How to re-search buying an engagement ring

Do your re-search

“ If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend six hours sharpening my axe”

— Abraham Lincoln

This is a biggy and comes in two parts. You wanna find out what she likes and wants,we’ll call this ‘personal re-search’ plus, you wanna re-search the market and what’s available, we’ll all that ‘market re-search’

Personal re-search

Ask (trustworthy and discreet) friends and family of your potential fiance what they want. If you're proposing to a girlfriend then, this should be reasonably straightforward. In our experience, women definitely talk about this, conversations have been had. Sisters are almost always a good source of info and will enjoy being asked to be a part of the experience. (As long as they like you)

Not sure which questions to ask? here's a quick checklist on us (download as pdf)

Do they want a diamond or an other gemstone?
If so, what colour & shape?
Does size matter?
Which metal does she like? (platinum, yellow gold, white gold or rose gold normally)
What’s the ring size?

Is she into fairtrade and ethical souring?
Does she like a particular style, ie. solitaire, halo, 3 stone, crossover etc.

If this kind of re-search isn't available to you, then you might have to be a little covert. If they have pinterest then that can be helpful or you could, you know, ask them?

Obviously if you’re going for the surprise proposal then this isn’t really an option but people are often taking a collaborative approach to it these days. Whether or not you’re comfortable doing this and whether you think it will be well received and appreciated is totally up to you. Don’t take the decision lightly though, if it’s used as a way to dodge the research phase then will probably be seen through.

Think back, have any hints been dropped? Magazines left open, window shopping, discussions about friends rings? Now you’ve decided to propose, things you have previously paid little attention to may take on a different meaning.

If you’re totally in the dark, if you can’t turn to friends and family, no hints have been dropped and you don’t feel comfortable asking then there is still hope.