Tips for choosing the perfect engagement ring

We help a lot of couples through the engagement ring process—here are some of the biggest things to think about before shopping for and buying an engagement ring.

xo, Annette

No1. Timeline

When are you proposing?

For shorter timelines (think: up to a month from today), then you'll want to look for rings that are finished and ready for you.

If you're on a longer timeline (think: 1.5+ months from today), then a custom ring is a great option! Our turnaround time is currently 1.5-2 months, so now would be the time to get thinking about what designs you may want and what jeweler you want to work with.

No2. Budget

The least exciting but arguably the most important thing to think about.

Name-brand retailers tack on a massive markup on their rings. By shopping at your local jeweler, you likely can get a better deal on a ring of the same (or better) quality.

When it comes to custom engagement rings, you don't need to have an extravagant budget. Know that our custom ring minimum is $500. Many of our custom projects average between $2,000 to $5,000—the price of your ring could be less or more than this depending on what you want.

No3. Know your size

Whether it's an engagement ring, wedding band, or just for fun, it's important to know your (or your partner's) ring size.

Pop by a local jeweler to see if they can help you find your perfect size. Or, follow our step-by-step guide to finding your size at home.

~Pro tip~ When buying a ring, look for a jeweler that offers complementary resizing to relieve some of the stress of getting it perfect on the first go.

No4. Center stones

When thinking about your future ring, you don't need to know exactly what you want as your center stone. But having an idea of what you like and don't like is incredibly helpful. You can never go wrong with diamonds, but maybe a more colorful piece is calling your name. Look on Pinterest for inspiration!

No5. Try rings on!

Maybe you know EXACTLY what you want. Or, maybe you need to try rings on to see what you like. Either way, if you want to work with a smaller jeweler like us who may not have a large stock of rings for you to try on, we suggest heading to a corporate jeweler (Brilliant Earth, Shane Co, etc) to test out rings.

Try on different stone shapes and sizes, different kinds of settings, thick bands and thin bands - anything and everything. Keep note of what you love and what you hate. Then head to your smaller jeweler to combine all of your favorite parts of the various rings you tried on to create your perfect ring.

We also love this website to help you imagine what size and shape of stone as well as band thickness would look like on you.

~Pro tip~Some couples come to us wanting to repurpose an heirloom stone or diamond. We LOVE working with heirloom pieces, so don't be afraid to think about using something you already have.

~Custom Jewelry Information~