Engagement rings symbolise the intention to get married and are worn on their own only for the duration of the engagement.  And although wedding rings can be worn on their own after marriage, in reality most women wear their engagement rings and wedding bands together.  It is therefore essential that the two rings compliment each other. 

The easiest way to do this is to buy the engagement ring and the wedding band together.  This is especially important if you are designing your own ring and are planning on an elaborate styling which cannot be easily replicated.  You should also get the wedding band made at the same time as a rose gold engagement ring because the colors of rose gold can vary enormously from deep copper red to near pink depending upon the gold quality and the precise alloys used.

However if you are buying the wedding band as a later purchase, there are four main areas to consider for your rings to compliment each other.

Complimentary Style
Choose to have the styles match exactly, or flatter each other.  If you have an engagement ring with intricate metal work on the shoulders, or a pattern etched onto the band, then you could choose a wedding ring with the same embellishments or else choose one which is totally plain to ensure that the engagement ring continues to draw admiring glances even after the wedding!   

Although it is a matter of personal preference, more ornate styles date quickly and are easy to tire of.  Over the years, a woman may hope to receive an eternity ring, which may then be worn as well as or in place of her engagement ring from time to time.  For future flexibility of wear, it may be the best idea to select a plainer wedding band if the engagement ring is particularly ornate.

Complimentary Size
The two rings should look proportionally well balanced when worn together.  The wedding band should not be narrower than the engagement band but it can be wider.  If you have a good sized diamond, say, of more than a carat and a half, then it would suit a wider wedding band if that was your preference. 

Some engagement ring settings look great alongside a D-shape wedding band, others suit a rounder shape, some look better with a wedding band with a bevelled edge cut and still others, a flat wedding band.  Check which style of band suits your engagement ring best.  This is simple to do.  Always wear your engagement ring when you go to choose the wedding band and try the rings on together.

Comfortable Fit
The wedding ring must sit comfortably alongside the engagement band and both must lie flat on the finger.  If your engagement ring has a particularly elaborate setting, you may need to have a small section of your wedding band cut so the rings exactly slot together.  Most reputable jewelers can do this easily for you.

Matching Metal
Even allowing for the current popularity of two tone wedding rings, the engagement and wedding rings must be made from the same metal.  Platinum and silver are both harder metals than gold.  18k gold, whether white, yellow or rose colored, is especially soft.  NEVER buy a platinum wedding band if your engagement ring is 18k gold.  Over time, the platinum band will rub away the engagement ring setting to such an extent that you will risk losing your gemstone.

Buying an engagement ring is difficult.  Right?  No.  Buying the right engagement ring is actually very simple.  Sadly, most men just do not “get” it.  Some men think that diamond rings are all the same, that size is the only consideration and even the flashier, the better!  But if this is how you intend to choose your future bride’s engagement ring, you are going to buy something too expensive, buy something she hates or even risk the whole marriage by showing her just how inconsiderate you can be!

So what is the right way to buy an engagement ring?

The secret to buying the perfect ring for her is to buy something special to you.  Choose something with your heart.  Before you disappear and say that that is just too woolly, think about it.  Your heart chose your girl.  It knows her better than your head.  So before you start thinking how much you have to spend, whether your mates will think you are under the thumb already, or even what your mother thinks would be a suitable diamond ring, ask yourself this. 

Which ring “feels” right? 

Listen to her when she shows you a picture of a ring in a jewelry catalog.  Look at the jewelry she routinely wears.  Is it white gold jewelry?  Or yellow gold jewelry?  Is it flashy, classic or contemporary style?  Select rings that fit only these criteria and then ask yourself, does it feel right?  If your heart says yes, buy it!

Or you could design your own engagement ring at a reputable jeweler!

Known as the extraterrestrial gemstone because it has been found in meteorites, peridot makes sensational jewelry and exceptional peridot eternity and engagement rings. 

Peridot is an idiochromatic gemstone, meaning that the color is intrinsic and that the gemstone is always the same color.  In the case of peridot, that is green.  However, it can be found in a range of hues from palest yellow green through golden lime greens to the deepest grass green.  Traditionally, the richest darker grass greens have been the most highly sought after, although different trends and preferences emerge from time to time.

Peridots are often clear gemstones with few apparent flaws, and when facetted, they split and bend the light in such as way as to give a velvet-like appearance with a  glorious rich glow.  But is probably their clarity and sensational color which makes them a firm favorite for jewelry, ranging from peridot earrings, peridot bracelets, peridot necklaces and pendants and of course, peridot rings.

