Congratulations! You’re ready to get down on one knee. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Romance is in the air and you've found the person you plan on spending the rest of your life with. There’s no better time than the present to start thinking about popping the question.

'Will you marry me?'

If you or someone you know is ready to propose, now is a good time for finding the perfect ring. Consider vintage new versions. We've pulled together some do's and don'ts of buying an engagement ring -- particularly when shopping for vintage, antique, and heirloom engagement rings.

Do's & Don'ts of Shopping for Vintage Enagement Rings

DON’T: Wait until the last minute

Don’t wait until the last minute to find the perfect engagement ring. You’ll end up rushed, stressed, and overwhelmed. If you already have a date for the proposal in mind, give yourself a few months before that to browse your ring options.

Leave yourself ample time for this, as your engagement is something you want to enjoy- not stress over.

DO: Research your options

You don’t need to get a degree in diamond gemology, but it pays to become familiar with the four C’s.

You might ask ... what are the four C's? The four C's is an universal grading system developed by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) to evaluate the quality of a diamond. While there are more that four grading categories, the four C's are the most important.

They include:

Carat: unit of measurement for weight of precious and semi-precious gemstones and pearls, mass equal to 200 milligrams or 0.00643 troy ounces.

Color: used to grade precious stones, particularly diamonds. The GIA (Gemological Institute of America) color scale ranges from D to Z, D being considered colorless and higher in value

Clarity: used to describe the presence or absence of a gemstone's external or internal flaws.

Cut: (not to be confused with shape!) a factor determining a diamond’s brilliance; qualifies brilliance, fire, and scintillation by analyzing proportions, symmetry, and polish.

These are the main four characteristics of the diamond that you’ll want to pay attention to when choosing a ring. If you’re shopping antique or vintage, read up on the style of each time period. Jewelry from Edwardian and Victorian times will not look the same as vintage rings from the ‘40s and ‘50s.

(Want to brush-up on your jewelry knowledge? Be sure to read our Jewelry blog series. Here, you'll find infor on different gems, metals, care and cleaning, and more.)

DO: Set a Budget

Make a budget and stick to it. Determine your spending limit -- what's comfortable for you financially, If you plan on 'surprising' your inteded with a proposal, you can single-handedly determine your spend. If you and your partner are shopping together it's important to communicate what you can realistically afford. This isn’t the time to be overly frugal, but don’t drop your entire savings account on the ring.

This time should be special, not stressful. Besides, you’ll want to save some money to fund your upcoming wedding, honeymoon, even a down payment on a new home.

DO: Consider your partner’s taste

If you’ve already discussed marriage, your partner is probably dropping some hints already. Pay attention to those hints.

Check out her Pinterest boards to see what styles she may be posting about. Consider asking a few of her friends (ones you can trust to keep their lips sealed) about the styles she might like.

Pay attention to how your partner dresses. Is her style minimalist? Does she tend to wear bigger, bolder statement pieces?

Does she do a lot of manual labor or work in an industry where big jewelry pieces are frowned upon or even forbidden (i.e., ER doctor, nurse, machinist). Does work in an office environment where jewelry choices don't necessarily factor into her daily tasks?

Take all of this into consideration when purchasing a ring. You want to complement her typical style or look, as well as practical for normal day-to-day activites. She will, after all, be wearing the ring daily.

DON’T: Always go for the largest carat stone(s)

Although it might be tempting to splurge on the biggest 'rock' you can find, it might not be in your partner’s best interests or tastes. In this case, bigger isn’t always better.

Sometimes, less is more. Generally speaking, the higher the carat weight, the more expensive the stone gets.

Want to challenge your jewelry knowledge? Take this fun jewelry quiz.

DON’T: Limit yourself

Center stone diamond rings may be a classic option, but don’t limit yourself to only diamonds and the gem 'hero.'

Experiment with different gemstones such as sapphire, emerald, and ruby, and mix and match them with different metals for a unique ring. If your partner loves her birthstone, perhaps consider that as the lead gem.

There are a wide variety of gemstones and metals (gold, platinum, sterling silver, etc.) out there. Have fun exploring and experimenting with different types of gems until you find something you know your partner will love.

Be mindful of the different characteristics of gemstones -- their potential for daily wear and tear. (Although pearl rings can be beautiful, they aren’t necessarily the most durable option for a piece intended to be worn daily.)

Remember, you don't need to buy a custom engagement ring or a diamond engagement ring in order to find a truly exceptional and unique ring!

DON’T: Neglect ring size

Believe it or not, just as with clothing, ring bands come in various sizes. "How do I find her ring size," you may ask? If you don't know the right ring size, there are some ways you can discover it (on the sly, of course).

Borrowing Method: If your partner leaves any other rings lying around, borrow them. Take them to a jeweler to be measured.

