If you are looking through this guide you have either decided to take the next step in your relationship or are on the verge of deciding to take that step. Either way congratulations will be in order as soon as she sees the beautiful engagement ring you present her. She will definitely say “Yes” with a huge smile. We believe that your decision to find the right engagement ring should be made as simple as 1-2-3-4.

1)      Establish a Budget
2)      Choose the Perfect Diamond
3)      Choose a Setting
4)      Build Your Ring

1) Establish a Budget

 It has become a generally accepted convention for the man to spend approximately two months of salary on one of the most important purchases of his life. This purchase is something that will last you a lifetime and thus we recommend you concentrate on quality and value; not just the budget. Before committing to an exact dollar amount browse through our inventory of diamonds and pre-set engagement rings to get an idea of what can get in that price range. One you have browsed and are satisfied set a budget.

2) Choose the Perfect Diamond

Before you proceed to choosing the perfect diamond, do your research and learn about diamonds. By understanding the 4Cs you will be better equipped to make a decision on the diamond quality and the balance needed in the 4Cs to find the perfect diamond for you.

 Diamond Shape

First step to choosing a diamond is to decide on a shape you would like to purchase. Choosing the shape is based on your preference and the preference of the recipient. It might be difficult to gauge the preference of the recipient but you might be able to get some clues from the current jewelry she wears, her family/friends, or if you are shopping together then she will definitely tell you. Approximately 80% of solitaire engagement rings sold are either with round or princess cut diamonds

Four Cs

Want to know all the details about the 4Cs? Our Diamond Buying Guide has all the details you need. In choosing your perfect diamond you will need to balance the 4Cs against your budget. Here is a summary of our 4Cs:

Cut: The cut directly attributes to the brilliance of the diamond. The reflections and refraction of light within the stone is determined by table % and depth % for the most part. If the stone is cut to ideal specifications most light entering the stone will reflect back from the crown.

Color: Color of a diamond refers to the saturation of color in the diamond. More color present in the diamond means that some of the colors will be filtered out when the light is reflected back thus lessening the fire in the diamond. Colorless diamonds are rarer to find and more appealing to the eye and as such more valuable.

Clarity: Diamond Clarity refers to the presence or absence of internal and external flaws and blemishes. Diamonds without any flaws and blemishes are rarer to find and more expensive. Most diamonds have some inclusions or blemishes. These are either natural (trace of other minerals) or occur while mining and cutting.

Carat Weight: Carat weight for most people is the last deciding factor in buying the diamond. Once you know what cut, color, clarity you want the only thing to decide is your budget and find a size that falls in your range. Like all other Cs the larger sizes are rarer and thus the prices are higher for these stones.

3) Choose the Perfect Setting

Choosing the perfect setting can be harder than choosing the diamond. As this is a ring she will wear for a lifetime you want to be sure that she will like it. Here are a few suggestions to find out what would be best for her.

1)      Notice what jewelry she currently wears
2)      While shopping note down her preferences
3)      Ask a friend or family member to get a better idea
4)      If she is shopping along with you then just ask her

Would she prefer the more classic metal (18K Gold) or the more durable metal (Platinum)? There are obvious differences in the two. Our Gold Buying Guide or Platinum Buying Guide can provide the details but here is the summary:
18K Gold is the most commonly used metal in engagement rings. It can be either Yellow or White color. It is less expensive than Platinum but requires more maintenance. The maintenance of Gold is though a lot easier than Platinum.

Platinum is stronger and rarer of the two. It can only be in White color. It is more expensive but requires less maintenance. If needed, the maintenance on Platinum is more difficult than Gold.

In order to provide our customers with best of both worlds all our custom designed rings have the diamonds set in platinum prongs.

Would she prefer Yellow or White Gold?

Would she prefer a Solitaire Setting, a Setting with Sidestones or a Setting with Matching Bands? Or would she prefer a three stone ring instead?

It is important that you know her preference. You might have to recruit help form one of her friends or family member to find out.

Solitaire Settings
These are the most popular type of settings for engagement rings. You can find solitaire settings with 4 prongs, 6 prongs and bezel. We offer a fourth choice which is a channel set solitaire.

Settings with Sidestones
These are settings that have diamonds or colored stones as the sidestones. Colored stones can add color to the ring and the diamonds can add extra brilliancy.  

Settings with Matching Bands
If you think she would like to wear a matching wedding band in the future invest now for a setting that has matching bands.

Three Stone Rings
These are commonly knows as Past, Present and Future Rings. Each diamond represents a phase of life. You have a choice to buy one of the present rings we have or Build Your Own Three-Stone Ring.

4)  Build Your Ring
So now you are equipped with all the knowledge and are ready to start your purchasing process. Finding the right place to buy your ring is just as important. Regardless of where you decide to purchase your ring here are a few things that you should expect from your purchase:

a)      Diamond Certificate
All diamonds should be accompanied with a diamond certificate if they are sold as certificate diamonds. The certificate ensures that the diamond you are receiving is in fact the same one you bought. If a diamond is not a certificate diamond then it should be accompanied with a certificate of authenticity from the jeweler. My Solitaire adheres to these policies strictly and all your diamond purchases will accompany a certificate (if a certificate diamond is bought), a ring appraisal, and a certificate of authenticity guaranteeing you that the product you are buying is in fact the product we are giving you.

b)      30-Day Returns
All reputable jewelers will give you 30 days no questions asked return policy. My Solitaire's fine diamonds and timeless jewelry will meet or exceed your expectations. However, if you are not completely satisfied, we are pleased to offer a thirty (30) day return policy on all purchases.  

c)      Ring Appraisal
This is another very important piece of paper. It is used to secure insurance for your purchase, against theft, loss or damage. My Solitaire offers ring appraisals on all our purchases. If you need help securing insurance we would be glad to refer you to some reputable companies that deal with our clients on a daily basis.

d)      Certificate of Authenticity
Certificate of Authenticity is a document provided by the jeweler guaranteeing the product they are selling you. My Solitaire offers the Certificate of Authenticity on all ring purchases. The certificate is reviewed along with the ring by our management and signed personally before being sent to the customer. We are putting our name and reputation behind what we sell to the customers.

e)      Buy-Back Program
This is something that you will not find at all jewelers. The buy-back program allows the customer to sell the ring back to the jeweler if you have gone past your return date. My Solitaire not only offers a buy-back program but it applies for the life of the ring.

f)        Trade-Up Program
Again this is something that you will not find at all jewelers. The trade-up program allows the customer to get credit for their previous ring purchase and trade-up to a new and better ring. My Solitaire offers a trade-up program for life of the ring.

Are you ready to go forward?
My Solitaire offers you two options. You can either go to our Build Your Own Ring section to design and build the perfect ring or browse through our selection of Pre-Set Engagement Rings. Don’t worry both have just the right selection as to make your purchase a Memorable One.

If you don’t find what you are looking for on our site call our diamond experts at 866-697-6548 and they will be happy to help you. Please keep in mind that we may not always have our breadth of product choices on the website. Call us or email us.