Few questions in life warrant such immense thought and pre-planning. The ‘when’ and ‘where’ of it all should, of course, be considered. But, it's the engagement ring that's imperative to truly ensuring a momentous proposal (and guaranteeing the all-important “yes”)… but how? That's where we at GQ come in.
And thus the pressure for buying the right engagement ring begins. Diamond or sapphire? Yellow or white gold? And then there’s the murky waters of how much to spend. What’s clear is that there’s really only one question we can hear across the internet: “Will you... Will you help me find the perfect engagement ring?” Yes! A thousand times, yes! We thought you’d never ask.
We’ve done the research, spoken to the experts and collated the ultimate engagement ring guide to get you set up for the fated one-knee drop. You got this!
How much should I spend on a ring?
“They” say it should be equivalent to a month’s wages (or is it two? Or three?), but is that before or after rent? Gas? Electricity? Groceries? The occasional night out? Restaurants? Ground coffee? Avocados?
If you think buying a bag of Haribo Starmix is beginning to look like an efficient option, fear not. Hannah at Lila’s in South East London assuages our money anxiety: “Whether it's £200, whether it's £50,000, each one is super special to whoever is buying it. The rule about spending a month's wages – we don't think that's true. It has to fit each person.”
What should I look for when buying a ring?
Some significant others may have already hinted at the kind of ring they’d like or even shown you the exact style. If that’s the case for you, then you’re on easy street. For those with partners that have played it more coy, choosing a ring is a little trickier.
A good place to start is to take note of the kind of jewellery they like. Check their jewellery draw, notice if they prefer white or yellow gold jewellery and if their style is classic, vintage or more alternative. Consider their lifestyle – are they athletic? Do they use their hands often? If you’re really struggling, ask a friend or family member who’s in the know but can also keep a secret.
How can I tell what their ring size is?
If you’re planning on keeping your proposal under wraps, then this is another task that will require some sleuthing. “If they wear rings on either their left or right third fingers, then borrow one and take to a jeweller for sizing,” advises Jason D’Heureux, creative director of London-based jewellers Taylor & Hart. “If you can’t take this ring out of the home, trace the inside of the ring and compare against an online ring size guide.” If they don’t wear rings, according to Jason, the average UK ring size for a woman is “L”. If you do get the size wrong though, don’t worry, you can always have it resized post-proposal.
How far in advance should I buy the ring?
Allow yourself a couple of months before you want to propose. Deciding on a ring will take time, plus most jewellers will take around four to six weeks to create the ring and have it sized for you. “Avoid rushing the process of finding an engagement ring,” says Jason. “This is possibly one of the most important jewellery purchases in your life, so take the time to do your research on what your partner will like.”
What are the best jewellers to buy a ring online?
There are pages and pages of engagement rings to mull over at F Hinds, a jeweller that offers quality gemstones at excellent value. Choose from classic solitaire rings, such as the one pictured, to those more sparkling bridal sets with central stones surrounded by decadent halo clusters on multiple bands. With a 30-day returns policy, it eases the frustration of not being able to browse in store. fhinds.co.uk
‘Beautiful, unique, and responsible', that's the mission statement of Mayfair-based Fenton jewellery. Founded in 2019 with the aim to do better by the jewellery industry and its shoppers, Fenton celebrates love with its sparkling collections, designed with responsibly sourced materials of the highest quality, for a price that suits each independent consumer. Find your everlasting heirloom, regardless of who you are, or who you love. Oh, and they also specialise in lab-grown diamonds. It’s a win-win. fentonand.co
An institution for jewellery of all kinds and operating from the late 18th century, Goldsmiths is an easy first point of call when perusing engagement rings online. Its selection spans simplicity to vintage decadence, myriad gemstones and metal types and best-selling jewellers including Mappin & Webb and Jenny Packham. All that is paired with immense convenience, with up to four years of interest-free credit to pay off your purchase and free next-day deliveries, any day of the week – perfect for those truly spontaneous decisions. goldsmiths.co.uk
A jeweller that's long had a presence on UK high streets, the online selection at Ernest Jones encompasses engagement rings from three figures up to around £20,000, including high-end ring makers such as Vera Wang. With a wide selection of precious metals and ethically sourced diamonds in traditional solitaire form or clusters, it's one of the most accessible and diverse places to begin. ernestjones.co.uk
A brand that can be credited with originating the engagement ring as we know it, back in the late 19th century, we all know today that few jewellers can incite quite the excitement as that which comes in a little blue box. Tiffany's legacy remains just as strong today, with many an expert-crafted engagement ring to choose from online. All are classics and, as with anything from Tiffany, it really is hard to go wrong. tiffany.co.uk
For the ring shopper ready to make a statement and spend some serious cash, Shay might just be the way forward. Having garnered a cult following for its glamorous, high-octane aesthetic, Shay's creations are underpinned by their intrinsic focus on high-quality gemstones, platinum and 18kt gold, as well as being laden with 1920s-era Art Deco influences.
