If we look back, the history of how rings evolved as the symbol of wedlock originated with tribes tying grass roots around the newlyweds to indicate that they were now promised to each other. Over the years, this was changed to tying the wrists together and then later, the respective fingers. Today we use a ring to symbolize more than just marriage, there's a ring for every reason and for every season, be it friendship, graduation, baby showers or even turning sixteen.
Buying the ideal ring can be an intimidating task with all the homework and technicalities involved in the selection and purchase of precious stones. Our purpose in educating you on the finer details of jewellery shopping is to enable you to make a more informed decision when it comes to a financial investment like a diamond or a gemstone. Buying jewellery is a very personal matter since the focus is on matching the person with the piece of accessory you're going to buy, so there's very little room to be impulsive.
Ring Types
Bands: are the simplest form of ring you can find. Normally it's a flat piece of metal made into a circle.
Solitaire Rings: are rings that have a large gemstone in the center which stands out. Depending on the shape of the stone, the rings are called round, oval, square, cushion, etc.
Eternity Rings: are rings that have same sized gemstones embedded all around the ring. These rings are usually in a claw or channel setting. If the stones only go half way around, then it's called the half eternity ring.
Cluster Rings: usually consist of gemstones in a cluster setting as the centerpiece. This gives the illusion of one large stone from a distance. Sometimes the cluster setting could also contain one large stone and several stones surrounding it.
Three Stone Ring: as the name suggests, this rings contains 3 gemstones, often one larger than the other two and set in the middle. This type of setting is largely popular when combining diamonds and gemstones.
Five Stone Ring: Like the three stone ring, this ring contains 5 gems set in a row, with or without a combination of diamonds.
Ring Sizing
How do you find a ring that fits? If you're worried about the size of the ring, our suggestion is to find a ring that's a little smaller than the second knuckle of the finger. Large knuckled people should wear looser rings and slimmer hands require tighter rings. It's important to get the size of the ring right the first time since some rings cannot be reset. There are multiple factors that affect the finger size from the weather to internal bodily functions, so another suggestion would be to find an older ring that he or she uses, and use that as a reference.
Picking the Right Ring
The symbol of the ring and the exchange of the rings during marriage is a symbol of eternal togetherness, happiness and love. Picking the right ring for a proposal or an engagement cannot be an impulsive decision since you're probably looking for something special and affordable at the same time. There are several aspects you need to consider when trying to pick the right ring.
- Budget - Once you've got an idea of what you're budget is, your shopping instantly becomes easier since the out of budget buys get automatically filtered out. Also if she's hinted or told you what kind of ring she's looking for you can then choose the setting and gemstone accordingly.
- Quality - Once you've finalized on the right ring, make sure you check its quality. With the growing popularity of online shopping, quality checks becomes essential and should not be compromised on.
- Her Preferences - What colour does she like? What setting would she like? Would she prefer something simple or something with a little more sparkle? Does she have a favorite gemstone? Or a favorite metal? Observe the jewellery she's currently wearing to get an idea of her preferences.
- Her Personality - Is she social and gregarious? Or shy and reserved? Also, don't buy her something she's already got in her cupboard, this one needs to stand out from the rest of her collection.
- Custom Make - There are also options where you can design your own engagement ring. We suggest you look at those options too but make sure you do your homework on the 4C's of gemstone or diamond buying. Sometimes a better cut or colour may be the right ring, even though the clarity isn't too high.
- Educate yourself - Before setting out to buy a ring, make sure you're thoroughly informed about the buying guides for gemstones and diamonds so you get lots or frustrated along the way. This information will save you from making an impulsive decision.
- Ask questions - You could always team up with a friend who knows her to help you out, or better still, ask her to come along and choose her own ring!
- Certifications and Return Policies are crucial. Look into those too.
- Get the size right
- If you're planning to surprise her, factor in enough time to research and buy your ring so nothing is hurried about this decision.
- Choose something that is timeless and of high quality so the ring remains a symbol of your love forever. Also make provisions for the Wedding Bands which are likely to follow next.
- Popular metals for engagement rings are Yellow Gold, White Gold and Platinum and Gemstones combined with Diamonds. Using her birthstone is an effective idea although make sure you choose the right gemstone since this is a ring she will be wearing every day.
We wish you luck and happiness and we hope you pick the right ring!
