Everything gets better with time as we all know. After five, ten and twenty years of marriage couples are enjoying a more abundant life and are in a different life stage than when they first met.

Oftentimes, to commemorate a significant anniversary in a meaningful and lasting way, men will choose to “upgrade” their wife’s ring to a size that is commensurate with their existing lifestyle and salary.

If you are thinking about an upgrade in the near future, there are a few options to consider in order to achieve a beautiful ring that will take her breath away.

Read on to get my
5 Tips for the Perfect Ring Upgrade:

 

1. Surprise her or Let her Decide ?

Before you begin your search you need to decide if this will be a complete surprise or if you are going to include her in the process. Chances are, she has been dreaming of an upgrade so making sure you’ve done your reconnaissance is key.

Ideally you can gather enough information to know what she would want, and then surprise her with everything else. After 5, 10, 15, 20 years of wearing their original ring, they will either be absolutely sold on the shape they have, or be keen on another shape. Ask questions months before you prepare to shop so she can clue you in on what style and shape she loves now. Women’s taste changes over the years so do not take personally if she likes and wants something completely different. That is generally the case for most women.

2. Trade or Keep?

The ring she is wearing is one of the (if not THE) most significant items you have ever purchase for her. Keeping her original stone is an ideal option if your budget allows. If you decide to keep the original stone you purchased for her, having it set as a diamond pendant is a beautiful way to keep your sentimental gift near and dear to her heart.

A majority of ring upgrades are trade-ins. This means you can trade in your original diamond to upgrade to a larger diamond. A value is given for your diamond (do keep in mind it will not be what you originally paid for it) but the value given for your stone will be put toward her new ring which helps you get more.

3. Same or Different?

You bought her a 1 carat round brilliant solitaire 10 years ago. Should you get her a 3 carat round brilliant solitaire? Or should you opt for a dazzling Oval with a halo around it and switch things up a bit? This is a decision that must be made after gathering information from your wife, whether covertly or overtly. Do not guess on this one, gents. Chances are that she would like to switch things up a bit so make a fun afternoon of it and after lunch with champagne, go try on some rings on Rodeo Drive to find out what she fancies.

She may have fallen in love with colored diamonds (Yellow, pink) or precious gemstones like sapphires, rubies or emeralds over the years, in which case you can start searching in that direction. There is much to learn about each class of diamonds and gemstone which is why enlisting the help of a diamond concierge can save valuable time and money.

4. Bigger or Higher Quality (or both)?

In deciding how to spend your diamond dollars, you need to consider what is most important to your wife. Generally speaking, size (carat weight) is the most significant factor in a ring upgrade. As you may (or may not) remember from 10 or 20 years ago, every step up in carat weight, color and clarity increases the rarity of your diamond and therefore the price. I always share with my clients that size and color are the two most visible C’s of diamonds, so as long as your diamond is eye clean, an SI1 is just fine if that means you can get 1 carat larger. Having access to top make, eye clean stones is a valuable asset when searching for your upgrade.

5. How to Present Her Ring

Now comes the fun part! Whether a big surprise celebration with friends and family, or a private getaway at your favorite luxury resort for just the two of you, watching your wife’s face light up like the sun as she opens a beautiful ring box to an even more beautiful ring is a feeling you cannot replace. And it will take you back to that first moment you got down on one knee and asked her to be yours.

You have both grown together in love, respect, wisdom and sacrifice over the years and honoring her with an upgraded diamond ring is such a special gift that only you can give her.