Most famous engagement rings are known for their beauty or celebrity ownership. Colette DiPeirro’s engagement ring is getting famous for raising the debate over what a ring really means. Is it a gift of love or is it a binding contract to marry? Depending on how the law sees it, it could mean that Ms. DiPeirro is responsible for returning the $17,500 diamond engagement ring her fiancée gave to her when proposing, and which she never returned after calling off the engagement.

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About 90% of the fun of a proposal is the surprise. However, when you buy diamonds, it can be expensive, especially if she doesn’t like the ring. There’s not much of a return policy and some rings may be hard to resize. There’s no reason you have to sacrifice the element of surprise, however, just to get a ring she’ll love. You just have to take a few things into account that’s all.

What’s Her Style?

If she is more modern, she’ll want a modern setting. Maybe she leads an active lifestyle and will want a setting that can wear more than a gold setting. You have to understand that this ring is likely to be on her finger the rest of her life, and for sure, she’ll want it to match the style in her everyday wardrobe. If she wears very feminine clothing, she may want a vintage, romantic, style ring. If she wears more sporty clothing, she’s likely to want something with a modern flair. If you just can’t tell, you can always opt for the princess-cut solitaire diamond as it is the most popular cut chosen and can look modern or vintage, depending on what you wear it with.

Her Ring Size

Next to style, the ring size is going to determine your choice of ring. If you don’t know her ring size, obviously asking about it is a big tip-off that you’re planning to buy a ring. There’s several ways around this. You can “borrow” one of her rings so that you can get it sized to find out the proper size. You can have friends or relatives ask about her ring size that are in on the big surprise later. You risk sort of ruining it though as the more that know; the easier it is to leak that information. You can get a ring for a different occasion like Valentine’s day, and see how it fits, whether you need to go larger or smaller, depending on what finger she puts it on. Finally, you’re really not sure, be sure to get a metal for a setting that can be resized, like gold. Platinum is very difficult to resize so you need to be careful when choosing platinum settings.

Her Social Conscience

Some people just don’t want a diamond ring unless they’re assured it’s conflict-free. If that’s your girlfriend, it’s easy to find out from the jewelry retailer whether they certify it as conflict-free. Others may want to make some sort of environmental statement by avoiding mined materials, in which case you need to really be sure that what you give her isn’t going to offend her sense of ethics. There is alternative jewelry for people who desire something different. Or, you can opt to give her something that has been handed down from family member to family members, thus more of an heirloom piece than some statement on mass commercialism. Try to match the ring you get to the bride-to-be, but always leave room for changes, if she needs them. In the end, the happier she is with the ring you’ve chosen, the more likely she will wear it everywhere she goes.

Bored of the plain old princess solitaire? Jazz it up with a criss cross eternity band engagement ring. That’s not the only option out there either. Jewelers have really outdone themselves in the variety of ring designs out there for a new bride-to-be. Multi-stoned settings that allow you to add diamonds or other stones on either side of a central diamond are also fabulous. If you don’t want the eternity band, just use the criss cross in multiple metal colors. The designs out there seem to be limited only by the imagination.

Criss Cross Designs

These are very hot, for a number of reason. They can be fat criss cross patterns on the design resembling a knot or several thin bands that criss cross each other in a delicate look that seems almost fairy-like. You can add diamonds to criss cross pattern or use several metal colors. You can add diamonds and criss crosses and it looks like someone gave you a ring with x’s and o’s, a suitable symbol for kisses and hugs.

Multi-Stoned Settings

Multiple stones are also a great option when you can’t make up your mind. Maybe you want the traditional diamond, but want your birthstone or your children’s birthstones in the ring. After all, if this is your second time around, then it’s the joining of two families, not just two individuals. Some couples commemorate that by adding multiple stones symbolic of each individual in the family to the ring.

Eternity Bands

An eternity band is perfect for the woman that wants diamonds encircling her ring finger. It is definitely a very beautiful sparkler. Eternity rings not only symbolize love, but also commitment and endurance. They’re meant to show that the person is committed to you for an eternity and that their love will last forever. These rings are sometimes reserved for special anniversaries to commemorate the length of a relationship. Although they are equally good if you’re just getting married, as long as the there is a center stone to make it apparent it is an engagement ring.

The recession has created a downward spiral on prices, and diamond prices in today’s economy have suffered somewhat too. They still hold good value, but it’s the best time now to buy to get a good deal. Since fewer consumers have cash in their pocket, those that do will have their pick of the diamonds out there. The diamond merchants are willing to give a good deal in order to move some inventory. Just make sure you are working with someone reputable and that you are paying a fair price. Educate yourself before you buy, and learn the 4Cs. The more you know about diamonds the better the likelihood that you’ll be able to spot a good deal when it shows up.

