Time Got Away From You? Here's How To Buy An Engagement Ring In A Time Crunch

About 40 percent of couples get engaged sometime between Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day. It's easy to understand why: That three-month period is full of romantic holidays and picture-perfect proposal moments. The problem: While three months seems like a long time, the hustle and bustle of the holiday season means that days slip away fast, leaving you with only a short window to figure out how to buy an engagement ring.

You have to act fast if you want to hit that February proposal deadline — and we're here to help.

Determine Your Engagement Ring Budget ASAP

There are so many things to consider when shopping for engagement rings, like learning how to buy an engagement ring online, that it's difficult to know where to start. First thing's first: You need to know how much you can spend. The price of an engagement ring is based primarily on the diamond itself and depends on four main factors, known as the 4 Cs: carat, cut, clarity and color.

Diamonds are rated based on each of the 4 Cs: Gemstones that rate higher on each scale will be more expensive than diamonds that are lower on the scale.

However, you don't just have to pick between a beautiful (and expensive) diamond and a cheap one. If cost is a factor, you should prioritize which of the 4 Cs is most important in the engagement ring you want to buy. For example, if she has her heart set on a 2 carat ring, you can save money by opting for a slightly yellow diamond instead of a clear one (there are ways to make it look less yellow), or one that has a few flaws (known as inclusions) that affect its clarity score.

Having an idea of your must haves — and where you can settle — before starting the ring-buying process can speed things up considerably.

Get a Firm Understanding of Her Style

In a perfect world, you'd have plenty of time to snoop around on your future spouse's Pinterest profile to get an idea of her dream rings and diamonds.

Unfortunately, you're on a time crunch and can't afford to waste days or weeks trying to pick up on her hints. Your best bet: Take her ring shopping and find out which diamonds — and ring styles — catch her eye. Shopping together for rings might feel like it takes some of the surprise out of a proposal, but you can always just say you're looking for ideas for when that time comes.

Set Your Deadline in Stone

Diamonds might seem straightforward, but there are so many different facets to picking out the right diamond — and learning all about them can send you down a rabbit hole of research that's hard to climb out of.

Prevent decision fatigue by setting a firm deadline for picking out a potential ring for your future spouse. One way to do that? Narrow your options down to three choices and utilize the With Clarity Home Preview program to see the rings in person before your self-imposed deadline. Just remember: It takes two business days for the replica rings to arrive at your home.

It's also important to take final ring production and shipping into account with your deadline. We send rings with two-day shipping after we get the stone and set the ring.

If you do not have time to customize, and wait for a jeweler to set and ship a ring, we have another option for you. Preset diamond engagement rings. Shopping for preset engagement rings is a fantastic option for saving money and time. At With Clarity, our preset rings are ready-to-ship in five Business days, meaning that they are proposal ready within days.

Talk to an Expert Gemologist

Figuring out how to buy an engagement ring in a time crunch can seem like a daunting — and lonely — task, but it doesn't have to be that way. With Clarity has expert gemologists on staff who can help you find the perfect engagement ring. Our experts are available anytime to walk you through what you need to know about diamonds and engagement rings, cutting out research time spent on small details.

Bonus: With Clarity gemologists work with you within your budget to get you exactly the ring you want — and we can even send you videos of the diamond you're considering to get a more in-depth look before you make a final decision.