With a passion for recreating antique ring designs for the modern landscape, Jessica McCormack specialises in romantic pieces imbued with a sense of history and luxury. For contemporary bling with a timeless attitude, look no further. jessicamccormack.com
If not for its iconic floral fabric patterns, London department store Liberty would surely be known for its ground-floor jewellery selection. If you're looking for an engagement ring with an alternative gemstone to the traditional diamond, Liberty has plenty to offer, from deep green emeralds to multi-stone clusters. These alternatives are an increasingly popular choice and one look at the selection here will show you why. libertylondon.com
Contemporary opulence with a Art Deco twist, Rainbow K's colourful fine jewellery collection is punctuated throughout with anachronistic details and vibrant colours. For the ring-wearer drawn more to coloured gemstones than to diamonds, Rainbow K's collection has become well-known for its balancing act of contrasting antique details with elegant modern touches to create heirloom-grade pieces that make an impact. And while the price point skews a bit higher, the designs themselves make it easy to see why.
Cartier's Solitaire 1895 is an icon in itself among engagement rings. It is timeless in its style and has been done in countless variations. Bands come in platinum, rose gold and yellow gold and, while the diamond classic tends to be the gemstone of choice for most, don't write off the sapphires, emeralds and rubies also available. Or, for something that ups the ante on ostentation, the Destinée Solitaire boasts a halo of cut diamonds that shine in every angle. cartier.com
For the edgier of partners, consider eschewing something more traditional in favour of this bold pick from Rat Betty. A flat-faced signet design, this ring doesn't mix words, whoever dons it sends a clear message to the world: they are — all caps, in bold — engaged. Hands off. ratbetty.com
Designing to inspire the stories that are told generation after generation, Beaverbrooks is the mid-priced brand that is people-driven at every step of the way. Home to just about every different style you can think of, Beaverbrook's extensive online selection has something for traditionalists, vintage lovers and modernists alike.
An online destination for gemstones of all varieties, Angara has a diverse range of jewels including topaz, amethysts and citrines. Not the most traditional proposals, but, for anyone seeking an alternative style with a more personal touch, something to consider. It's not short of traditional diamonds either, with vintage styles, such as the round Halo Circle ring pictured, in different, customisable metal types, carat weights and gemstone qualities. angara.com
Where better to invest in a diamond than at the aptly-named diamond store? With a heritage stretching to the way back when of 1956, this London-based, family-run business first began making its fine jewellery in Hatton Garden, and now sells worldwide. For those concerned with both budget and morality, The Diamond Store also plays host to a range of fully lab-grown diamonds which, let us assure you, glint and glisten just like the real thing. thediamondstore.co.uk
What should you look for in a diamond?
The four Cs to follow if you’re buying a diamond are:
Colour: Diamonds are placed on a colour scale: the less colour, the more valuable. A colourless diamond is the traditional route but you can also opt for something more modern and eye-catching like a yellow or pink diamond.
Clarity: Rated on a clarity scale of “inclusion” (natural blemishes that aren’t generally visible to the naked eye), the less blemishes, the more valuable.
Carat: Naturally, the heavier the diamond, the more you will pay. Just remember, bigger isn’t always better. Your partner will probably want to wear their engagement ring everyday, so it’s important to think about what will work with their lifestyle, rather than buying the biggest rock you can afford.
Cut: Round or princess (square) cuts tend to be the most popular, but there's an endless sea of cut variation available. This is when you might want to bring in a friend or family member to help advise on what shape to choose.
