Real Estate Search Direct

Are you ready to make a commitment? Looking at engagement rings? Or houses?

Homer Buyer made a commitment to himself to become a homeowner in the same year he made his commitment to his fiancée, Ivana Newhouse.

In early 2008 Homer was still in his final year of grad school.  He was already committed to buying a house when he graduated, but he felt that he would be missing something to make his house a home.

He had been dating Ivana Newhouse for almost a year and he wanted to share the rest of his life with her.

Homer spent a good part of January looking at engagement rings.  He wanted something perfect for his lovely Ivana.  He was so nervous that she might not accept a proposal.

Homer was usually pretty decisive, but he vacillated on what to buy Ivana.  Valentine’s Day was quickly approaching and Homer wanted to make it something special for her.

He had asked her what her ring size was, so he knew she was expecting a ring.  Still, he wanted to surprise her.

When Valentine’s Day came,Homer planned a nice dinner at Ivana’s favorite restaurant.  After they finished their dinner and were waiting for dessert, Homer pulled a ring out of his shirt pocket.  It was a plain silver ring with a heart shape.

Ivana looked slightly disappointed, but more curious about what was attached to the ring.

The heart was wrapped in a red thread which extended back to Homer’s chest pocket.  Homer told Ivana, “This ring is a symbol of my love for you, and the thread is a symbol of the link between my heart and yours.”

He said, “If you ever want to bring us closer together, all you need to do is pull the string.”  Ivana gave the thread a tug and out of Homer’s pocket popped a beautiful three diamond engagement ring.

Homer caught the ring, smiled and dropped to one knee.  He asked, “Ivana Newhouse, will you do me the honor of being my bride?”  As he held out the stunning custom diamond ring to her, Ivana was overcome with emotion.

For a moment she sat there, jaw trembling slightly.  When she was able to speak again, Ivana said, “I would love to be your bride!”

Are you looking for an engagement ring?  Here are some of the things Homer learned about choosing a ring:

• A starting rule of thumb for a budget is about 2 months salary
• Find out what style and metal your intended fiancée prefers
• Choose a setting that will suit her tastes, then see how much you have left for a diamond
• Size and quality are the two main characteristics determining price of the stone
• Price rises exponentially with the size of the diamond

Although a starting recommendation of 2 months salary is customary, you can adjust to fit your particular situation.  Homer was not making much at the time he bought Ivana’s ring, but he had a good job waiting for him when he finished his Master’s degree.

If you want to keep the ring a surprise, it may be harder to determine what style or metal should be used in the setting.  Pay close attention to what jewelry she already wears.  You can also ask her friends and relatives if they know her preferences.

The price of the diamond is affected by four C’s:

• Carat weight -  The size of the diamond is a major factor in the price you can expect to pay.  Because larger diamonds are harder to find, the price goes up exponentially.  You should find a balance between a large stone and a quality stone.
• Cut -  The cut plays the biggest role in the brilliance of the stone.  A diamond with no other shortcomings that is poorly cut, will not shine as well as a lower quality stone that is well cut.  Depth of cut and number of facets are important to creating a brilliant shine.
• Clarity -  Diamonds with no impurities are very rare and therefore very expensive.  Varying number and size of inclusions affect the clarity of the diamond.
• Color -  Colorless diamonds are the most expensive, with the exception of some rare “fancy” colors.  Varying shades of off-white color will reduce the stone’s value.

Putting together the right balance of size and quality in a ring to match your budget and your beloved’s taste can take some skill and judgment.

Similar to buying a house, an engagement ring is an investment that you can value for the rest of your life. You now want to buy a ring specifically designed to suit your needs.  Design your own diamond engagement ring today.