4 Things You Should Know Before Buying an Engagement Ring

Name: Becker's Fine Jewelers
Address: 65 LaSalle Rd., West Hartford, 06107, USA
Telephone: (860) 521-3202

1. Wait to Engrave the Ring

Engraving is a personal way to add even more special meaning to an engagement ring. People typically engrave the date of the proposal and their initials. Many choose to engrave the inside of the band, opposite the center stone. It’s best to wait to do this until AFTER the proposal, unless you’re 100% sure of your fiancée-to-be’s ring size at the time of purchase. If the size has to be altered, this can ruin the engraving and it will have to be polished off and redone.

Our Master Bench Jeweler, John, skillfully hand-engraves all different types of jewelry at Becker’s. You can choose from a number of fonts that we have available. Contact us about custom engraving!

2. You Can Transform the Look of Your Ring with Rhodium Plating

Yellow and rose gold are trendy metal choices, but if your fiancée-to be-isn't sure she'll love it forever, you have the option to rhodium plate the ring to make it appear as if it were originally white gold! This is not a permanent solution, as the ring will need to be recoated after time, but it truly gives your ring a new life.

Rhodium may be buffed off (as long as your ring doesn't have engraved details) to restore the ring's original appearance, although we don't suggest switching back and forth often. Contact us for rhodium pricing.

fire and ice diamonds

3. Diamond Color & Clarity Can Dramatically Affect Price (In a good way!)

If your budget is tight, consider changing a color or clarity grade for your center diamond. This will likely not be noticeable to the eye but can save you a lot of money.

We’re proud to carry Fire & Ice loose diamonds, which are expertly cut to maximize the diamond’s size appearance, brightness, and whiteness. You get a diamond that faces up one to two color grades better than its actual GIA or AGS color grade! Learn more by clicking the photo:

4. “Alternative” Center Stones Need to be Cared For

Modern brides-to-be are choosing colored gemstones as alternatives to a diamond center stone. We love this trend, but you should be aware that most gemstones are not as durable as a diamond. Sapphire and ruby are the two hardest gems behind diamond on the Mohs hardness scale, which makes them great choices for engagement rings.

However, other gemstones such as morganite, tanzanite, and opal are softer and are susceptible to cracking, fading, and can be harmed by common substances such as hand lotion, soaps, and various chemicals.

When in doubt, take off your ring and put it away in a safe place before rigorous activity, cleaning, and showering. We offer FREE professional cleaning and inspection to help keep your ring in tip-top shape! When you're ready to pop the question, allow our engagement ring experts to help you find the perfect ring!