You may have seen the episode of Sex and the City where Carrie happens upon an engagement ring that her man of that era, Aidan, had yet to present. If you've seen the episode, you'll know that the ring she receives - in her eyes - is cringe-inducing. It wasn't the ring of Carrie's dream. (I was forced to watch this episode against my will, by the way.)
There are some very good lessons for guys and gals to learn when it comes to you getting the engagement ring of your dreams. The lesson for brides is to give your fiancé some guidance, or forever hold your peace.
In another era, engagement rings were all very similar. If you think of your mother's engagement ring, it is more likely than not a diamond solitaire set in a yellow gold ring. It has only been in the last 15 years that the jewelry industry has begun to offer a great amount of choice to prospective grooms and brides alike. Not only are there options for cut and carat weight; now there are options for precious metals as well, including platinum, white gold and yellow gold. Furthermore, some brides are foregoing diamonds altogether in favor of other gemstones. The choices are many, and likely a bit bewildering for your fiancé, who only wants to please with a major purchase.
If you and your boyfriend are seriously talking about marriage, there's no reason why you can't express your wishes to him when it comes to the most important piece of jewelry you're ever going to wear. In fact, despite the lore of buying an engagement ring in secret coupled with a surprise marriage proposal, many guys are more than happy to get some direction on the former. I tend to agree with this approach, in that the marriage proposal itself should be the big surprise, rather than the engagement ring.
One New York City jewelry store, Roslyn Jewelers, offers a binder where a bride can pick out a series of engagement rings that she likes, and the store will contact the prospective groom to let him know that the ring-to-be is patiently waiting for him. Another option that the guys at GroomGroove.com suggest to our readers is to "accidentally happen upon" your local jewelry store to look at the pieces. The point is not for you to find the perfect ring so much as it is to rule out the princess cut, yellow gold ring that you most certainly know will make your hand look short and stubby! (The guys at GroomGroove.com are keenly aware that your boyfriend isn't thinking of that issue.)
As a final tip, you could rent season four, episode 60 of Sex and The City and play it on a rainy evening. —Michael Arnot, Founder, Groom Groove
Not sure your groom knows what the 4 C's are? Send him this article on how to buy an engagement ring so he can learn.
