Engagement Rings

The engagement rings is probably what is bothering you the most, next to actually proposing. In most cultures engagement rings are a must with a proposal, and media has only added to the hype of having perfect engagement rings for the perfect proposal. All this is enough to make you nervous much before your actual wedding day. However, the practice of presenting the wife-to-be with an perfect engagement ring is not at all new. Its origins can be traced to 1215, when a certain Pope Innocent decided that the waiting period between betrothal and marriage should be longer, and to mark the betrothal couples exchanged rings of gold, silver or iron amongst themselves.

The practiced now has a more romantic if not religious connotation, and many men want to go down on their knees while holding the perfect perfect engagement rings in their hands and hear their beloved gasp and scream a ‘Yes!.’ But the actual process leading to this event can be quite a grill, especially when the man is trying to go it all alone. So while buying engagement rings, the following tips should be of help.

If you plan to wow your beloved with the engagement rings, then it’s very essential that you know what kind of engagement rings she will like. It’s a little known fact that most women gasp not so much at the proposal, but at the ring. So before you walk into the mall, take a good look at her fingers. What kind of a ring would suit them? Other questions to ask are: What kind of jewelry does she wear? Which colors does she prefer? Has she lately hinted at any particular piece of jewelry? What’s her dressing sense like? Is she allergic to any metal? Answers to these questions will point you in the general direction of the wedding ring you want to buy. This might take some time, but it’s worth the effort.

Once you have figured out what kind she might want, a little knowledge about the various kinds of engagement rings available will help you find your way at the mall. Engagement rings are generally made of gold, silver, white gold or platinum. Titanium and at times stainless steel are also used, but these are not a favorite with women. Platinum engagement rings are preferred immensely, but are also the most expensive. White Gold, Gold and Silver are less expensive in that order. You can also mix two metals to create a specific alloy which will have properties of both metals and will not be as expensive as pure ones.

Once you’ve decided what metal you want, you now have to decide on a design and if you want a studded stone for your engagement rings. The design of the ring depends on the shape of her fingers and her jewelry preferences. Long delicate fingers can sport delicate designs well while short fingers need slightly prominent designs. Also what kind of gemstones you will use depends on her taste and choices. Diamonds are a hot favorite, although you could go in for other precious stones that are not as expensive but look equally good. You also need to decide whether you want a solitaire or a cluster. This would depend on the design of your engagement rings. You needn’t worry too much about this though. The jeweler will only be too happy to help you pick one.