Trying On Rings - Not Engaged Yet

justbeingme93

I am just curious. Let me know what you ladies think! 

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings? 

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings? 

Did you try any engagement rings on? 

Did y'all talk about price ranges? 

Will your ring be a complete surprise?

Did he bring up "the ring" searching discussion, or did you bring up the discussion?

buddysmom80

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings?  I think researching is fine, knowledge is power. As long as you and SO are on board in regards to timelines. For example, when FI and I talked timelines, he was like "look and see what's out there." I did my research and did a complete 180 from what I thought I wanted so research for me was a waste of time.

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings? We're engaged so, yeah

Did you try any engagement rings on? I tried a lot on. First I tried on different cuts and sizes to see what I liked. After that we looked at settings.

Did y'all talk about price ranges? No. I told him not to break the bank. Thankfully my mom gave us her old diamond for our center stone and he just had to buy the setting.

Will your ring be a complete surprise? It was and it wasn't. I knew what the center stone looked like, and FI had me pick out three favorite settings. My favorite setting was the one he picked out (which was good, because the other two looking back, I'm not too crazy about)

labro

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings? I mean, I think it's a good thing to talk about in line with discussing your timeline, especially if you're close to being engaged. I communicated my preferences to my FI in a few conversations and that was about as much direction as he got.

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings? Yes, we're engaged.

Did you try any engagement rings on? Confession: I semi kind of dragged him in to a jewelry store once and tried on a couple. I think at that point though he had already purchased my ring and I had zero clue about it. I had showed him some pictures online before about what I liked.

Did y'all talk about price ranges? No.

Will your ring be a complete surprise? It was! He had seen enough to know where my tastes ran. He picked something that he loved and he also knew I would love. I found out from my sister that he had a ring on layaway but I knew nothing about what it looked like. When he asked me to marry him I was 100% surprised. I hadn't been expecting it.

phira

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings? You need to know what you like, and that means researching styles, sharing ideas with your partner, and trying rings on (what might look appealing to you in a photo online might look silly to you on your hand). You should know if you want a gemstone and if so, what kind of gemstone you want and how you want it sourced (if it can be mined). Like @buddysmom80 said, this isn't a secret "on your own" thing, either for the person who wants to buy the ring, or the person who wants to wear it.

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings? We're engaged, but beforehand, we talked extensively about them, sent pictures to each other to get each other's opinions, discussed budget, etc.

Did you try any engagement rings on? Sort of. We ended up selecting a jeweler we liked and requesting a custom piece; the jeweler sold engagement rings but wasn't primarily an engagement ring business. My fingers are not dainty, so there weren't a lot of rings in my size in styles I liked. I tried on a couple, and a couple of wedding bands. My partner also tried on some wedding bands to get an idea of what he liked.

Did y'all talk about price ranges? We absolutely did. We went from each wanting to spend between $100 and $500 on each other's rings, to realizing that the only rings we could agree on for me were $1k+ and the best rings for him would be less than $100. So our hope of each spending about the same amount on the other person's ring wasn't going to work. Instead, we counted it as a wedding expense and split the cost of both rings. His ring ended up not being exactly what he wanted (we purchased it from an etsy vendor), but it's given him a lot of good ideas about what he wants his wedding ring to be like, and he won't wear both anyway. So I'm glad we didn't spend a lot on it.

Will your ring be a complete surprise? My ring was not a surprise. My partner and I designed it together, and I tried it on when it was finished.

Did he bring up "the ring" searching discussion, or did you bring up the discussion? We both did. We were talking about future engagement, and I said I didn't want a ring, so we talked about it.

lmcooper86

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings? 

Like @buddysmom80 I think research can only serve to benefit you, but within a reasonable timeframe. If you aren't getting engaged for a few years your tastes might change dramatically. You or your SO should definitely do some research on stones you like and jewelers you might consider using.

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings? 

Yup, it's on my finger right now!

Did you try any engagement rings on? 

Just a few. I knew the style that I wanted, so trying on was really just to figure out what size stone would work, and to look at the variations in how the style could be set.

