How to Choose the Perfect Engagement Ring

An engagement ring is a valuable investment meant to be treasured for a lifetime. It is a man's way of displaying the love and trust he places in the woman he wants to make his wife. Some men like to surprise her with a beautiful band but it is such a weighty decision that it is better made by the couple together.

The two best reasons for working together on this purchase are almost anti-romantic. First, one of the main things that people fight the most about after marriage is money. Working together to select a band gives each one a chance to see how the other makes financial decisions. It is their first major investment as a couple.

The second reason is more physical. Some people have allergies to certain metals and cannot wear them. It is common, for example, for skin to react to the nickel in white gold. A white-gold band looks the same as platinum but almost no one is allergic to the latter. This in itself might change the type of band selected.

Of course, picking out the perfect wedding band should not be a question of finances and allergies. It is a time of magic and romance. The beauty of the moment should be reflected by the loveliness of the present. It is a way of saying, "I love you and will for a lifetime." Engagement rings offer a wide range of beautiful choices for expressing this sentiment

Here are some of your options:

White gold is a beautiful choice for the jewelry itself. This particular alloy will appear slightly more yellow while platinum will have a more grayish appearance. Often this material will start out looking more attractive but will turn yellow with wear.

The latter material is the more expensive of the two metals. However, it is also more durable and will not lose its color.

A popular option is to plate the alloy with rhodium. This gives the metal a whiter, shinier appearance. It also will protect skin sensitive to the nickel in the alloy. The rhodium will wear off in a few years and need to be retouched every so often.

In addition, the gold itself tends to wear out. That is, the metal just disappears from the alloy leaving the band thinner and lighter. Platinum does not. In the long run it will hold its value better and has a better resale value.

An alloy of 900/100 is a good choice to consider. Iridium is harder and adds a greater longer lasting luster.

A less expensive, but still beautiful, choice is sterling silver. Although silver does tend to tarnish quickly, this does not detract from its appeal. In fact, silver is often recommended to give a band an antique look. Many people like the look and feel of antique jewelry and try to copy its style even when selecting a new piece.

This suggests one beautiful option that a couple can consider: vintage jewelry. Often inherited jewelry is a link to a family's past. It is a special honor to present jewelry that has been treasured for generations. Once again, though, this is a decision that should be made by the couple.

Vintage jewelry, if wisely selected by the first couple, should retain much, if not all of its value as time passes. A trusted jeweler can restore the color and repair any damage it may have suffered. Care should be taken to keep the original style of the piece.

Sometimes vintage jewelry is desirable for its antiquity alone. Many pieces are bought and sold each year on the open market. They do not offer the sentimentality of having belonged to a beloved family member but they are lovely in their own right and offer an emotional tie to an era if not an individual.

Deciding on the right band should go hand in hand with choosing the right diamond and the right design. The solitaire is as the name suggests a simple band with a single stone. It is the classic, most popular style.

The stone may be chosen separately and set in the band. There are so many choices of size, color, and cut that picking out the right one can be both time consuming and exciting.

Jewelers will talk about 4Cs (Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat) when helping you make the right decision. The most popular cut is the round brilliant, but many others including the marquise, the heart shaped, and the pear-shaped (or tear drop) are available.

Clarity refers to the number and size of imperfections in the stone seen at 10x magnification. Truly flawless stones are rare and expensive, but many stones contain inclusions that are not visible with the naked eye.

Diamonds with no color are also rare and valuable. As with clarity, some color is hard to see and perfectly acceptable. Most diamonds used in jewelry is rated as having some color that is not visible after the stone is mounted.

The last of the four "C's", carat refers to the weight of the stone. Although most people refer to the carat as the sole determinant of value, all four, cut, clarity, color, as well as carat are important.

The true value of an engagement ring, however, lies in its attractiveness to the buyer. The prudent couple will consider affordability, wearability, durability, and value along with its overall appeal when making the right selection. It is after all an investment for a lifetime.

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