If you’re looking for tips on how to buy an engagement ring, you probably already realized that the process is going to take some time and will require lot of research. Writer David Tschappat gives advice on how to buy an engagement ring for you guys out there who have no clue.

So, you found Ms. Right and are ready to pop the question – well, almost ready.

After the nerves settle having been strung out through the initial thought of proposing, there is the issue of that solitary object that will represent you in front of her girlfriends and office mates, handing out jealousy with every twinkle – the engagement ring.

Finding the Perfect Ring

Making her girlfriends jealous, her male office mates think that she has a catch, and satisfying her individual preferences is no easy task. Luckily for you, I failed so you wouldn’t have to. I crashed and burned with my first engagement ring purchase – carnal was the wreckage. Then I started over and did research on how to pick out the perfect engagement ring, sneaked around my wife’s back to replace it, and am now here to help you.

Why Price Matters

Not only are rings dainty, which renders them totally incomprehensible to the average man, but this is one item that is no longer considered a thoughtful purchase simply due to it costing two to three months salary. The whole “money talks” M.O. is fading fast in this economy and has been long gone in the engagement ring search. If you’re old school and still are determined to spend 3+ month’s salary on an engagement ring, that’s fine. Just know that doing so is seen now more as an investment and not necessarily as you meeting some universal requirement, which always has been and always will be a wholly shallow and totally unimpressive standard (in my opinion). I’m sure most women would concur with my contempt.

Women want to know, and want everyone else to know for that matter, that their partner knows them. By being pretty, by not being cheap (relative to your income), and by matching her style and personality, an engagement ring will say that you put a lot of thought into the purchase, that you parted with a significant amount of money and that you pay attention to her respectively – she will interpret this ring as how “in tune” you are with her. After all, that’s what you want, right? You want to show your bride-to-be that you love her and can meet every one of her needs. Not to mention, if you do this right you’ve got a good six months of her secretly giving you the benefit of the doubt pre-argument, guaranteed.

So How Much Should You Spend?

So, how much is too little and how much is too much? Basically too much is only too much if you break your bank account buying the ring, or, in my opinion, expect to take a loan out to cover the cost. I had a friend who took out a $10,000 loan to buy his girlfriend an engagement ring. It was an absolutely gorgeous platinum diamond ring. Within one month his new fiancé had bumped the ring around somehow and the diamond fell out never to be found. Needless to say he was a little salty. On the other end, a diamond too small would not be able to satisfy my ring beauty tips – I personally wouldn’t compromise on the size or the sparkle. That doesn’t mean the stone has to blind you, but it should have an effortless sparkle about it and the size should absolutely be appropriate for her hand.

All in all the process of buying a ring can be a pain in the neck, but it can also be fun sneaking around for clues and ultimately ending up with a happy fiancé. Whether you go large or small, gold or platinum, or set or naked, just be creative and nail the basics in this article, and I promise she won’t be sorry.
-David Tschappat