How to Choose Your Engagement and Wedding Rings

When choosing your engagement and wedding rings there are 4 important factors to consider.

- Choosing the gem for your engagement ring
- Type and style of your gem

The diamond is still the number one choice of couples for their engagement rings. But your engagement and wedding rings don't have to be limited to a diamond. There are other precious stones that also work well in rings. Options include sapphires, rubies, tourmaline or garnet.

The following are the most popular shapes for wedding and engagement rings: Round, Princess, Emerald, Asscher, Marquise, Oval, Radiant, Pear, Heart and Cushion.

Choosing the engagement ring style.

Once you decide on a center stone, you need to decide the setting that your stone will be showcased in. The 2 most important factors for choosing a setting is metal type and setting style.

Metal type

The two most common types are gold and platinum. While gold offers more choice in regards to colour (you can get engagement rings made in white, yellow or rose gold), platinum is a white metal in an almost pure form which makes it long-wearing. Its durability makes it a great choice for engagement and wedding rings. Platinum is more expensive than a gold ring setting.

Setting Style

There are also many options when it comes to style: Solitaire: One stone, Side stones: One stone flanked by many smaller stones or Three-stone: Three large stones or 1 large stone in between two smaller stones.

Setting your budget.

You shouldn't go into debt trying to pay for your engagement and wedding rings. A common rule is to spend two to three month's salary on the ring, but this is only a guideline and you should only spend what you can reasonably afford.

There are many ways to get the best engagement ring for your price. The factors that affect price are the "Four Cs" - Cut: The way it is cut to have brilliance, Color: The lack of colour in the gem (colorless is most ideal in a diamond), Clarity: Whether the gem has small inclusions or flaws that can be seen, and Carat Weight: The size of the gem. Finding the perfect combination for your budget is the best way to ensure you are choosing engagement and wedding rings sparkle.

Choosing a wedding band

While some engagement rings come with wedding bands in a set, you may have to buy your band separately.

Men's wedding band

Finding this wedding band is easier because this is the only ring the man has. The thickness of the band and the durability are important factors as well as whether it will be a plain metal band or include diamonds.

Women's wedding band

Choosing a woman's wedding band can be a bit more complicated. A good rule to stick to is to match the types of metal they are made from to ensure they are the same colour and quality. If you choose a wedding band with diamonds, it's also a good idea to purchase a band with diamonds of the same colour and clarity as the engagement ring.