How to Plan a Proposal: A Ring Checklist

A proposal is a moment you will remember for a very long time. A little planning, particularly for the ring, helps you enjoy it. Use this checklist as a guide.

About eight to twelve weeks before

• Decide on your budget. All in, including tax. See engagement ring budget: how much should you spend?.
• Learn her taste. Does she prefer simple or detailed designs? Yellow, white or rose metal? What jewellery does she wear now?
• Get her ring size. See how to find her ring size without asking.
• Consider her lifestyle. If she works with her hands, plan a low, secure setting. See engagement ring settings for active hands.

About six to eight weeks before

• Visit a few jewellers. Compare designs, prices and terms.
• Choose the stone and the setting. For a solitaire, a certificate from a recognised laboratory is essential. See diamond certificates.
• Decide whether to order or buy ready-made. Made-to-order rings take longer. See how custom jewellery design works.

About four weeks before

• Confirm the details in writing. Stone grades, metal, hallmark, size, price and the date of delivery.
• Ask about resizing and exchange. What if the size is slightly off?
• Check the hallmark and the HUID. See what a HUID is and how to verify it.

About two weeks before

• Collect the ring and inspect it. Look at the stone, the prongs and the finish. Make sure the certificate and invoice are in the box.
• Plan where to keep it. Somewhere safe and where she will not find it.
• Consider insurance. A ring is valuable, and cover from the moment you buy it is worth looking into. See jewellery insurance in India: what to know.

Planning the moment

• Choose the place and time. Somewhere meaningful to you both, with privacy if she prefers.
• Think about whether family or friends should be there. Some people love an audience, and others do not.
• Plan a way to carry the ring. A pocket is risky. A secure ring box in a bag is safer.
• Think about photographs. A friend can quietly capture the moment.

Plan B

• If the ring does not fit: be ready to say that it will be resized, and that this does not change anything. Most can be fixed in a few days.
• If you cannot decide on the ring: some people propose with a simple ring and choose the final one together. That is perfectly fine.

After she says yes

• Share the news in the way you both like.
• Have the ring checked and cleaned from time to time. See how to clean diamond jewellery at home.
• Keep the documents safely. See what to keep with your jewellery.

A few reminders

The ring does not make the proposal. The question and the people involved do. A thoughtful, well-chosen ring helps.

Ready to begin?

Book an appointment and bring your checklist, or look through our diamond rings to start forming ideas.