8 Things To Think About Before You Choose Your Engagement Ring
These are 8 things that you should think about before choosing an engagement ring.
1. If the ring is timeless or trendy
Make sure you choose a ring that you will treasure for years to come. Consider what elements of a design will create a timeless piece that meets your taste and style preferences.
2. lifestyle
Consider how your partner's everyday life will cause wear on their jewelry. Gold is soft and prongs can catch and break allowing stones to fall out of your valuable piece. For example, if your partner work with your hands, you may consider a bezel setting or a lower set center stone on a ring. Getting a wedding band that can be worn separately from the engagement ring can be a good alternative to wearing a higher set ring while performing tasks that could damage prongs.
3. bands
Bands seem like a small part of the ring buying experience but can impact the overall aesthetic of the wedding set. Some rings look best with contour or gap bands while other rings pair beautifully with a straight band. If you want your engagement ring and wedding band to sit flush when paired, it is important to consider how the band style you like will pair with your engagement ring.
4. your significant other's budget
The idea that your partner must spend two-three months of their salary to purchase a high-quality ring is no longer true! Due to modern lab techniques, there are very beautiful, more affordable options available. Moissanites and lab diamonds are less expensive than natural diamonds and look very elegant and classy. If your dream ring feels out of reach due to your budget, consider alternate gemstone options to make your dream a reality.
5. protection
Fine jewelry requires maintenance due to wear. A care plan is a great option to cover the costs involved with resizing, repairing prongs, soldering breaks, and other services your jewelry piece may require over time.
We have partnered with Jewelers Mutual to offer care plans for purchase. You can choose the lifetime or 3-year care plan giving you peace of mind for repairs that are beyond the scope of our manufacturer’s warranty. When you purchase a JM Care Plan, Olive Ave will provide full inspection and cleaning for your new jewelry as well as repairs that may become necessary due to normal wear.
We also recommend having your ring insured in case of theft or loss. Jewelers Mutual also offers this service and we are happy to provide a complimentary appraisal if you need it for insurance purposes. Click here to learn more about our warranty.
6. custom
While we strive to have a unique collection to cover a variety of preferences, we understand that you may be looking for something different or more uniquely yours. In this case, our team is excited to make your dream ring a reality! Click here to fill out the custom design form and we will reach out to get the custom design process started.
7. consider how your ring will look on your hand
Consider how the ring will look on your hand. Not all ring shapes and sizes look the same on every hand. A person with a smaller ring size could prefer a smaller center stone size to create a balanced look, whereas those with larger or longer fingers may feel a larger center stone will achieve the look they want. Also, all the ring shapes appears differently on each hand. An elongated oval or radiant center stone can visually lengthen a shorter finger, while a round or square cut helps balance out a longer finger.
8. maintenance
When purchasing the ring, it is important to note how much care will go into each ring. For example, white gold rings will need to be rhodium plated every 1-2 years to keep the shiny finish. Rings with diamonds on the band are should only be resized within one finger size, however, please contact us for help with resizing your ring. Click here to learn more about our resizing policies. Best practices indicate that prongs should be checked every 6-12 months and retipped as needed. Some bands and rings will need more care than others depending on the placement of the prongs, and how high up the ring sits up on your hand.
For regular care and maintenance, please read this How to Care for your Ring blog post and check out our ring cleaning kit.
