Traditionally, diamond rings have been presented by men when they proposed to women. In fact, the presentation of diamond engagement rings has been the standard of the engagement process, at least in Western countries, for decades. The lead-up to the presentation of the diamond engagement ring was much awaited, especially by the bride-to-be who generally did not see the engagement ring until the moment her intended got down on one knee and proposed. Indeed, one of the first questions most of the friends of the newly engaged woman asked would be “Show me the ring!”
Today, this tradition has changed quite a bit. Couples have become more modern and as a result, the process of obtaining the engagement ring has also changed quite a bit. Today, it has become quite common for the woman to have more of an opinion on the style of her engagement ring. In fact, many modern women even choose their own diamond engagement ring.
The fact that more and more women are choosing their own diamond engagement ring has certainly had an effect on the engagement ring industry. Many jewelers are noting that larger diamonds are being selected as well as settings that are definitely non-traditional.
The message is certainly clear. When it comes to the size of the diamond in the engagement ring, it certainly does matter. Women today much prefer the look of a ring that is big and sparkly when they become engaged.
So, what has led to this new trend? Many jewelers have speculated that modern women of today, many who are waiting until after they have established their career to think of marriage, are not the least bit hesitant to ask for exactly what they want. In addition, the fact that more and more couples are older when they become engaged often means that they have more cash available to spend on the purchase of a large engagement ring.
There is also something to be said for the fact that the longer a woman waits to become engaged the longer she has to think about what kind of engagement ring she wants and to identify her own personal style. Women of today frequently want their engagement rings to reflect their own personality. ‘Cookie-cutter’ engagement rings of yesterday are definitely out of vogue. Many women today want their engagement ring to make a statement. They want their rings to reflect their own style as well as say something about their relationship with their fiancé.
Men are definitely picking up on this evolving trend. The common practice today is for most men to bring their fiancées to the jewelry store after they have proposed and have her indicate the rings she likes best. Men who are in the dark as to whether their fiancée would prefer certain shapes, settings and metals have found it is much easier to handle the process in this manner.
According to a survey conducted by the Diamond Trading Company, a mere 19% of men stick with the conventional process of presenting their girlfriends with a diamond engagement ring by surprise.
While many women are going with their fiancés to choose their own engagement rings there is also an increasing percentage of the population who are taking assertiveness to a new level and even going out and purchasing the exact engagement ring they want and then presenting the receipt for the item to their partner.
While it should be pointed out that there are definitely still some men around who are more old-fashioned and prefer to launch a surprise proposal complete with the diamond ring, most men are astute enough to do some homework before they actually venture into the jewelry store.
Forums on jewelry websites have become a particularly handy tool for men who find themselves in this type of situation. The number of men asking for advice on purchasing an engagement ring on such forums has definitely increased in just the last few years.
Of course the fact that diamond engagement ring styles and trends have changed so much in the last few years certainly makes such homework a necessity. No longer is it possible for a man to simply go into a jewelry store and choose from a variety of round solitaire diamond engagement rings set in gold which are pretty much the same. No, today there is a much larger variety from which to choose. Not only are brides choosing from platinum but also other options such as rose gold. The number of settings for engagement rings has also broadened as well.
Brides looking for something different are also now frequently looking toward celebrities for inspiration as well. Heidi Klum’s canary yellow diamond engagement ring has certainly served as inspiration for many while other brides are choosing diamonds of other hues including pink, blue and green.
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