Antique, or “vintage”, engagement rings are procured in one of three ways, and each has their advantages and caveats. First, you may have access to a family heirloom jewelry piece that could serve as an engagement ring. In this case, you should be prepared to have a master jeweler clean, polish, and personalize it in some way to represent the uniqueness of your relationship. (You might upgrade the stone to a larger diamond, or add sidestones or gold detail around the shank of the ring.) Second, you may discover the perfect engagement ring from a source that sells actual antiques; estate jewelry resellers, pawn shops, and online retailers are a common source for these pieces. Finally, you might purchase a new engagement ring setting from a modern-day jewelry designer which is based on an antique style. This offers the convenience and quality of contemporary jewelry construction methods, with an appearance that matches your desired style of an earlier vintage. In this case, it’s most helpful to browse the selections of online jewelry vendors that offer jewelry customization options, so that your finished piece may still be “one of a kind”.

If you’ve found an actual antique piece of jewelry to serve as an engagement ring, it’s critical that you have it carefully cleaned and reviewed by a jewelry craftsman to make sure that it’s still in good, stable condition. Some early jewelry construction methods were not as good at securing their diamonds in place in the setting, and active use may cause stones to pop out and get lost. Considering the investment required to purchase a diamond engagement setting, it’s definitely worthwhile to guard against any accidents by making sure the piece is in reliable condition. Also, if it was originally produced as a white gold ring, it will likely show a heavily worn surface that’s no longer white or shiny. This can be easily corrected by having a coating of rhodium applied, which most jewelry stores are capable of.

Your choice of engagement ring will ultimately serve as a lasting representation of your loving relationship with your future spouse, and will be treasured for a lifetime! Every ounce of research about various diamond traits, the “4 C’s”, and diamond settings will be fully worthwhile as you are able to enjoy seeing the pleasure with which your girlfriend receives the ring. Bridal jewelry is meant to last, and it’s up to you to make a regular habit of extending love, generosity, and respect to each other and enjoying the fruits of your relationship for years to come.

The Beautiful Company has been an online jewellery retailer since 2003 providing high street quality jewellery at internet prices. Their low overheads are reflected in their prices but not the quality of their jewellery as all their gold and platinum items are hallmarked in the UK and the diamonds in their diamond rings are all available with certification. They also have a 30 day moneyback guarantee so you can be assured what ever you buy will be what you want or they will give you your money back. If you are planning to buy a wedding ring or a diamond engagement ring and are short of time many of their rings can be provided within 5 days.

If you have a definite idea of the engagement ring that you want to get for her and you cannot find it in any stores then you are going to have to look into getting it custom made. There are many jewelers, most of the higher end ones, that will be able to do design the perfect ring for your favorite woman. They can help you bring to life any ideas that you have in mind. If you are ready to take the matter into your own hands then you need to get a fantastic designer to work on your engagement ring. This also adds a personal touch that no store bought ring can do.

If you want to pick the way the ring works but you do not want to go to the time and expense that a custom ring can cost you can choose to put it together yourself. There are all kinds of website that will allow you to customize an engagement ring in just a couple of minutes. The choices that you will get to choose from will not be as advanced as a true custom ring, but you will be able to choose the shape and size of the diamond, as well as the setting and the kind of gold.