Buying an engagement ring is not your average shopping experience. It differs radically from any other purchase you’ve ever made. Not only is it a small—and sometimes rather large—investment, but it’s arguably the most meaningful transaction you’ll ever make.

To complicate matters further, there’s the looming pressure to meet your fiancée-to-be’s expectations. Yikes.

Luckily, you don’t have to make this decision in the dark. At Majesty Diamonds, we’ve served thousands of men faced with the same uncertainties. In this article, we break down our years of experience into a step-by-step guide to buying the perfect engagement ring. By the end of this blog the only question you’ll be left with is, “Will you marry me?”

Step 1: Set Your Budget

Before plummeting down the engagement ring rabbit hole, take the time to consider your budget—and we mean really consider your budget.

Long gone are the days where men were practically mandated to spend three months’ salary on an engagement ring. Today, the price range is entirely up to you, whether you find a used gem for a few hundred bucks or decide to go all-out with a five-figure budget.

Remember: Without clear financial parameters, you're liable to overspend. Likewise, you may settle for something less expensive because you failed to put aside the necessary funds.

Step 2: Learn the Four Cs

Time to channel your inner student and get down into the technical nitty-gritty. And while we won’t force you to pass an exam, your fiancée-to-be will certainly make it clear whether you’ve passed or, well, failed.

Fortunately, learning about the four Cs isn’t as hard as it sounds. Though there’s some debate as to their order of importance, cut is generally considered most important while carat ranks last. Here they are in descending order:

Cut

A diamond’s cut is arguably its most salient feature and can be broken down into several key characteristics, including symmetry, depth, polish, and proportions.

The combination of these features directly influence the stone’s brilliance and overall beauty. Note that a diamond’s cut does not refer to its shape (such as oval, princess, round, etc.).

Colour

People generally think of diamonds as predominantly white. To the untrained eye, this is generally true. But, with a little bit of experience, you can begin to identify subtle colouring differences that can be classified using the Gia Color Scale.

The scale runs from D (representing the highest quality) to Z (denoting the lowest quality). Beyond this scale, there is also a category known as ‘fancy diamonds’. These diamonds exhibit rare colours like red and green, as well as black diamonds—a popular choice among men.

Clarity

A diamond’s clarity refers to its number and severity of imperfections, known as inclusions. Inclusions can refer to both internal flaws and external blemishes.

Each diamond is assessed by an expert and assigned a rating according to the Gia Diamond Clarity Scale. The scale includes six primary groupings, which are further divided into a total of 11 sub-categories.

Flawless (FL) is the highest rating a diamond can receive, while Included ​​(I1, I2, and I3) represents the worst. Measures are given under 10X magnification.

Carat

A diamond’s mass is denoted by a unit of measurement known as carat. A single carat is equivalent to 0.2 grams (0.007 oz) subdivided into 100 points.

As a diamond’s carat weight increases, so does the price of the diamond. Keep in mind, however, that price rises faster than the weight, especially for larger stones. This is because big diamonds are more rare in nature.

It’s important to understand that the cost of an engagement ring reflects a combination of all four criteria. Want to dive a little deeper? Check out Majesty Diamond’s no-nonsense guide to the four Cs.

Step 3: Consult Her Friends, Family, and Yes—Pinterest

Ask yourself this question: How well do you know your fiancée-to-be’s aesthetic tastes? If you answered “very”, then this step is especially for you. Unless she has explicitly pointed you to the ring or her dreams, no one understands her tastes better than her closest friends.

Short of asking her besties, make a secret rendez-vous with her mom to gain valuable insight. As you go through this process, take notes (trust us, you’ll need them). Keep a running tab on things like preferred gemstone, size, and shape, as well as the type of band she likes (rose or yellow gold, silver, platinum, etc.).

Finally, if possible, you’ll want to stalk her Pinterest account. You can look her up by searching for either her name or email. If you’re lucky, she’ll even have a wedding board—the Holy Grail of engagement ring shopping.

Step 4: Determine Her Ring Size

Figuring out your fiancée-to-be’s ring size can either be effortlessly simple or gruellingly painful—there’s no in-between. If the gods are on your side, she’s the type who keeps a big ring collection in an unlocked jewellery box right on top of her dresser.