Did y'all talk about price ranges? 

Only vaguely. I told him that I didn't want him spending a fortune, but I left it up to him to decide what he thought was reasonable to spend.

Will your ring be a complete surprise?

It was and it wasn't. We had talked about the style quite a bit, so I knew what to expect there. I didn't know anything about the center stone, or what the finished product looked like until he pulled it out.

Did he bring up "the ring" searching discussion, or did you bring up the discussion?

Mostly him actually. He told me that I needed to show him what styles I liked, so we did some browsing online together. He actually found the setting that I ended up trying on, and that he had made for me.

Hummingbird125

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings? 

- I think you should only be trying on/researching rings if you know you'll be getting engaged soon. Otherwse, you're just going to make yourself crazy.

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings? 

-Only a few times. Then-BF (now FI!) asked me to send him some ideas of what I would potentially like (this was about 8 months before he actually proposed). I sent him links to three rings I really liked, and I included my ring size and band material/stone size preference. About 2.5 months before he proposed, he asked if I still liked everything I had sent him the first time. He didn't get me one of the three I sent him, but something very similar.

Did you try any engagement rings on? 

-I did when a friend of mine wanted to try on rings for herself. I felt silly doing it, but it was good to see what I liked and didn't like on my hand, and they sized me while I was there, which is how I knew my correct ring size. I told FI I had tried on rings with her, but kept it light because I didn't want him to think I was pressuring him.

Did y'all talk about price ranges? 

-Once he knew I wanted a moissanite ring and NOT a diamond, he knew price wasn't really an issue. I knew I didn't want him spending more than 2k, so I looked for rings that met my specifications within that budget. 

Will your ring be a complete surprise?

-Mine sort of was - I knew I was getting moissanite, but didn't expect a round stone. I love that he spent the time looking at hundred of styles to find one that HE really liked that was similar to what he knew I wanted. 

Did he bring up "the ring" searching discussion, or did you bring up the discussion?

-He brought it up. When he first asked me to send him ideas, we were drunk, and a friend was talking about how his GF had done that - so although I was excited, I didn't take it TOO seriously. When he asked about it again in the fall, I knew he was serious and that he would be making a purchase soon.

ShallowSeas

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings?
I think both researching and trying on rings is a great idea.  Its something you will have forever so you want to make sure you like what you have and aren't going to regret getting a certain metal/thickness of band. Its also important to know what options are out there. You don't HAVE to get a diamond ring just because its what's traditional.

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings?
We are engaged, but we talked very briefly about them before he proposed. A couple weeks before FI took me ring shopping he randomly asked me one evening what cut of diamond I liked. Then a couple weeks after that we were out on a Sunday drive and he surprised me by pulling into a jewelry store and was like,"Let's look at a ring for you!"  He had me look at and try on rings so that he would have an idea of what I was comfortable wearing and what I liked.

Did you try any engagement rings on?
Like I mentioned above, I picked out and tried on maybe 6 different rings that I really liked. FI ended up picking out the final ring so I had no idea which one it was until he proposed. I'm glad I tried on rings because I found out that I prefer a thinner band.

Did y'all talk about price ranges?
While we were at the jewelry store looking at rings, FI told me the price he would like to stay around.

Will your ring be a complete surprise?
Mine was. While it was one of the 6 I had picked out and tried on, I didn't think he was going to choose this one, but I'm so glad he did.  Its the one I wanted the most. I didn't tell him which of the 6 I liked the most because I didn't want to influence his decision; I wanted it to ultimately be his choice and I wanted to wear something he picked out just for me.

Did he bring up "the ring" searching discussion, or did you bring up the discussion?
That was all him. While I was hoping and praying for a ring, I didn't know that he had been researching rings for a month before he took me ring shopping.  I knew an engagement was on the radar from previous talks with  FI about where are relationship was going, he had told me not to expect a ring that year (2013). So I figured he would propose on our anniversary in March 2014. I was completely shocked when he pulled into the jewelry store to look at rings and wanted to squeal like a 12 year old girl. I kept it cool, but I'm sure I had a stupid grin on my face

Peaseblossom55

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings?