Because they are green, the best quality peridots have traditionally been mistaken for emeralds.  Peridot rings are often prong set because this allows the maximum amount of light through the gemstone, making it flash with color.  However, with a hardness of only 6.5 compared with 10 of diamond, peridot is a relatively brittle gemstone.  To protect it more completely, it is can be set into a bezel (or rub over) setting in which the gemstone girdle is completely surrounded by a trace of precious metal.  Bezel set peridots can be completely surrounded by very small prong set diamonds, perfect for an engagement ring, or channel set for an eternity ring.  Check it out!

Pearl jewelry is undergoing a fashion revival and is becoming increasingly popular again.  And although some would argue that it has never really gone out of fashion, the pearl jewelry of even a decade ago was principally white, and mostly round.  Today this is just not the case.  Nowadays, pearls.  There are so many shapes too!  Rondels, elongated and naturally shaped baroques are all widely available!

Women love to co-ordinate their clothes with their accessories.  Pearls are ideally suited to do this because these days they range from black to gray, silver, gold, and all the pastel shades from peach to pink and lilac.  And although many of these colors form naturally according to the mollusc species which made them, pearls can be skilfully dyed to meet demand for a certain color as necessary!

Pearl stud earrings have always been popular, but now they are available in shades of pink, lilac, peach and chocolate, gray and black pearls, as well as white.  And the recent popularity of white gold jewelry has meant that many more settings are in white gold so your choice of pearl stud earrings is probably the widest it has ever been.  And thanks to Hollywood A Listers, pearl chandelier earrings are also available in a range of colors too!

Pearl necklaces and pearl chokers and strings too have evolved with the demand for different pearl colors.  Today you can easily find affordable chocolate pearl strings, black pearl chokers and all the soft pastel shades of peach, pink and lilac pearls.  You can choose from a 16 inch collar style, or a more elegant 18 inch length.  Whatever you choose, the eye catching colors attract a lot of compliments!  And who doesn’t want that?

Pearl stud earrings and a pearl necklace are jewelry staple pieces.  With new pearl colors and the sky high prices of gold right now, there has never been a better time to add one of these jewelry essentials to your fine jewelry wardrobe.

A gift of fine jewelry is perfect for any woman.  So when a man wants to please his lady, he needs to head to the jewelry store; not the discount store or the bargain bin, but the fine jewelry store.

The best way to choose a piece of jewelry is to pay attention to what she wears and what she says.  Do not buy her a bracelet if you never see her wearing bracelets, unless she comments she would love a bracelet because she does not have any!  In this case, you have a great idea for a gift.

If you have absolutely no idea what to buy, gold or pearls are really a safe bet.  Choose white gold, rose gold or yellow gold but make sure you get it right! Show a salesperson your lady’s photo and let her guide you what jewelry to buy.

Be sensible.  Buy jewelry in proportion to the woman or she will look ridiculous!  A petite woman can look silly in chunky jewelry and a thin gold chain will be practically invisible on the neckline of a larger or taller lady. 

Rings are special and are best reserved for a committed relationship.  But you need to get the size right.  Too small and she may think you are telling her she needs to lose weight!  Too big and it will be uncomfortable to wear.

Earrings are usually wonderful gift ideas, if she actually likes earrings!  Check whether she wears pierced or clip-on earrings and make sure you buy the right ones.  Why not sneak a peek at her current earring collection when she is not watching?

And when you are ready to buy, remember you can get the best jewelry bargain when you buy online.

If you are looking for the perfect engagement ring, you probably have a very clear idea of what you want.  It does not matter whether you want to surprise her at the proposal or shop together afterwards for the engagement ring, it can take more than one visit to one jeweller to find something close to what you really want. 
So why not build your own diamond engagement ring?

This is not as expensive as you might think.  And it will add a personal touch to the ring that you both hope symbolises your lifelong commitment to each other.  So why not create your own ring?

Some of the best jewellers online, all offer build your own engagement ring services.  If you want, you can buy a ring that is totally bespoke.  But most people find their perfect engagement ring setting in the wide selection of bands designs offered.  This keeps the costs down to a manageable level. 

The range of engagement ring settings includes the more popular styles of solitaires and trilogy styles, in bands ranging from narrow to wide.  And all of these can be made in your choice of metal.  So if you are looking for that very unusual rose gold engagement ring, or something in platinum, it can be done. 

And when you have chosen your setting, you can have fun choosing the perfect stones to set into it!  At the end, you will have a unique engagement ring that will be treasured by you both and your heirs for generations to come. 

Go on!  Treat yourself! 
Start right now to create your own diamond engagement ring.