Is The Ring You Chose Really Perfect?

The thought of getting down on bended knees and proposing to his girl can leave any man a nervous wreck. Not nervous because he has to propose, but nervous what her reply will be!

Even if you're pretty sure what she'll say, it never hurts to have a great engagement ring to tip the scales in your favour. However, unless you let your woman pick out her engagement ring on her own (and ruin the surprise), finding the perfect ring can be quite a task. Here are some things to keep in mind when looking for an engagement ring that is perfect for your woman.

It's got to be diamond: Your wedding rings may be simple gold bands, but as far as the engagement ring goes, it has to be diamond. If your budget doesn't stretch to a solitaire, you can choose a ring with smaller diamonds and other semi-precious stones such as ruby, emerald, pearls etc. But make sure there are diamonds somewhere!

• Do your homework: Know what your partner's tastes and preferences are towards jewellery. For instance, if you see your partner wearing yellow gold most of the time, then you should look for a diamond set in yellow gold. However, if your partner seems to have a liking for white coloured jewellery, your diamond ring should be set in white gold or platinum.

• Also, your partner's style has a lot to do with the ring you buy for them. If they like trendy stuff and want the latest fashions, you should pick a ring that has a modern and contemporary look. A tiffany style engagement ring is a good example. If your partner is more traditional and favours old world fashion, then an antique looking ring or a classic round brilliant cut solitaire is your best bet.

• Pay attention to size: Make sure you know exactly what size ring your partner wears. Even the prettiest of engagement rings will be useless if it doesn't sit well on your beloved's finger, or heaven forbid doesn't fit her when you propose! If you don't want to give away the surprise element, get her sister or a friend to size your partner's finger for you and do so discreetly.

• The size and cut of the diamond also plays an important role. Diamonds cut in the shape of a marquise or an oval tend to make short fingers appear longer and sleeker. A wide band ring makes fingers look much shorter than they actually are. So, do know what type of hands and fingers your partner has and choose a ring accordingly.

• Get the maximum for your money: If you want the maximum bang for your buck, you may want to look at a bigger diamond with a slightly shallower cut rather than a deep cut diamond which looks much smaller in size. As long as the cut is not too shallow, the diamond will shine brilliantly.

In spite of all this if you still can't figure out which ring to buy for your partner, pop the question with a loose diamond in her favourite cut (the largest your money can buy) and let her pick her own ring setting after she agrees to marry you!

(Courtesy: http://shaaditimes.com)