Engagement ring tips

Choosing an engagement ring for someone else is a quiet act of attention. The finest rings are not chosen by price or size. They are chosen by knowing her. These notes are for whoever is buying the ring.

Find her size discreetly

• Borrow a ring. Take a ring she wears on her ring finger, ideally on the left hand, and measure its inner diameter against our ring size guide. Return it before it is missed.
• Trace it. If you cannot take it away, press the ring into a bar of soap or trace the inside edge on paper. Measure from that.
• Check the finger. A ring from her right hand or another finger will not be an exact match. The dominant hand is often slightly larger.
• Ask a confidant. A close friend or family member may know her size, or can find out with a plausible excuse.
• Compare with your own. If she has tried on one of your rings, note how far down your finger it slipped.
• When in doubt, go slightly larger. A ring that is a touch large can be worn safely until it is adjusted. One that is too small cannot be worn at all.

Read her style

• Look at the jewellery she wears every day. Notice whether it is fine and minimal, or bold and sculptural.
• Notice her metal, and whether she reaches for yellow gold, white gold or rose gold.
• Consider her clothes. Clean, tailored lines suggest a classic design. A love of texture and colour suggests something more individual.
• Listen when she admires a ring on someone else, in person or on screen.
• Choose for her taste, not your own.

Choose a shape

• Round. The most brilliant and the most timeless. A safe choice if you are unsure.
• Oval. Graceful and elongating on the hand. It looks larger than a round of the same weight.
• Emerald. Clean, calm and architectural. For someone with an eye for tailoring.
• Cushion. Soft and romantic, with a vintage feel.
• Pear. Distinctive and elegant. For someone who likes to stand slightly apart.
• Princess and radiant. Modern and bright, with a sharper outline.

Our diamond guide describes each shape in more detail.

Choose a setting

• Solitaire. A single stone on a simple band. Pure and enduring.
• Halo. A ring of small diamonds around the centre stone. It adds sparkle and visual size.
• Three stone. A centre stone flanked by two smaller ones, often said to represent past, present and future.
• Pavé band. Small diamonds set along the band for light from every angle.
• Bezel. A rim of metal around the stone. Sleek, modern and secure for an active life.

Think about daily life

• If she works with her hands, a lower setting or bezel is less likely to catch.
• Consider how the ring will sit beside a wedding band. Some designs are made to sit flush, others need a shaped band.
• Choose a metal that suits her other jewellery and her watch.

Quality over size

A larger stone is not always the more beautiful one. A well-cut diamond of modest weight will sparkle more than a larger stone that is poorly cut. Put cut first, then balance colour, clarity and carat to suit the design.

Make it personal

• An engraving inside the band, such as a date, initials or a few words, stays private between you.
• A hidden detail, such as a small stone set beneath the centre stone, is a quiet surprise.
• A bespoke design lets you shape a ring around her story. Every House of Amora piece is made to order, and we welcome bespoke commissions.

If you are still unsure

Some prefer to propose with a ring that is simple and classic, then choose the details together. Others propose with a loose stone and design the setting as a couple. Both are lovely ways to begin.

For a private consultation, in person or by video, please visit our concierge.