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A proposal to marry is a wonderful event, one that will be remembered for a lifetime. A quintessential symbol of your commitment to love, the engagement ring and what it represents belong to many cultures all around the planet, and have done so for thousands of years.
As a reflection of your love and relationship, the ring you give when you propose is an object of emotion through which your feelings for your other half pass, and which you reveal to the world. It is therefore important to choose it well, and for that, to know all the options available to you!
In addition to the budget you have, which is a non-negligible element, there are other criteria to take into account in the choice of the engagement ring. In order to help you find your way around, we offer a guide to the different elements that can come into play, to help you choose the best one for you.
The engagement ring, more than just a piece of jewelry: a promise
In today's Western society, an engagement ring is given to incarnate the promise of eternal love and mark the willingness to share one's life with the person one loves, when proposing marriage. Thus, regardless of how and where your proposal takes place, it is an extremely strong and emotional act, which will remain forever engraved in your memory.
Through this ring,the future spouses officially commit to each other, and publicly display the decision of their union by the symbol of a ring passed to the left directory. This custom would go back to antiquity, it was believed then that a vein directly connecting the heart passed through this finger, so for this reason the ring sealing the promise of union was worn there. The symbolism of the ring would come from the fact that by its circular shape, without end or beginning, the ring would represent the infinite and faithful love. A very nice message !
Originally, the engagement ring was a simple ring, shaped in a noble material or not according to the income of the household. It wasn't until the Middle Ages that the tradition of giving a ring adorned with a diamond, to propose marriage, was born. Since then, the practice has remained and become entrenched. Thus, the diamond solitaire has become the ultimate symbol of engagement.
It is customary that it is Madam who wears an engagement ring, but mores are changing! Today, this one can quite put a knee to ask for the hand of her companion herself.
A piece of jewelry that looks like her: types of engagement rings
To be sure to please, it's best to give an engagement ring that will match the person who will wear it. Rather classic, richly paved or original, here are the different possibilities available to you.
The Solitaire
Traditional and timeless, the solitaire is the most classic ring for a proposal. The setting fades away to leave all the room for the stone, the central element of the jewelry. Easy to wear on a daily basis, the solitaire pairs easily with other jewelry, and will appeal to those seeking simple, uncluttered elegance.
The pavé solitaire
A pavement consisting of a string of small gems, it comes to bring an additional touch of brilliance to the jewelry, and magnifies all the beauty of the central stone. The body can be covered on a half or full turn of stone, on one or more rows depending on the solitaire model, just like our beautiful First Lady ring, for a luminous rendering that nicely attracts all eyes. Ideal for those who love precious and refined jewelry!
The surrounded solitaire
A surround of diamonds around the center stone brings to life a rich and flirty piece of jewelry with some volume. The brilliance of the surround catches the light and offers the most sophisticated look, especially highlighting the center stone if it is a colored stone. If the center stone is a diamond, visually the effect is striking: the stone appears larger and brighter. Captivating, it thus reveals all its fire and glows more beautifully, like the beautiful Jolie-Rose!
The shouldered solitaire
A shouldered stone is a stone surrounded by two other gems, on either side. This results in an original and harmonious composition, all in symmetry. These rings usually have a charming retro look, which will please those who like vintage or Art Deco ornaments. Inspired by the jewelry box of our elders, all in finesse and elegance, discover the shouldered solitaire: Passion, our little favorite!"
The iconic ring
It can't be repeated enough, but what really matters when you choose an engagement ring is the intention you put into it. In fact, nothing forces you to necessarily choose a solitaire to propose! If your heart pushes you towards a less conventional model, but one that you know will please your partner, don't hesitate! You can also choose an iconic piece, among the greatest brands of luxury jewelry Houses...
What gold for the engagement ring?
While it is entirely possible to choose a silver engagement ring, we advise you to choose a material such as gold or platinum, for example, which have a much better resistance to time.
