On BonneGueule, you can find lots of advice articles on wedding outfits for men. But before getting married, you should think about proposing!
To help you make the right choice of engagement ring, here are all the tips from Pauline Laigneau, founder of the jewelry brand Gemmyo.
We had already made two pieces of content with her on the subject, 5 years ago:
Many of you appreciated his teaching and his clarity, and I said to myself that 5 years later, a little update wouldn't be too much!
I remind you that this is not a direct mailing and that the brand has not paid anything to appear in our columns, it is really a desire on our part to give you the best advice to make the best choice of jewelry .
Benedict
WHAT THE FUCK ARE ENGAGEMENTS FOR?
Engagement is the event that symbolizes your love before marriage. While marriage will seal the union of two people in the eyes of all, engagement symbolizes love for the loved one. This event must be symbolized by something: the engagement ring.
Finding the perfect piece of jewelry, the one she will want to wear for the rest of her life, is not easy! This is why today I am going to give you, with the help of Bonne Gueule, the eight-step method that will allow you to find the perfect engagement ring.
WHAT IS AN ENGAGEMENT RING?
Traditionally, the engagement ring takes the form of a solitaire, that is to say a central stone mounted on a band. Obviously, you can adapt the ring to the lady's style. Some will prefer a ring with paving or a surrounded center stone.
What you need to remember is that the engagement ring is the piece of jewelry that will embody your love. It is therefore a very important piece of jewelry with which you will “mark the occasion”. Here are the first three things to know.
1. 18 CARAT GOLD OR 750 THOUSANDS?
It's the same thing and it's also the choice that I recommend for an engagement ring, quite simply because it is the most appreciated, noble and solid metal that can be used in jewelry.
What does 18 carats actually mean? This means that 75% pure gold makes up your jewelry. The remaining 25% are other alloys used to whiten or pinken the jewelry, and also to provide more strength. Because pure gold, 24 carats, is less solid. I therefore strongly recommend 18 carat gold, or 750 thousandths, which also corresponds to 75% pure gold.
And what about 14 or 9 carat gold? On the contrary, I do not recommend these two, which offer less solidity compared to 18 carat gold. As you have understood, while 18 carat gold offers 75% pure gold, 14 carat gold is only made up of 58.5% pure gold. 9 carat gold is made up of 37% gold.
For a piece of jewelry that is intended to be worn throughout life, it is not ideal to favor a less qualitative metal which will tend to degrade over time. To summarize: 18 carats, or nothing!
2. LOOK CAREFULLY AT THE SETTING
The second important concept to know is the setting. Setting is the jewelry technique which consists of holding a piece of jewelry. Small metal claws which surround the stone, or the closed setting technique which surrounds the stone so that it does not move.
This is important to know because if you are looking for quality jewelry, it is important that the setting is very solid but at the same time very fine. If the setting is too coarse, the jewelry will not look harmonious. All this to say that if you go to a jeweler, it seems important to me to discuss the question of setting with them.
3. THE QUESTION OF FINGER SIZE
The third concept that is important to know is that of finger size. Finger size is THE question you never know how to answer, gentlemen. Don't worry, at Gemmyo, resizing is free.
OUR EIGHT-STEP METHOD FOR CHOOSING WELL
1. STYLE
What style of jewelry should you choose? Obviously the question that arises is “what is her style?”, the jewel must please her, since it is a ring that she will wear all her life. I can give you a little advice; is to try to analyze one's clothing style.
Is she rather wise, classic, conservative in her style? On the contrary, is she eccentric, sharp, likes to think outside the box? It's important to ask yourself this question because it will guide you in choosing the engagement ring. Typically if the lady is rather “wise”, I think that a simple solitaire, with a metal ring and a stone will be the ultimate chic.
Conversely, if you know that she is quite sophisticated, quite feminine, that she likes delicacy, I can recommend the pavé solitaire: a ring paved with diamonds and a center stone.
