Whether you’ve been together for 6 months or 6 years, if you’ve found yourself on Rivoli’s website, particularly on Rivoli’s guide to choosing the right engagement ring, you’re probably thinking of proposing! So congratulations if you made it this far, making the decision to propose has got to be the biggest hurdle to jump. The rest is pretty easy… At least Rivoli is aiming to make it so… Rivoli Jewellers, based in St Helier, Jersey, specialises in helping guys choose the perfect engagement ring, from selecting the diamond to designing a bespoke setting.
How do I find inspiration?
First thing’s first, it’s likely that your girlfriend has dropped a few hints over the years, possibly sent a few instagram posts for ideas, or perhaps even made a full pinterest board. This is your first spring board for ideas, whatever she has given you (even the smallest hints) are immensely helpful. If you put everything together for the Rivoli team to run through, it can make the process much swifter.
Alas, if you’ve got nothing to go off, fear not, simply visit Rivoli’s handy Ring Builder. Here you can browse a huge selection of engagement ring styles, screenshot any that jump out to you, and use this as your spring board instead.
How do I decide on the metal?
Pay attention to her current jewellery. Your biggest choice to make is between yellow and white metal. Luckily most girls will usually distinctively favour one over the other. So being observant to what she usually wears will be your saving grace when it comes to choosing the metal for her engagement ring. Once you’ve made your choice between yellow or white, Rivoli’s team will then be able to advise between 9ct, 18ct or Platinum. This choice can often be swayed by budget. However one top tip that Rivoli stands by, is that if you would like a white metal, the best option will always be Platinum. This is simply to save you time and money in the future, as there is considerably less maintenance on Platinum in comparison to white gold.
How do I choose between diamonds or coloured stones?
Often when considering an engagement ring, diamonds are thought to be the most traditional and classic choice. However, there are some gorgeous coloured stone alternatives that also make excellent engagement rings. When making this decision, you may have an inkling as to whether your girlfriend might opt for something more traditional, if this is the case your gut is normally right and a classic diamond is the correct choice. Although if your girlfriend often prefers brighter colours, or unique fashion a gemstone could be the perfect way to go. Examples of coloured stones that can be executed perfectly as an engagement ring include: sapphires (in any variety of colours), rubies, or even coloured diamonds. If you’re desperately unsure, the safest option would always be to go for a traditional white diamond due to its versatility in pairing with any outfit.
How do I shop for the right diamond?
Choosing the right diamond can feel like a minefield, and Rivoli’s aim is to make your decision as seamless as possible.
In 2026, the biggest question when shopping for diamonds is: natural or lab grown? Both natural and laboratory grown diamonds have crucial places within the market. Particularly because lab grown diamonds make buying an engagement ring more financially accessible . Choosing between the two is a very personal choice, that can often be influenced by budget and your desired carat weight.
For both natural and lab grown diamonds you may have heard of the 4c’s (colour, clarity, cut, carat). It’s easy to become overwhelmed by this, but feel assured that Rivoli’s team can guide you through this process. It’s always Rivoli’s aim to deliver the highest quality diamond for your budget. Let’s break down the 4c’s slightly:
Colour refers to how white your diamond is, with the highest colour being classified as D. You can consider D-E as exceptional white, F-G as rare white, H as white, and anywhere from I onwards to have an increasing tint of yellow.
Clarity refers to how clean your diamond is, so whether it has any marks or blemishes inside the stone (Rivoli calls these inclusions). The highest clarity you can get would be Flawless and Internally Flawless, then Very Very Slightly Included (VVS1 & VVS2), followed by Very Slightly Included (VS1 & VS2), and then Slightly Included (SI1 & SI1). Any lower than this would be classified as included. Rivoli’s recommendation would be to aim for upwards of a VS2 as stones above a VS2 will usually be visually perfect to the naked eye.
Cut refers to the quality of the facetting of the diamond. Therefore the better the cut of a diamond, the more sparkle and fire that stone will provide. Rivoli’s suggestion would be to always aim for upwards of very good, aiming for Excellent.
Carat refers to the weight of the stone, therefore illustrating the size of said stone. This is personal preference, and depends on how large you would like the diamond to look on the hand.
