The first number you should know is that, according to research, 95% of women want to be involved in some way in choosing their engagement ring. For some of you guys, this alone should relieve a huge amount of stress. Gone are the days when a proposal and a ring came as a huge shock! Most women aren’t expecting you to be mind readers and surprise them with the ring of their dreams.

Get her involved

• That’s not to say that you can’t actually surprise her in the end once a ring that she loves is purchased. Involvement for women comes in a variety of methods.
• Some will leave subtle hints such as magazines open to pages of rings she likes.
• Some will openly admire a girlfriend’s ring while you’re present or let family members know the types of rings she likes, just in case you ask.
• If you really want to be sure she loves the ring, send her or take her ring shopping! You don’t need to make any decisions while she’s there.
• Think of the process as a fact-finding mission.

Find out what’s her engagement ring style

• Research shows that the style of the ring is the number one consideration for the majority of women.
• Style is so important to most women that it ranks above the size of the diamond or the metal of the mounting.

Do your research

• Take your time and do your research employing a number of sources, such as Engagement 101 Magazine, that will help educate you on the process, terms, and what to expect.
• Most men spend an average of 3-5 months researching and shopping for the engagement ring. Don’t rush into making a purchase simply on price.
• The least expensive isn’t always the most appropriate to symbolize on of the most important decisions you’ll make in your lifetime.

Think about the possibility of a color center stone

• Although diamonds are the primary choice for most women as center gems for an engagement ring, there are a growing number of people who are choosing to use color gemstones for this purpose.
• Since many colored gemstones are far less expensive than a diamond, the choice of a colored gemstone can significantly lessen the cost of the ring while giving a much larger, more important looking ring.
• Colored gemstones such as sapphires and rubies are most popular currently, but some have started to use gems that have more significant meaning for the couple. These gems may represent a birth month or the month in which they met.
• When using a color gemstone as a center for an engagement ring, make sure you speak to the jeweler to ensure gem will be a wise choice for a ring that will be worn daily over a lifetime. Some gems may be too brittle or soft for this purpose.

By Michael O’Connor