At Lepage, we only use 750 thousandths gold (18k gold) to make our jewelry, and it is this quality that we advise you to favor for your choice. Too malleable to be used pure, gold must be alloyed with other materials to be solidified. 18k gold (750/1000) is the purest that can be used, composed of an alloy of 75% pure gold and 25% of other metals, usually silver, palladium and / or copper (especially to bring its soft pinkish tint to the rose gold).
Be aware also that, in an ecological approach, we use mostly recycled gold for our manufacturing. In order to keep the circular economy alive and avoid having to extract more and more gold from the ground, we buy back your gold to melt it down and reuse it. So, if you have old jewelry that you want to give a second life, you can visit a Lepage store or contact us by message to find out all the terms and conditions of buyback!
18k white gold
Contemporary, white gold is a safe bet for your engagement ring. An alternative to the platinum ring, which can be much more expensive, the white gold ring is no less vibrant thanks to the rhodium plating that can be done to sublimate the material. This operation consists of coming to deposit a thin layer of rhodium, a rare and precious metal, to cover the jewel, thus acentuating its brightness and whiteness.
Discreet but not shy, the white-gold solitaire displays a very pure and luminous aura, catching the light and glowing with the slightest movement. Compatible with all colored stones, and of course diamond, a white gold ring avoids any lapse in taste and is easily worn on a daily basis!
18k yellow gold
Traditional, yellow gold is the metal that was originally used to make wedding rings, simple golden rings passed to the fingers of married couples. If you already know that this is the type of wedding band your couple will choose for the wedding, going with the idea of a yellow gold solitaire is a good way to make sure that the two rings will pair well together.
With a diamond or colored stone, brilliant or fancy cut, the combinations are numerous and you will have little risk of making a mistake because all associations are possible!
18k rose gold
Overwhelmingly tender, rose gold displays tender shades that will appeal to the most romantic. Paired with a deep red ruby, or a bright diamond that will contrast nicely, rose gold is a bold choice that will render in the most beautiful way on matte or dark skin.
The rose-gold solitaire is a modern piece of jewelry that is becoming increasingly popular with future spouses. More discreet than its yellow gold version, Lepage rose gold is very soft because we use a small amount of copper in the alloy so that its color is not too pronounced. A rose gold ring is therefore a piece of jewelry with a refined charm, decidedly adorable!
Choose the stone that will adorn the engagement ring
Whether you choose a diamond or gemstone to adorn your solitaire, you'll often hear about "carat", a unit of mass to indicate the weight of the gem. This measurement is not to be confused with "carat" which is used to specify the quality and purity of gold. Today, we prefer to speak in "thousandths".
There are mainly two types of stones used in jewelry: precious, and fine stones. Precious ones are diamond, sapphire, emerald and ruby. All other stones are fine stones, or ornamental. Some non-mineral but organic materials such as mother-of-pearl, amber or even coral also belong to this second family.
A diamond
Precious stone par excellence, symbol of purity and eternity, the diamond is indisputable when it comes to the engagement ring. However, there are four specific criteria, which establish the quality and value of a diamond, and intrinsically its beauty: the 4C's which are Cut, Carat, Clarity, Color.
The first element to consider is the cut, "Cut", and has to do with the shape of the stone. There are criteria of perfection for each existing cut, taking into account notions of symmetry and proportion, as well as the number of facets, which help determine whether the stone has been cut according to the best possibilities to bring out all its beauty.
"Carat" refers to the weight of the stone, its volume. The higher the carat of a stone, the more valuable it is.
Then comes the criterion of purity of the gem, "Clarity". When formed in its natural state, it is normal for a diamond to have imperfections, which are called "inclusions". The fewer inclusions a diamond has and the more transparent it is, thus the more light passes through it and makes it glow.
Finally, color is the last element to consider when determining a diamond's value and beauty. The color scale starts at D (extra white), and goes all the way down the alphabet. The further away from D, the less beautiful the color of the diamond will be, tending towards yellowish (be careful though, as diamonds with a beautiful yellow color are on the contrary extremely rare, precious and expensive stones).
