The Ultimate Engagement Ring Buying Guide for Men

Practical Diamond Education & Tips for the Uninitiated

Choosing an engagement ring is a significant milestone in a man's life. With so many engagement rings online and instore across Australia, however, the process can be overwhelming for someone with little knowledge of fine jewellery and diamond education.

In this guide, you’ll discover practical tips to make your engagement ring purchase a smooth and enjoyable experience, resulting in a diamond ring that’s guaranteed to seal the deal.

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How much should you spend on an engagement ring?

Traditionally, men were expected to invest around three month’s salary on a diamond engagement ring. This is merely a guideline, however, and considered an outdated concept by many couples today.

When deciding how much you should spend on an engagement ring, there are several factors to consider, including personal preference, cultural expectations, and most importantly, your individual financial circumstances.

At the end of the day, an engagement ring should be a meaningful symbol of love and commitment thats worth is determined by sentimental significance, rather than financial value.

At SH Jewellery, our most affordable engagement rings can be purchased for under $3,000 during a sale, making them eligible for 4 x interest-free Afterpay instalments. Similarly, all SH engagement rings can be conveniently purchased in instalments using Zip Money, with a guaranteed minimum interest-free period of 3 months.

How to Choose an Engagement Ring Style & Metal

Popular engagement ring styles range from classic engagement rings, like minimalist Solitaires, through to the kind of lavishly encrusted modern engagement rings you see shimmering down the red carpet.

The key is to find a style she feels comfortable wearing every day; one that reflects her personality and complements her existing jewellery.

Pay attention to her favourite dress rings. If she doesn’t wear rings, note the style of her diamond earrings, pendants or bangles, and choose an engagement ring with the same metal colour.

18kt gold is the best metal for engagement rings due to its ideal balance of durability, gold purity and lustre; 14kt gold has a comparably duller hue, and anything above 18kt gold is considered too soft for everyday wear.

For insider info on what styles your partner might like, discreetly contact family or close friends for their opinion - they might be able to share some insights from her engagement rings Pinterest board.

And remember to consider contemporary alternatives, like coloured engagement rings, for women who love bold, bright accessories and vintage-inspired jewellery. Coloured gemstone engagement rings are also a popular choice for including partners’ birthstones.

May Birthdays ~ Emerald Engagement Rings
July Birthdays - Ruby Engagement Rings
September Birthdays ~ Sapphire Engagement Rings

FIND HER OFFICIAL BIRTHSTONE

What are the 4Cs of buying diamonds?

The 4Cs of diamonds are the globally accepted criteria for grading diamond quality, established in the 1940s by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). This standardised system revolutionised the diamond industry and provides buyers with a common language to assess diamonds based on their Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat weight.

A diamond’s Cut is often considered the most important criterion, as it influences the diamond’s overall brilliance, fire and sparkle, and how well it interacts with light based on its facet arrangement.

A well-cut diamond reflects and refracts light in such a way that maximises its sparkle. A diamond with a superior cut will have favourable light performance, while a poorly-cut diamond can look dull or lacklustre, even if it grades well in Colour and Clarity.

Clarity refers to the presence of internal or external flaws within a diamond, known as inclusions and blemishes. Clarity ranges from Flawless (FL) to Included (I3).

Flawless (FL) and Internally Flawless (IF) diamonds have no visible inclusions or blemishes when examined under 10x magnification - they are extremely rare and highly valued.

Diamond Carat refers to the weight of a diamond. The term "carat" comes from the carob tree - due to the consistent size of carob seeds, ancient civilisations would use them as counterweights on balance scales. The carat weight eventually became standardised, and today, 1 carat is equivalent to 200 milligrams or 0.2 grams.

It’s worth noting that carat weight is not directly relative to the diamond’s size or dimensions, but rather its total mass when weighed; two diamonds of the same carat weight can appear different in size due to variances in diamond cut and shape.

So, how do you know what to look for when buying an engagement ring diamond?

It’s important to consider that each of the 4Cs contributes to the overall beauty and value of a diamond, and finding a balance between personal preference, aesthetic performance and budget will determine the diamond that’s right for you.