If the lady has a more eccentric style, then why not turn to creative rings. If she likes to play with accessories, for example she likes quality bags, perhaps she will appreciate being given a ring that is visible, and in this case I can recommend the surrounded solitaire.
You will have understood, there is something for everyone and the most important thing is that the jewel pleases her. To do this, analyze your clothing style, and that's how you will know which piece of jewelry to turn to.
If you are still lost and don't know which model to turn to, I advise you to opt for a diamond solitaire, it works every time!
2. THE BUDGET
How much should you spend on an engagement ring? You should know that there is a standard. In the United States, it is even very codified since you have to pay three months' salary for this piece of jewelry.
In France, it's a little less precise, we try to leave a little more room for emotion and we therefore estimate that we can devote one to three months' salary to the purchase of the wedding ring. engagement.
It's a lot of money but don't forget that it's a precious piece of jewelry that she will keep for life.
3. THE CHOICE OF METAL
I advise you to opt for 18 carat gold or platinum. Ditch the silver which is very nice for an accessory jewelry but which will oxidize over time, and which is therefore not recommended for an engagement ring.
What is the difference between 18k gold and platinum? Platinum is a metal whose color is inherently white and will never change over time. This is a very nice advantage and that is why it is often nicknamed "the king of precious metals" and if you like rarity, platinum is 50% rarer than gold.
Concerning 18 carat gold, there are several colors of gold: white gold, yellow gold, pink gold. Your choice will depend on your tastes, since there are advantages and disadvantages for each of these metals.
White gold has the same color as platinum but has the disadvantage of patinating over time. If white gold tends to yellow over time, it is because it is ultimately yellow gold - 75% - to which additional alloys are added, notably silver or palladium to whiten it. , but we will obtain a result halfway between yellow gold and a perfect white color.
In jewelry jargon we also talk about white gold. We therefore add a surface treatment, called rhodium, to give the metal its white color. The problem with this treatment is that it can tend to flake over time. It will of course never turn yellow again, but the metal can still tend to tarnish over time.
Yellow gold will never lose its color over time. From a stylistic point of view, it is true that quite few women choose yellow gold because it is a slightly more out-of-fashion material.
At Gemmyo, we have 10% of our customers who choose this type of gold. However, if you noticed that she wore all her jewelry in yellow gold, don't hesitate and choose this metal. If you have no idea, I advise you to turn to white gold or platinum instead.
The third and final metal is rose gold. Don't expect a very punchy pink, it's still quite discreet! If it has this color, it is for the same reason as yellow gold: composed of 75% yellow gold and 25% other alloys for pink, and in this case, copper.
The advantage of this gold, beyond the fact that it is very trendy, is that it suits all skin types. Another advantage is that the color of rose gold is intrinsic to it, and will therefore persist over time without problem.
Finally, last advice, if you know that she prefers colored materials but you can't decide on one or the other, I advise you to opt for pink gold, which will be a choice safer.
A quick focus on platinum: it is a material 50 times rarer than gold, which has a price. It is hypoallergenic and does not move over time, but it costs more than gold because platinum is 40 times denser than gold.
For a piece of jewelry weighing one gram of gold, you get a piece of jewelry weighing 1.40 grams of platinum. Overall, when we talk about price, we consider that a piece of platinum jewelry will cost up to 40/50% more than the same model in gold. Conversely, the same price applies for all three types of gold.
A little jeweler's tip, if you want to tell the difference between platinum and white gold quite easily, just take a look at the hallmark. The State hallmark is the element which guarantees the nature of the metal which constitutes your jewel. In this case, 18 carat gold is represented by an eagle's head while platinum is represented by a dog's head and silver by a neck brace's head.
4. THE CHOICE OF THE PRECIOUS STONE
This is a crucial and very difficult step since the engagement ring is precisely characterized by the fact that it is adorned with stone(s) and generally with a center stone.
