It’s an utmost magical step in life: buying an engagement ring for the love of your life. A symbol that forever encapsulates the commitment and love shared between you and your loved one. But what exactly should you take into account when buying an engagement ring? Find out BAUNAT’s complete guide to finding your perfect piece.
If you are trying to decide which engagement ring style to buy, most advice will be about solitaire rings that draw all the attention to a single diamond. However, there are plenty other options: You can have a look at the different engagement ring styles here:
When having chosen your desired engagement ring style, you can now begin to look for different gemstone options. Most people go for diamond engagement rings when choosing a gemstone as it enhances almost every outfit and carries a timeless elegance. A diamond engagement ring is still a universal symbol for love and commitment, and strongly ignites the confidence of the ring wearer.
If you want to buy an engagement ring with diamonds, you should pay attention to the 4 Cs when buying: carat, colour, clarity and cut. The 4 Cs are quality features that should always be listed on the certificate of your diamond. It is important that you always opt for a diamond graded by GIA, IGI or HRD, as these three apply high quality standards in their certification process.
However, it’s important to notice that an engagement ring doesn’t necessarily have to be a diamond ring, as there are other subtler engagement rings on the rise such as sapphire, ruby, emerald, yellow diamond and black diamond rings. These other gemstones also have their beauty and are widely preferred as other worthy options.
The carat size of a diamond is much debated, but worldwide, the average is between 1.00 and 1.09 carats. The higher the carats, the higher the price of the engagement ring. According to unwritten rules, the husband to be spends about 2 to 3 months' wages on the price of an engagement ring.
Most engagement rings have a colourless diamond, with a certain colour grading from D to Z. A colour D diamond is the purest white and is extremely rare. Are you looking for a diamond engagement ring on a slightly lower budget? Choose a colour G or H diamond. The diamond is still virtually colourless, but it is a lot cheaper.
Instead of a colourless diamond, you can also opt for a naturally coloured diamond or a coloured precious stone. Naturally coloured diamonds are even rarer and therefore more expensive than colourless ones.
And then you also have choices in the precious metal. For an engagement ring, people often opt for white gold because it has a classic, timeless look. However, you can also opt for an engagement ring in yellow gold, platinum or even red gold. A combination of both is also possible, these engagement rings are described as ‘bicolour’ or ‘two tone’ in the collection. When combining multiple colours, you should choose a more sober design.
Always choose a diamond that scores at least VS2 or SI1 on the clarity scale and are rated G or H on the colour scale, to ensure the diamond doesn't have any yellow appearance and no large impurities that are noticeable to the naked eye. Find more about rating a diamond’s clarity here.
The brilliance of a diamond is largely determined by the cut and the quality of the cut. For example, a round brilliant diamond has the greatest brilliance because it was cut with 57 facets reflecting the light. The princess cut is also known for its brilliance, although this cut is usually less pricey. The price of old cut diamonds with fewer facets is also considerably lower, although they do lack some fire. But we have noticed that these cuts have increased in popularity since the vintage revival. Vintage is a trend that brings back into fashion old pieces of clothing and jewellery.
The quality of the cut is indicated by the terms “excellent”, “very good”, “good”, “fair” and “poor”. You can always find this on the diamond certificate.
Vintage is not the only trend to have revived the old cut. Romantic and nostalgic souls are increasingly going for red gold, a precious metal that was popular during the Victorian era. To turn an engagement ring into a truly vintage engagement ring, different precious stones are often chosen instead of diamonds. These might include a splendid red ruby, blue sapphire, or green emerald.
Eternity rings are another trend. Here, the ring is covered in small diamonds or other precious stones. The ultimate symbol of love! It is very important to know her exact ring measurement when buying an eternity ring as it cannot be made larger or smaller due to the stones going all the way around the band.
The perfect proposal comes totally unexpected, which also means that it’s up to you to find the right engagement ring size for your partner’s finger. One of the simplest ways to determine your partner's ring size is to borrow a ring they already wear on the same finger. Make sure it's a ring they wear on the correct hand and finger, as sizes can vary between left and right hands.
You can take the ring to a jeweller for an accurate measurement or use a ring size chart at home. If that's not possible, you can sometimes find the size through friends or acquaintances. An engagement ring can however still be made bigger or smaller afterwards. At BAUNAT you can order a ring sizer for free, so you can be sure of the size without having to worry about the ring not fitting correctly.