How to Buy an Engagement Ring Diamond at SH Jewellery

When you shop for Melbourne engagement rings instore at Australia’s Best Google Reviewed Jeweller, you’ll be presented with a range of diamonds within your budget. When you find one you love, you’ll be invited to view the tiny laser-inscribed serial number engraved on the diamond using a special microscope to ensure it corresponds with its GIA diamond grading report.

This official report, prepared by no less than four highly experienced Gemologists at GIA laboratories, displays the diamond’s grading in Cut, Colour, Clarity and Carat. This certificate is yours to keep, and most of our customers choose to give this to their partners once the proposal has taken place.

Here’s what else to expect when you book an appointment instore with SH Jewellery.

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How to Choose an Engagement Ring Setting Type

Choosing a setting type for an engagement ring comes down to the following considerations…

Stone Type & Size

The type and size of the centre stone can influence the choice of setting. For example, a solitaire setting highlights a single stone, while a halo engagement ring setting features a centre stone surrounded by smaller accent stones - the perfect setting type for maximising your budget, as the accent diamonds create the illusion of a higher carat centre stone.

Security & Durability

If your partner leads an active lifestyle or works with her hands, she might prefer a setting that offers better protection and security for the stone, such as a bezel or tension setting. These diamond setting types offer greater coverage and securely hold the stone in place.

Maintenance & Practicality

Some setting types require more engagement ring maintenance and cleaning than others. Intricate settings with multiple small accent stones may require more frequent cleaning to keep them sparkling. If your partner is a low-maintenance kinda gal, opt for a similarly low-maintenance engagement ring setting type, like a simple claw-set solitaire with a plain gold band.

Budget

Setting types can vary in terms of complexity and the amount of metal used. Intricate halo or three-stone engagement ring settings may be more expensive than simpler solitaire settings. Our Melbourne Engagement Ring Consultants will help you explore setting options within your price range.

The setting you choose plays an important role in showcasing and protecting the diamond, so take time to explore your options and select a setting that resonates with her lifestyle, while ensuring the safety and security of the stone/s.

How to Find Her Engagement Ring Size (Without Ruining the Surprise!)

Buying an engagement ring without her knowing presents a challenge for finding an accurate ring size, but with some covert investigative work and a 30-day exchange policy for online engagement rings, you don’t have to sweat a few misjudged millimetres.

Option 1: Use an existing ring and measure it against our free printable ring size chart.

Option 2: Propose with a placeholder promise ring. A promise ring is more affordable than an engagement ring and can be worn on any finger, so the sizing needn’t be exact. After the proposal, you can shop for the real engagement ring together and have your partner's engagement ring finger measured accurately instore.

At SH Jewellery, we offer 30-day exchange for all online purchases, along with free ring resizing within 6 months of purchase, so if finding her ring size is proving difficult, or it’s likely to blow the surprise, we’ll happily resize it in the 6 months following the purchase.

Should you buy an engagement ring online or instore?

In the not too distant past, buying engagement rings online was a completely taboo concept. These days, it’s considered a socially acceptable, safe and convenient way to buy a carefully considered ring that’s securely delivered via private courier with a 30-day exchange policy for change of mind.

With multiple support options for online customers to speak to a real Engagement Ring Consultant from our Melbourne showroom, buying online from anywhere in the world has become an easy and stress-free option.

If buying instore is more your style, visit the SH Jewellery showroom to view our extensive range of unique engagement rings designed by our family and refined over generations to achieve the perfect proportions.

However you decide to buy an engagement ring, check the jeweller’s reviews ahead of time to ensure their customer satisfaction matches the jeweller’s claims around aftercare service, quality and craftsmanship.

Speak to the Engagement Ring Experts

SH Jewellery has helped over 15,000 couples say “I do” since 2005 with our exclusively designed 18kt gold engagement rings and wedding bands. Our friendly, non-commissioned consultants have an education-first philosophy and will patiently guide you through a thorough selection process to arrive at a ring that your budget, partner and mother-in-law will all agree on.

We look forward to meeting you and helping you find “The One”!

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