Mistakes To Avoid When Buying Her A Ring

Let’s just admit it; picking out an engagement ring for your future wife is a big deal. It’s a task that comes with a lot of pressure, and it’s not the easiest process in the world. There are plenty of mistakes to **potentially** make. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or downright terrified just thinking about it, relax. Just avoid all of the below, and you’ll be absolutely fine.

Buying the first ring you see

Jewelry stores are confusing and dazzling places to be if you’re not familiar with them. So many diamonds, so much information, so many large price tags! It’s not uncommon for a guy to choose the first ring that catches his eye because a) he’s bewildered and just wants it all to be over, or b) he’s so excited that he’s convinced the first ring is THE ring. Guys, listen; always, ALWAYS shop around. Even if the first ring you see really is perfect, another near-identical ring in another store could beat it on price. And if you’re column a), remember she’s dreamt about this for most of her life and will be wearing the ring YOU choose forever. Put a little effort into it.

2. Not setting a budget

Before you start your engagement ring search, you’ll probably be wondering ‘how much does an engagement ring REALLY cost, anyway?’ The answer is whatever you want it to cost. You can find cheap and cheerful rings for a couple of hundred dollars, or you can spend millions on something that would make Elizabeth Taylor green with envy. This is why it’s vital to SET. A. BUDGET. Figure out what you can realistically afford to spend, then go online and use that number as a search criteria on any jewelry website. You’ll immediately get an idea of what kind of ring you can get for your money, and can then adjust your spending accordingly.

3. Leaving a paper trail

Buying an engagement ring has its stressors; spending a big chunk of change on a piece of jewelry, for example, or perhaps feeling the pressure of choosing her ‘dream’ ring. With all of that going on in a guy’s head, it’s not surprising that some forget to cover up their tracks. Pay for your purchase with a credit card that is not linked to a joint bank account – or better yet, pay in cash. Leave any documentation that comes with her ring in a safe place – somewhere your other half won’t accidentally see it. Your desk at work is a goof choice, as is a friend or relative’s house.

4. Not doing your homework

THE most detrimental mistake any husband-to-be makes is doing minimal, if any, research before hitting the jewelry stores. Browsing a couple of jeweler’s websites doesn’t count – sorry guys! You need to read up on the 4Cs, conflict diamonds, engagement ring insurance and maintenance, different metal types and what they mean for her engagement ring… and you also need to find reputable jewelers in your area and research them, their policies, and what’s likely to be the ‘small print’ if/when you purchase an engagement ring from them. If you tick off even a couple of items from that list, you can be sure you’re getting better value for money.

5. Hiding it somewhere REALLY obvious

Believe it or not, there are some guys out there who make this glaring oversight. The glovebox of your car, your sock drawer, under the bed – don’t even think about hiding the ring in any of those places. First of all, should your car or home be robbed it won’t take long for her glitzy rock to be gone forever. Second of all, if she is the type to go searching for a ring in the house, those are probably the first places she’ll look. Call in a favour with a family member or close friend you can trust, or ask your jeweler to store the ring securely until you’re ready to pick it up for the proposal. Most will happily oblige. Also, read this.

6. …. Overthinking everything!

There are lots of tiny decisions you need to make when shopping for an engagement ring; from setting types to clarity grades to what kind of ring box you want. And then there are the big decisions, like how much you want to spend, how you want to propose, whether you’re ready to tie the knot. Scared yet?? Above all, the important thing to remember is that this should be a happy time in your life. Don’t get stressed – she’s totally going to say yes. While value for money and getting good quality is important, focus on picking a ring that she’ll love. As long as you stick to that nothing else can go wrong.

Happy shopping!