I searched online a bit, never tried anything on

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings?

We did sorta talk I mostly did, I mentioned I wanted a diamond what metal I liked and how big I wanted the diamond

Did you try any engagement rings on?

Nope

Did y'all talk about price ranges?

Nope, I did say about what carat diamond I felt comfortable with .50, I have such tiny hands and fingers he got me .97

Will your ring be a complete surprise

It was a surprise, although it was my favorite design from blue nile

luckya23

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings?

Don't do it too early - I don't know if my tastes have changed that much since my last engagement or if it's a bad memory type thing, but I wanted nothing like my last one this time around.  I think you must try them on to get an idea what you like!  I feel like I tried on 100 rings that were very similar, but of course there are small differences.  Not having to get a curved wedding band was very high on my list, and it was surprisingly difficult to find that in the halo setting I wanted!

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings?

We picked mine out together.  He just ordered the setting yesterday!!!

Did you try any engagement rings on?

I tried many on, I even went alone twice, because he was not as into it as I was!

Did y'all talk about price ranges?

He went to the first store on his own, and that's how he really brought it up, showing me what he found.  He knew nothing about diamonds - when I asked him what shape he had looked at he said "Diamond shape?" (round).  So I knew he found that to be an acceptable price, and I said I can get a lot more for that much money.  I think my total will be about $1-2k under budget.

Will your ring be a complete surprise?

Not at all a surprise, I chose it.  He bought the diamond that I found and liked online and we shopped for a setting locally.  However, I ended up with the setting that I had first wanted from online, and I went all over town looking for something similar.  The local jeweler finally ordered the exact setting I wanted so I could see it in person, and it was perfect!  Of course that one was standard size, so I couldn't just take that one.  Now I wait for it to arrive!!!

Did he bring up "the ring" searching discussion, or did you bring up the discussion?

We've joked about it for months, but I figured at some point way in the future I would have to urge him to take it seriously.

The day before he started looking was our 1 year anniversary, and he said, what I THOUGHT was off-handedly, "I guess I have to put a ring on it soon now, huh?" and I jokingly said "YUP!!" 

I had no idea he was really ready, but like I said he went shopping by himself the next day.

He can't believe I didn't know he was serious... Apparently he was anxiously waiting for our anniversary so it was "acceptable" to start shopping.

loves2shop4shoes

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings?

Knowledge is power, and you only REALLY know what you like on YOUR hand when you try it on.  I know a lot of people who thought they'd like one thing and hated it when they put it on.

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings?

I'm married.  I have all the rings.

Did you try any engagement rings on? 

Yes.  Multiple.

Did y'all talk about price ranges? 

We didn't talk specific ranges.  I knew the general price range he was looking in, and stayed respectful of that.

Will your ring be a complete surprise?

It was not.  We picked it together.

Did he bring up "the ring" searching discussion, or did you bring up the discussion?

We walked past a jewelery store and he said, "Let's go in and try on e-rings."  Twist my arm.

BreMR

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings? I think trying on rings in my experience is KEY.  I thought I had a dream ring and told my FI what I liked and he couldn't go wrong.. he's the one who said "let's go try on rings."  When I tried on my 'dream ring' it was horrible on me.  I did a lot of 'build your own ring' on shaneco.com for YEARS because well, why not??!  

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings? We didn't talk a whole lot about it, we looked once about 6 months passed and he still wanted to make sure I liked the ring so we looked again (I liked a new ring)

Did you try any engagement rings on? I did! 

Did y'all talk about price ranges? We did, and we disagreed.  I thought his price range was ridiculously high and I persuaded him to come down a bit.

Will your ring be a complete surprise? It wasn't.  We picked out my band together and he picked out the stone, but I already knew it was going to be a princess cut.

Did he bring up "the ring" searching discussion, or did you bring up the discussion? Honestly, it was probably me.. we have been together 12 years I probably hinted at it a lot over the past 3.

KeptInStitches

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings? The more you know, the more informed decision you can make. I'm all in favor.