At Lepage, all of our diamonds are D to F in color, and SI (Small Inclusion) quality at a minimum. For any stone over 0.5 carat, we provide a certificate of authenticity from HRD or GIA. Our gemologists visit the Antwerp Diamond Exchange, a mecca for diamond buying, every week. The stones are selected one by one, according to the 4C's we just mentioned, so that only the most beautiful gems come to set our creations!
A solitaire adorned with a beautiful diamond will therefore always be a beautiful ring, a sure bet with which you can't go wrong!
A colored gemstone
Colored gemstones are the three precious ones, namely sapphire, ruby and emerald. All other stones (except for the diamond, which is also a precious) belong to the family of fine stones, or ornamental stones. Each has a specific origin on the planet, as very specific geological conditions are required for their formation.
Making the choice to offer a engagement ring adorned with a colored gemstone is a great way to show your partner that you know her inside and out, should you ever know that she has a particular liking for one of these three gems. ..
The 4C rule does not apply as such for sapphires, emeralds and rubies, however there are some criteria to help you choose a beautiful stone.
With regard to sapphires, we'll tend to look for a stone with an intense, deep blue color and no inclusions. For the shape and carat, it will depend on the type of solitaire you chose, but whether it is alone, shouldered or surrounded by diamonds, the blue sapphire will look great on a white gold setting! If you're looking for a less common stone, you should also know that there are sapphires in many other colors: yellow, pink, orange, purple...
Known for their mesmerizing green color, emeralds are very rare gemstones that pair beautifully with yellow gold. The emerald's inclusions, called "garden", form a slight white cloud inside the gem and give them all their particularity, a bit like a birthmark. They allow, among other things, to verify whether the stone has been treated or not, and therefore whether it is indeed natural and what its real value is.
A rubis of a beautiful red, the color of love and passion, will combine perfectly with the white, yellow or pink gold of the setting on which it will be set. Very romantic set in rose gold, contrasting with strength in white gold or imbued with classic charm in yellow gold, the ruby is a gemstone with character that will appeal to those who love bright colors!
The rarest hue for a ruby is called "pigeon's blood", it is a deep red of great beauty. If you want an unusual ring to propose, we invite you to discover The Siam, a unique creation in white gold and diamonds, set at its center with an incredible pigeon's blood ruby of more than two carats...
A fine or ornamental stone
Making the choice of a solitaire adorned with a fine stone for your marriage proposal offers the possibility of giving a colorful, highly original piece of jewelry. Conferring a special soul to the jewelry, a fine stone allows to bring out the personality of the one who wears it, and to express her rather sparkling, rather assertive or still rather discreet character...
If you want to propose with a ring that conveys a particular message, you can also learn about the symbolic meaning of the stones, so that you can make a choice with deeper meaning for you...
What shape of stone for an engagement ring?
In order for it to reveal its full beauty, a gemstone must be cut. Indeed, in its natural, "raw" state, the light does not pass through the gem in an optimal way, thus not bringing out its potential brilliance. It is therefore the role of the cutter to give a specific shape to the stone, depending on its size and the way the inclusions are placed. The objective is to create facets and give life to a prism, through which the light will refract through the stone.
There are now many sizes, all developed to enhance the gems. This multitude of options are so many possibilities for jewelers to create original jewelry, among which you will inevitably find your happiness.
The traditional cut: round brilliant
The "round" or "brilliant" cut is the most popular cut for diamonds, because it allows their full brilliance to shine through. With a perfect and timeless aesthetic, it is a real safe bet! Featuring 57 facets, this cut was invented in 1919 by Marcel Tolkowsky and was derived from mathematical calculations designed to optimize the brilliance and fire of the stone.
Original size: fancy shapes
Do you feel like getting out of the ordinary? In that case, you can look into a so-called "fancy" cut stone. A wide choice is offered to you, with rather square cuts such as the cushion, emerald, princess, baguette or radiant, which give a very nice geometric look to the jewelry, or more rounded cuts such as the shuttle (also known as the "marquise" cut), the pear or even the oval. You can also fall back on even less common sizes like the triangle, troidia or even the heart for example!
