How to Choose an Engagement Ring

An engagement ring is given as a token of the promise to marry. Its history reaches back to ancient Rome, where feelings were entrusted tothe circle of a ring, a symbol of eternity. The custom of wearing it on the left ring finger comes from ancient Egypt, where people believed a vein there connected directly to the heart.

More and more people now wear their engagement ring every day. It is chosen not only for special occasions but as jewelry that stays close through daily life. For that reason, design is increasingly judged bywhether it can be worn every day.

Here are some of the designs most often chosen for engagement rings. Each has its own character, and what suits you will depend on the shape of your hand and your taste.There is no single right answer.The one that moves your hearts is the right one for the two of you.

The most classic design, with a single diamond as the star. Its simplicity lets the beauty of the stone speak directly. It pairs easily with any outfit and never grows tiring.

A design set with small diamonds along the band. It adds brilliance and can make the center stone appear larger.

A design where small diamonds surround the center stone. It has a vintage feeling and makes the center stone look larger than it is.

A design with small stones set on either side of the center stone. Its appeal lies in the balance of brilliance and classic elegance.

The metal that forms the base of the ring is an important choice, one that shapes not only its look but also its durability and care. At ANNA DIAMOND, we offerPt950, Pt900, K18 yellow gold, K18 pink gold, K18 white gold, and K10.

Of course, other materials such as silver are not wrong. In fact, the designer couple's own wedding rings are silver. Seeing the passing of years as a refining rather than a wearing, they chose silver on purpose, to enjoy the character that changes over time. We believe there is no absolute right answer in choosing a material.

Platinum: pairs beautifully with the white, strong brilliance of a diamond, a classic and timeless beauty.

K18 yellow gold: gives a more casual impression and pairs easily with everyday clothes such as denim or a T shirt.

A diamond's quality is judged by four standards, the 4Cs: carat (weight), color, clarity, and cut (polish). Not every one needs to be the highest grade.What matters is balance.

We use only lab-grown diamonds of color D to F (colorless), clarity VS2 or above, and cut Excellent to Very Good. Ourdiamond guideexplains in detail why we set these standards.

We do not mean to deny natural diamonds. Stones born of billions of years hold a story no human can recreate.

A lab-grown diamond is physically, chemically, and optically identical to a natural one. With growing awareness of the environment and ethical consumption, lab-grown diamonds have come to hold a large share of the bridal market in Europe and the United States. Wearing a larger, more beautiful diamond for the same budget, and creating it without digging into the earth, are the reasons we chose this material.

For more, ourour guide to choosing a diamondexplains more.

Many people have heard the saying that an engagement ring should cost three months' salary.

This idea of three months began witha marketing campaign De Beers ran for the Japanese market in the 1970s. In Europe and the United States it spread as two months, and in Japan as three.

In other words, it is neither tradition nor common sense, but a standard born from advertising.

Because ANNA DIAMOND uses lab-grown diamonds, we can offer them at 30 to 50% of the price of natural diamonds of equal quality. A gentler price does not mean lower quality. It is the same material, judged by the same 4C standards.

What matters is whether the two of you chose with intention and true conviction.

At ANNA DIAMOND, we are ready to support either approach.

A romantic and moving way. It does call for quietly researching your partner's taste and size beforehand. Enlisting a friend's help or observing the accessories they usually wear, preparation is the key.

If you are unsure of the size or of their taste, there is another option, theproposal ring. You propose with a simple ring, then later choose the real ring together.

Within one year of purchase, one free resizing (plus or minus one to two sizes) is available, so you can buy with confidence even if you are unsure of the size.

You can be certain of choosing something that suits their taste. People sometimes think this loses the sense of surprise, but the very act of choosing together becomes a cherished memory for the two of you.

Alongside a consultation at our Daikanyama store, we also offeran online consultation directly with the designer. Those far away are welcome to use it too.

Ring size greatly affects how a ring feels to wear. Too tight, and it cannot be worn every day; too loose, and there is a risk of losing it.

There are ways to measure at home, such as with a paper strip, buta gap of one size easily appears. The most accurate way is to use a ring gauge or to be sized at our store. At ANNA DIAMOND, we also offera free ring gauge loan.

And within one year of purchase, one free resizing (plus or minus one to two sizes) is available, so you can rest easy even if you are unsure of your size.

For detailed measuring, please see ourring size guide.

When choosing an engagement ring, one thing surprisingly easy to overlook is layering it with a wedding ring.

When an engagement ring and a wedding ring are worn together on the same finger, how their designs suit each other matters.A straight engagement ring pairs easily with most wedding rings, so we recommend it.

With ANNA DIAMOND's bespoke work, so that the engagement and wedding rings can be worn as a set, we canmake fine adjustments down to fractions of a millimeter. Even if you choose the engagement ring first, we will later craft a wedding ring that fits it perfectly.

Finally, here are the points for choosing an engagement ring without regret.