What Women Really Want In An Engagement Ring, Backed By Data

The age old question: what do women really want? What makes us happy? And, when it's time to pop the question, what will make her feel like the luckiest girl in the world?

Choosing the "perfect" engagement ring may cause some to feel a bit of pressure. There are all these myths and expectations around buying diamonds and engagement rings, including how much should be spent, what metal to buy, how big it should be, etc.

We're here to help you cut through the noise and show you some interesting statistics that we found that reflect national opinions and facts around engagement rings. These stats can help to hone in on what most women want, but they also show what the most popular choices and practices are around engagement rings. You can use this data as a guide for choosing something that is sure to make her happy, or you can focus on parts of the ring that you feel will be the most important to her.

National vs. New England

Before we get into the data, we first want to address some differences between what is considered the norm nationally vs locally. Because we are a Boston-based jeweler, we want to give our own information about how some statistics can change based on region.

For example, you'll see that 72% of the rings purchased nationally were made of white gold. In New England, that number is lower and more people will opt to buy platinum instead. New Englanders have to rough the weather and often have jobs that require them to work with their hands, like medical professionals or teachers. Platinum is one of the most durable metals that we see the majority of our customers purchasing.

Nationally, only 55% of rings feature round diamonds, but we typically see that number closer to 75% in New England. The round shape tends to be traditional and classic, and can produce an amazing sparkle compared to other diamond shapes.

With these things in mind, let's explore some of the national data that will help you choose a ring that will forever make her happy:

Sources: The Knot 2013 Bridal Survey & Liberton's

Do you think you are ready to pop the question? Looking for the perfect engagement ring? The experts at Long's can help! Make an appointment to see an engagement ring specialist or visit any of our five retail locations, and we'd love to show you our selection and guide you through the process.