Whilst the 4c’s are considered exactly the same for natural diamonds and lab grown diamonds, the shopping process is slightly different. Due to lab grown diamonds being readily available and in surplus supply, compared to the rarity of natural diamonds, there are certain compromises that you may need to make when shopping for a natural and not when shopping for a lab. For example, due to lab grown diamonds being man-made, and wonderfully affordable Rivoli almost always opts for the highest level of colour and clarity (D colour, and upwards of a VS clarity), whereas when deciding on your perfect natural diamond it can often feel like a game of compromises to reach the best quality stone for your budget. *Top tip: a sweet point for naturals is F VS2 (beautifully white with minimal inclusions, and less likely to break the bank compared to a D or E!)
Now for the fun part, considering the shape of your diamond, and the carat weight. The beauty of modern day cutting technologies means that there is a wondrous variety of diamond shapes to choose from. Traditional favourites include: brilliant round, princess or square cushion. Whilst more contemporary elongated cuts include: oval, emerald, radiant, marquise or pear. These shapes will all have different effects on the hand– with the most flattering on all hand types being the oval cut. If you are totally at a miss for what shape to go for, the safest choices would be brilliant round or oval.
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As for deciding on the ideal carat weight, consider the size of your girlfriend’s hands and what might look proportionate to their fingers. If your girlfriend has petite hands a 0.70ct- 1.50ct will look sizable on the hand, or if you think she might have slightly larger fingers you might lean towards upwards of a 1.5ct. Carat size is also influenced by the aesthetic that you desire for the ring. For example: if you know your girlfriend would prefer somewhat of a statement or showstopper ring, a higher carat size might be your preference.
What kind of design should I go for?
You’ve chosen your diamond or coloured gemstone and now it’s time to think of the design.
When it comes to the design of your perfect engagement ring the opportunities really are endless. Rivoli can make your ring as traditional or as bespoke as you’d like. Consider whether you might opt for one singular stone as the focus or two or three. The most traditional style of engagement ring that will classically spring to mind will be a solitaire (so the focus will be one central stone). There are many different ways of producing a solitaire, for example with plain metal shoulders, diamond set shoulders or with a diamond halo.
A solitaire can look as subtle or as ostentatious as you’d like depending on the carat weight of the stone or the style of shoulder or halo. Another style rising in popularity is a two stone ring (better known as the Toi et Moi). The Toi et Moi is elegant with a contemporary twist, having two stones means the possibility of mixing and matching different diamond shapes, for example: an oval and pear shape, or emerald and pear shape can both look very complimentary. Or if you want something that spreads more across the finger, perhaps consider a trilogy (three stones). With a trilogy ring you can have a larger centre stone with smaller accent stones either side, alternatively you can have three stones all of equal carat weight stacked across the finger. With trilogy rings you have the opportunity to use different diamond shapes to get your desired look, for example: a round or oval centre diamond with pear or trilliant outer diamonds can look very aesthetically pleasing.
The design process doesn’t stop there, Rivoli often takes your ideas, ties them all together, and produces a sketched design to confirm you are happy. This results in a finished product that is entirely unique to every individual.
What about the finger size?
One of the biggest concerns that most guys have when purchasing an engagement ring is the finger size. Rivoli’s team will always be able to advise based on images of your girlfriend or based on her dress size- of course this is never entirely accurate yet it can give Rivoli a good idea of where to start from. Rivoli’s advice will always be to go slightly bigger for the proposal to ensure that the ring goes on for the day, however if the ring is either too big or too small, you can feel assured that Rivoli offers a complimentary resizing after your proposal.
Finally, if none of the above makes any sense or you’re feeling at all overwhelmed, that’s why Rivoli is on hand to help. Just pop into Rivoli Jewellers at 41/43 King Street, St Helier, Jersey JE2 4WF, and see the team!
About Rivoli: Rivoli Jewellers is a family-run jeweller serving Jersey and the Channel Islands, open Monday to Friday 9:30am–5:30pm and Saturday 9:00am to 5:00pm, (closed Sundays except during some dates in December).
