Choosing a Ring

6 Tips on Secretly Shopping for An Engagement Ring

Ready to propose, but not sure how to shop engagement rings without your partner finding out? Don’t worry! Whether you live with your partner or not, it’s easy to find an engagement ring that’s perfect for them without ever leaving home.

Use your personal computer

Do you and your partner share a computer or laptop? Do you have one you use for work, and one for play? Well, it’s best to use your personal computer (if you can) to do your online shopping if you’re hoping to keep the proposal a secret. If you both use the same devices, make sure to clear your history so as not to leave any trails for your significant other.

Pick up on hints

If you’re thinking about getting engaged, chances are your partner’s been dropping hints in one way or another. Pay attention to what they say when you watch movies with engagements, jewelry, or weddings in them to get a clue of what they’re interested in. Have they been gushing nonstop about their newly engaged friend’s ring? Do they hate the look of the halo their favorite movie star is wearing? Use these comments to make sure you’re getting them a ring they’ll really love.

Log on to social media

See if your sweetheart is following certain brands or influencers on social media to get a hint on what their engagement ring style is. Do you have access to their Pinterest? Check out pinned rings for more inspiration — or even send them a link to Shane Co. with a note about our Virtual Try-On feature.

Recruit their friends and family

Even if you’re stuck at home, you can still enlist the help of those closest to them when it comes to picking out an engagement ring. Is there a family heirloom they’ve mentioned? If you feel comfortable, share your plans with family members and friends to see if they have any words of advice or suggestions to help you along your shopping journey.

Create a shortlist

Shopping for an engagement ring online can be daunting. With so many options to choose from, how do you find the right one? The best thing we can recommend is to stay organized. Favorite some styles you know she’d love, and when they start stacking up, compile a “shortlist” of your top five or 10. It’s a lot easier to choose from a few styles than thousands. You can also take advantage of tools like Budget Buddy, Shane Co.’s engagement ring calculator, to make sure you’re shopping rings within your budget.

Don’t overthink it

Here’s the kicker: If your significant other loves you, and you love them, chances are they’ll say yes no matter what ring you give them. While you’ll probably end up proposing with an engagement ring that they’ll love, you shouldn’t stress too hard over all the little details. The most important point is that you’re asking your love to spend the rest of your lives together — and there’s nothing more romantic than that.

This post was last modified on March 21, 2023 4:00 pm

Anna Gionet

Anna started working at Shane Co. in December of 2018. She got her start in writing at a young age, and began her professional career writing for a variety of websites, news publications, and blogs. She continues to be a writer and contributor to Shane Co.'s blog, The Loupe, along with other members of the Shane Co. team.

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  • My brother has been thinking about proposing to his girlfriend but he really wants to surprise her. He would really like to get some help from a professional to pick the right one for her. I'll be sure to tell him about how he should look at her social media for clues to what kind of rings she likes.

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