It is said that marriages are made in Heaven, and celebrated here on Earth. And the very first step towards the dream wedding (once you’ve found the perfect girl of course) is to buy the perfect Engagement ring. It’s a crucial step, and for some people, the most daunting.

This is a decision fraught with consequence, upon whose outcome your future happiness may well depend. Coz if ’She’ doesn’t love the ring, there’s a good chance that the wedding’s not going to happen.

How to buy an engagement ring? That is the question. It requires you to do thorough research, fortify your bank balance, and delve into the strange and perilous world of Women’s Jewellery.

Buying the biggest rock in the store or stretching your finances to breaking point is Not the way to go.

This little chapter is a brief guide on how to buy an engagement ring, and here’s hoping it helps!

First things first, Finances: Be absolutely clear about your budget. There is nothing romantic about going into debt over an exorbitantly priced ring. The price of an engagement ring can often be negotiated, so don’t just pay what is asked.

Know her size : A basic rule, often overlooked. The fact that you’ve held her hand a million times does not guarantee that you know her ring size. It may be a little tricky to do this without giving away the surprise, and may require sneakiness…a-hem, excuse me…ingenuity.. on your part. Temporarily pilfer a ring that she isn’t using, or get a friend or family member to do it. Its best to be sure, and avoid any potential awkwardness or embarrassment later.

Choose the right rock, and the right metal: Metals are Yellow gold, White gold, Rose gold, Silver and Platinum. What you pick here mainly depends on what your fiancé likes. As for stones, there’s a huge array you can choose from. The engagement ring does not have to be a diamond, unless that’s what your lady favours. You can pick a coloured precious stone that reminds you of her, or has a personal connection to both of you, or is her birthstone.

If its to be a diamond, there are a few technicalities you should be aware of.

1. Colour – Not all diamonds are clear, they come in many colours. The classification is alphabetical, going from D which is colourless to Z, which is light yellow. Colourless diamonds are the most expensive, and white diamonds are the most popular.

2. Clarity – Refers to imperfections (called inclusions) in the stone. These could be tiny fractures or mineral fragments. As expected, the closer a stone is to being perfect, i.e. the higher its clarity, the more its going to cost. Clarity decides the brilliance of a diamond, so try to pick one without any visible inclusions.

3. Carat – Is the weight of the diamond. A heavier stone is more expensive, but its also possible to make a stone appear larger than its actual carat weight by using an appropriate setting. Its am important point that you should discuss with your jeweller.

4. Cut – The shape of the stone ie. round, square, oval etc.

And now that you’re armed with all the requisite knowledge on how to buy an engagement ring, its time to get out there and propose! Good Luck and God Bless!