Which choice to turn to? To begin with, if I can give you a statistic, at Gemmyo, 45% of our engaged couples choose diamonds. It is enormous ! If you want to be sure not to make a mistake, I advise you to choose diamond. There are several qualities of diamonds.
DIAMOND QUALITY
It is imperative to request the GIA (Gemological
What I can recommend is to opt for a DIF, GVS or HSI diamond quality. HSI quality is the best value for money: your diamond will be a very white color with very few inclusions (invisible to the naked eye) which will guarantee you a very pretty diamond shine.
GVS quality guarantees a slightly whiter color and fewer inclusions, meaning an even purer diamond than HSI quality. Naturally, the price is also a little higher.
DIF quality is the noblest quality of diamond. The color is perfectly white and no inclusions are visible, even under a 10x magnifying glass. The price varies from one quality to another exponentially.
An HSI quality on a certain size of stone will have a price, whereas a DIF quality will be at a price two or three times higher. The larger the stone, the greater the price difference will be. For example, on a 1 carat diamond - a very beautiful stone size - the price of an HSI quality will already be significant, but explodes completely when you want to opt for a DIF quality.
A very important last word: if you choose a diamond jewel, it will benefit from a shine that has nothing to do with another stone and I also recommend that you pay attention to the size of the diamond. Color and clarity are important, but it is the size of the stone that is the most important factor in making your diamond shine.
Its size is noted on the GIA certificate and I advise you to choose a stone size rated “Very Good” or “Excellent”. At Gemmyo, we do not offer stones with these annotations, but the information is not always available on all websites. So pay close attention to this point.
COLORED STONES
Now let's talk about colored stones. Maybe your future wife doesn't want a diamond, maybe she's more attracted to the shimmering shine of a colored stone: sapphire, emerald, why not ruby... Let me give you some advice on choosing your colored stone.
The sapphire
The most popular stone for an engagement is sapphire. Stone with timeless radiance, which we saw on Kate Middelton, which pleases because it is a symbol of wisdom and elegance. Blue sapphire is chosen by 20% of Gemmyo customers. Blue sapphire is a stone whose shine is very sustained and goes perfectly with white gold, it will contrast with the metal and I recommend it if your metal of choice is white gold.
The advantage is that sapphire is significantly less expensive than diamond and allows you to have, for the same price, a piece of jewelry with much more volume. There are different qualities of sapphire, at Gemmyo we offer the standard quality which is a very good quality of sapphire and we also offer an exceptional quality.
This second quality represents 0.5% of the precious stones extracted in the mines and is therefore a guarantee of real rarity, but also of an absolutely perfect shine, color and size. A standard quality sapphire is still very satisfactory and will, I am sure, please him very much!
Aquamarine
The third most appreciated precious stone is aquamarine, by 15% of our customers. Blue is an easy color to wear.
Aquamarine is a very pretty stone with a lot of brilliance, a refractive index and therefore very high brilliance and which will be easy to wear every day because it is a very crystalline stone, which adapts suitable for all styles of outfits, unlike ruby and emerald whose reflections are deeper and more distinct.
It has a considerable advantage: its value for money. A beautiful aquamarine of a nice size will cost 5 to 6 times less than a diamond. So it's worth it, if you want an engagement ring with a beautiful center stone.
The ruby and the emerald
Ruby and emerald are chosen by 5% of our customers each. These are stones which are very beautiful and very appreciated but which have certain disadvantages. First of all, ruby is a stone that has a lot of inclusions, it is very difficult to obtain one that is totally pure. Very often, you may notice that the ruby appears slightly hazy and will therefore be less shiny than other stones.
Emerald is a green colored gemstone with incredible luster. A magnificent, deep green, which goes very well with brunettes, but it is true that this emerald has a small drawback, and that is its fragility. On the Mohs Index, the scale of hardness of gemstones, emerald is much lower than diamond (the hardest stone) sapphire and ruby. It is 7 on the Mohs scale, instead of 10 for example for diamonds. Be careful if Madame is not meticulous, I do not recommend emerald.
