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7 Ways to Drop A Hint – And Get Your Perfect Engagement Ring

How do you tell your partner exactly what engagement ring you want without sacrificing the element of surprise? We’ve got the pro tips you’re looking to drop a hint.

7 Ways to Drop A Hint and Get Your Perfect Engagement Ring

So your engagement is in the air! Maybe you’ve talked about it at length, maybe you just know that the time is nigh, but however you know – you need a ring to get it done

Many people, although they know exactly which ring they want, aren’t sure how to get the message across to their partner without spoiling the surprise. That “OMG!” face just can’t be faked, after all! 

It’s a tricky tightrope to walk between planned and unplanned. On the one hand, it’s crucial that both partners are on the same page regarding wanting to get married. On the other hand, popping the question – as the phrase implies – is an exciting, explosive event. To many, it’s just as crucial to creating the toe-tingling, je-ne-se-quois atmosphere of an unexpected proposal. 

Most of the below tips can be dropped subtly or obviously, and we’ll tell you how.

Use James Allen’s Drop-A-Hint Feature

Good for when: 

  • You know exactly what you want

JamesAllen.com comes with a ready-made suggestion feature. Above each ring on the site is a small heart-shaped icon.  Simply click on this “Drop a Hint” icon and you’ll be prompted to choose a platform over which to send your hint: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Gmail. Or, you can simply copy the link and send it however you’d like.

14K Gold Two Tone Ribbon Bypass Solitaire Engagement Ring

“Everyone was impressed with the ring. It was simple but elegant. The tension band highlighted the diamond.” -Karine I.

Try James Allen’s Wishlist Feature

Good for when:

  • You and your partner are looking for a ring together
  • You love more than one ring
14K Rose Gold Pavé Twist Diamond Engagement Ring

“Photos don’t ever do rings justice, but let me say this ring sparkles even in the darkest of nights. You will have heads turning.” -Monica L.

Sometimes it’s hard just to pick one ring! If you’re in love with more than one exquisite sparkler, here’s what you should do:

  1. Create a JamesAllen.com account
  2. Browse ring candidates
  3. Click on the heart icon beside the “select this setting” button on any ring page to add that particular model to your wishlist
  4. Give your partner your JamesAllen.com password 
  5. They see your wishlist and surprise you with one of your dream rings!

Pro tip: This is a way to get the best of both worlds: you get a ring you love + you don’t know which one you’ll get! Surprise ensured.

Use Pinterest To Drop A Hint

Good for when: 

  • You’re an avid, organized researcher

Pinterest is an incredible tool for dropping a hint! There are two ways to use Pinterest to drop a hint:

  1. Save specific rings to your “Engagement Ring” Pinterest board, just as you would on your James Allen wishlist.
  2. Save engagement ring characteristics on different boards, and then let your partner choose the ring themselves. 

Let’s focus on option #2. For each characteristic, make a titled board. For example, you may want a yellow gold solitaire engagement ring with a high, diamond-encrusted basket. In this case, you’ll make 4 boards: “Yellow Gold Rings,” “Solitaire Engagement Rings,” “Rings with High Baskets,” and “Rings with Diamond Baskets.” 

Diamond Pave Basket Engagement Ring

14K Yellow Gold Diamond Pave Basket Engagement Ring

“Beautiful, blindingly shiny! The pave on the basket is so unique, we love how it lets the solitaire diamond take center stage when viewing the ring from the top, but adds extra sparkle from the side.” – Joshua L.

Pave Adorned Cathedral Engagement Ring

14K White Gold Pave Adorned Cathedral Engagement Ring

“As it glistens on her hand, she smiles. This ring was everything she wanted, and it makes me happy to see her happy. Looks great, fits great, and putting it on for the first time is unforgettable.” -Marcus S.

Don’t forget to get your partner to follow you on Pinterest! Either tell them up-front what your profile name is, or get a good friend to tip them off.

Pro tip: For specifics on how to use Pinterest to the fullest, read up on Using Pinterest To Find Your Partner’s Dream Ring.

Drop A Hint On Instagram

Good for when: 

  • You’ve got a good community on social media.

Are you and your partner both on Instagram? Or do you have a good friend who can pass along your messages? Whenever you see a choice engagement ring on IG, tag your special someone. 

Pro tip: Here’s a good start: follow @jamesallenrings on Instagram. Every James Allen post includes the specific model name and number so your follower(s) know exactly what to look for. 

Triple Diamond Engagement Ring

14K Yellow Gold Triple Diamond Engagement Ring

“These diamonds dance with the light with the slightest movement of my finger! The triple white diamonds on each side are the perfect compliment to the yellow diamond. The package box my beautiful ring came in is like none I have ever seen!” -Debra H.

