When you’re looking to get engaged, there are many things to consider – as many know, given the fact that up to half of all adults in the United States alone are currently married. For one thing, planning the perfect proposal is something of a must. As the average couple will date for around five years before getting married, it is likely that you’ll know your partner well enough to plan the perfect proposal for them. As every person wants a slightly different kind of proposal, this is a very important thing indeed.
Picking out the engagement ring itself is, of course, another key and critical aspect. There can be a good deal of stress surrounding the selecting and buying of an engagement ring, but this does not necessarily have to be the case. There are many different places to shop for an engagement ring and these rings come in at all different kinds of price points, as many jewelers well know.
For instance, you might choose to get a classic engagement ring, popular among jewelers all throughout the country. This engagement ring is often known as the solitaire style, which features a single stone set on a simple band. This style is classic and well loved, having been around since the year of 1886, when it first became popular throughout the country and even beyond it. For many people, a solitaire setting on a diamond ring is elegant and beautiful – and won’t necessarily break the bank. The size of the diamond will vary and jewelers can find options for a wide array of budgets.
Of course, other types of diamond rings are also popular among jewelers in the United States, especially for engagement rings. After all, the diamond is the hardest known naturally occurring substance in the world, testing as a 10 on the MOHS hardness scale. This is hugely impressive indeed, and is something that means that a properly cared for diamond will last for a lifetime – and last quite beautifully, for that matter. For many people, diamonds of all sizes are highly prized and even a small diamond ring will be much loved – especially when it comes as a part of a proposal.
For some people, lab grown diamonds have become the ideal option, able to be found with jewelers and even on online retail sites. Lab grown diamonds are often far less expensive than naturally mined diamonds, which typically must be mined from around 100 miles below the surface of the earth. There are often far fewer ethical concerns for lab grown diamonds than more naturally occurring diamonds, a big reason behind more and more jewelers offering a wider selection than ever before of lab grown diamonds.
The metal used for an engagement ring or even a wedding band is yet another thing that should be considered before proposing (or in the process of planning the wedding, in the case of the wedding ring). Gold and silver remain popular choices, both for aesthetic value as well as a whole slew of other reasons. For one thing, silver alone is quite durable and able to stand the test of time. There is a great deal of historic precedent for using silver as well, as silver has been found in jewelry that dates as many as 6,000 years in our past, something that is nothing less than monumental, to say the very least on the subject matter. Of course, blends of different metals, including both silver and gold, are also quite popular and have made quite a name for themselves throughout the course of recent history. Rose gold is relatively newer in terms of overall trends, but is yet another popular contender.
All in all, the process of planning an engagement – and later, a wedding – can be a complex one. There is just no doubting this fact. Fortunately, however, there are more options out there than ever before, especially when it comes to things like engagement rings. For a great many people, finding the perfect engagement ring ends up being a great deal easier than what they anticipated thanks now to the variety of options and alternatives to traditional diamond rings.
