Try At Home Engagement Rings

More and more couples are looking online for their engagement rings. It’s often cheaper than a bricks and mortar jewellery store, there’s a hell of a lot more choice, and you don’t have to deal with the pushy salespeople sometimes found in ‘real life’ shopping situations. But online shopping also has its drawbacks. For one thing, you have to judge the ring through photos alone, and you can’t touch it or try it on to see how it looks on your finger. Or can you?

Actually, yes. Believe it or not online jewellers are very aware that if you’re going to wear something for the rest of your life, you’ll definitely want to try before you buy. If you search smart, there are ways to get a better look at your engagement ring before you hand over cash – both virtually and literally.

Home Try Ons

Some savvy online jewellery retailers will let you choose up to three engagement rings from their selection. Then they’ll mail out replicas of each one to you and let you keep them for three days before returning in a provided returns package. Most charge a safety deposit for the service, but this is refunded to your credit card once they receive the rings back. They’ll even throw in a free ring sizer.

If the rings aren’t returned or they end up damaged along the way, you get charged full price – so it doesn’t mean you can go wild with free engagement rings. Oh, and if you thought they’d send you the real deal, think again – while accurate to design and expertly made, these sample rings usually don’t use the same top quality materials or craftsmanship that your official ring will. It’s just to give you a better idea of how the real one will look.

There are plenty of online retailers who offer ‘try at home’ services – check out MiaDonna or Four Mine to start.

Virtual Try Ons

If you’re content to shop for engagement rings in actual jewellery stores, but you just want to get started before you hit the malls, there’s a solution that’s perfect for you. There are more than a few apps that will allow you to ‘try on’ engagement rings virtually. These apps scan your hand and use augmented reality to place the engagement ring of your choice on it. Think Snapchat filters, but better. You can see what an array of different diamond shapes and engagement ring styles look like on your finger, so you’ll have a clearer idea of what you like and don’t like once you head to the stores.

Obviously it’s not entirely accurate, but it definitely helps. You’d be surprised how much your perception of a ring can change between seeing it in the box and seeing it on your finger. Say Yes! Is the best known and best rated app, and we have to admit it’s pretty fun to use. Tiffany & Co., Blue Nile and a host of other jewellers also offer similar iterations. Hours of fun!