Graduated Pavé Engagement Ring

14K White Gold Graduated Pavé Engagement Ring

“My ring is even more stunning in person compared to the photos online. I whole-heartedly recommend this style for someone who loves antique/traditional styles but still wants something different.” – Anne S.

The Double Date

Good for when: 

  • Your partner’s perceptive 
  • You’ve got mutual friends with good taste.

Go out on a double date with engaged/married friends, preferably ones who are in on your drop-a-hint plan. Now it’s go time: strike up a conversation about engagement rings! Compliment the ring they chose, ask them what they like about it, and most importantly: talk about the specific elements of their ring that you love. Your partner will definitely get the hint. 

Feel free to punctuate this conversation with heavy winks and emphatic throat-clearing.

Pro tip: this doesn’t necessarily have to be a date with an engaged friend. It also works with a mutual friend, so long as you talk about engagement rings in general.

Channel Set Engagement Ring

14K Rose Gold Channel Set Princess Cut Diamond Engagement Ring

“The diamonds in the channel are the perfect petite size but still dazzle. Paired with the main stone it turned out better than I had hoped. She fell in love with the ring. Couldn’t be happier.” – Edgar L.

Accents Pavé Engagement Ring

14K White Gold Marquise Diamond Accents Pave Basket Engagement Ring

“This ring is gorgeous! The diamond sits up much higher than I thought it would. It looks fantastic though. The way the ring is put together, with the diamond sitting so high, really makes the diamond stand out.” – Amber L.

Tell a friend

Good for when:

  • Your partner is well-meaning, but not so perceptive.

Enlist a good friend’s help to drop a hint! Tell them exactly what you want. Include links, photos, and celebrity engagement ring examples, as well as a sub-list of ring elements that you definitely don’t want in your ring.

Cathedral Pavé Engagement Ring

14K Yellow Gold Cathedral Pave Halo Diamond Engagement Ring

“Absolutely stunning ring. Everyone who sees it is complementary and thinks it is much larger than it is!” -Meagan L.

Magnolia Engagement Ring

14K Rose Gold Magnolia Engagement Ring

“I love how the princess cut diamond is put cocked, it makes it look so different than other rings I’ve looked at!” – Kay M.

Write a list

Good for when: 

  • Your partner really doesn’t want to make a mistake!

Ok, so your partner needs a little help. Writing a list is a good way to drop a hint and let your partner know the nuances of your ring preferences. This is more than a simple collection of rings; writing a detailed list lets them know where they have a bit of wiggle room to be creative.

Elements of a good engagement ring list:

  1. Specific ring models. You can rank your list of preferences or let your partner know that you love them all equally. Either way, be sure to specify your level of desire for each ring.
  2. A list of must-have ring elements
  3. A list of must-NOT-have ring elements

Pro tip: Accompany your list with a little love note and get creative with how you deliver it; text, email, or a hand-written letter!  No miscommunications, no way.

Channel Set Diamond Engagement Ring

14K White Gold Channel Set Round Shaped Diamond Engagement Ring

“Spoiler Alert! This ring is bold and makes quite the statement. IF you like flashy rings, this is perfect for you. I am very happy with it, just know it’s a lot of bling!” – Maxine L.

Three Stone Scroll Undergallery Engagement Ring

14K Yellow Gold Three Stone Diamond Engagement Ring With Scroll Undergallery

“I really love this ring, simple but stunning. I just can’t stop looking at it, especially those 4 perfect heart prongs around the middle diamond.” -Jane O.

Ring In The New

Choosing a ring while keeping the mystery alive is no easy feat. But there are ways to do it – and well. Use some of JamesAllen.com’s built-in features to virtually wink-wink at your partner, use social media, recruit friends, or write an old-fashioned list!

And if you’re really in a pickle, don’t hesitate to reach out to our legendary customer service team. They’re available 24-7 and have a trove of ring ideas.

Subscribe to our email list for access to secret sales, practical ring-buying tips, and $100 off your first purchase!

Rachel Hoar

Rachel is an unabashed linguistics fanatic who can identify the ancient Greek root of any word. She promises not to spray you with Windex.

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guide to pinterest cover

Using Pinterest to Find Your Partner’s Dream Ring

Trying to figure out your partner’s taste in engagement rings while hiding the fact that you’re ring shopping? If they use Pinterest (and they probably do), here’s how to make it your secret weapon in the search for that dream ring.

Using Pinterest to Find Your Partner’s Dream Ring

Pinterest is a brainstormer’s utopia, which is why it’s used by TONS of ring enthusiasts to virtually window shop. When your partner uses Pinterest (if they don’t, give them a nudge!), you have front-row access to exactly the rings they love. And remember, you can contact our customer service team at any time for hands-on help. 

