Don't Pick Your Engagement Ring Style Without Considering These 5 Things!

So you fell in love with that gorgeous princess cut halo ring that you pinned to your "future wedding board" on Pinterest, but have you thought about the practicality of it? Your engagement ring will be on your hand every day for years to come. If you're like most women, you're not going to want to have to remove it for anything. That being said, it's important to think about how different ring styles will fit in with your hobbies, work, exercise, everything.

Buying an engagement ring is the ultimate romantic act, but there are a lot of practical considerations that go along with it as well. Check these five things off your list so that you can concentrate on the sentimental and fun part of the purchase:

1) How Will This Ring Style Fit Into My Lifestyle?

This is the one piece of jewelry that you'll be wearing every day for the rest of your life, so how you spend your time and the types of activities you do play a major role in determining the style of your ring. While you may think you LOVE that cushion cut halo your BFF has, if one of your favorite hobbies is cooking or gardening (or anything that gets your hands dirty), a solitaire in a prong setting is actually the easiest to clean and might make the most sense for you. Here are some lifestyle questions you should ask yourself when you start thinking about the style ring you want:

• Are you athletic? If you participate in a lot of contact sports or activities like swimming, it's important to think about how you'll be using your hands and whether you'll have to remove the ring when you play.
• Do you have sensitive skin? You may have been imagining a rose gold band but something like platinum is a great hypoallergenic choice.
• How important is it that you're able to wear your ring 24/7? Think about everywhere you want to be with your ring including in the morning, at work, at the gym, when you volunteer, family visits, etc. If you're okay wearing something showy or bulky 24/7, then no need to think about this. But maybe you want to consider a style that is more comfortable to wear all the time, like a solitaire.
• Are you big on traveling? You might want something less showy so you feel safe on your journey.

2) Does The Ring Make Sense For Work?

Your engagement ring is a symbol of your love, commitment and future together. As such, it should also reflect the professional image you're creating for yourself in the workplace. The style ring you choose is important especially if you don't want to have to take it off every time you go to work. After all, this is where you'll be spending 40+ hours a week for the foreseeable future.

If you are a health care professional who spends her day caring for others, you need a ring that doesn't have sharp edges. For the nurse or doctor, a bezel-set diamond ring or diamond engagement band might make more sense over a prong or cathedral set solitaire. On the other hand, if you're employed in finance or fashion, you can project an affluent image with a larger more extravagant ring.

Check out more of the most popular engagement rings for medical professionals for other great style ideas as well as our guide for all the teachers out there!

3) What Ring Styles Will Compliment My Fingers Best?

Did you know that how flattering an engagement ring looks doesn't only depend on the sparkler itself? Different rings will flatter different finger types. Whether your fingers are long, short, wide, or narrow, there is an engagement ring style out there that will compliment your fingers perfectly.... but where do you even start?

First, check out our extensive guide on picking the best engagement ring for your finger type.

When looking at different styles of rings, you should compare your finger length, width and overall hand size against the size of the stone you're considering, the shape of the stone, the width of the ring, and the style of the setting.While most styles flatter long fingers, if you have shorter fingers, you should be searching for a style that will help elongate them. A pear or oval solitaire with a thin band would be a great choice for someone with short fingers, because the shape of the stone and the narrow band create an illusion of length.

4) Does The Ring Reflect My Personal Style?

This may come as a no-brainer, but your personal style should be a huge factor when deciding between different styles of engagement rings. You want your ring to fit with your other favorite pieces and reflect your own distinct style. Take a look in your jewelry box - do you see lots of yellow gold or are you more of a platinum/sterling silver girl? This can be important to choosing a ring metal for your engagement ring band.

Now think about your wardrobe. Whether you opt for more fashion forward clothing or more traditional refined pieces can say a lot about your personality and what might be important to you in an engagement ring.

If you are all about the latest trends, you'll probably be drawn to the more trendy styles like a halo or pear shaped ring. If you like to keep things simple, a timeless and traditional round solitaire will always be in style.

5) What Are The Differences Between Ring Settings?

It's not enough just to know you want a sparkly square halo, or a classic round solitaire.... you also need to give some thought into the setting of your ring. The mounting you choose will have a huge influence on the overall design of the piece which makes this such an important decision. You want a setting that will not only last forever, but advance the appearance of your beautiful diamond.

Check out our comprehensive engagement ring settings guide now!

For example, a round brilliant diamond can feature a prong, halo, channel, pave, or bezel setting. While a prong setting is great for giving your ring height, depending on your lifestyle, profession, and personal style you might want a ring with smoother edges, that doesn't have elevated diamonds.

We know there is a lot to consider when deciding on your dream engagement ring, which is why we are here to help! Start browsing our online collection today or make an appointment with one of our diamond specialists.