How to choose an engagement ring: gold, stone, shape and size

Yellow or white gold, 14k or 18k?

The best clue is in her jewellery box. Does she mostly wear yellow gold, or silver tones? She'll wear an engagement ring every day, so it should sit happily with what she already loves.

At TOV, every ring is real gold, never gold-plated, with the hallmark inside: 585 for 14 karat, 750 for 18 karat.

Torn between 14k and 18k? For a ring worn every day, 14k is the smart choice. The full story is in 14k vs 18k gold.

Diamond or cubic zirconia?

Both beautiful, both honest. The difference is what the stone is, and how it looks after years.

F-G means near colourless: to the naked eye, you see no yellow. SI means small natural inclusions that you usually only see under a loupe. More on that, including lab-grown, in cubic zirconia vs diamond.

A diamond engagement ring feels like the grand gesture, made to last forever. Cubic zirconia is a smart choice if you want the look of a diamond: the gold around it is every bit as real.

From this story

Four Prong Round Cut Cubic Zirconia Ring €389,00 Cubic Zirconia Trilogy Ring €299,00 Four Prong Round Cut Cubic Zirconia Ring €374,00

Solitaire, trilogy or halo: which shape?

Look at her hands first. Slender fingers carry a fine band beautifully; longer fingers can take a slightly bigger stone. Does she work with her hands a lot? Choose a stone that doesn't sit high above the band: it's less likely to catch on things.

• Solitaire. One stone, the classic. With four claws (prongs) you see more of the stone. Six claws hold it extra securely and make it look rounder.
• Trilogy. Three stones side by side, often seen as past, present and future. Stands out more than a solitaire without looking busy.
• Halo. A centre stone ringed with tiny stones. Makes the centre look bigger and catches light from every side.
• A row of stones. Like the Diamond Alliance Ring: fine, flat on the finger and easy to pair with a stacking ring.

From this story

Diamond Trilogy Ring (0.15 ct) €749,00 Pavé Four Prong Diamond Halo Ring (0.13 ct) €679,00 Diamond Graduated Ring (0.17 ct) €594,00

Budget: what are you actually paying for?

Forget the three months' salary rule. The price of an engagement ring comes down to four things:

1. The gold. 18k contains more gold than 14k. So does a bigger size: that's why our sizes 58, 60 and 62 cost a little more.
2. The stone. Diamond or cubic zirconia, and for diamonds, the weight. The number before ct is the weight of the diamond, or of all the little stones together.
3. The craftsmanship. Setting tiny stones is precision work. A halo takes more work than a solitaire.
4. The detour. At a jeweller's, you also pay for the shop and everyone between maker and window display. TOV sells online only, from maker to you.

Her size, without her noticing

Borrow a ring she wears on the same finger and measure the inside from edge to edge: 17.2 mm is size 54, the size chosen most often at TOV. Between two sizes? Choose the larger one. All the secret tricks are in how to measure ring size.

Still doesn't fit? Within the EU, you can exchange it for another size free of charge within 30 days. In the UK, the US and Canada, you send it back yourself.

Every ring arrives in a TOV box, with a personal digital certificate of authenticity. For the moment itself, there's our velvet proposal box, sold separately. The rest of the plan is in how to plan a proposal.

Gold Engagement Rings Real 14 or 18 karat gold, in sizes 48 to 62. Shop Gold Engagement Rings