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings? We did talk about it, especially right before we got engaged.

Did you try any engagement rings on? Yes, we wanted to see some settings on my hand before he ordered online.

Did y'all talk about price ranges? In a way? He worked a side job and we decided we would use the pay from that job for my engagement ring and wedding band, so we wanted to make sure we were going to come in under that.

Will your ring be a complete surprise? No, my ring wasn't a complete surprise. My setting was kind of a surprise -- he let me narrow down from among 12 different ones, some he was seriously considering, some he wasn't to throw me off the trail. Then he picked the final setting from among the four I told him I would be happy with.

I knew I would be getting moissanite, so the stone wasn't a surprise at all.

Did he bring up "the ring" searching discussion, or did you bring up the discussion? I brought it up, but he did want to look at rings/settings after the paycheck for the job was in the mail.

ShallowSeas

BreMR said:

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings? I think trying on rings in my experience is KEY.  I thought I had a dream ring and told my FI what I liked and he couldn't go wrong.. he's the one who said "let's go try on rings."  When I tried on my 'dream ring' it was horrible on me.  I did a lot of 'build your own ring' on shaneco.com for YEARS because well, why not??!  

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings? We didn't talk a whole lot about it, we looked once about 6 months passed and he still wanted to make sure I liked the ring so we looked again (I liked a new ring)

Did you try any engagement rings on? I did! 

Did y'all talk about price ranges? We did, and we disagreed.  I thought his price range was ridiculously high and I persuaded him to come down a bit.

Will your ring be a complete surprise? It wasn't.  We picked out my band together and he picked out the stone, but I already knew it was going to be a princess cut.

Did he bring up "the ring" searching discussion, or did you bring up the discussion? Honestly, it was probably me.. we have been together 12 years I probably hinted at it a lot over the past 3.

@BreMR I did the 'build your own ring' at Shane Co too! Thats where FI and I bought our rings

BreMR

severmilli12 said:

BreMR said:

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings? I think trying on rings in my experience is KEY.  I thought I had a dream ring and told my FI what I liked and he couldn't go wrong.. he's the one who said "let's go try on rings."  When I tried on my 'dream ring' it was horrible on me.  I did a lot of 'build your own ring' on shaneco.com for YEARS because well, why not??!  

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings? We didn't talk a whole lot about it, we looked once about 6 months passed and he still wanted to make sure I liked the ring so we looked again (I liked a new ring)

Did you try any engagement rings on? I did! 

Did y'all talk about price ranges? We did, and we disagreed.  I thought his price range was ridiculously high and I persuaded him to come down a bit.

Will your ring be a complete surprise? It wasn't.  We picked out my band together and he picked out the stone, but I already knew it was going to be a princess cut.

Did he bring up "the ring" searching discussion, or did you bring up the discussion? Honestly, it was probably me.. we have been together 12 years I probably hinted at it a lot over the past 3.

@BreMR I did the 'build your own ring' at Shane Co too! Thats where FI and I bought our rings

Ooh! That's where we got my band

bride2b71614

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings? I am all for researching e-rings online/through pinterest/through wedding magazines etc. I do not think its a good idea to try on rings until you've discussed a definitive timeline with your significant other as to when you will get engaged. I think that trying on rings is a good way to narrow down what you would like on your finger/what would look good on your finger for when your SO proposes. Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings? Yes, we did. He asked me questions about stones, shape, karat weight, and type of metal I wanted. I told him my preferences, but I said that whatever he bought I would be happy with. Did you try any engagement rings on? Prior to my proposal, FI and I were hanging out around NYC. He said that we should go to the jewelry district to try on rings "for fun". I knew that he wasn't buying, or that we weren't getting engaged right then and there, so I went along. We learnt what looked good on my fingers and what didn't. Did y'all talk about price ranges? We did, I explained that money could be spent better elsewhere than on a ring. He agreed. Will your ring be a complete surprise? No, I knew it was coming around the time frame he and I established. Did he bring up "the ring" searching discussion, or did you bring up the discussion? He did. I apologize for the weird format, for some reason its not letting me create spaces in between paragraphs...

cu97tiger

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings? 

