Surprise Engagement Ring? Design a Ring They Will Love, or Propose with a "Proposal Ring"

LISA

Summary: A surprise engagement ring can make a proposal even more meaningful, but the key is balancing surprise with her personal style. By gathering insight from her, leaning on trusted friends and family, and working closely with an experienced jeweler, you can create a ring she’ll love. For couples who want both surprise and input, choosing a stone first and designing the final ring together offers the best of both worlds.

Krikawa Key Takeaways:

• Match the level of surprise to your partner’s preferences.
• Use friends, family, and a trusted jeweler as guides.
• When in doubt, keep the design classic and timeless.
• A temporary setting allows for a surprise proposal and shared design later.

How to Balance the Element of Surprise with Their Personal Style

Considering all the time, effort, and expense that goes into creating the perfect engagement ring, is it any wonder so many men (and women!) want some element of surprise? It elevates their all-important question into a sweeping, romantic gesture -- not to mention, some people like it when their partner picks out the ring. 

Of course, just how much surprise depends on the couple. In our 15 years of creating custom rings, we’ve seen it all -- from people who designed their intended’s ring entirely on their own to those who include their partners in the decision-making process. (We even had someone propose in our shop!) There’s no one right way to go about it, but there are some things you can do to help ensure your surprise ring is well-received.

Find Out What They Like

You have several ways to gather intel. The easiest, of course, is to take them shopping and make mental notes of whatever they gravitates toward. Don’t want to blow your cover? Ask their family and friends if she’s done any research or shown them examples of rings their loves -- that’ll clue you in on their likes and dislikes. If not, see if they’ll do some detective work for you. Gather as many details as you can -- your jeweler will help you take it from there.

Rely on Friends and Family

Rely on Your Jeweler

One of your best allies when shopping for an engagement ring? Your jeweler.

Choose someone you know and trust, who has years of experience designing or selling rings. Whether you bring in detailed sketches or just a general idea of what you want, a trained jeweler will be able to offer a broad perspective on what’s worked well in the past, which materials are the highest quality, and how to put some flair in your design without going over the top.

Of course, when in doubt, stick with something simple, classic, and timeless, like a round diamond in a beautiful setting.  

Win-Win: Surprise Them AND Invite them to Design Their Ring

Your love may be forever, but that doesn’t mean the engagement ring has to be. At least, at first.

If your partner has a specific vision for what they want, consider selecting a stone in advance and placing it in a temporary setting. Then, after you pop the question, the two of you can work together on a setting that they’ll love as much as you (well, almost).

This way, you get your surprise proposal, they get a gemstone that they get to be sentimental about, AND they get to design the perfect ring for it. The best of all worlds.