She is going to wear this ring for the rest of her life, so you want to ensure she likes it. Whether you want your proposal to be a surprise, or you want her to be involved in the decision, here are the decisions you'll need to make:

If you're unsure what ring metal to choose, consider the differences between 18k gold and platinum:

metal	character	price	care/repairs
	Enduring. Platinum is the strongest, most pure metal. It will last a lifetime.	More expensive. Platinum is rarer than gold. Platinum jewelry is composed of 90-95% pure platinum.	Infrequent/more difficult. Strongest jewelry metal Resistant to damage Won't wear away Develops a satin finish Difficult to polish, repair Won't tarnish
	Classic. 18k gold is the most common engagement ring setting.	Less expensive. 18k gold is composed of 75% gold and 25% metal alloys to give it strength.	More often/easy. Softer, malleable metal More easily damaged Will wear away over years Easy to polish, repair Won't tarnish

For safety, all diamond engagement rings at Blue Nile are set with the strength of platinum prongs.

Blue Nile offers a wide variety of engagement settings. For help in choosing, here's a summary of the three main styles.

A setting with diamonds or gemstones adds additional sparkle or color. Channel settings protect sidestones from abrasions by keeping them flush. The bar-channel setting allows more light to enter the sidestones, and creates a scalloped edge of brilliance. View our settings with sidestones.

For a classic ring that's truly unique and created by you, choose all three diamonds to be set in a three-stone setting. The three-stone ring has one diamond for the past, one for the present, and one for the future. You can follow four simple steps to customize a three-stone ring.

How do you know if she'll like the ring if she doesn't pick it out? If you consider her tastes and lifestyle, you'll be sure to make the right choice.

1. Take a good look at the color of jewelry your partner wears. What color is the metal?
2. Ask her friends or mother if she has mentioned a preference for a particular type or style of ring.
3. Is she very active or not used to wearing jewelry? If so, consider a cathedral or contour setting, which will protect a diamond from rough treatment.

Engagements are rarely an out-of-the-blue surprise, so it is common to discuss engagement ring choices with your partner. The only way to ensure you find a ring that will match her taste and style is to shop for a ring together. Whether you're shopping together or not, start by finding her ring size.

Your engagement ring or loose diamond will arrive in a lacquered wooden box, and a diamond ordered loose will be set in a temporary tension setting, ready for you to present to her on bended knee.