Fiancée to be…a man walks into a jewellery shop

He looks shifty and nervous, though well dressed, and is about to embark on one of the most terrifying and exciting journeys of his life.

“That ring in the window…….”

I can spot this particular species a mile off:

They are the fiancée-to-be; the about to be hitched-or-ditched, and they know nothing about jewellery let alone diamonds.

It is very important to be not just an experienced jeweller, but human.

The technical know-how really helps. Consider some of these points before your visit.

What metal? Most commonly your engagement ring will be platinum, white or yellow gold.  For an idea of what your prospective fiancé will like, take a look at her existing jewellery.Then there is the carat: Platinum is almost always 95% pure (which equals a hallmark of 950) so no complexity there. Gold can be 9, 14 ,18 or 22ct but engagement rings are commonly 18ct (equivalent of 75% pure of hallmarked 750). This is for reasons of practicality and colour. White gold is grey and often rhodium plated. This can present problems. More on this later.

The diamond 4 C’s – cut, colour, clarity and carat weight. This might not mean much to you but don’t worry. If you can tease out any information from her about the shape of diamond she likes or a design she has seen that she likes then this will be a good start. Try looking in some shop windows next time you are shopping with her. As a rule however, think what you like – it is this passion that she loves about you. We’ll talk you through the rest of it. I’m writing a guide to the 4 C’s  which will be on our blog shortly.

Size? This is easy to get wrong and without the actual finger difficult to guess. However buying directly from the makers like us ensures that re-sizing is no problem.

Budget? You need to have an idea about how much you can afford. The theory about it costing two months salary is simply the result of a marketing campaign from 1947! If you have done your sums then come and discuss it with Pruden & Smiths designers. We’ll ensure you get the best possible ring for your budget.

Most importantly, know that you can come and get all this advice direct from us. Knowing that you, or both of you can come back and talk to the maker of your precious symbol of love is priceless. Re-sizing; re-making or indeed, on a few occasions, re-funding (poor chap) is, for us, part of the delightful experience of our job.

In my next blog….How to be an expert in diamonds in one quick lesson.

Quick Links: further guidance on buying an engagement ring

How to buy an engagement ring: video article

~ by prudenandsmith on September 25, 2008.