The Top 5 Questions Guys Have When Shopping For Engagement Rings

Author Cristina LaPenna
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Date Feb 15, 2021

Top 5 Questions Guys Have When Shopping For Engagement Rings - source: https://401kcalculator.orgYou’ve done your research. You’ve spent countless hours on Google trying to understand what each of the 4 C’s of diamonds are and the basics of how they affect the price of a diamond. You’ve stalked her Pinterest page and her closet to make sure you know her style. You somehow figured out what you think her ring size is. You’ve compiled pictures of what engagement ring styles might be contenders. You’ve established your budget. And, finally, you’ve found your jeweler.

While you’re convinced that you have somewhat of a handle on what engagement ring you want to purchase for your girlfriend, trust us, when you come into the store there are going to be a million more questions that pop into your head as you begin to flesh out all of the details with a jeweler.

We know that this is one of the most important purchases of your life, and we want to help you as much as possible to make your visit a little more stress-free. So, we have compiled a list of the most common questions and answers beyond the basics that our trained jewelers hear when guys are shopping for the ring:

1. How big of a diamond can I get with my budget?

Most guys shopping for the engagement ring have the preconceived notion that their girl wants the most massive diamond on her finger that you can afford. So, you have probably used online diamond calculators to figure out how many carats you can get within your price range and are armed and ready in the store with these numbers. But, most guys don’t realize that diamond engagement rings are more than just the diamond – they are made up of the diamond and the setting, the design of the ring that will hold the diamond.

Let’s start with the loose diamond. One of the most important factors about the diamond that affects its price is its shape. A round cut diamond, the most popular today, are the most expensive, up to 30% more costly. This is due to their very high demand because the proportions of a round cut diamond maximize light return, making it potentially the most brilliant, or sparkly, of all the diamond cuts (see a ranking of all diamond shapes and their brilliance). Round diamonds are also more expensive because they require the largest amount of raw physical material before they are cut. So, their cost per carat after cutting a round diamond is comparatively higher than the other shapes.

Another important factor that plays into your budget is the quality as well as the size of the diamond. For example, maybe you only care about size, so you choose a large diamond that isn’t cut that well and appears a little bit duller, but looks physically larger. Or, you could spend the same amount of money on a smaller diamond that has an amazing sparkle due to its cut and clarity. We recommend the latter if you want to get the most for your money when it comes to your budget.

Next, let’s talk about the setting. Typically, the setting costs much less than a diamond, but it still important to leave some of your budget to go towards the setting. If you haven’t noticed while you are browsing engagement rings online, most rings pictured are just the price for the setting alone, and do not include the diamond. It's important to research different styles of settings because it plays a huge part in how the center diamond itself looks. From the classic plain metal setting to more unique ones with vintage inspired elements, there are enough styles to ensure that you find the perfect one.

While many guys are shopping for their engagement ring, they are only thinking about their budget and getting the most for their money, and sometimes forget to think about what their girlfriend wants. In many cases, bigger isn’t necessarily better. For example, a huge flashy diamond may not be appropriate for a teacher, or a nurse. Some women who rarely wear jewelry also may find adjusting to a new, huge diamond hard and may end up never wearing her ring. So, the question isn’t “How big of a ring can I get within my budget?” but rather, “How can I get the perfect ring for my girlfriend within my budget?”

2. What is more important – Size, quality, or a mix of both?

This question isn’t necessarily for a jeweler, but for you and your significant other. When guys go shopping for engagement rings and are shown different types of clarity, color, cut, and carats, some don’t care and just want the biggest diamond that they can get, and they often sacrifice the other factors to do so. Other guys might be able to tell the difference between a more yellow diamond and a one that is closer to colorless, while others won’t think that the difference is that big of a deal. It is therefore important to know how each component affects the overall appearance of the diamond and how that impacts the price, because she isn’t going to be wearing a diamond certificate, but a beautiful, sparkly diamond ring every day for the rest of her life.