I am 100% for trying on/researching rings with your SO's knowledge.

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings? 

Yes, briefly.

Did you try any engagement rings on? 

Two

Did y'all talk about price ranges? 

No

Will your ring be a complete surprise?

Yes, it was. And as many of the ladies on here know, while it's beautiful, I wish that it had not been a surprise

Did he bring up "the ring" searching discussion, or did you bring up the discussion?

I did most of the time, but a couple times he did.

leia1979

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings? 

I think it's good to figure out what you do and don't like. Just don't do it in secret. We went several places together. I also looked at stuff online because I didn't know what I wanted.

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings? 

OMH, yo.

Did you try any engagement rings on? 

Lots and lots.

Did y'all talk about price ranges? 

Yes. H had his price range. I had a much lower price range. We went with mine. I also told him I didn't want a diamond, which greatly factors into the price.

Will your ring be a complete surprise?

Nope. I chose it and we ordered together. We also picked out his ring together (he picked it, I bought it).

Did he bring up "the ring" searching discussion, or did you bring up the discussion?

I think I might have bought it up first, but I don't really remember. I think I suggested it the first time we went to look in a store.

eilis1228

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings? 

I think it's necessary to some extent. I understand wanting the element of surprise, but understanding the different styles of rings, gems available, and ring size is important. For example, I'm highly allergic to nickel. I had no idea most white gold these days is mixed with nickel until BF and I started researching recently. I have an antique white gold RHR, but apparently white gold was made differently in the 1920s. We had no clue, and had we not done research, BF would have dumped a ton of money into a ring that would have given me a rash. Eek!

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings? 

Yep, lots. 

Did you try any engagement rings on? 

A few, yes. We've mainly looked at rings online to figure out what styles we like.

Did y'all talk about price ranges? 

Sort of. I don't think it's necessary to spend an arm and a leg on a ring when we have other things to pay for. BF has a limit in his head, and I'm fine with not knowing the specific number.

Will your ring be a complete surprise?

Yes and no. We've talked about having a ring custom made for a number of reasons, and BF mentioned proposing with a placeholder ring. I suggested that we go to a jeweler beforehand and design it together, and then he can have the ring made at a later date without me knowing. I don't think he's on board with that idea, so I sent him some pics of rings I like and told him the things I would ask for if we went into a jeweler today. I don't know what type of ring he'll propose with, but I'll honestly be fine with anything.

Did he bring up "the ring" searching discussion, or did you bring up the discussion?

It was probably me. We've talked about marriage for a long time, but I was probably the one to bring up turning those thoughts into reality. 

GoldenPenguin

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings?  I think as long as you are on the same page with your SO, trying on & researching rings is a good thing. As long as you aren't being BSC about it, and going alone to try on rings, or something, it's not a bad idea.

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings? Yes, we did.

Did you try any engagement rings on? I did. I had a good idea of what I wanted, but I wanted to make sure that my vision matched what actually looked good on my hand.

Did y'all talk about price ranges? No. But I told him that I wanted morganite, which was much cheaper than a diamond. That was it.

Will your ring be a complete surprise? It wasn't. I had found a ring online that I liked, but I didn't know if I'd be able to try on any morganite, and he really wanted me to, just to make sure that I really liked it as much as I thought I did. We found one jewelry store that had one morganite ring, and it happened to be an oval, and was similar to the one I found, but not exactly what I wanted, but gave me enough of an idea that I LOVEEEDDDD morganite. So, I sent him the picture of the ring I found online, he sent it to his jeweler, and the jeweler made an exact replica (but with a bigger stone, WOOT).

justbeingme93

@GoldenPenguin

Your ring sounds beautiful! Do you have a picture of it?

luckya23

@GoldenPenguin, I thought I saw a morganite in TJ Maxx today! I wouldn't have known what it was, but it looked a lot like your ring - I think it had criss-cross band though.

GoldenPenguin

@justbeingme93 Do I have a picture. HA! Silliest question you've ever asked.  

