Emma Scaramozzino - August 26, 2020
How to secretly find the perfect engagement ring for your partner
Choosing the perfect engagement ring for your partner can be difficult. Not only do you have to determine the style they'd like, but you also have to figure out some seemingly small, yet very important factors like ring size and metal — all while keeping it a secret! The following is a guide to help make this process easier + some sneaky tips on keeping things quiet until the proposal.
Style
Determining the style of ring your partner wants may feel overwhelming, however, there are a few ways you can figure it out.
To be blunt, the easiest way to do this is to snoop. As sneaky as it sounds, most people who are thinking about marriage have probably left some hints as to what they like on the web. You can start by searching their first and last name, followed by Pinterest. There is a good chance an account will pop up. If that doesn't work, and you have access to their Instagram, try looking through the posts they've bookmarked / liked. Even if you don't see any engagement rings on these platforms, you will get better insight as to what their style is.
If you can't find anything on the web, you can always go by what you see your partner wear on the day to day. For example, if your partner wears clothing that is more minimalistic, you can assume that they'd prefer a more simple ring.
Finally, close friend's and family are always a great resource if you are still unsure.
The Diamond
The diamond may be the one thing your partner has mentioned, but if not, there are a few ways you can determine which to choose. First, decide what type of diamond best suits your partner. This step goes hand in hand with determining the style of your partner's ring. Although most people go with a classic white diamond, there are so many other options to choose from, like champagne, pink, yellow...the list goes on.
Once you've determined what type of diamond best suits them, you can start thinking about the shape they'd like. Your partner's style may also help you determine this. For example, if they tend to gravitate towards more vintage style clothing, the stone shape they want is likely to reflect that. This is when you can go ahead and search "vintage diamond shapes" or "modern diamond shapes". After doing a little digging, the perfect stone for your partner will eventually stand out.
Ring Size
This may be surprising, but ring size will probably be the most difficult thing to determine when buying an engagement ring. Since most people don't know their ring size the same way they know their shoe size, it's best to try and sneak a ring they frequently wear out of the house and over to a jeweler to be measured. However, this is not always the most ideal solution, which is why we have come up with a theory.
Our theory is that if you subtract 2 from their shoe size, 85% of the time, that is their ring size. For example, if they are a size 8 shoe, they are likely to have a size 6 ring finger. This method isn't fool-proof, but it does narrow things down.
We also recommend that you avoid getting a band with diamonds set 360° until you know their size for sure. If diamonds are set all the way around, it's harder to resize, making it more likely that you will have to have the ring remade.
Metal
Choosing the best metal for your partner's ring is usually dependent on the jewelry they currently wear. If you see your partner wearing a certain metal on a daily basis, chances are they are happy with its aesthetics as well as how it's held up overtime.
If your partner doesn't typically wear jewelry, just go with your gut — if you're going to marry a person, chances are you know them pretty well!
Ring Stacking
People often forget that the engagement ring you choose also determines the type of wedding band your partner will wear. This is when you'll need to decide if they'd like their rings to sit flush, straight, or shadow. There are two main factors that come into play when making this decision: comfort and style. Typically, a flush setting is more traditional and tends to feel more comfortable (especially if your partner doesn't wear rings regularly). When a band sits straight, you will see a slight gap between the band and engagement ring. The negative space created here is less traditional but is increasing in popularity; especially among people who like to wear or "stack" multiple rings on top of each other. However, bands that sit straight may feel uncomfortable to someone not used to wearing rings. Shadow bands curve around the stone of the engagement ring for a more non-traditional look, but with the comfort of rings that sit flush.