10 things to ask when buying an engagement ring
Congratulations! You’ve decided that you want to pop the big question and really hoping for a ‘yes’. The next challenge is to pick the perfect ring to get down on one knee with…
You’ve scoured the internet, you’ve been in all the jewellery shops and now you think you’ve found the perfect ring…But before you make the purchase of a lifetime there are 10 things you should ask about the ring before splashing the cash!
1) What can you tell me about the stone / stones?
Every jeweller should know what quality the stone is. They should be able to tell you it’s carat weight and grading, if it is natural or lab grown or if it has been treated in any way. (You can find out more about this on our blog about choosing diamonds). You may be told that the stone comes with a certificate - ask who provided the certificate as we would recommend independent graders such as the GIA (again there is more on this in the choosing diamonds blog). If you are choosing a coloured stone such as a sapphire the jeweller should be able to tell you if it is natural or treated as many stones are treated to bring out different colours. Some stones are not suitable for everyday wear - such as emeralds and opals. Your jeweller should be upfront about how practical the stones are for an engagement ring. In our Molten engagement rings we use natural GVS stones as standard.
2) (Along the same thread) What can you tell me about the metal?
The jeweller should be able to tell you what metal has been used to create the ring and what carat the gold is. They should also be able to tell you if the platinum / gold is new, recycled or Fairtrade. Ask the jeweller to explain the differences in the gold carat weight (or you can see more about it on our ‘which metal blog’). We choose to use eco recycled gold and platinum and we are proud that our designer is one of less than 50 jewellers in the UK who is registered to work with Fairtrade Gold - meaning your chosen design can be made in Fairtrade gold on request.
3) (following from the above) Is the ring plated / will it need re-plating?
Some white gold rings are rhodium plated. This plating will generally wear off (often after 6months to a year) leaving the ring a different colour and maybe a bit patchy in places. This is because the people who make the ring will have chosen how the metal is alloyed (the mix of gold / other metals). Personally we chose to alloy our white gold with palladium so that it stays white. This way you do not to have it re-plated. Re-plating the ring will be an ongoing cost. (again see more in our which metal blog - link above.)
4) Is the ring solid, carved out or hollow?
Some people chose to carve away sections of ring to bring the weight of gold down; likewise with creating rings that are hollow. Rings that have been carved out at the back can trap water and cause contact dermatitis. Hollow rings can become crushed and cause issues down the line with resizing. Our engagements are solid gold or platinum.
5) Is the ring handcrafted or mass produced?
When buying handcrafted rings you can often go back to the jeweller who made it for any future repairs or resizes. They will understand how the ring has been made and will generally provide fantastic after sales care and support. If the ring is mass made it is worth checking where you can go for any repair work. Does the jewellery store have a ‘jobbing jeweller’ on site or will the ring need to be sent away for any work? Any rings bought from us will be repaired or resized by us.
6) How secure / practical is the setting?
It is worth asking about the setting of the stone - if your partner likes to wear their jewellery and is very practical and hands on then it may be best to avoid rings with thin and few claws (a rub over setting is much more practical). Again rings which can also be very ‘fashion forward’ may not be set in a way that is practical for everyday wear. There is a trend for very fine bands at the moment. All metal wears with everyday wear and rings which have a super fine band can wear through very quickly and they can be subject to bending and breaking more easily than thicker ones.
7) How do you care for this ring?
A jeweller should be able to tell you about caring for the stones and how best to clean it. You may choose a ring with a matte finish. Precious metals want to shine up so matte finishes will polish up with wear. Rings with a high polish will show some scratches over time. Ask if your jeweller if the ring can be ‘re finished’ - re polished / made matte again. Would there be a charge for this?
8) What wedding ring would work with this ring?
Your jeweller should be able to show you a range of options of wedding rings that will work along side the engagement ring. Large unusual shaped stones may need a bespoke shaped wedding ring to fit with it. Also it is worth thinking of future costs - the metal you buy for the engagement ring will denote the metal needed for the wedding ring.
9) (Heaven forbid but..) what happens if they don’t like the ring when I give it to them?
You need to find out what the shop’s return’s policy is. Will they change it to a completely different design? What happens if the ring has already been sized to fit? What if they want a different size stone or a different coloured stone. You need to be aware of all of these things as you do not want to be left with a ring that isn’t wanted.
10) What happens if the ring isn’t the right size?
When you buy the ring will it be made to order in a bespoke size or will they resize one in the shop? If you ask for the ring to be made a particular size but then it doesn’t fit once you’ve given it will you get another free resize? If not how much will it be? It is also worth finding out who / where the resize will be done. All our rings are made to order and will be made in a size to suit. We happily offer a free resize.
… and a bonus one for you if you are looking at vintage rings
11) What maintenance and checks have been made to the ring to make it wearable?
Unfortunately we have seen too often vintage rings which are very worn or the setting is not secure. It is worth finding out if the ring has been reconditioned before buying.
We hope you have found this helpful. As we hand make all our engagement and wedding rings we are always happy to answer any of your questions. Our designer and creator has over 20 years experience designing and making jewellery so we know our onions! Do feel free to pop us a message or give us a call if you want to talk to us about choosing a ring.