Peter Franklin Jewelers

The owners of Peter Franklin Jewelers are men like you. They enjoy sports, outdoors and watching action movies just like the rest of us. So Peter Franklin really understands, from a men's perspective, what it must be like to walk into a jewelry store to buy a ring.

Men usually have a difficult time buying an engagement ring. This is a difficult decision as most men don't know much about buying rings, there's sticker shock is usually associated with ring buying, and there will the concern that she's not going to like what you picked.

At Peter Franklin, we put your mind at ease and help you every step of the way in your purchasing decision. We've all been in your shoes, and as men we know what you're going through. Please use this guide as a helpful start to this big decision.

Establish your budget

Before buying your ring, you need to establish a budget. We advise that you look at the monthly payments, not the final purchase price. Looking at the monthly payments is the best way to look at what will work within your budget.

Once you've established your budget, our consultants will work with you to find the right ring within your budget and help you with pre-approval, if you need financing. Peter Franklin works with top lenders and have expert staff that can assist you with financing.

Find out her size

If you plan on keeping this a secret (it's more fun this way, isn't it?), you're going to need to find out her ring size. There's a few ways to do this. First, if she has a ring, “borrow” it without her knowing and bring it in to us and we'll size it properly. Second, if you can't “borrow” it long enough for us to look at it, “borrow” it and outline the hole with a pencil (you sneaky devil!). Lastly, if these above methods don't work, be honest. Tell her what you're thinking, and bring her in. This happens more than you may imagine.

Find out her style

This one's tough! You're going to have to really pay attention to your loved-one and see what their likes really are. How do you do this?

Watch carefully the type of jewelry they do wear. Pay particular attention to whether or not they like gold or silver, and what shape of stone you might think they will like. As well, pay attention to the ornamental value of the ring…meaning, will they like a ring with lots of stones, large and small.

Pick the engagement band

This is the first part of the ring process — the engagement band. Our consultants will help you pick the perfect band, so you won't have to worry much here. But as stated previously, be sure you have an idea of your loved-ones like and dislikes. A conversation about rings beforehand wouldn't hurt (except the surprise).

Pick the stone and setting

Again, your Peter Franklin consultant will be there every step of the way, so they'll help you when figuring out which ring to buy. However, it will definitely help to have an idea of how stones are “graded” before you buy.

When it comes to the diamond, think of the “Four C's” — Cut, Color, Clarity, Carat.

Cut. Cut doesn't refer to the shape of the diamond, but rather the angles and proportions of the stone. A well cut diamond reflects light from one facet to another and projects the light through the top of the stone. This is what gives a diamond its sparkle. Out of all the four C's, cut is the most important.

Color. Diamond color is graded on a scale that ranges from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow). Truly colorless diamonds are the most rare and most expensive. White color diamonds are the most popular.

Clarity. The fewer imperfections a diamond has, the more clear, and consequently, more expensive it is. When the jeweler starts discussing the clarity of the diamond, he or she will probably mention the diamond's “inclusions.” Inclusions are other minerals or tiny fractures in the diamond. The fewer inclusions the better.

Carat (Weight). Carat refers to the weight of a diamond. Through proper mounting and shaping, a master jeweler can make a diamond appear larger than its carat weight might suggest.