An exceptional engagement ring
Do you want to make a spectacular proposal, and need an exceptional engagement ring to do so? In this case, you can focus your choice on jewelry or high jewelry pieces, which will make a statement in the most remarkable way!
All in volume, set with a enormous stone or an extremely rare gem such as a colored diamond for example, the ring of your dreams will certainly display an atypical profile, and will be unlike any other. To find the rare gem, you can turn to the most famous Jewelry Houses, or even to the custom design.
A personalized engagement ring: opt for the custom design
Despite all the models available, you can't find any jewelry that really matches your search? You have inherited a family jewel whose aestheticism is not to the taste of your promised, or which has suffered somewhat from time, but whose stones you would like to reuse?
In this case know that at Lepage we offer a personalized jewelry creation service on demand. You can, for this occasion, contact us directly by email, by phone, or come and meet our sales consultants in store*.
In order to best describe your request and what you imagine, here are some vocabulary elements that might be useful:
- The ring body is the circular part of the ring, which is around the finger.
- The chaton is the element that holds the stone in place, thanks to claws. Depending on the design, a kitten may have three to six claws. There are other ways to hold the stone in place, such as the mass setting or the closed setting, for example.
-"Precious Stone" is a specific designation that refers only to diamond, sapphire, ruby and emerald. All other stones are called fine stones or ornamental stones.
Thanks to your instructions, we will be able to provide you with a unique creation, which will perfectly match what you can imagine.
Our jewelry designers will then model your piece of jewelry, before it is made out of resin using a 3D printer. This prototype will serve as the final model, and will allow us to make the final modifications necessary. Once the final version has been validated, our manufacturing workshops take over to bring your jewelry to life, which will then be set, polished and punched before being delivered to you.
Matching the engagement ring to the wedding band
If you already have an idea of what style of wedding band your sweetheart will choose, try as much as possible to choose an engagement ring that will match. In addition, it will show that you have really taken special care in choosing the engagement ring, and that you know your future wife well...
Nothing is mandatory, but many women like to wear their wedding ring and engagement ring together on the same finger. So, if the styles and shapes are compatible, the look will be all the prettier!
Find out, for example, about the Auguste solitaire, designed to match the Augustine wedding band, or our engagement ring Jolie-Coquette, which really does make for the prettiest effect when worn with the Duchess wedding ring.
Don't make an irreversible choice
Know this before you commit: any irreversible customization - such as engraving, for example - makes it impossible to take your jewelry back! Thus, if ever the finger size did not fit or if the model chosen is not the one she would have wanted, any return for exchange would be impossible... We therefore advise you to be sure that the ring fits before having a message engraved on it.
At Lepage, engraving is offered to you as soon as you buy a piece of jewelry, so you can come back to have it personalized even after you have given it away!
Know your partner's finger size
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Once you have chosen the model, the stone and the color of the gold, you realize that you do not know the finger size of your other half...
If the purchase takes place in a shop*, find out if the model you have chosen can easily be sized or not. This is usually not a problem for the most basic solitaire designs, but may not be possible for pave rings, for example. In this case, make sure that exchanges are possible!
If you're shopping online, an online ring maker is usually available, like ours: discover our online ring maker. All you'll have to do is discreetly compare one of your wife's rings to this guide, and you can order with peace of mind. Be aware, however, that no matter what happens, you have one month to exchange any product purchased on lepage.co.uk.
You are now ready to take the plunge, buy a beautiful engagement ring and propose!"
If you have any questions, the entire Lepage team is at your disposal. Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any question, we will be happy to answer you and accompany you in this key step of your life!
*Our boutiques are located in Lille, Rouen and Le Havre, you can find all the opening hours on our internet site, or contact us directly by phone at 03 20 12 04 04.
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