Sometimes the perfect engagement ring is a custom made one. A custom engagement ring that’s one of a kind, might be something to consider to capture the personal style and sentiment of your loved one. It often goes from selecting the perfect gemstone to designing the intricate setting of the ring, where you have complete control over the final product.
Choosing a custom engagement ring doesn’t necessarily mean it will be more expensive. You have the flexibility to work within your budget, making informed choices about materials and design elements. This ensures that you get the best value for your money without compromising on style or quality.
Wondering how much to spend on an engagement ring? A British person spends around $2000, but it very much depends on your personal preferences and where you buy at. The price of buying an engagement ring online from a Belgian city such as Antwerp is often a lot cheaper. It can help you save up to 30-50% on superior quality.
Setting up a budget for your engagement ring is not about limiting your options; it’s about making a well-informed and financially sound decision. It allows you to focus your search, prioritise what matters most, and avoid unnecessary financial stress. Setting up your engagement ring budget helps you:
Although the engagement ring has been inextricably linked with marriage proposals for centuries, you can also go for an alternative. Which diamond jewellery can be chosen as an alternative to an engagement ring? Anything is possible! The American President JFK proposed to his wife Jackie in 1953 with a tennis bracelet! Chic and unexpected!
When thinking about which engagement ring to buy, what do you think about a ‘mengagement ring’ or an engagement ring for men? In the past, it was very normal for both men and women to wear an engagement ring. A lovely tradition waiting to be revived!
For engagement rings, different types of settings are possible. You can find BAUNAT’s most used ones below:
The solitaire prong setting has one single diamond held in place by prongs, so it catches the most light.
The pavé setting positions many diamonds in a row so closely that hardly any metal is visible, resulting in a brilliant shine.
Channel setting is a method where diamonds are suspended between two rails of metal, called channels.
The bezel setting is a traditional, labour-intensive technique where the metal surrounds the diamond and forms a frame around the stone.
How can I design a customised piece of jewellery myself?
How can I personalise an existing design from the BAUNAT collection?
We offer a wide range of exclusive diamond jewellery, from dazzling engagement rings to elegant bracelets and cool watches for men. You can choose between designs ranging from modern and trendy to traditional and elegant. If you don't quite find your taste among our offerings, you can still opt for customisation. Our craftsmen provide quality and affordable customised jewellery.
If you are creative or have a clear design in mind, you can come to us and work with our designers to create a customised piece of jewellery. So you can have a very personal engagement ring made that will surely have a lot of emotional value when you ask her the question. Or design a custom-made diamond locket for a special or festive occasion.
You can discuss this with our experts in one of our showrooms or send us your own (rough) sketch of your jewel. Or send us an image of the exclusive piece of jewellery on which you would like to base your design. In addition, we would like to receive the following information in order to prepare an offer for your customised piece of jewellery:
An image or rough sketch of your design
For a ring: the ring size
Material: 18Kt white gold, 18Kt yellow gold, 18Kt red gold, 950 platinum
The number, size(s) and quality of the diamond(s)
Estimate of your budget
1. From your idea to our best price and quotation
After you have sent us the necessary information, we will provide you with an offer for your custom-made jewellery. Because we buy our gemstones directly at the source and mainly work with online sales, we can guarantee the best price-quality. We also have a strict zero-tolerance on diamonds from conflict areas.
2. See your exclusive jewellery in advance thanks to 3D visualisation
After you have given us your approval on the offer and your payment has reached us, we start our sketching process. After one working week, you will receive an e-mail from us with the digital visualisation of your design. Using CAD software, we create a 3D model so that you can immediately imagine what your beautiful piece of jewellery will look like in reality.
3. Jewellery made by hand by craftsmen in Antwerp
After you have approved the 3D drawings, the real craftsmanship starts: our craftsmen make your exclusive piece of jewellery by hand using traditional methods. The precise craftsmanship ensures that your jewel can be personalised down to the smallest detail: from a unique diamond setting to engraving a name or symbolic word. After about three weeks, your beautiful piece of jewellery will be finished.
4. Enjoy your unique and precious custom-made piece of jewellery
Your exclusive piece of jewellery is completely unique and of top quality thanks to our expertise. Just like the jewellery in our collections, your made-to-measure piece of jewellery will be sent free of charge and insured. You will receive your jewellery in a high-quality BAUNAT packaging box.
BAUNAT can engrave a name, date or short message on most of its jewellery. Please contact our diamond jewellery advisor on dja@baunat.com or dial +32 3 201 24 90 if you are interested.
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