How much should you spend on an engagement ring?
Skip the three-months-salary rule. Set a ceiling you can pay in cash, subtract the extras, then spend what is left on cut, comfort and the details you will notice.
Jewellery buying guides
Long, plain-spoken guides for choosing an engagement ring, a diamond, a wedding band or a chain: what matters, what does not, and where a cheaper choice is the better one.
15 guides · Updated
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Engagement rings
Choosing, budgeting for and designing an engagement ring.
15 min read 17 min read How to choose an engagement ring: a step-by-step guide
A step-by-step way to choose an engagement ring: set the budget, then the stone, shape, setting, metal, diamond qualities, ring size and timing, with the trade-offs at each stage.
15 min read Engagement ring settings: solitaire, halo, pavé and more
The setting decides how safely your diamond is held, how much light reaches it, what upkeep the ring needs and which wedding band will sit beside it.
Diamonds
Grading, shapes, reports, natural and lab-grown.
14 min read Diamond shapes: every shape compared
Compare ten diamond shapes by apparent size, sparkle, length-to-width ratio and weak points, then match a shape to your hand and setting.
17 min read How to read a diamond grading report (GIA and IGI)
Every field on a GIA diamond grading report explained in order, from report number to clarity plot, plus how to verify it, how lab-grown reports differ and what no report tells you.
14 min read Lab-grown vs natural diamonds: how to decide
A lab-grown diamond and a natural diamond are the same material formed in different places.
16 min read The 4Cs of diamonds, explained
What cut, colour, clarity and carat weight mean, how GIA grades each, and how to balance them so your budget goes where you can see it.
Metals & wedding bands
Ring metals and wedding bands for every hand.
15 min read Gold vs platinum for engagement rings and wedding bands
Platinum is dense, naturally white and usually about 95% pure.
16 min read How to choose a wedding band that suits your engagement ring
A plain guide to picking a wedding band that fits beside your engagement ring: straight, curved or notched shapes, matching metals, widths, sizing, stacking, and whether to buy together or later.
17 min read Men's wedding bands: metals, widths, profiles and finishes
Metal, width, profile, finish and size decide how a men's wedding band wears.
Custom design
How a bespoke piece goes from idea to finished jewellery.
Chains & bracelets
Cuban links, tennis bracelets and how to choose them.
Sizing & care
Ring sizes, cleaning and keeping jewellery in good shape.
14 min read How to clean and care for diamond and gold jewellery
Wash diamond and gold jewellery with warm water, mild dish soap and a soft brush, keep it away from chlorine, and have the prongs checked about every six months.
14 min read How to find your ring size (and keep the proposal a surprise)
Measure with a paper strip or a ring you already own, match the result to a Canada/US chart in millimetres, and learn how to size a partner quietly and what resizing can fix.
More from the library
- 68 termsEncyclopediaEvery term you meet while shopping for fine jewellery, from carat weight to cathedral settings, defined in a few plain sentences and explained further down the page.
- 8 articlesJournalShorter pieces on the questions that come up before a purchase: traditions behind engagement rings, how to wear and stack jewellery, birthstones and gifts.