Attention men! Now is the time when many men are thinking of asking their girlfriend to marry them. Therefore, many inexperienced guys are looking for engagement rings. Three years ago, I was also like you. I already set my budget but wanted to get a ring which my girlfriend would be proud to show to her friends. A lot of research had been done and now I would like to pass the knowledge onto you.

1. Learn the four C’s.

Knowledge is authority; it will give you the power to negotiate if you know in-depth about diamonds. What’s included in the four C’s are Color, Cut, Clarity and Carat weight. Most men know what carat weight is. The basic of it is that the carat weight is higher when the diamond is bigger in size. Two things that girls really look for in diamonds are actually the size and the look.

They love sparkly and big diamonds. Carat weight covers the ‘big’ part while the other C’s of Color, Clarity and Cut play big roles in the ‘sparkle’ part. How much light the diamonds reflects is affected by how the diamonds are cut. The color and the transparency affect the opacity of the diamond.

2. Never enter any retail jewelry store.

I must admit as a man, I like convenience. Many others do too. This is because as a man, we will be naturally attracted to the brand name of the retail jewelry stores. Let’s think it this way – the very moment you enter the store, you are like a small mouse and the promoters or the sales people are the pythons. There is no reason why you will not be eaten up right away, unless you know everything about jewelry. Just stay away from the place and you will be safe.

3. Go shopping for diamonds online.

They offer hassle-free business transactions and are able to give you cheaper prices. There are many trusted online jewelers these days. You don’t need to worry about buying diamonds online anymore. Just make sure they are indeed reputable sites, such as James Allen. They provide sixty days return policy with high quality diamonds at the best price. If it happens that you are not quite satisfied or it is not like what you’ve hope for, you can return the ring without being asked a question with the existence of their return policy. They will give you a full refund if you return your ring within sixty days. They also provide free shipping and free engraving so you can add a personal touch to your fine jewelry with a sentiment from the heart!

I was a bit worried when I first started shopping for a ring and when I began to learn all about choosing the proper diamond, I became quite stressful. But, once I knew what to search for and found a trusted online dealer such as James Allen, that offers great prices for quality diamonds, I got out my credit card and bought a gorgeous princess cut engagement ring. Then, I proposed to my girlfriend and she said YES without any hesitation!

I guarantee that you can start saving your money on rings after following the above three steps. The first rule of mine is to figure out what your fiancé likes. You need to know whether she prefers a beautiful band or a beautiful diamond. You have to sacrifice any one of them if you are on budget. I would personally suggest that you focus on a beautiful diamond as it gives the most symbolic meaning to the ring.

Have you ever heard the saying, “A diamond lasts forever”? The same goes to your marriage if you follow my advice. Look for a diamond of between .75 ct and 1 ct. A diamond of .85 carat would look almost the same size as 1 carat, but it is hundreds of dollars less. You can also reduce more cost by going for average color and clarity.

Choose a diamond between the H, I, J, K or L color range. You surely cannot differentiate the color from higher grades. Also, choose a diamond between VS1 – S12 range of clarity. These imperfections are invisible to the naked eye and significantly cut the price of a diamond.

If your lady prefers a pavet setting, then look to spend the majority of your budget on the setting and buy her a .40 – .50 ct diamond with the same clarity and color specifications. In a setting surrounded with dozens of smaller diamonds, the center diamond will always look bigger.

Next, it is better for you to buy the diamond and the setting separately. The best thing of buying the diamond and the setting separately is that you can have diamonds of your choice. Jewelry stores usually offer you limited choices in clarity, color and size. Lastly, try to negotiate the price. Normally, you will not have the chance to do it in online stores, but if you can find a dealer, you can let them know your budget and they will give the best choices for you to choose from. Don’t be shy to learn and you will definitely have more negotiating power.