and again. Expensive. Beautiful. Worthy.

Bronnitsky jeweler

. One step lower in terms of cost per product, each ring has its own charm and character.

MYUZ – Moscow Jewelry Factory

. Offers a large selection of stones, gold, styles, cost categories from tens of millions to just millions and several thousand rubles. Even the most capricious buyer will find his ring here.

Other options

Other metals are also used in the manufacture of engagement rings:

• platinum;
• silver;
• steel;
• titanium;
• tungsten.

The most popular among them is platinum, which is hard, durable and has a beautiful silvery tint. However, diamonds in such a setting do not look very good, especially if the stone is large.

The next two options refer to cheaper materials. Moreover, silver can quickly tarnish or blacken, so it requires special care. Titanium and tungsten are suitable for exotics enthusiasts and are valued for their increased strength and durability.

Trends - how to make an offer and not get rejected

No one can give guarantees: even if your other halves, at first glance, are mentally prepared for such a turn of events, in practice something may go wrong. Excitement, nerves, and confusion can create a slightly unfavorable environment. Even a wondrously beautiful ring cannot save you. Therefore – Recommendation No. 1.

If you receive a refusal, don’t think about grieving and walking off into the sunset. We discussed why you shouldn’t take the ring at the very beginning. Let your loved one come to his senses, breathe, meditate, perhaps even cry and curse indecently. Try again during a pause. Everything will work out, you'll see!

Recommendation #2. Avoid platitudes. No rings in champagne, cake, during halftime at a football game next to sweaty fans, through dummies in the gym and in other foul-smelling ugly places. Remember: after hearing this, your destiny will be confused anyway (or pretend that it is). Don't double your stress. If you want originality, play Monopoly at home. Yes, not a simple one, but with a secret drawer.

Recommendation #3. Put pressure on emotions. If you're not particularly good at romance, delegate. Toy pandas with eyes you can’t refuse, cute puppies, or the heroes of the Pixar film studio. They even make their floor lamps look more human than we do ourselves. Who would say no to Valli? Well who? No heart? Look! But puppies are okay too...

Recommendation #4. Good old flash mob. Call all your friends, rehearse, don’t even think about adding a little 5 grams for courage. Propose anywhere: on the street, in a store, at an exhibition, at the airport (just notify the administration) - choose the most unexpected place for this.

How to wear an engagement ring

With pleasure! Even if you refused to start a family with this person. For starters, it’s not final yet, and according to unspoken statistics, 80% of brides change their minds within 2 weeks after the proposal. But if consent is given, there is no need to immediately remove the ring and hide it in a secret box. Of course, unless you were given a ring from designer Lorraine Schwartz and you are not Kim Kardashian. No?

Then remember that large diamonds and jeans at the same time are not particularly good form and think about what occasion and with what you can wear the gifted engagement ring.

Let's remember the difference: an engagement ring with a small diamond (one piece) is an everyday accessory. An engagement ring will soon be added to it.

A diamond ring is an evening accessory and should be worn on special occasions and with the appropriate wardrobe. Theatre, family evening in a restaurant, holidays for family and friends, a quiet romantic evening for two at home.

You should not wear a luxurious ring to work, school, or going to the store. Diamond rings do not need additional jewelry, and you should not put on the entire jewelry box at once either.

Some confusion has also arisen around which hand to wear the engagement ring on. Any, despite the fact that in Russia at the time of proposal they put jewelry on the ring finger of the right hand. How you wear the ring after engagement is a matter of convenience and habit.