Buying an engagement ring can be a very intimidating experience. This is the ring your other half will wear for the rest of her life, and it will be from you. After reading this guide you will understand how to select an engagement ring that will exceed her expectations.

Choosing the ring of her dreams

As scary and difficult as it may seem, choosing the ring of her dreams can be accomplished with ease, and there is nothing more rewarding than to see that look in her face. Remember that every time she looks at the ring of her dreams she will think on how much she loves you.

Finding out what kind of ring she likes can be a challenge if you want to keep your proposal a surprise. Below we guide you through the steps to follow to find the ring of her dreams.

Here you have to choose whether the engagement ring will be in 18k gold or platinum. We will start by seeing which colour of metal she prefers, as if she likes yellow the choice is already done. However, If she prefers a white colour metal, you will have to make a choice between 18k white gold and platinum. Below we point the main differences between 18k white gold and platinum:

18k White Gold -Made by mixing 75% gold with 25% other metals such as silver and palladium, as well as rhodium when the ring is new. -Rhodium is a white metal very similar to platinum, however Although rhodium is very hard, it does wear away eventually. To keep a white gold ring looking its best it should be re-rhodium plated approximately each 12 to 18 months. -Gold is a soft metal which can be easily damaged. Gold is an easy metal to work with can be easily repaired.

Platinum -Platinum is used in jewellery in almost its pure form (95% pure). -Platinum is extremely long wearing and is very white, so it does not need to be rhodium plated like white gold as it won’t wear away. -Platinum is the strongest jewellery metal and is resistant to damage. It’s a difficult metal to work with and repair.

Diamond Manufacturers offers a wide range of engagement ring settings, all at the Web’s Lowest prices. To make your selection easier, we have divided the settings into the main styles.

Solitaire Settings
A classic, this is the most popular engagement ring setting. A four prong setting allows a bit more light to reflect on the diamond, while a six prong setting offers a slight security advantage. View our Solitaire Settings.

Three Stone Settings
Besides engagement, the three stone settings symbolize the past, the present, and the future. The center diamond of your choice will be accented with your choice of round, princess, baguettes, pear shape or trilliant cut side diamonds. Browse our Three Stone Settings.

Side Stone Settings
Enhance the sparkle of your center diamond with side stones. Side stone settings come in a variety of styles, click here to see our Side Stone Settings.

Gemstone Settings
Create a bright effect with the natural colour of the gemstones. Choose from red rubies, green emeralds, blue sapphires, and pink sapphires. View our Gemstone Settings.

Matched Wedding Sets
While an engagement ring symbolizes your promise to lover her eternally, a wedding ring seals that promise. Our wedding sets are composed by engagement rings with their matching wedding bands which can be worn by separate, or together creating a unique piece of jewellery. See our Matched Wedding Sets.

Tension Settings
The tension setting, also known as the floating engagement ring, holds the diamond without prongs giving an effect in which the stone looks suspended in the air. As the stone is held just by the pressure of the ring, tension settings are made with thick and heavy bands to add security. These settings allow a lot of light to reflect on the stone. Browse our Tension Settings.

Pave Settings
The center diamond is accented with pave set side stones to provide an eye catching effect. The name pave means paved, because the surface of the ring looks like a very pretty street paved with cobblestones.View our Pave Settings.

With such a wide selection you may not know how to start. It’s important to consider the following factors when choosing the setting that she will fall in love with:

	See what style of jewellery she wears and think how the engagement ring will match with it.
	See what colour and type of metal your partner prefers.
	Ask her family and close friends for tips, probably she has mentioned her preferences to them.
	Ensure the ring will be practical for everyday wear.

If after following these pints you are still unsure and want to keep the proposal a secret, contact one of our specialist diamond and jewellery consultants by phone at 0800 530 0541 or by email at service@diamondmanufacturers.co.uk for futher assistance in finding the ring of her dreams.

If you are unaware of her favourite diamond shape, you can try asking her family and close friends. Round is by far the most popular diamond shape, it delivers the highest brilliance when compared with the other shapes, and can be set in the widest variety of setting styles. The rest are known as fancy shapes, out of which the princess (also known as the square brilliant cut) is the most popular. Other popular shapes include the marquise, oval and pear. If you want a different square shape go for a radiant, cushion and asscher. For the most romantic shape choose a heart, or if you want something different go for an emerald or trilliant cut.

	1/2ct Diamond from £137
	3/4ct Diamond from £311
	1ct Diamond from £557
	1.50ct Diamond from £987
	2ct Diamond from £1698

The right colour depends on your preferences and budget. If you are looking for a good balance of quality and cost is recommendable to go for a colour grade from F to H, as these diamonds are colourless or near colourless and yet still more cost effective than the more rare D and E colour grade diamonds. If you are looking for the finest quality for the price then you should consider diamonds which are totally colourless, these are the diamonds which have a D, E or F colour grade. If size is the most important factor and you would like to have the largest possible stone for the price, we advise you to go for a diamond with a J or K colour grade.

The right clarity also depends on your preferences and budget. If you are looking for a good balance of quality and cost is recommendable to go for a clarity grade from VS1 to SI1, as these diamonds are mainly eye clean and yet still more cost effective than the more rare VVS and flawless clarity grade diamonds. If you are looking for the finest quality for the price then you should consider diamonds which are flawless or very very slightly included (VVS). If size is the most important factor and you would like to have the largest possible stone for the price, we advise you to go for a diamond with an I1 or I1 clarity grade.

The cut is the most important quality factor as it has a direct effect on the diamond’s fire and brilliance, also known as sparkle. If you are looking for a good balance of quality and cost is recommendable to go for a Very Good or Good cut grade, as these diamonds will return very good or good sparkle. If you are looking for the finest quality for the price then you should consider diamonds which have a Super Ideal or Ideal cut, these diamonds have the highest degree of fire and brilliance. If size is the most important factor and you would like to have the largest possible stone for the price, we advise you to go for a diamond with a Fair cut grade. Diamond Manufacturers does not carry any diamonds with a poor cut grade.

To find her correct ring size borrow one of her rings making sure it corresponds to the engagement finger and measure either the diameter or circumference in mm. The following chart shows the correct ring size according to the size in mm.

If she does not have any other rings ask her mother or best friend, and if this does not work and you want to keep it as a surpr