Deals That Are Too Good to Be True

You have to pay attention to what you’re buying when you’re out looking for a cheap diamond. You may think you’re buying a diamond, but actually end up with moissanite or cubic zirconia. In many cases, the merchant will tell you in trade lingo that the diamond is not a real diamond, but if the brand name of that simulant makes you think it is, you won’t be happy later when you find out. Places to avoid would be flea markets, and even private buyers who may not realize that what they have is not a real diamond since someone else sold it to them. Always get an third party appraisal if you’re not sure about a deal that seems a little too good to be true. Make sure the third party is not associated with the party trying to sell you the diamond in such a manner that they are tempted to misrepresent your purchase. Even when you’re looking for an inexpensive diamond, make sure it’s a real diamond first. That’s why you should buy from those who can provide a laboratory certificate from one of the three major labs verifying your diamond purchase.

Where to Buy Inexpensive Diamonds

If you’re looking for a real deal on a diamond, your best place to look is online. Diamond merchants online will not only be able to price their diamonds better because they’ve cut out the middleman, but they’ll also have a wider selection. That selection is easily searched due to innovating search engine technology that lets you price the cut, clarity, color, and carat weight of any diamond in their inventory. You know you are getting a great deal since they can offer you wholesale prices due to the greater volume of diamonds sold online without hiring salespeople. If you’re still not sure, take some time to browse the articles provided by only merchants. They are very keen on educating their customers so that they understand what a good deal they are getting in comparison to brick-and-mortar stores. Once you have a good handle on the four C’s and how they impact price, you’ll be in a better position to score that deal whether you end up buying offline or purchasing your gemstone online.

Before the recession, the idea of grabbing a cheap, fake, diamond to commemorate one of the most important decisions of your life – marriage – was seen as appalling. However, people still want to get married and many don’t have the money to splurge on a real diamond. You can use a “placeholder” ring to mark the commitment to marriage and replace it as soon as your financial situation turns around. Luckily, there are many choices for a cheap engagement ring, and as long as you’re honest with your intended, it shouldn’t cause friction later on.

Cubic Zirconia

This isn’t even made of the same material as diamonds. They’re actually zirconium dioxide in crystalline form. Visually, they appear similar to white diamonds, but any jeweler can easily tell the difference as it’s not made of the same material. In terms of cost, they are not even close to diamonds. However, you can buy them in various colors and for those that aren’t too distinguishing about real versus fake diamonds, you can probably pull it off.

Enhanced Diamonds

These are lesser quality diamonds that aren’t as valuable as their perfect cousins are. They may be color-enhanced or heat-treated to make imperfections less visible. Once a diamond has been enhanced, it’s often not very valuable at all. However, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t look great in a ring. Besides, you aren’t lying when you say it’s a real diamond!

Simulated Diamonds

Some of these are even hard to tell from the real thing. They are best known as “laboratory” diamonds as they are grown in a laboratory by implementing technology. They are created using high pressure and temperature techniques. They have been used extensively in manufacturing processes, but they are great as a cheap replacement for a real diamond.

A way to melt a woman’s heart is not through her pocketbook. When buying an engagement ring, think about how symbolic, eternal love, jewelry can bring out those love vibes. You will realize you may not have to spend as much as you think, and she will treasure the ring forever because it has special meaning.

Engrave It

You can easily customize a ring by putting an engraving within the band. You can add your initials, a date, or a very tiny saying. Either way, she’s going to love the extra thought that went into the customization and it’s also not that expensive to do.

Special Stones

A diamond is kind of required for an engagement ring, but that doesn’t mean it has to be there all by itself. If you’re creating a new family together, you can put various stones in the same ring, to symbolize the new union of families. You can also create a multi-stone setting with birthstones on either side of a diamond. Either way, it shows the ring as being something more than just an engagement ring, but a commitment to love and family.

Pass Down an Heirloom

Nothing is more romantic than vintage jewelry, particularly when it comes complete with a romantic history within your own family. If you can’t find your own heirloom, look for designs that favored a romantic era. It will be something that evokes special feelings and associations of long-lasting love.

Associate It With Her Values

Maybe she’s environmentally aware and wants a conflict-free diamond. Maybe she wants alternative jewelry instead. If her values are more towards preserving the earth, you can make sure that the ring she gets will still align with those values. It shows you value her opinion and take those into consideration.

Shape It Just Right

There are some rings you can get with heart-shaped diamonds. The setting itself can have romantic engravings on it. Some types of settings, like illusion settings give the appearance of a diamond floating in thin air, like fairy dust. Eternity bands use multiple diamonds around the ring to give it a real special look that says: “Forever.”

Diamond jewelry like engagement rings can be expensive. However, if you know what types of decisions to make to cut the cost, you can still get the style and look you want for much less. The more say you have in how you build your diamond engagement ring, the better likelihood you can get exactly what you want at the price you can afford.

