Are you hoping for a 2017 proposal? Or, ahem, anxiously awaiting a long-anticipated one? Well I’m still holding out hope you’ll get a surprise Christmas proposal – my FB feed is already full of them and they NEVER cease to delight me #ImASentimentalCheeseball. But just in case your proposal is coming toward the tail end of engagement season (or, you know, July) I’ve got some things we should talk about.
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1. Diamond Shapes
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If you’re hoping to get engaged in 2017, you likely fall into one of three camps. You 1. already know exactly what you want 2. have a Pinterest board with a few daydream diamonds 3. don’t know, don’t care, what you want your ring to look like. If you’re camp 1 (I was too) then I’ll meet you at the next talking point, can you grab me a coconut milk latte if you go on a coffee run during this discussion? If you’re camp 3 you probably aren’t reading this. If you’re camp 2, let’s narrow down your options.
There are SO many gorgeous diamond shapes! You probably feel pulled toward one or two, right? Like you loooove every round brilliant and cushion cut you see, but can appreciate the emerald cut’s beauty without coveting one. So that helps you know that you like the fire & brilliance that go along with round/cushion, and you prefer them to the clean, icy geometry of the emerald cut (or vice versa.) Go through your pins or Insta screen shots and see if a pattern emerges for what diamond shape you like. If nothing jumps out at you, here are my predictions for hottest diamond shapes of 2017:
- Pear Shape – it’s been trending upwards, and this fancy shape combines the brilliant facets of a round (which hide flaws & color!) with an out-of-the box shape. Fashionistas love this shape, and it looks just as great in a halo as it does in a three stone setting.
- Cushion Cut – the cushion is a square diamond with rounded corners. It’s softer and more feminine than the perfectly square princess cut, and it looks fantastic in pretty much EVERY setting.
- Round Brilliant – the most popular diamond shape since its rise to fame in the mid 20th century. It’s not going anywhere in 2017. Solitaire or halo still own the RB ring game, so if you LOVE the round brilliant look but want something a bit different, check out a three stone setting. It’s still classic, and not as popular as it was 30 years ago.
Check out how diamond shape affects price here, but if you love a shape that’s “more expensive” don’t settle for one that’s less money-per-carat. Every single diamond’s price depends on SO many factors, this one isn’t worth stressing over. These are.
2. Center Stones
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Now that we’ve talked about diamonds, let’s talk alternative center stones. Moissanite and Cubic Zirconia are two popular alternatives. I wrote about them last week, and Gem Hunt has some great info too. However, remember you’re not limited to colorless center stones! Every September baby and Duchess Catherine fan knows not to forget about sapphire engagement rings. And while I normally caution against emerald engagement rings because emerald is a softer gem, bloggers like Sarah Vickers of Classy Girls Wear Pearls and Kate Lumpkin of Hepburn Diaries make me reconsider. I love those rings. I also want to direct our attention again to the beeeeeaaaaaauuuuuutiful Morganite, because I love it and it plays nicely with our next point of discussion.
3. Metals + Mix and Match
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Rose gold is here to stay for another year. It’s warm and feminine, makes colorless diamonds look impossibly white, makes warmer color grades look whiter, brings out the best in every skin tone, is less expensive than platinum, and makes it easy easy for you to combine your engagement ring or wedding ring with your existing jewelry wardrobe. Whether you choose a full on rose gold engagement ring, or a two tone with hidden rose details, you can’t go wrong. If you want a white metal engagement ring, you can always add a rose gold stacking wedding ring for a pop of color. My personal favorites are Henri Daussi wedding rings because they come in unique shapes, textures and gemstones PLUS the rose gold.
4. Financing
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So earlier this year DBRL added an awesome new team member & we were all strategizing/planning/teamwork making the dreamwork-ing and someone brought up financing. New team member, expert in her field but new to the jewelry industry was like “You can finance engagement rings?” In our small, insular team bubble we were so familiar with the concept of financing – it’s how 90% of our couples buy their rings – we literally never talked about it. Not on any of our 8 billion social media channels and not on the blog. That’s changed, and I want to make sure EVERYONE knows you can use financing as a tool to buy the perfect engagement ring. As long as it’s a ring you can afford. If you’re planning a 2017 proposal, look into your financing options – you have a ton.
5. Proposal Ideas
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This is really more for the propose-r than propose-e but it never hurts to cry your way through eight pages of How He Asked, or to stalk proposal ideas on Pinterest. Just don’t get hung up on “the rules.”
6. INSURANCE
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All caps! You need to get your ring insured ASAP. Here’s why. If you’re getting engaged in 2017, have a plan for insurance ready.
7. Timeline
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Good things take time. Including premium designer engagement rings. Here’s exactly how much time:
Alright, I think we’ve covered it! Anything else I’m missing that soon-to-be-brides should know? Calling all you ladies with a brand new sparkler on your ring finger!
