How to choose the perfect engagement ring?
The first question before any other is whether to propose with a surprise ring or to propose first, then get the ring together afterwards, and Aurus is availble to cater to both options.
With our vast collection of Engagement Rings and bespoke design service, you are guarenteed to find a beauiful ring, however we know that this is a huge decision and is not one to enter into lightly, so our sample service is the perfect choice for most. This allows you to consult with our ring specialists about your budget and thoughts, find a sample very similar to your design to propose with. Once the question is popped, you can both come back into the showroom to tweak the finer details, before we begin making it in our workshops.
How much to spend on the engagement ring?
How much you spend is a personal matter, but you will no doubt hear that one to two months' salary is the norm. There is one point to say about this: it seems to stem from De Beers' publicity machine. Spend as much as you like and can realistically afford.
Don’t forget to insure it, make sure your policy covers you for loss, damage and theft outside the house as well as inside it. You may well have to get the ring added to your policy as a ’specified item’.
How to find her finger size without her knowing?
Make sure you’re looking at and talking about the right finger. Moving from right to left on the left hand (with the back of the hand facing you), there is the thumb, the index, the middle, the ring and the little finger. And remember, hands are not equally sized! An average woman’s size is an L or M in the UK.
A wedding band or engagement ring is traditionally worn on the ring finger of the left hand, if you cannot find the exact diameter measurement of the ring or it turns out to be too small or large, most rings can be resized as long as the band is not intricately covered in stones.
If she already wears a ring on the all-important finger, you’re set (as long as she occasionally takes it off, that is!). The next time it’s in her jewellery box rather than on her finger, covertly steal it for an hour, take it to a jeweller, and have it measured.
A ring should fit snugly, yet comfortably. It should go on fairly easily, but come off with slight effort. It should be noted that wider rings will fit more snugly than thinner bands.
Things to consider when buying an engagement ring?
Think about the wedding band whilst buying an engagement ring. If the engagement ring has large low set stones or a design that is wider in some parts it may get in the way when trying to wear a wedding ring on the same finger. Some people move their engagement rings to another finger or buy wedding ring sets. Others wear only their wedding band after marriage or look for engagement rings with a design that allows them to be stacked with other rings. Another option is to buy your engagement ring and then take it to a jeweller to commission a wedding ring made to match. It is a good idea to leave as much time as possible before the wedding as this can take some time.
Other things to consider:
- Does the jewellery store have a long-standing and solid local reputation?.
- Do the staff evidently possess a sound gemmological knowledge? Watch out for gratuitous and unexplained jargon.
- Is the shop willing to sell you diamonds with a well-known gemmological certificate? If so, make sure you keep the original rather than a copy.
- Will the sales person let you examine the diamond through a loupe and on a white background? If diamonds are viewed on a black background, the eye's perception of colour is hindered.
- Is the shop a member of a trade association? If so, which one?
- Will the shop present a detailed receipt with your purchase? This is key to any possible insurance claim or future repair.
- Does the shop appear to have a busy repairs service? (A good indication of customer trust).
- Exactly which warranties and guarantees does the shop offer? Read them closely.
How to take care of an engagement ring?
Remember that most materials used to make jewellery are natural and have been mined from the earth’s crust (gold, platinum, diamonds and gemstones). They are natural materials which have to be refined and alloyed, cut and polished along with many variables which mean that it is difficult to make generalisations or assumptions about your jewellery.
- Take off your jewellery, especially rings, when doing household chores or gardening. They could become damaged by knocking out stones or coming into contact with abrasive materials, which discolour metal.
- Settings can get clogged up with soap and hand cream. Take jewellery off before washing hands and using cream.
- Wear jewellery as much as possible as this keeps the metal bright.
Metal Allergies and Hypoallergenic Rings?
If either of you have metal allergies, avoid gold. Yellow gold usually contains some copper, rose gold uses copper to produce its reddish colour and white gold contains nickel.Platinum and Palladium rings are the perfect choice for those with sensitivity to some metals because they are nickel free and hypoallergenic, these metals are used in jewellery in a much purer form than gold, where as gold rings have other metals mixed in and may cause an allergic reaction.