Imagine the scene. One woman walks up to a group of other women and announces the news: “I’m engaged!” Close on the heels of congratulations comes the timeless question, “Where’s the ring?”

It’s perfectly all right for a man to propose and the couple to then go to the jewelry store together to pick out the perfect ring. Oh, who are we kidding? That’s not part of the perfect proposal! The classic proposal scene is the man on one knee, ring in hand, declaring his undying love. When it comes time to pop your own question, do it up right.

Though gemstones as engagement rings are gaining popularity, the diamond still ranks far ahead of other stones in the romance category. So, before you propose, you need to take care of the ring.

First, find out her ring size. It’s a little difficult to do this secretly, so you may need to enlist the help of a trusted female friend. Her mother or best friend will work well for this purpose, assuming they don’t hate your guts.

Second, find out if she does, indeed, want a diamond. As mentioned, gemstones are gaining popularity, and your lady may have her heart set on her birthstone or a pearl reminiscent of Anne of Green Gables. Start digging around weeks or months before the proposal to find out for sure. If you feel you can’t dig and still keep your purpose under wraps, have an accomplice do it for you.

Third, while you’re at it, have your accomplice (yes, we’re assuming you can’t handle this on your own) find out what kind of diamond she likes. Uh-huh, we said what kind of diamond. Like relationships themselves, there’s no such thing as “one size fits all” in the diamond world. With that in mind, here are some hints to help you pick the perfect sparkly for the love of your life.

Time for Rings 101. Engagement rings contain three parts: the band, the setting and the stone. The band is the part that goes around her finger. That’s the part you wanted the size for, remember? It’s usually made of gold, but silver and platinum are also popular for engagement rings. The setting is the part that holds the stone. It can be “pronged” or “invisible.” The stone, of course, is the part everyone goes gaga over. Stones themselves come in many shapes and sizes. While size is a matter of budget, shape is something over which you have control. So, to pick the perfect ring, find out which shape will make your girlfriend’s eyes light up. Here are you choices:

Round: This is the most popular style for rings. It’s supposedly the best shape to show off the diamond’s sparkle, and it goes in almost any setting.

Oval: The oval cut is similar to the round cut, only…oval, of course. It can look bigger than a round stone because of its shape, but it also works best with larger stones.

Marquis – Although it’s rounded on the sides, this cut is pointed at the ends, which makes it look longer than either a round or oval diamond.

Princess: In diamonds, princess is another word for a square cut. The upside to the square cut is that it can-possibly-look larger than a similar diamond in a different cut.

Emerald Cut: This is a rectangular cut. Some consider is more sophisticated than other shapes. Whether your lady love feels the same is up to her.

Pear: The pear cut resembles just what it says…a pear. That means it’s rounded at the top but pointed at the bottom. It’s most recommended for hanging jewelry, such as necklaces and earrings, rather than rings.

If you are planning to propose marriage over the coming weeks, then you need to have a diamond engagement ring with you. Not just any diamond engagement ring, mind you, but the one that you will be pleased to present and something she’ll be delighted to wear.

Shopping For an Ideal Diamond Engagement Ring

So where do you shop for a diamond engagement ring? Usually, traditional jewelry stores have faithfully served customers for generations, but they are no longer dominated. Rather, customers are now shifting towards the Internet to find retailers who can offer high quality diamonds at reasonable prices.

While shop for diamond through the Internet for a diamond engagement ring, consider the following before buying for any company:

Direct Deal – Plenty of storefronts have popped up over the years, lots of them are selling the same quality rings as those discover at your mall jewelry shop. Though, some of these retailers are selling these diamond engagement rings as a third party which means that they are acting as middlemen. It will results to the hike in price of diamond ring therefore you should deal direct with the retailers.

Rate Rings – While shop for a diamond engagement ring, you may be overwhelmed by the plenty of choice out there. To narrow down your selection, form a rating system of what is crucial to you in a diamond engagement ring: 1) Price – What’s your budget for a diamond ring? Paying the equivalent of at least two or three weeks of your salary is a good measuring tool. 2) Setting – Will you be selecting a diamond a solitaire, a ring with side stones or other arrangement? 3) Band – What sort of metal you want? Gold, silver and platinum are the most common choice with platinum costing the most?

Shop Secure – However, the Internet has been proven to be the secure way to shop, you can make sure that your purchasing experience is good one by denigrating a website that offers a secure and safe checkout.