@kelani23 - I promise my ring didn't come from TJ Maxx. It was cheap, but not THAT cheap. 

I actually just posted this one the other day, but I don't have any others right now. (I was pretending to show off my new manicure, which is why there's so much hand, just an FYI.)

luckya23

What I saw wasn't cheap either - I was like they sell this stuff at TJ maxx??

 

justbeingme93

@GoldenPenguin

I almost fell out of my chair! Your ring is STUNNING. I am a huge fan of the oval shape.

GoldenPenguin

@justbeingme93 - Thank you so much! I love it. I catch myself staring at it all the time

Dignity100

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings?
I think it's very smart to research items so you know what you're getting yourself into.  When I was looking I learned what the 4 C's were and started looking to see how I could get a diamond that faced up nicely but wouldn't break the bank (spoiler alert - in many cases it's the cut of the diamond - an excellent cut can hide flaws and make the diamond sparkle better).  As far as trying on - if I didn't try rings on, how would I know what I liked and what I didn't.  I thought I'd end up with a 3 stone engagement ring, but those looked funny on me.

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings?
Yes, we talked about it quite a bit actually.  I did my research and wasn't 100% sure I was ok with a diamond (or any mined gem) for awhile.  We went and looked at a couple simulant type stones and looked through various other options.  We talked with 2 jewelers and the designer of my ring before making a full decision.  When we first started looking/talking about rings I even tried to make an appointment to see which metal I was allergic to (I have a reaction to certain jewelry, pretty sure it's nickel), the tests were not in the cards, I couldn't get the needed time off work.

Did you try any engagement rings on?
Yes - how else would I have known what I liked.  FI was there with me though when I tried them on.  I may have looked once without him, but it was during the process.

Did y'all talk about price ranges?
Yes.  I found out I'm the cheapskate in this relationship.  I kept looking and trying to find a ring that I loved as much as the ring I received/picked out, but it just wasn't happening.  FI was fine with the price of my ring saying 'You never ask for anything, let me do this one thing for you.  You'll have the ring the rest of your life'.

Will your ring be a complete surprise?
No.  I picked the whole thing out.  I picked the diamond, the metal (with the help of the designer), and the design.

Did he bring up "the ring" searching discussion, or did you bring up the discussion?
He was talking about getting married while we were driving in the car and I said 'if you're serious, let's look at rings' so we went off to the jewelers and started our search.

Other
You have to do what is right for your relationship.  FI would not have felt comfortable picking out a ring for me on his own, even if I showed him pictures, wrote down the designer/design of the ring and gave him an address - he wanted me there beside him when he made the purchase. 

IF you have special needs (such as an allergy or do not believe in mined gem stones) you need to let your significant other know when the time is right (don't go into this 2 weeks into a relationship, it's more of when you're figuring out time lines and such). 

BreMR

@Dignity100 My Fi is exactly like yours, and he wanted me there for every step of the way.  I wanted SOMETHING to be a surprise but it really wasn't. He did pick out the stone, but I knew exactly what he was looking for so even that wasn't a shock

blabla89

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings?
I'll be honest, I pinned some rings on a (secret) pinterest board after the first time FI and I discussed our timeline for engagement. I was a little bit BSC. I went to a jewelry store by myself and tried on rings to figure out which styles I liked, because I didn't want to put any pressure on him by having him come with me.

I don't recommend researching rings until you and your BF have had a discussion about your timeline for getting engaged. But once you've established that, I think it's important to research all the different jewelers and options so you can make an informed purchase.

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings?
The second time we talked about our timelines, he said he wanted to get engaged in about 5-6 months and he also mentioned that he had purchased a center stone already. So I whipped out my phone and showed him a couple of pictures of ring styles that I liked.

Did you try any engagement rings on?
Yes, but I didn't have him come with me.

Did y'all talk about price ranges?
No, because I wasn't involved in picking out the ring. I gave him a few ideas of styles that I liked that I knew would be in various price ranges. I told him I didn't want him to spend more than he was comfortable with or could pay upfront.

