11 Pro Tips No One Tells You Before Shopping For an Engagement Ring

Wegman says that at least half of her future brides come into NYC stores to try on replica engagement rings without their partner. Many of them arrive armed with pictures, directions, hand-drawn sketches, and even lengthy PowerPoints that they also use to guide their partner at home. "It's a common misconception, but most women are involved in the engagement-ring process," Wegman tells POPSUGAR. "The degree varies from couple to couple, but it's encouraged, as it eliminates confusion on the partner's side and ensures she gets exactly what she's dreamed of."

Wegman and her team of artisans have coined the Whisper Thin model, which boasts the thinnest band on the market at a width under 1.5mm. While skeptics have said it's not possible to create a band this thin without sacrificing quality, each one is custom-made by a master bench jeweler who takes into account the exact dimensions of the stone and the client's finger size. The reason the look is so popular is because a super-thin band gives off the illusion that the diamond is floating on the finger, making it appear even bigger.

Wegman's top tips for determining metal color (platinum, yellow gold, rose gold, silver, etc.) are to take a cue from your current jewelry collection and consider what color will best flatter your skin tone. She suggests avoiding trends here, noting that the majority of the budget goes toward the stone, so brides have the option to update their setting in 10 years if metal preference changes. Of course, there are no rules, so even if your engagement ring is platinum, it's OK to mix in yellow-gold fine jewelry, too.

At Ring Concierge, ovals have been the most-requested diamond shape for the past few years. Wegman attributes it to a combination of inspiration from celebrities à la Hailey Bieber and the elongated cut, which gives the look of a larger diamond compared to other shapes of the same carat weight. Wegman confirms that pears also look larger than their carat weight, and have been on the rise in popularity from 2022 to 2023.

Many people do not consider carat weight when selecting the stones that comprise their Toi et Moi engagement ring. Wegman notes that it's most important to ensure the two stones look good together, especially from a color and measurement perspective. "A pear and emerald combination is one of our top-sellers, but often, the emerald cut selected is actually a larger carat weight than its pear counterpart in order to make them a visual match," she says. "This is all based on how the shapes distribute their carat weight, which is different from stone to stone."

In Wegman's experience, most male clients think they should opt for a smaller diamond with higher color and clarity, but women typically prefer the opposite. Jewelers like Ring Concierge help customers strike the perfect balance, so they can play around with color and clarity to allocate more of their budget to size without sacrificing beauty. Wegman maintains that diamond make is the most important aspect of an eye-catching engagement ring, because it defines the level of sparkle.

Wegman recommends at least a 1.5mm band stacked between the engagement ring and wedding band for protection. This will prevent the two pieces from continuously hitting one another, while also adding visual interest — potentially even a pop of color, if you mix metals — to a stack. The only time you should skip a stacking band is if you're wearing a bezel band, since each diamond is protected with a thin gold rim around it.

Wegman says small baggies are actually the best way to store jewelry, especially when traveling. Stowed separately, this prevents tangling and scratching. Plus, the clear bags make it easy to see which pieces you're grabbing. "When I'm at home, I love laying out my jewelry on a tray," she says, mentioning that she always reminds clients to never wear their engagement rings while working out, sleeping, or swimming in the ocean.

Even if you want a visually simple engagement ring setting, there are three key ways to consider "secretive" personalization. You can add a hidden halo under your stone with tiny diamonds or gemstones that represent a specific sentiment. You can also add your partner's birthstone underneath the diamond, a subtle detail only you can see. Finally, you can add two small burnished birthstones in the inside of the band to represent your birthdays in lieu of a traditional engraving.

Wegman says the most common reason her clients bring their engagement rings back is for a resizing, which should come as no surprise. But she also sees many customers return in 5-10 years to reset their diamond or upgrade the center stone, mostly because their taste in style has changed.

When future brides find themselves unhappy with their engagement ring, it's usually because their partner didn't listen to the desired details, they each had a different vision, or there was no communication about the ring at all. So don't be afraid to speak up, Wegman advises — this is one important piece of jewelry.