How to shop for an engagement ring

The engagement ring shopping trip should be a special and pleasurable experience as long as you do some research and planning ahead of time. Here are five top tips on arranging your ring shopping excursion.

Engagement ring shopping trip tips

So your boyfriend has just become your fiancé and you’re off to look for an engagement ring which shows the world that you are betrothed. This is no ordinary shopping trip; it will be the day when you decide on the most significant piece of jewellery you will ever own.

Here are five tips on making that special shopping trip a day to remember rather than one you’d rather forget:

Ask your fiancé to set a budget for the ring before you start searching. Whether he lets you know that budget, or whether he keeps it a secret and just informs the jeweller when you arrive is entirely up to the two of you.

Setting your expectations from the start will avoid you falling in love with a ring that’s too pricey, and your fiancé getting into too much debt because he can’t bear to disappoint you.

Know where you are going and what you are looking for. Do some research on jewellers in the area you are shopping and make sure you know where they are and the types of jewellery they specialise in. Rule out any stores that are too expensive or that don’t stock rings that suit your style.

Men tend to spend a lot less time browsing before they buy than women, so your fiancé probably won’t appreciate being dragged around every jeweller in the city just to see what they have. The internet makes checking out jewellers a lot easier even if you are shopping out of town.

Plan your shopping trip and really make a day of it. Maybe you can take a trip to another town where you know there are plenty of jewellers or a specialist jewellery quarter. Make sure you book somewhere for lunch and take breaks from intensive ring shopping. You could even book a hotel room and stay overnight so you can finish off the day with a romantic dinner.

You don’t necessarily need a professional manicure, but you and your fiancé are going to be spending a lot of the day looking at your hands so you will feel less self conscious if they are clean and well moisturised, and your nails are neat and tidy. Keep your nail varnish neutral so it doesn’t clash with the rings.

Try to dress fairly smartly as you will be sitting in classy jewellery shops for a large percentage of the day and you will feel more comfortable if you look the part. At the same time, try to dress with your usual style so you can be sure the ring works with your look.

Choosing your engagement ring is a big deal so you need to be relaxed and calm when you are shopping. Trying to pull in a ring shopping trip in your lunch break just won’t work and you might end up going for something you’ll later regret. Try to avoid shopping when it is very hot as your fingers may swell up and then you could get the wrong size. If you think you might get nervous when you are looking at rings, keep a small dry face flannel in your bag to wipe sweaty palms before you try anything on.