Diamond alternatives to consider
If your would-be spouse tends to skew more alternative than classic when it comes to style, then you may want to consider a different gem to diamonds. When shopping for gemstones, the same four Cs apply, with a particular focus on colour. “Colour has many more aspects here, including shade, saturation and dispersion across the gemstone,” advises Fenton founder Laura Lambert. “Some shades are considered more valuable than others but we would say that it's important to choose one that you really love more than anything.”
Sapphire: The second hardest mineral after diamonds, sapphires are traditionally beloved for their deep blue shade, but are also available in myriad colours, including yellow and pink (Princess Eugenie said yes to a blush sapphire ring). The stone became a popular engagement ring choice when Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with a 12-carat oval blue sapphire and 18-carat white gold ring that originally belonged to his mother.
Emerald: One for the green lovers, emerald engagement rings have adorned the high-profiled fingers of Jackie Kennedy, Grace Kelly and Victoria Beckham (just one of her many engagement rings).
Ruby: Ranging in pink to blood-red shades, the ruby is held with high esteem in Asian cultures and is said to symbolise passion, wisdom and success. While it tends to be less common than sapphires and emeralds, Orlando Bloom recently proposed to Katy Perry with a floral-inspired ruby engagement ring surrounded in a halo of eight diamonds.
Solar Diamonds: Not your typical diamond, Fenton's ‘Solar Diamonds’ launched earlier this year, growing glittering gemstones from literal sunlight to produce a genuine alternative for your typical, and often ethically-complex, diamonds. Lambert says of the range, “We launched Solar Diamonds in keeping with our key values, giving customers value for money whilst delivering a genuine new gold standard of a quality product. There's also a romance and excitement that comes with a light-reflecting diamond that was literally grown with sunlight, beauty is married into its origin story, it's a wonderful circular image.”.
Aside from their simple beauty, Fenton's Solar Diamonds also come at a more affordable price than one might think. Where a Hatton Gardens one-carat diamond might set you back up to £5,000, one carat of Solar Diamond will come in at just £2,500.
Other options: The coloured stones listed above may be the most popular diamond alternatives, but they’re not the only options. Seek out the more modern and alternative ring designers and you’ll find styles sporting everything from opals, to garnets and aquamarine.
The setting
The main stone can come in the form of a cluster, a halo, solitaire or three stones. Then on the band itself, stones can be inserted through channeling grooves or paving rock by rock. This alters the way the stone is presented.
Band materials
White gold, yellow gold and platinum are all very traditional options, with rose gold now becoming more and more popular. There are many different metals, all of which vary in grade, strength, colour and price. Make sure the jeweller you choose is licensed and reputable and then begin firing them with questions.
Do diamonds hold their value?
After one to three billion years existing as crystallised carbon, what difference is another five years going to make to its value? Well, buying an engagement ring is not exactly a sound investment it turns out. The Guardian reports that, “A retailer can mark up a new diamond ring by up to 100 per cent and it could lose half its value the moment that you leave the shop. Even with a diamond bought at the virtually wholesale rates of London's jewellery centre, Hatton Garden, it could take more than five years to regain its price.” It’s the thought that counts, though, right?
How do I find an ethical engagement ring?
The diamond industry has, thankfully, come along way since the infamous Leonardo DiCaprio Blood Diamond days. Still, there are some tactics to employ to ensure your beloved doesn’t end up with bling that has caused harm. For starters, you’ll want to only buy a diamond that is Kimberley Process certified, which is designed to reduce the flow of conflict diamonds. This certification isn’t a catch-all though, so, according to Fenton's Lambert, it’s also important to ask questions before handing your cash over.
“I would ask your jeweller if they made the piece themselves and if so where and in what conditions?” advises Lambert. “If your jeweller isn't aware of their own supply chain and manufacturing process then that shows a lack of care about the quality and design of the piece as well as the ethical standards.”
Can you propose without a ring?
If you want to become part of the flock of tradition disrupters and take on a ringless proposal, do know that it isn’t just some ingenious ploy to avoid actually buying one. As a happy medium, try an “interim ring” or a “pre-ring”, as Hannah suggests. “Generally, if you're gonna propose, I think it's good to do it with something, whether it's the ring or whether it's a pre-ring,” adds Hannah, then afterwards you can build or choose the perfect one together.