THE CHOICE OF SHAPE
The round shape is by far the most popular, which is also called the brilliant cut in our jargon, for a simple reason, it is the stone with the most facets and will therefore make your jewel. The diamond is traditionally cut in this shape, including 57 facets and this is why it has so much brilliance.
If you have chosen colored stones, you will be able to be more free with the size of your stone! Typically a very beautiful shape for a sapphire, emerald or ruby is the oval cut since this size allows a large exposure surface and therefore a sparkle? Larger and shallower for, in general, better value for money.
If you are looking for something more pointed or original, you can definitely think outside the box and choose a cushion or princess shape which are more square shapes. It's a choice that's up to you, but if you're a little lost and want to be sure to please, take the round shape.
5. ENSURE THE QUALITY OF THE JEWELRY
We must ensure that the jewelry is Made in France, precisely to ensure that our demanding criteria are respected. It may be trivial to say it, but jewelry, as it is practiced today, was practically invented in France.
Made in France is therefore a real label of quality. You can ensure that your jewelry is made in France thanks to the hallmark. The French state hallmarks all Made in France jewelry to ensure that the consumer is not 'deceived', whether it is 18 carat gold, platinum or silver. Make sure that the diamond-shaped hallmark is present, synonymous with manufacturing in France.
The other tip to ensure the quality of your jewelry is to look at the setting of your jewelry. The setting is these kinds of pieces of precious metal which allow you to hold your stone, either by encircling it, or why not, with claws. It must be both robust and thin for a harmonious result.
Taking a look at the setting of your jewelry will allow you to realize
The last detail from a quality point of view is simply that your jewelry has never been worn and that the polish, that is to say the way in which the metal has been treated, is of quality. You can observe this by looking at the smooth part of the material of your ring and wondering if there are any micro scratches. If you ever realize that the polish
6. SIZE
The average in France is around finger size 54. If your future wife
But if you want to be more precise, you can opt for a ring sizer. What is a ring sizer? This is a small plastic tape that can be put around the finger to measure its size. If you decide to order with her, opt for this ring sizer request.
If, on the other hand, it's a surprise, opt for a sheet of paper made up of circles that correspond to different finger sizes. You can attach a pilfered ring to your future wife and easily find her finger size.
Once again, rest assured, if you ever make a mistake, make sure the re-sizing is free. It would be too bad to give her a piece of jewelry that she couldn't wear.
WHICH FINGER TO WEAR THE RING ON?
The finger to wear the engagement ring on is the left ring finger. Left why, because it is the hand closest to the heart and the ring finger because it seems that a vein crosses the ring finger and goes up to the heart. Since this is a ring that symbolizes your love, this is naturally the finger we chose for the engagement ring.
7. ANTICIPATE THE CHOICE OF THE ALLIANCE
It is important to ask yourself which wedding ring to wear with the engagement ring. Because they must work together.
If you have chosen an engagement ring with a very large stone, for example, make sure that it has been designed so that the wedding ring can be attached. If this is not the case or you already know which engagement ring you are going to choose, the engagement ring will be worn on the right hand and the wedding ring on the left hand.
And for those who are concerned by this video, tell yourself that the engagement ring is worn on the left hand, and the wedding ring, on the right hand. At Gemmyo, all our engagement rings are designed to be combined with a wedding ring because we know that it is very important.
8. SPEND TIME
Be sincere in this approach, find out, it’s fascinating. You will then have the opportunity to tell the whole story of the research to your future wife. If you spend time there, if you educate yourself, it's bound to result in a wonderful story to tell. She will be amazed and that’s ultimately the goal!
So, rather than choosing a low-cost copy of a big brand piece of jewelry or choosing a beautiful but poor quality stone, spend some time on it. It is a piece of jewelry that she will wear all her life, which symbolizes your love.
