First of all, if anyone said that choosing an engagement ring would be easy - they're lying. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of online jewelery retailers offering a vast and confusing array of what appears to be shiny and beautiful engagement rings.
If you choose to go to an actual jewelry store in your local plaza you're in for a real treat. You'll be approached by overly ambitious sales people that will attempt to sell you engagement rings that you're really not too sure about what exactly you're purchasing.

But it's not all doom and gloom! I'm here to save you from the chaos that is the engagement ring purchase. I will help make your purchase a smooth and enjoyable experience for you. This article specifically deals with choosing your ring, but if you would like me to take you from the beginning of the planning process, and then help guide you to the most reliable online jewelers, I strongly urge you to visit my site Select Engagement Ring.com. Let's get right to it then, shall we?

What is the most popular engagement ring?

Firstly, engagement rings don't have to be diamond rings at all. They can be sapphire, garnet, emerald or any other semi-precious stone. Excuse me while I get a little mushy, but what matters is that the ring represents enduring love.

That being said, diamond rings are the most popular engagement rings, and they usually are set on a white gold or platinum ring. Traditional yellow gold rings are also still popular. The most popular setting for the diamond ring is the solitaire, round brilliant cut. In other words, one diamond, raised up to accentuate the size of the diamond, and it's very sparkly.

More on diamond cuts and styles will come later.

Does the man still choose the ring?

Usually the man still chooses the engagement ring alone and surprises his soon to be fiancee. That being said, more and more these days women are taking part in the ring selection process. Guys, you've got to understand that this ring is going to be on her finger for the rest of her life! (everyone take a relaxing deep breath)

However, just because she takes part in picking up the engagement ring, doesn't mean she knows when you're going to give it to her or in what way. My wife and I picked out her ring together, and believe me she was still surprised when I finally proposed to her, as her tears of joy would attest.

How much should the engagement ring cost?

This truly is a personal question you need to solve on your own. But fear not, I have some pointers for you. If you plan on purchasing a diamond ring the generally understood rumor states that it should cost approximately 2 months of your annual salary. But this need not be so if you are buying a non diamond engagement ring, like a semi-precious stone, for example.

Yellow Gold, White Gold, Platinum, oh my!

If you want the most bling for your buck, I recommend platinum. It's hypoallergenic, the strongest and most durable of all the metals, and is very shiny too. However, it will cost you more than white gold or yellow gold. White gold has become extremely popular, however, let me offer a suggestion on what carat of gold to choose:

In all gold there are some elements of impurities like nickel. White gold and yellow gold engagement rings generally come in 14 carat or 18 carat. The 18 carat ring is a more pure blend of gold than the 14 carat, which is great if your beautiful has a nickel allergy like mine does. However, the 14 carat gold ring is stronger due to these impurities being in it. This means that it will resist scratches better than the 18 carat.

What are the different cuts of diamonds?

The answer to this question is not as difficult as you might think. I've put it together in a different section of the website. But for now, I can summarize how it works. There is an internationally recognized way of grading diamonds, beyond simply the describing the size of it. The diamond will be graded by categories like how white/transparent it is, how many imperfections there are, and how brilliant the sparkle is to name a few. The result of these grades will determine the cost of the diamond.

We'll come back to the diamond grading system soon.

How do I choose the design of the ring?

The online jewelers tend to have a "build-your-own" ring application that let you see what different settings look like with different types of diamonds. A couple things to keep in mind though. Some rings you'll look at only have 4 claws to hold the diamond rather than 6. The argument here in having more claws is that it has a firmer grip on the diamond than the 4 claws. I know people that have had their 4 claw diamond rings settings for decades, and they haven't yet lost their diamond. However, if you're willing to pay slightly more for the added security, you can certainly choose 6 claws for your engagement ring setting.

How are diamonds categorized?

Ah, I thought you'd never ask. Please visit my website SelectEngagementRing.com to find out the rest of my diamond purchasing wisdom.
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This article and many more can be found on my website: Select Engagement Ring.com.

I went through the daunting process of purchasing an engagement ring for my sweetheart a few months ago. I created this website to share my experiences and help you make a wise decision about choosing your engagement ring.

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Ryan Sampson,
Select Engagement Ring.com.