Every year around 380,000 marriages are concluded in Germany. That means around 380,000 men are in the eager search for a matching engagement ring for their sweetheart. First of all, nothing replaces expert advice at the jeweler of trust. Here are some tips to get you started with the alternative engagement rings:
- Ring size
In order not to miss the ring size of their future, many men steal the rings of their girlfriends and bring them to the jeweler. A little tip: Anyone who suspects or hopes to get an application soon, so should leave a few rings lying around and can already casually mention his ring size.
- How big should the stone be?
There is no formula to determine the perfect size of the stone. Large hands usually fit larger stones. On delicate hands small stones look pretty. But also the finger length plays with pure. On a small hand with long, slender fingers, a big stone can look great too. While a big hand with rather short fingers might stand a little stone better.
Conclusion: Men should consult the goldsmith at length and describe the hands of their girlfriend. Helpful are photos. Exciting is the comparison of countries when it comes to buying preferences: While German men tend to subtle stones usually, Americans prefer large diamonds. The reason: Our men fear that we women with a large stone on the ring finger are exposed to the envious glances of our fellow men.
3. style
Richly decorated, very simple or rather unusual? If the purchase of the engagement ring is due, many men no longer see the forest for the trees due to all the ring variations. At Cartier, they are often asked to describe the style of their future. Photos help when the words are missing to classify the look of the woman. For example, Cartier’s “Solitaire 1895”, which – as his name suggests – was launched in 1895, fits classic types. This ring is an icon of the Cartier house. Since its invention, it has remained virtually unchanged. For women with a playful look, the model “Ballerine” is an option.
- Material
In the store of trust, “man” should get advice on which material is suitable for the ring. Silver is a relatively inexpensive option. Cartier primarily offers rings made of platinum, but also in red, white and yellow gold. Again, it is difficult to say flatly which material suits which skin tone. In general, Platinum stands bright, cool skin types. The advantage: rings made of this material do not scratch quickly. White gold, on the other hand, is a bit more sensitive. Rose gold is good for Asian and blond skin types. Yellow gold usually looks good on dark, warm skin types.
- Safety
If you buy a solitaire at Cartier, a certificate from the external Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is part of the product. This certificate guarantees the quality of the stone and provides information about the 4 Cs of the individual diamond. Not every jewelery shop has its diamonds certified by an external institute.
- The 4 Cs
The most skilled men are interested in the “4 Cs” when they buy an engagement ring. They stand for Cut, Clarity, Color and Carate Weight. These four parameters determine the value of a diamond.
Hardly a diamond is flawless. A good cut means that the proportions of the diamond are perfectly symmetrical, so that the light is optimally reflected. In Color, D is the best (colorless) and Z is the worst. Cartier offers colors in the DH range. For many other suppliers, the colors I and J are common.
- Costs
There is no rule on how much an engagement ring should cost. After all, marriage is a love affair and should have no materialistic motives. In the past, however, a marriage often meant a financial security for the woman, which usually did not have their own income. With the engagement ring, the men granted their future a certain security. If the marriage did not materialize, the woman could still sell the engagement ring to make ends meet. Presumably, the rule of thumb at the time was that the engagement ring should have the value of three months’ salary for the man. But as I said: not on the value of the ring, but on the gesture is important.
