How to Choose the Perfect Engagement Ring in Encinitas

It's about that time when you want to make a promise of love and commitment to your girlfriend. However, this moment of union and celebration cannot be complete without an engagement ring. It is the ring that symbolizes the love between two people. That moment when you go down on one knee to pop the big question will forever remain engraved in both of your hearts and minds.

The engagement ring, which she will wear daily for the rest of her life, has to be special. The story behind the ring is what makes it unique. At Leo Hamel's, we want to make sure that your ring tells a beautiful story. We provide a guide that will help you as you make one of the greatest decisions of your relationship. Selecting the ideal engagement ring for your bride in Encinitas should now be easier.


Establish a budget

Deciding on a budget is important to help our Encinitas or San Diego jewelers to show you the options that fall within your price range. Shop for the best engagement rings within your budget. Be aware of any financing options that can make the purchase easier. At Leo Hamel’s, we offer many affordable financing options.


Choose a gemstone

We have a wide variety of precious stones in our collection of engagement rings. Now more than ever, you need to be right about your girlfriend's style and choice. Therefore, you need to know whether she is the diamonds, sapphires or rubies kind of girl before you walk into the store. But fear not! If you don’t know, our experts will help you make your best choice, and we offer the opportunity for a full trade-in for a different ring later.

Diamonds and sapphires are the most popular choice for many people. Being the hardest natural gemstones on earth, diamonds can live through the day-to-day wear and tear of engagement rings. Sapphires are nearly as hard as diamonds, and differentiate the wearer from the rest of the crowd.


Choose the metal for the ring

Another decision you have to make is whether to go with platinum, palladium, titanium, white gold, yellow gold or rose gold. To get a hint of what she may prefer, pay attention to her current jewelry. Every metal has its pros and cons. Platinum is the most durable and most expensive compared to gold. Platinum and white gold are generally more in vogue, with rose gold a bolder option in Encinitas.


Select the gemstone shape

When choosing the ideal stone for your engagement ring, bear in mind that you can choose from a variety of cuts including round, princess, oval, pear, heart among others available in shops near Encinitas and San Diego. Round is the most common and can be the most expensive shape for diamonds. Selecting a different shape like the princess cut can ease your budget load and your princess may also love it!


Choose the ring’s setting

Another crucial decision is in selecting how the stone is placed on the ring. Her taste matters greatly when it comes to this as it can draw the line between whether she likes it or not. Is she more inclined to detailed and antique styles or sleek and modern? To be on track, think of her clothes, accessories, art and even the furniture she likes. That should tell you whether she wants a classic, modern, glamorous or a blend of all those.

To prevent you from being totally clueless when you enter the store, here are some of the different types of settings; solitaire, halo, three-stone, cluster, and rings with sides stones. Diamonds can be set with prongs, channel-set, bead-set, tension-set, or pavé set.


Figure out her ring size

You want to get this bit right. You have chosen the perfect ring that she absolutely loves, but when you go on one knee to propose, you realize it doesn't fit. There is only one word for that: awkward. You can get the ring size right by taking one of the rings she rarely wears from her jewelry box and bring it to our shop not far away from Encinitas on the I-5 for free measuring.

As you do all this, you want to maintain an aura of surprise. Imagine how romantic it would be to have the perfect ring that fits and surprise her with a proposal. Few men rarely hit this trifecta. We can help you to be one of those men!