Carat Weight – If you want a large diamond, it will cost you. However, it will also depend on the cut and clarity, and color of the stone too. You might find a cushion cut diamond of low clarity or a different color, like yellow, is less than a white diamond of the same carat weight. That’s why you have to determine if size really matters to you or not. If it doesn’t you can get a higher quality diamond that is smaller.

Cut – Pear-shaped diamonds are in vogue right now; that makes them more expensive. Certain diamonds are cut to almost perfect dimensions and marketed as high-technology cuts that are near perfect. You’ll pay more for those too. Ordinary princess cuts are not as expensive as other cuts, but don’t forget you can also go for a raw diamond ring too. In general, if the cut is not that important to you, you can save money by picking a more generic cut.

Color – Blue diamonds are among the most expensive diamonds out there, even costlier than white diamonds. If you want a blue stone, you can opt for a sapphire. You can try different fancy-colored diamonds of lower grade to get a unique diamond engagement ring. There are many more options now in color choices on the diamond market than every before.

Clarity – If you’re a jewelry with loupe, you’ll want a stone with excellent clarity. However, if you’re just a consumer, visual flaws and occlusions may be visible when magnified, but invisible to the average person. The thing is though that they affect the price of the diamond, thus, it’s also a way to get a lower quality stone that still looks good in public.

Metal Settings – Some metal settings are more expensive than other settings. Platinum is very expensive, and hard to resize. White gold is cheaper than platinum, but can end up getting scratched and in need of re-coating after a few years. Yellow gold quality and cost is determined by whether it is 14k or 10k gold. Whatever you metal you choose will contribute quite a bit to how much the ring costs.

Design – If the design is intricate with multiple stones or engravings, it will cost more than a simple design. It doesn’t mean people on a budget can’t get additional features on their rings, but they might have to weigh that against the cost of the other elements of the ring, like the metal setting, the color of the diamond, and so on. Typically, the simpler the design, the less expensive it will be.

The recession has given pause to rethink the rules and guidelines in place. One of these rules, is the idea that a suitor needs to spend two months of his salary on the most beautiful engagement ring she could ever hope to wear. The good news is that you can fudge a little on the two-month salary rule, particularly if you pay attention to what she wants, and not how much it costs. There are so many options available for people on a tight budget and the best way to find out how you can best spend your resources is to make a budget and hop online.

What Is A Reasonable Amount?

Maybe two or three month’s salary is not available right now for a ring. In that case, what amount is available? You have to start somewhere. No one is going to demand that you spend two month’s salary on a ring, so it’s really up to you to decide to set a budget that you can use to buy the ring she wants. Ultimately, you have to understand that some sacrifices will most likely be made when you don’t put aside two month’s salary to buy the ring. However, if they are not important to her final happiness with the ring, then they needn’t stop you from making your purchase at a budget you can afford.

Get an Idea of Her Perfect Ring

You may have to be stealthy or include her in the buying decision. If you want it to be a surprise, you can ask her friends and relatives about her tastes. If you’d rather she be involved, you can look up a virtual diamond engagement ring designer online and take a look at a few styles. You don’t have to finalize the entire look, just have her tell you which she likes best. Then, take it from there.

Concentrate on Balancing 4 Cs

Maybe she wants a cushion cut diamond in a larger size. In that case, you might be able to balance the additional monies required for carat weight by picking a stone of lesser clarity or of a different color quality. Don’t over look some of the fancy colored stones in yellow or champagne as they can be 15 to 25% less than a white diamond.

The choice of metal used for the ring setting will also play a large part in how much you end up paying. Platinum is far more expensive than gold, and gold is far more expensive than white gold. The design and style of the setting can also increase or decrease the amount you have to pay, so make sure you know whether she wants a simple setting or something more elaborate. The idea is to get the most features she want at the price that you can handle.

If she’s not too particular about the shape, but wants a white diamond, you will still be able to change the budget by looking at the different cuts and clarity available. The virtual ring builder makes it very easy to choose different stones with different settings to help you balance your budget.

Two things that famed jeweler Neil Lane is synonymous with are Art Deco pieces and engagement rings. In fact, the famed jeweler has even had an Art Deco jewelry exhibit shown at the Louvre in Paris. For virtually all women, a beautiful engagement ring is a true testament of love. When it is a Neil Lane Art Deco engagement ring, it feels more like a testament to the kind of love you only see in fairy tales.  Continue reading »

If you’re looking for a real stunning and unique diamond engagement ring, try the criss cross eternity band engagement ring. This new style can be used with a solitaire diamond at the apex or without. It can also be used to offset a different gemstone as the solitaire with diamonds placed in the band criss crossing each other. There are so many variations of the criss cross rings that you really have to see them to believe them. Some look like they float above the finger, others have multiple layers, others are genuinely in the form of one single criss cross, emphasizing the design. These are some of the design options you will have with criss cross rings. Continue reading »