To help steer you in the right direction, we recommend ranking the Four C’s in order of importance to her. This way, you can figure out which of the 4 C’s your significant other cares about the most, and this will guide you on what kind of grades you will look for in the diamond. Knowing which of the Four C's are most important to her will influence the prince range that her perfect diamond falls into.

For example, some people don't really care about the quality of a diamond and just want the largest one they can get, whereas others would consider downsizing their desired diamond carat size if it meant that it will be colorless, flawless or have a greater sparkle. While you’re shopping, ask for ways to make a smaller carat diamond look bigger, to see any eye clean diamonds that are of lower clarity to get the most bang for your buck, and in general to see as many diamonds as close to your ideal as possible to truly be able to decide what combination of aspects will be perfect for your significant other.

3. What options do I have to pay for the ring?

The big moment has arrived…No, not popping the question, but paying for the ring. Most guys who shop for the engagement ring already have a set budget in mind, but one of the most main questions any guy asks when he is ring shopping is, “I know I can afford this ring, but how do I pay for it right now?!” The two most common ways are no interest programs and financing.

No interest programs are in place by most jewelers so that you don’t have to pay for the ring completely upfront. Each month, over a course of 6 to 12 months (which is the most common programs that jewelers offer to qualified customers), you pay a fixed amount which is usually between 3 and 5% of the original cost of the ring. During the last month of the program you will need to pay a larger expense to settle the remaining balance that you owe. If you want your engagement ring purchase to be interest free, just make all of the payments on time. But, if you miss even one payment, you will be hit with an extremely high interest rate, usually more than 20%! If you forget to water your plants every now and then or are not comfortable with this method, then it may not be for you.

If you’re like most other young professionals, you probably can’t pay for the engagement ring completely out of pocket. Your other option is to use financing along with other types of payments. If your credit limit is less than the amount that you want to spend on a ring, don’t be upset, you’re part of the majority of guys about to buy an engagement ring! Be ready to pay the balance with money you’ve saved up, though, or another credit card. You could also use this as an opportunity to call your existing credit card company and try to see if they would raise your current limit – and if they say yes, it is a win-win because not only does it means that your credit is good, but it helps you make your initial deposit.

4. What happens if it’s not the perfect ring?

You get down on one knee, she says yes, and after the whirlwind excitement of the proposal itself is over, she tells you that she doesn’t think the ring is perfect for her. If this scenario haunts your dreams, you’re not the only one. The added stress of this being one of the biggest purchases of your life could make you second guess your every choice when it comes to the ring, and most guys are often worried that they only have this one shot to get it right, because you can’t just return an engagement ring…can you?

Jewelers understand that purchasing an engagement ring is a huge commitment, so most offer programs where if she doesn’t love the ring, you are able to exchange it risk free for a new one that she is guaranteed to love – For example, at Long’s Jewelers they have the Get it Right Guarantee, which gives you peace of mind when buying the ring and assures you that you will get the perfect ring no matter what. These 100% guarantees are in place so that you can be confident in your buying decision and your jeweler. Just because the ring you picked out for your girlfriend wasn’t a match made in heaven doesn’t mean that you two aren’t, and these guarantees are in place to make sure that everything about the engagement is perfect.

5. What happens if the ring size is wrong?

First, take a deep breath and relax. Next, bring the engagement ring back into the jeweler that you bought the ring from. Sizing a ring is a fairly straightforward process and usually can be done without a problem. To make a ring smaller, a jeweler will cut however much off from the bottom of the shank, re-join the two sides, and then solder the ring closed. Your ring will then be polished, and the result will be your ring that looks exactly the same, just the right size, so that you would never know that the ring had been resized. To make a ring larger, a piece of metal that is the exact type, color, thickness and proportion of your ring is added to the ring by either soldering or welding it to the original band.

In most cases, jewelers can size the ring on the spot. But, what if your jeweler is not a full service company? Or what if you ordered a custom ring that cannot be sized at the store you purchased it from? You could be in the extremely small minority that may need to order a new ring. This is not the end of the world! This process is laid-back and the jeweler will do everything in their power to make sure that your experience is as stress-free as possible.

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