When it comes to choosing the perfect engagement ring, it's important to do a little bit of research and prep work first. Researching your future fiance's jewelry preferences can be difficult, but there are a few things you can do to find the perfect ring without giving away the surprise.
Inspect The Jewelry Box
The jewelry your significant other already owns can offer lots of clues about what he or she really likes. For example, is there only one color of gold or is there a mix? Some people prefer only yellow gold, while others tend to like white gold or platinum designs better. Are there any diamonds? You may find that your partner prefers his or her birthstone over diamond jewelry. If you aren't comfortable looking through your partner's jewelry box, pay a few compliments whenever he or she is wearing jewelry. You might spark a conversation about the looks that truly speak to your significant other.
Talk To The Parents
If you have a good relationship with your boyfriend or girlfriend's parents, consider having a chat with them. Parents can often provide you with the ring size as well as other important information. For example, your partner may have always adored their parent's engagement ring. You can then begin shopping for a design that looks similar but has its own unique traits. In some cases, the parents might even have an heirloom piece of jewelry that you can use the diamonds from to create a customized engagement ring.
Focus Less On Size
Unless you pick out a ring with channel settings or a design that simply can't be sized after the fact, don't worry about finding your fiance's ring size. Your jeweler can typically have a ring sized to fit quickly. The last thing you'll want to do is pick the wrong size and not be able to return or exchange the piece. Of course, if you do have your fiance's ring size available, you can use that information to make your purchase. Some jewelers will still tell you to go a half-size up just to be on the safe side.
Hear It Straight From The Source
If your significant other has mentioned engagement rings before, be sure to take that information into account. In some cases, he or she may have begun dropping hints in the hopes of guiding you to the right choice. However, there are other, less subtle ways for you to do recon. For example, take a trip to your local mall and purposely stop at a jewelry store. Even if he or she doesn't gravitate immediately to the engagement rings, you can get a better idea of his or her personal tastes just by watching as you shop.
Follow these tips to help make buying engagement jewelry a little easier.