DISCOVER THEIR STYLE

Quickly identify your partner’s ring style by identifying trends on their Pinterest boards. As you browse their ring pins, ask yourself which ring characteristics show up most often:

  • Type of setting (pavé, solitaire, halo…)
  • Ring metal (rose/white/yellow gold…)
  • Diamond cut (round, emerald, oval…)

Head to James Allen’s Engagement Ring board and easily search rings by your partner’s fav categories. Once you’ve collected your ring inspo, save the pins to a secret board (more on that below). Share them with our customer service team and within minutes they’ll help you pin-point THE ring!

Next up: how to get Pin-spired without raising any ring-shopping suspicions.

Triple Diamond Cluster Engagement Ring

14K Rose Gold Triple Diamond Engagement Ring

“I took all of the best elements from my fiancée’s Pinterest and combined them into this ring. She is absolutely over the moon with it.”

-Quincy B.

FOLLOW ANONYMOUSLY

To follow your partner without them knowing:

  1. Create a Pinterest account using a non-specific username and a first name/last name that’s not your own.
  2. Search for your partner by their email address (or Pinterest username if you know it)
  3. Go into their profile and click “See all boards”
  4. Choose the relevant engagement ring-related board and click “follow.” 
  5. All the pins you follow will appear in the “following” tab at the top of the page.

Split Shank Solitaire Engagement Ring

14K White Gold Split Shank Double Claw Solitaire Engagement Ring

“When the time was right I scoured her Pinterest page looking at photos she had collected over the years. Through these pictures I had an idea of what she liked.”

– Zachary T.

SAVE THEIR RINGS

Once you’re following your partner, it’s super convenient to save all their relevant pins in one location. You can do this by saving their pins to your own secret board, or you can download their pins and save them on your computer – or both!

How to save rings to a SECRET board

To ensure everything stays private, all you have to do is make your board secret. Just click on the pencil icon in the bottom right-hand corner of the board tile. A pop-up will appear. Scroll down and activate the option “keep this board secret.”

If your partner visits your profile, they won’t be able to see any of your saved pins on this secret board. Your secret will be safe.

Vintage Filigree Engagement Ring

14K Yellow Gold Diamond Filigree Engagement Ring

“I immediately was drawn to one ring that I had seen on my girlfriend’s Pinterest page once… I knew it was perfect for her and she absolutely loves it!”

– Zahnlecker M.

COLLABORATE WITH FRIENDS/FAMILY

How can you use Pinterest to collaborate with your partner’s friends and family? Invite them to pin to your ring board and comment on the rings you’ve found!

To get input from the people who know your partner’s tastes best, first search for your ring helpers via username or email – but don’t follow them. (If you do follow them, anyone can see you’re connected.) Then, invite them to collaborate on your secret board.

Once they accept, your partners-in-crime can help by adding ring pins and commenting directly on specific rings.

Entangled Vines Engagement Ring

14K Rose Gold Entangled Vines Engagement Ring

“My fiancée had a specific ring in mind (Which she made very well known via Pinterest) and James Allen was one of only a handful of online retailers to carry this specific design.”

– Curtis M.

FIND SIMILAR RINGS

Found a James Allen ring on Pinterest that looks almost perfect, but not quite? Open the pin and enlarge the ring to see similar-looking rings.

Our legendary customer service team is also an incredible resource. They’re available 24/7 – and super responsive! Reach out and you’ll be chatting with them within minutes. They’re fantastic at helping to narrow down ring options once you’ve got an idea of your partner’s style.

Cushion Outline Halo Engagement Ring

14K White Gold Cushion Outline Roll Over Diamond Halo Engagement Ring

“I was on my fiancée’s Pinterest and saw a ring from James Allen…Now everyone she comes into contact with always asks about her ring and the compliments never stop!”

-Brandon M.

DO YOUR RESEARCH

So now you’re an expert, buff up your ring expertise by following James Allen Rings on Pinterest. Get the most info for your follows by starting with these James Allen Pinterest boards that are chock-full of educational advice:

Petite Pavé Engagement Ring

14K White Gold Petite Pavé Engagement Ring

“I noticed that 90% of her rings on Pinterest had pavé bands, so I found a really nice diamond and put the ring together. She loves it.”

-Keith G.

On a stealthy ring hunt? Read on for clues:

Subscribe to our email list for access to secret sales, practical ring-buying tips, and $100 off your first purchase!

Rachel Hoar

Rachel is an unabashed linguistics fanatic who can identify the ancient Greek root of any word. She promises not to spray you with Windex.

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