Found the Perfect Girl; Now Find the Perfect Diamond
By Fred Cuellar
Author of How to Buy a Diamond

Somewhere along the line it happened: Your honey went from being your honey to being THE honey of all honeys. A ring starts to weigh on your mind. But before you toss out all your little black books and get down on bended knee, you have to get a *ring*. Creative types might think they can get away with the ring from the Cracker Jack box, but we can't guarantee an enthusiastic "yes" from your desired spouse-to-be. Most likely, she'll be looking for something brilliant (but not necessarily, keep reading to the end) -- a diamond.

Blame it on the Archduke Maximilian of Austria, who started the diamond engagement ring trend way back in 1477 when he presented one to his beloved, Mary of Burgundy. Ever since then, men have been saving up to buy one. Although we're sure there are a few savvy women out there saving up for a man's engagement ring, or even thrifty brides-to-be who are chipping in for their own! Anyway, although two month's salary is a good guideline to use in determining how much to spend, it's a very personal choice and, after all, love tends to blur one's guidelines a bit anyway.

There are six basic shapes to consider when diamond shopping: oval, round, marquise, emerald, pear-shaped, and heart-shaped. Most important, however, is the quality of the stone, and to determine quality you must understand the 4 C's, which are as follows.