ENGAGEMENT RING GUIDE
An engagement ring should represent your love and commitment to your partner so choosing the ring can be daunting. Our engagement ring guide aims to help you with the key decisions such as size, shape, setting and budget.
HOW MUCH SHOULD I SPEND?
Deciding how much to spend on an engagement ring is a significant step and should be one of the first considerations in your journey. Traditionally, it has been suggested that you allocate between one to three months’ salary for this purchase. This guideline offers a starting point but isn’t a hard and fast rule. At Jason Keith Jewellery, we prioritise personal comfort and financial stability over traditional formulas.
WHAT SETTING?
Once you have a budget in mind a great second step is to choose a setting. Jason Keith recommends picking a setting prior to the diamond as you can choose a setting and then opt for a diamond that compliments it. It is also an advantage as you can work out how much money you have left for the diamond.
The two main types of setting are claw and bezel, with claw being the most popular.
Claw Setting
This setting holds the diamond in place with ‘claws’. You can have up to 8 claws to hold your diamond in place. This style of setting allows light to freely travel through and around the diamond ensuring maximum brilliance and sparkle is achieved. It also draws emphasis to the most important part of the ring, the diamond.
The amount of claws you have is determined by the shape of the diamond and personal taste.
Bezel Setting
This setting creates a rim or collar around the diamond, the main difference between it and a claw setting is its style.
Although claw settings are more popular the bezel setting could be described as more modern or contemporary.
The bezel setting offers better protection to your diamond and so is recommended for people with active lives.
Side Diamonds
Another option for your ring is to add side diamonds, which can truly set your ring apart.
These diamonds enhance the allure of the main diamond without distracting from it.
Above is an example of a ring with side diamonds designed and created by Jason Keith, showcasing how these additions elevate the overall design and beauty of the ring.
What Stone Should I Choose?
The obvious choice and by far the most popular is diamond, but Jason Keith Jewellery can use any stone you desire, maybe your girlfriend has dropped hints that she would like something different?! Generally though you can’t go wrong with a girl’s best friend–the diamond. For a more comprehensive guide on picking what diamond please see the diamond guide.
Metal Options
The next step on our engagement ring guide is what metal to choose. Jason Keith works with both gold and platinum. A good starter point would be to choose a colour and often based on what your partner already wears. The options include yellow gold, rose gold, white gold and platinum. The most popular trend at the moment is white (White Gold or Platinum). White gold is a silvery grey in colour and platinum is virtually the same.
Coloured Golds
Yellow, rose and white gold are all ‘real’ gold. When gold is used to make jewellery, pure gold is not used as it is too soft. Instead alloys of other metals such as silver, palladium and coper are added to it. It is the type of alloy used that determines the gold’s colour. All colours retain the same percentage of pure gold and therefore both their cost and quality characteristics are very similar. The percentage of pure gold determines the carat (not to be confused with carat, a diamonds weight).
Carat Gold
Jason Keith recommend using 18 carat (18ct) gold, it contains 75% pure gold and is the best quality for making rings.
If a cheaper option is specifically requested, we can use 9ct (which is 38% pure gold).
Higher carats such as 22ct are too soft for making diamond jewellery and so are not recommended.
Platinum Vs White Gold
In short, platinum is a more precious, hardwearing, heavier and expensive metal than white gold. It also remains white and shiny for its lifetime unlike white gold.
The process of making white gold ‘white’ includes a plating of rhodium. This plating gives white gold a better initial shine in comparison to platinum, however, this plating wears off over time. As white gold is made from pure gold, as the plating wears off a tinge of yellow will be seen. We therefore recommend that white gold is re-plated approximately every 18 months.
Engraving
The final decision in our engagement ring guide is whether to add engraving. At Jason Keith Jewellery, engraving is our specialty, and many of our designs incorporate intricate hand engravings, making them truly unique to you.
Why Choose Engraving?
Engraving adds a personal and sentimental touch to your engagement ring, transforming it into a timeless keepsake. Here are a few reasons to consider this option:
- Personalisation: Engraving allows you to add a unique message, symbol, or design that holds special meaning for you and your partner. This could be a significant date, your initials, a meaningful quote, or even a secret message known only to the two of you.
- Memorable Moments: Commemorate a special moment in your relationship by engraving the date of your engagement, the location where you got engaged, or a word that symbolises your love story. These small details can make your ring even more cherished.
- Unique Designs: From intricate patterns to simple motifs, Jason can create hand-engraved designs that reflect your personal style. Whether you prefer classic floral patterns, modern geometric shapes, or something entirely custom, the possibilities are endless.
What Can you Engrave?
- Dates: The date of your engagement, your wedding date, or the day you met.
- Names/Initials: Your names, initials, or a combination of both.
- Quotes: A favorite quote, a line from a song, or a personal vow.
- Symbols: Hearts, infinity symbols, or other meaningful icons.
Engagement Ring Guide Summary
That brings us to the end of our engagement ring guide. To summarise, start by determining your budget based on your financial comfort and priorities. Next, choose a setting and select the perfect stone. Decide on the metal for the band and finally perhaps add a personalised engraving.
At Jason Keith Jewellery, we are here to guide you through every step, ensuring you find the perfect ring to symbolise your love. Please feel free to contact us if you need any help.