Ring Around Your Finger Method: If your partner wears a specific ring every day, wait until she’s showering, sleeping, or even washing the dishes and removes the ring.

Try the ring on one of your fingers at the location where the ring fits perfectly -- not too snugly, but not too loosely either. (Be careful not to push the ring so far on your finger that it gets stuck.)

Carefully use a pen to trace the circumference of the ring on your finger.

Then, go to your jeweler to measure those markings against their ring sizers. Viola!

DO: Shop antique and vintage

Every antique and vintage jewelry has its own special story and rings are no different. You’ll also be avoiding big box chain stores. While not necessarily a bad option, big box chains tend to have high mark-up prices and pushy salespeople.

Additionally, these stores typically grade their own gems, allowing them to sell lower quality diamonds at higher prices than other vendors would.

Realize that antique and vintage rings can often be resized to better fit your intended's finger. When in doubt, ask the dealer's staff gemologist if they think resizing is an option for the ring you are considering.

Another nice bonus when looking at estate jewelry is that sometimes you can find ring sets ... engagement rings with matching or compatible wedding bands. These rings may have adorned the fingers of its bearers for decades in wedded bliss.

(See our suggestions below for the top five places to find excellent quality antique and vintage estate rings.)

Pro Tip: Certain jewlery makers' marks help determine the overal value of a piece of vintage or antique jewelry. If you need to resize a ring that has a maker's mark in the band, check with the jeweler to ensure that doing so won't adversly affect the mark.

Top Places to Find Quality Antique and Vintage Estate Rings

Vintage jewelers, estate liquidators, and reputable auction houses are great places to buy vintage, heirloom, and antique jewelry. Here are some of the best to buy vintage and antique engagement rings:

1stdibs

Quality vintage and antique jewelry is easy to find on 1stdibs, an online jewelry vendor offering ring styles ranging from unique retro to elegant classic. Its rings vary greatly in style, color, and price, providing customers with countless options.

Black Rock Galleries

BRG offers highly curated estate and multi-estate collection of jewelry. Their online auctions offer a dazzling array of estate jewelry, including vintage and antique rings, suitable for unique engagement rings. Plus, their dedicated jewelry department boasts a GIA graduate gemologist who is happy to answer any questions prospective buyers might have on the jewelry for sale. At any given time, you might find rings with diamonds (white diamonds, colored diamonds, black diamonds, etc.), sapphires, rubies, emeralds, topaz, and others in a wide variety of sizes, settings and styles.

Doyle & Doyle

Founded by sisters specializing in heirloom jewelry, Doyle & Doyle offers an assortment of engagement rings in every cut, color, and metal you could imagine. Each ring’s intricate detail tells a story and adds character to your special moment.

Leibish

Specializing in colored diamonds but offering a wide variety of gemstones, Leibish prides itself on its ethically-sourced, environmentally-sustainable rings. The store provides endless options of colors, styles, and patterns to ensure you find the perfect fit for your fiance.

The One I Love

The jewelry offerings at The One I Love consist of ornate detailing, polished metals, and sparkling gemstones. Characterized as “wearable art,” its rings travel as far back in time as the Georgian and Victorian eras or as recently as the Retro and Art Deco periods. Browse their selection to give your special someone a unique heirloom jewelry ring from the past.

Local Jewelers and Estate Sale Companies

Many small, local jewelry stores offer antique, vintage and heirloom jewelry, including rings. They often have a wonderful assortment of precious and semi-precious gemstone rings including diamonds and other colored stones in a variety of settings. Some pieces may be a few decades old, others a hundred years or more.

Likewise, be sure to consider local estate sales. Many estates have a nice array of vintage and antique jewelry. Finding the right item may be a very 'hit or miss' endeavor, but you might just find a real gem (pun completely intended!!).

Getting engaged should be a fun and rewarding experience. Shopping for the perfect ring should be just as enjoyable and relatively stress-free. With these simple tips, you’ll be able to enjoy the experience and ensure that your fiance is happy.

We hope your search for the perfect vintage engagement ring is a huge success! Share your #BRGstyle #perfectvintageengagement photo with us on instagram!

DON’T: Limit yourself

Diamonds are a classic option, but don’t limit yourself to only diamonds and the gem 'hero.'

Experiment with different gemstones such as sapphire, emerald, and ruby, and mix and match them with different metals for a unique ring. If your partner loves her birthstone, perhaps consider that as the lead gem. There are a wide variety of gemstones and metals (gold, platinum, sterling silver, etc.) out there.

Have fun exploring and experimenting with different types of gems until you find something you know your partner will love.

Be mindful of the different characteristics of gemstones -- their potential for daily wear and tear. (Although pearl rings can be beautiful, they aren’t necessarily the most durable option for a piece intended to be worn daily.)