15 Expert Tips for Engagement Ring Shopping

If you’ve decided that you want to spend the rest of your life with your partner, shopping for an engagement ring is one of the most important (and exciting!) parts of the process. This piece of jewelry will symbolize your commitment to your relationship for the rest of your life and is an accessory that you or your significant other will likely wear for eternity. Not to mention, buying an engagement ring is a huge investment that can significantly impact a couple's financials. That's why there are various factors you need to consider when searching for "the one" sparkler.

Chief among them? Before heading to the jeweler, you’ll want to determine the look and feel of the design that suits you best, including the shape and size of your desired stone and metal of your preferred band. You'll also want to assess the quality and legitimacy of each gem, all while keeping your budget in mind since certain jewels can come with a hefty price tag. But our advice doesn't stop there!

Here, we interviewed a handful of diamond professionals to help you find the best wedding sparkler. Read on for the best tips and tricks on how to pick an engagement ring, whether you're looking to surprise your partner or shopping as a couple.

Obtain an Accurate Ring Finger Measurement

The last thing you want is to purchase an engagement ring, only to find out that it's a couple of sizes too big. Sure, it wouldn't be the end of the world if your bauble doesn't fit correctly—you can easily get an engagement ring resized with the help of a reputable jeweler—but why deal with this scenario when you can easily avoid it with proper planning?

So if you’re shopping for a ring as a couple, simply ask your jeweler to help you with this measurement during the ring selection process. If you're on the hunt for a surprise bauble, however, you'll need to get creative with how you navigate this situation. Consider secretly measuring your love's finger while they sleep, asking a friend to help you get these details, or taking another ring from your partner's collection and asking a jeweler to assess that secondary piece.

Set a Realistic Budget

There's nothing more heartbreaking than finding your dream engagement ring and realizing you can't afford it. Thus, before pursuing the web or stepping foot inside a jewelry store, always have a budget in mind—and make sure it's realistic and works with your personal finances. "The number one most important factor in purchasing an engagement ring is making sure you and your partner are aligned on budget," shares Olivia Landau, founder of the NYC-based engagement and fine jewelry brand The Clear Cut. "Once the budget is decided, you can then prioritize what you are looking for."

Have an Idea of Your Preferred Stone Shape

Once you have a budget in mind and the right sizing information, you can then start to focus on the aesthetics you love. Decide on the shape of the center stone you or your partner would like, as that will make your shopping experience a lot easier. (Familiarize yourself with the different kinds of shapes and identify one or two favorites.) From round-cut and princess-cut to cushion-cut and emerald-cut, there are tons of shapes to choose from during this exciting process.

Decide on a Carat Size

The carat size is another element to consider before you start perusing the market, whether you’re the one popping the question or the one answering. “As much as people say size isn't important, it's always the kicking-off point because color and clarity can always be tweaked to find something within your budget,” Jaclyne Kirkorian of Jupiter Jewelry Co., Inc. says. Essentially, this is the time to assess whether size (carat) or clarity (how clear the stone looks) is most important to you.

When it comes to carat weight, specifically, you can save a good amount of cash if you choose a less common carat size, since diamond prices increase significantly when they weigh half or whole carats (like 0.5, 1, and 1.5). "Buy a diamond that is just shy of these common weights—you'll save money and no one will be able to tell it's a .92 carat instead of 1 carat," Emily Duke of Finesse Diamonds Corp explains.

Consider the Ring Setting

Your desired stone will more than likely dictate your setting, so this isn't a huge factor to keep in mind—but it is something to consider during your engagement ring search. "When choosing a ring setting, it is important to focus your decisions on the stone first, and then you are able to design a setting around the diamond chosen," explains Landau. Research a few settings online and find a piece that aligns with the styles that catch your eye.

Choose the Right Metal

After you have an idea of the center stone’s look and feel, it’s time to move on to the band metal, with yellow gold, white gold, rose gold, silver, and platinum being some of the most popular hues to consider. Can't decide on an exact shade? Take into account your or your partner’s lifestyle—some metals scratch more easily than others, while some are more expensive—in addition to the other metals you or your partner tend to gravitate towards.

