Or should I say, fiance?

Having been a jeweler for as many years as I’ve been, I know a thing or two about proposals. So men, listen up! Because these are 4 easy steps you can follow to WOW the love of your life with the perfect ring.

Step 1: Talk to her

I know, I know. You want to surprise her! Of course you do. But honestly, guys, I can tell you right now, she knows that it’s coming. She doesn’t know the details, and that’s where you can really make it special. But she is very aware of the fact that it’s coming. I’d say that’s true about 98% of the time.

You don’t have to talk in detail. Frankly, you probably have no idea about half the terms she’ll use when she tells you what she wants. What you need to do is hone in on the diamond or sapphire. Yes, I said OR sapphire. Some women don’t want a diamond.

You can massage your way into the topic by commenting on someone else’s ring and making a mental note of what she says about it. Or maybe you can see her Pinterest board for “my dream wedding” or show her our “wedding inspiration” or “Marx Jewelers” Pinterest boards.

If those don’t work, just ask her. She’ll tell you the cut of the diamond at the very least. She might also tell you that she wants it colorless or what clarity she would prefer. She might also say that she wants a big rock (she’ll say it modestly of course, but you can tell she wants a big one) or that a big one would get in the way and she wants a small one.

Step 2: Talk to me

Bring this information in to me. I’ll tell you about the stone and what she’s looking for and the various options you have. At this point you also need to decide what your budget is. After all, a diamond can be anywhere from $500-$50,000.

Choosing the solitaire diamond at this point is the most important thing you can do for her wedding ring. A good diamond is your goal. Using her preferences and your budget, we’ll adjust the colors, sizes, and clarities until we come up with something that works for everyone.

You might go with a slightly colored diamond in order to have a bigger size, for example.

Step 3: Tiffany Style

I’d say about 80% of women like a solitaire diamond in a Tiffany style setting, which has four or six prongs, typically. It’s the classic look of an engagement ring.

The important thing to remember here, men, is that you are purchasing the diamond, not the ring. The setting allows you to pop the question, receive that hoped for shout of “Yes!” and slip the ring on her finger immediately.

She can wear it as soon as it’s official. She’ll “oo” and “ah” over it. Show it to all her friends. Post a picture of it on Facebook. You’ve seen it before. And that’s how you know you did it right!

Step 4: Get it Right

But after a few days or weeks she might start talking to you about wedding band designs. Maybe a Tiffany style 4 or 6 prong setting isn’t quite right for the band design she wants. Or she was hoping for yellow gold, not white gold.

At this point, you tell her with the confident swagger of a man who knows exactly what he’s doing (because you do!), that it’s no problem.

Make a date with her to come into my store, perhaps with a nice dinner following our appointment. At this appointment, she can tell me everything she wants in her ring. We can either use the solitaire, or you can get a full refund by returning the ring and placing the diamond in a ring designed to match her taste and preferences.

Read last week’s blog to understand the process for creating a custom ring with me.

Here’s to you, men, proposing to the love’s of your lives. Good luck!

Dedicated to be your jeweler,

Slava