How to…Buy an Engagement Ring

I’m sure you all have dreams of your “perfect” engagement ring. Tradition and etiquette says that as your partner drops to his knees and begs for your hand in marriage, he should produce a little box with a not-so-little ring!

Now back to reallity. You all have dreams of your perfect engagement ring, you know what you would like (as my now wife did) and what you would not, and it is a brave man who buys the engagement ring before the proposal, even more so if he does not find out what you would like. Many men, including myself, will propose with a “costume ring”, or a stone that is not yet set. At a push he can get away with a Christmas-cracker style monstrosity (just like myself to “test the water” – not the actuall proposal I might add).

When it comes to buying the engagement ring, as tempting as it may be to buy the first one you see, take your time as it will be on your finger for years to come. Ask your other half for a budget guideline, no good looking at rings that cost thousands when his budget is only £500! A general guide for a budget is about one months salary (circumstances allowing). Then start looking around.

My Engagement Story – The Engagement Ring

It was inevitable that we (Karen and I) would get to this point, mainly after asking a “hyperthetical” question to Karen, then my girl friend, “hyperthetically, what would your answer be if I asked you to marry me?” After a stunned silence, a quiet “hypertheical yes of course” we started to look at engagement rings. At this point, the official question had not been popped!

Karen had a good idea of what she wanted, so we went to some jewellers and she tried some rings on to see what suited her fingers/hand best. Once she knew exactly what she wanted, it was then up to me! No pressure there then!

I was quite luckly, in that my mum used to work in Hatton Garden, so she  knew where I should go and look. I ended up buying the gem stones, shank and claws separately and then had the ring made, so Karen would end up with a unique engament ring, made especially for her.

My Engagement Story – The Question

So, with the ring in my pocket, it was time for a short break to Edinburgh over Valentines’ Day. Come Valentines’ Day, we went for a sight seeing walk around Edinburgh, all the time I was looking for a “good” location to pop the question. Every time I thought “this looks like the place” there was just too many people around and I was not that brave!

Eventually, we ended up at Calton Hill, overlooking Princes Street and Edinburgh. I looked around, nobody about, heart starting to beat alot faster and getting very nervous, I bent down on one knee, said a poem that I had prepared ealrier and asked Karen if she would marry me. She said yes – phew! Then, we heard some applause! Where did that come from, as I had not seen anybody about – but there in a parked car was an elderly lady, clapping and congratulating us. Something we will never forget. Every time we see anything about Edinburgh, especially when Calton Hill is shown, the memories flood back.

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