Don't Stay Too Focused on the Trends

"It’s important to not get too caught up in the trends. You should pick a diamond that you love no matter what shape is trending because this will be yours for the rest of your life," shares Landau. "An option we always tell our customers is you can always choose a trendier ring setting because the setting can always be changed down the line."

Let Personal Style Dictate Your Choice

Leaning into your or your partner's personal aesthetic is the best way to find an engagement ring that will stand the test of time. Landau agrees, noting, "There are no rules as to what kind of ring someone should be choosing. It is important to lean into your own personal style because this is the ring that you will love forever."

Consider Matching Your Wedding Band

While it's easy to get caught up in shopping for the perfect engagement ring, don't get too caught up in the process that you completely forget about your wedding band. In other words, when searching for a diamond bauble, be sure to think about what style of wedding band would match it best. Since some sparklers don’t allow a band to fit flush against them, it’s truly important to consider the full package of prong versus pavé and channel-set stones before committing to an engagement ring style.

Head to the Wholesale District

Your next step is to consider where you'd like to purchase your piece. This part of the process is particularly important for those on a budget, as where you buy your ring can significantly impact the amount you spend. For instance, working with wholesalers will avoid unnecessary markups while giving you a more unique ring, shares Monil Kothari, founder of Antandre. “A wholesaler or private retailer, like myself, is able to work with customers on a one-on-one basis to create a ring specifically for them,” Kothari adds. “Moreover, because we don’t have the overhead traditional retailers do, we can save them more than 30 percent, giving them the most bang for their buck.”

Consider Designing a Custom Ring

Searching for something completely unique? Consider taking the custom route. "We always recommend designing a custom ring as it makes the experience that much more unique," explains Landau. "The ring will always be one of a kind and will be created with all of your own decisions. Custom rings are created around your beautiful center stone to highlight the main feature of your engagement ring."

Assess the 4Cs

Regardless of whether you go a retailer, a wholesaler, or choose to take the custom route, you’ll want to assess the 4Cs—cut, color, clarity, and carat—of every item you come across. According to Ira Weissman, creator of The Diamond Pro, the quality of the gem’s color and clarity doesn’t need to be a big priority. In fact, choosing the lowest color and lowest clarity diamond will still appear colorless and flawless to the naked eye, yet the price difference is huge.

On the other hand, you won’t want to sacrifice the cut of the diamond. Why? The cut gives engagement rings that gorgeous sparkle. “If you take a so-so rough diamond and cut it perfectly, it’ll look absolutely stunning,” Dan Moran, founder of Concierge Diamonds, says. “On the contrary, take a top-of-the-line rough diamond and cut it poorly, and it’ll look like absolute garbage.”

Check That It’s Certified

Once you’ve finally landed on the ideal ring, make sure an accredited laboratory, such as the American Gem Society or Gemological Institute of America, has certified the stone. Weissman explains that, unfortunately, many jewelry stores try to mark up the price of the ring by having other labs certify the diamond. This gives the customer the illusion that the diamond is legitimate when, in reality, it’s a lower-quality stone.

Ensure the Certificate Matches the Diamond

Most diamonds are laser-inscribed on the girdle, which is the thin perimeter of a diamond that divides the crown above from the pavilion below. To verify the accuracy of the ring, ask your jeweler to check the girdle with their loupe, a magnifying lens that inspects diamonds and other gems. “Many have inclusions, so you can look at the diamond and see if you can match the imperfections to the map on the certificate, too,” Duke suggests.

Research Insurance Policies

Just as you would insure any large purchase, like a home or car, you should also insure your engagement ring once you've found the one you want to buy. "Your ring should always come with a retail insurance appraisal," explains Landau. "You can always get specific jewelry insurance (we recommend Jewelers Mutual). Another option is always if you have homeowners insurance, you are able to add on to that plan."