Buying the perfect engagement ring

We chat to Yair Shimansky, of Shimansky diamonds, for advice on how to pick the perfect engagement ring for your lady.

What are the most popular styles of engagement ring at the moment?
The most popular diamond engagement rings at Shimansky are the Millennium, Evolym, My Girl and the classic diamond solitaire ring.

What is the best way to go about picking an engagement ring?
The best engagement ring needs to feel like a part of you... A woman will know when she is wearing the right ring. A comfortable fit is the most important factor. Also consider her finger and hand shape to complement the ring. Try to determine your partner’s taste in jewellery. Would she prefer a more classic or contemporary design? If unsure, you can't go wrong with a classic and elegant solitaire (single stone) diamond engagement ring.
Purchase a diamond that has the best balance of cut, colour, clarity and carat weight. Don’t choose a bigger diamond which may have obvious flaws.

What should you look for when choosing the perfect diamond? What is the most important element to look at (colour, clarity, cut, etc), or are they all equally important?
The 4 Cs stand for cut, colour, clarity and carat of a diamond. They are the basic indicators that determine the rarity and value of a diamond. There is a 5th C which stand for confidence – you must have confidence in the jeweller and his integrity. Insist on an international diamond certificate with your purchase, which states the quality of the cut. 

What’s the strangest request you’ve had from a customer? 
In our stores we have a diamond jewellery collection called Coronet. It consists of seven diamonds invisibly set, creating the appearance of one big solitaire diamond. We have one of the Coronet Solitaire rings made up quite big (bigger than a bracelet) to illustrate the unique setting of the diamonds. A customer wanted to buy the big Coronet display ring for his proposal.

What’s the most interesting marriage proposal you’ve come across? 
After purchasing his ring from Shimansky the gentleman took his fiancee-to-be to the circus. During one of the acts he excused himself saying that he needed to go to the bathroom. Not long after he left the clown act started. The clowns immediately spotted her sitting on her own and one of the clowns requested that she assist him with a trick. When she stepped on stage she realised that the “clown” was, in fact, her boyfriend. He went down on one knee and proposed to her in front of the whole circus audience. She could not stop crying... and of course she said yes.

What’s the average amount one should look at spending? Can you still get a decent ring on a budget? 
There's no absolute answer to this question – it really depends on a lot of factors, but you should spend as much money as you're comfortable spending. The engagement ring is a symbol of your love and commitment to the person that you want to spend the rest of your life with. At Shimansky you'll find engagement rings that will suit every budget. 

For enquiries or a personal consultation on Shimansky’s signature diamond engagement ring options, please call 021 421 1488. Visit: www.shimansky.com