In this fortuitous case, you can “borrow” one of these rings to take to the jeweller for measurement. On the other hand, if you’re dealing with a hawk-eyed girlfriend you can instead opt to trace the inner circumference of the ring onto a sheet of paper—just make sure she’s sufficiently busy or distracted. You can also use a ring size document.

For the woman who doesn’t keep a ring collection, well, welcome to the long and bumpy road. Your best bet is to get creative. For instance, if she has a married girlfriend you can recruit her as part of your daring mission.

Ask this friend to “organically” lure your lady into a conversation about weddings. When the time is right, your wedded accomplice will let your girlfriend try on her ring. From here, it’s a matter of deductive reasoning: Is the ring too big? Too small? By how much?

If all else fails, size up! It’s always simpler to decrease an oversized ring than expand a tight-fitting one.

Step 5: Start Shopping

Shopping for an engagement ring is a topic worthy of its own blog. For now, suffice to say that each couple has a unique approach; some couples do it together, while others leave it to one partner to covertly pull it off. What’s more, some folks now prefer shopping online while others still value the in-person experience.

Even if you decide to shop your engagement ring online, we always recommended a face-to-face consultation with a jeweller before committing. You can discuss your budget, style preferences, timeline, and more.

Note that reliable jewellers are often associated with a professional trade organization. This includes the renowned Gemological Institute of America (GIA), Canadian Jewellers Association (CJA) or Jewelers of America (JA), to name but a few.

Majesty Tip: Independent and privately owned jewellers often offer lower prices than big box stores like Tiffany’s and Cartier.

A final piece of shopping advice: Avoid trends. Instead, stick to timeless styles and meaningful designs. And don’t feel rushed! Give yourself ample time to consider your options and shop around. Like a good wine, you’ll want to let your decision breathe.

Need more guidance? Schedule an in-person consultation with our friendly team of experts at Majesty Diamonds or get help through our Live Chat option.

Step 6: Take the Plunge

Now that you’ve honed in on the perfect engagement ring, it’s time to swipe your card. At this stage, the most important thing to consider is time; don’t be surprised if it takes as much as eight weeks to receive the ring. Consult your jeweller and plan accordingly.

Additionally, it’s important that your jeweller provides you with a detailed receipt. This should include key information regarding your ring, including the diamond’s four Cs, in addition to the GIA grading report included with new rings greater or equal to 1 carat.

Step 7: Don’t Forget Insurance

Even though you don’t need the reminder, here it is anyway: Engagement rings are expensive—get them insured. Skipping over the insurance policy isn’t the place to cut costs. In fact, ensuring your very-expensive-and-equally-easy-to-lose ring is a must.

If you’re waiting for the right moment to pop the question, you may find that little ring riding shotgun in your pocket for quite some time—liable to escape at any moment.

Engagement ring insurance can be purchased as an add-on to your home or rental insurance plan. You can also get it from a dedicated jewellery insurer. In either case, you’ll need proof-of-purchase and an appraisal. Most reputable jewellers, like Majesty Diamonds, offer jewellery appraisals for any ring worth more than a threshold amount.

Whichever path you take, make sure to ask the right questions before paying for your policy. For example, ask about their replacement policy. In the event your ring is lost or stolen, will you receive its cash value equivalent? Or will the insurer reimburse you for the cost of a new ring of lesser or equal value?

Buying an Engagement Ring Is Hard—Majesty Diamonds Makes It Easy

Now that you’ve got your bearings, you can confidently navigate the treacherous terrain of engagement ring shopping. But before setting off on your great adventure, here’s one last piece of advice:

Forget all your training.

At the end of the day, you need to trust your intuition. If something unique catches your eye and moves you for reasons unknown, don’t ignore that feeling! Instead of trusting a set of best practices, trust your heart. After all, marriage isn’t a business or science—it’s an act of love and authenticity.

Wondering about the next step? Check out our 10 tips to keep her engagement ring a secret. Ready to start shopping? Contact us at Majesty Diamonds today or browse our curated collection of unique engagement rings.