Engagement Ring Guide

Choosing an engagement ring comes down to three decisions, in roughly this order: the shape of the stone, the style of the setting, and the metal. Work through them one at a time and the ring comes into focus quickly. Here's how each choice works.

1. Start with a shape

The shape sets the ring's personality before anything else does — classic round, elongated oval, crisp princess, calm emerald, and more. If a shape is already in mind, start there; if not, look at which outlines you're drawn to on a hand, not just in a case. Our Diamond Guide covers every shape we carry and explains the 4Cs — cut, color, clarity, and carat — in plain terms.

2. Choose a setting style

Solitaire — a single center stone on a clean band. Timeless, and all the attention goes to the diamond.

Halo — a circle of small diamonds framing the center stone. It adds sparkle all around and makes the center stone look larger.

Three-Stone — a center stone flanked by two side stones, often said to represent the past, present, and future.

Two-Stone — two stones set side by side — "you and me." A modern style that pairs two diamonds, or a diamond with a colored stone.

3. Pick a metal

White Gold — a bright, white finish that keeps the whole ring looking crisp and makes a diamond look whiter.

Yellow Gold — the classic warm gold. Traditional, and it flatters warmer-toned stones.

Rose Gold — a soft pink tone, romantic and a little less expected.

Two-Tone — two colors of gold in one ring, such as a white gold setting over a yellow gold band. It ties together jewelry in both colors and makes matching a wedding band easier.

Think about what she already wears most days — the metal she reaches for now is usually the right place to start.

Making the budget work

There's no rule for what an engagement ring should cost. Decide on a total you're comfortable with first, then put the money where it shows. The eye goes to the center stone, and within the stone, cut is what makes it sparkle — a slightly smaller stone with an excellent cut usually looks livelier than a larger one with a weaker cut. Setting detail costs money too: halos and side stones add up, so a simpler setting lets more of the budget go to the center stone. Shape helps as well, since elongated shapes look larger for their weight. And if size matters most, lab-grown diamonds typically cost less than natural diamonds of the same size and quality — our Diamond Guide explains both.

See your ring before it's made

Some pairings are hard to judge from a picture. In our store, a diamond top magnetically attaches to different band types, so you can try the same top on multiple bands and see the finished ring combination on your hand before it is made. It takes the guesswork out of matching a stone to a setting — what you see is what the finished ring will look like.

Two quick stops before you buy

Finding her size. If the proposal is a surprise, our Ring Size Guide has quiet ways to find a size at home, including measuring from a ring she already wears.

Looking after it. An engagement ring is worn every day. Our Jewelry Care Guide covers the everyday habits and cleaning that keep it looking its best.

Narrowing the field. Try the ring finder in our bridal collection — filter by shape and metal and see only the rings that fit what you're picturing.

Come in and try them on

Visit us at Roxy's Jewelry, Boynton Beach Mall, 801 N Congress Ave, Boynton Beach, FL 33426, or call the store at (561) 739-3339. Bring your questions — and if you'd like, try the same diamond top on a few different bands and watch the ring come together.