Will your ring be a complete surprise?
FI had assumed that we would shop for a ring together because that's what his sister and her H did, so I had to explain to him that I wanted it to be a surprise. I showed him some pictures of styles that I liked. He designed my ring based on a few different pictures that I showed him and it's even lovelier than any other ring I had looked at.

Did he bring up "the ring" searching discussion, or did you bring up the discussion?
He brought up the timing of our engagement and part of that was when he would be able to pay for a ring, so that led into showing him the styles I liked.

I would also like to add that @GoldenPenguin's ring makes me wish that I had asked for morganite. I think I'm a little obsessed with it...

FoxandBunny

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings? 

I think it's very smart to try on and research rings. It is something that you will (hopefully) be wearing for the rest of your life, so you need to like and feel comfortable with it. Plus, as others have said, you may like the way something looks online, but not like how it looks on your finger. 

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings? 

Yes, we have. We've been serious about marriage for a while, but more recently (past year or so) have started to talk about engagement rings and such. We both feel it is important that I have some say in the style/size/whatever of the ring so we've talked about it.

Did you try any engagement rings on? 

Yes, I have. I had a girls day where we went and tried on engagement rings, and when I got back and told BF, he said "Why don't we go look too?" We decided to just look around for fun and to see what I liked, and I happened to find one I adored (and have to try on every time I walk into that store).

Did y'all talk about price ranges? 

Vaguely. I told him not to spend too much as I didn't want to walk around with a ton of money on my finger and we are both frugal people, but we haven't talked hard numbers as actually buying a ring is at least a year or two away.

Will your ring be a complete surprise?

No, not completely. I know it will be white gold/platinum, diamond, low set, and look generally like the one I fell in love with. However, I have no idea when it's coming or what the final thing is going to look at as BF wants to keep some kind of surprise. I wouldn't mind the ring not being a surprise though.

Did he bring up "the ring" searching discussion, or did you bring up the discussion?

I think I brought it up first, but he was very receptive to the conversation. If he hadn't been, I would have dropped it. He just gently reminds me that it will be quite a while before I actually get one on my finger. 

Swazzle

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings? 

I think it's very important to try stuff on as you're going to be wearing this for the rest of your life and so you should probably like it. I thought I wanted a princess cut solitaire and ended up with a cushion cut with a halo and pave band so I'm glad H suggested we look at rings together before he picked something out.

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings? 

See above.

Did you try any engagement rings on? 

See above above.

Did y'all talk about price ranges? 

Yep, H told me what he was comfortable spending. 

Will your ring be a complete surprise?

It wasn't a COMPLETE surprise since there were certain things he knew I really wanted (1ct, cushion cut, thin pave band) but I couldn't decided between halo and no halo so I left that one up to H. 

Did he bring up "the ring" searching discussion, or did you bring up the discussion?

He did. We had just gotten back from a cruise and were sitting on the couch, watching TV and he said "would you want to go look at rings together soon?" Um yes. Yes, I would. 

[Deleted User]

What are your opinions about trying on/researching rings? 

I think that when you and your SO are talking about engagement then it's helpful to know what you want and what you think feels comfortable for you. When H and I got engaged I knew the style of ring I wanted from researching so when he asked what kind of ring I wanted I told him. We didn't try on any rings though. We went to get my finger sized at a jewelry store and looked at some of their rings but I didn't try them on.

Have you and your significant other talked about engagement rings? 

When we were talking about getting married then yes we talked about engagement rings.

Did you try any engagement rings on? 

Nope. I got my ring finger sized with H and that was it.

Did y'all talk about price ranges? 

No not really. H knew who he wanted to buy the ring from and he never discussed with me how much or how little he was planning to spend.

Will your ring be a complete surprise?

When we got engaged, it was a surprise. I knew the engagement would be happening within six months of him telling me that he wanted to get married but I didn't know when he bought the ring at all. It was a complete surprise.

Did he bring up "the ring" searching discussion, or did you bring up the discussion?

We both started talking about marriage together. I think he told me initially that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me and that's where the conversation started from. I had seen rings on pinterest that I thought were pretty so when we asked what kind of ring I wanted, that's when I told him.