Choosing an engagement ring should be an enjoyable process. After all, you are choosing the item with which you will mark your future plans, and a piece of jewellery that will become an enduring symbol of your love for one another. However, while it should be exciting to choose something so personal, special and beautiful, the fear of getting it wrong can often overshadow the process and make it a lengthy, confusing and daunting undertaking.

It doesn’t have to be that way, though. Ultimately, the best way to choose the perfect diamond is, ironically, not set in stone. By considering a few simple questions, it will be easy to understand which path is right for you, and in turn which specific masterpiece will be the one to adorn her finger.

Budget

The first thing you will need to do is to set a budget. It is no longer a case that individuals have to spend a set amount, judging the total value of the diamond they offer by multiples of their monthly wage. Instead, those looking for the perfect ring will simply need to put aside whatever they can realistically afford. After all, your partner may love the jewellery you buy them if you spend every last penny you have, but they may be far less excited about starting a life together with no savings and a big old wedding to pay for. By setting a realistic budget from the start you will instantly narrow down your options, filtering out those that are too expensive and those that are simply not beautiful and precious enough.

Shopping

Even when it comes time to actually pick everything from the material to the diamond, there is no set way in which your shopping should be done. While some will want to show that they know their partner’s styles and interests by buying one without any help, others may want to enlist their partner’s friends or family to help. Others may simply decide that their partner will know best and in turn some couples may make the choice together. Ultimately, the one you choose will be a symbol of your love and commitment and so, again, how you go about choosing it may be immaterial so long as you end up with the right one.

Versatility

Whether you are choosing together as a couple or whether you are going your own way to find the right jewels for her hand, it will be important to think of her lifestyle before making a final choice. The ring should be one that can be worn every day, and while diamonds are extremely hardy, choosing a very ornate, soft or fragile option for those who are very active or work with their hands a lot may not be the best option. As such, while style, price and significance will all be important, you will also need to make sure the ring is practical and versatile.

Choose your ring to complement her hand, not just her fashion sense and lifestyle. You may love the huge band you have found with the epic gem, but if her hands are dainty, it may look rather incongruous and unflattering.

At W G Jewellery, we have a range of stunning engagement and wedding rings to suit all tastes, all sizes and all budgets. So if in doubt, get in touch, and we can guide you towards making the perfect choice.

Men and women are now very much seen as equals. There is no longer a definite distinction as to which partner will necessarily stay at home to look after the baby or to which partner should bring home the biggest pay cheque. The traditional familiar roles have been broken down and built up again into a new paradigm. Yet, when it comes to engagements, many partners still seem to hold the same traditional roles.

Many women still believe it is up to the man to pop the question and, more to the point, that they will want a traditional proposal, with permission being sought from the father. Yet, since we are all very much equals today, should it really only be the men that spend out on an engagement ring, or should women now be doing the same?

Romance

While proposals might seem the same as they always were, in reality they have evolved. Offering a stunning diamond on bended knee is no longer about proving that one can provide for his partner or that he wishes to reflect her worth in a piece of jewellery. Instead, it is now simply a romantic gesture – and romance works both ways. If men still want their partners to show the world that they are engaged and show how much their partner means to them, why don’t women want the same?

Well, it seems that they are starting to. With high-profile celebrities such as Charlie Sheen and Johnny Depp donning engagement rings, it seems as though, finally, the idea is starting to catch on.

Dubbed ‘mangagement rings’, these items of jewellery can be as fancy as their partners’ sparkling diamonds or as simple as a plain band. Many women wishing to offer their partner a ring to show their man how much they care and the whole world that they are betrothed will look for styles that are similar to those of wedding bands. With so many unique designs of band on offer, some lined with gems and some with a little less bling, it will be easy to find different pieces of jewellery for both the betrothal period and the wedding itself.

Trends

Some men are not just wearing a simple band either. Johnny Depp, for instance, is actually wearing his fiancée’s ring, a female piece that may seem far from masculine.

More men are looking to show their commitment to the world and more women are wanting to repay the favour of being given a stunning, sparkling gift to mark their future plans.

At W G Jewellery, we have a range of engagement and wedding rings that could potentially work for both him and her. Whether you opt to get a feminine, sparkly number for your groom-to-be to turn him into your very own Mr Depp, or whether you opt for a piece from our wedding jewellery collection as a more subtle gesture, giving him a band may soon be as important as him offering you one. Well, nearly as important!