The process of choosing her ring can seem daunting, but it really comes down to choosing three things: Setting, stone and style.

First, choose a setting.  Would she like a solitaire or three-stone cluster?  Should the band be platinum or gold, thin or wide, smooth or curved, or perhaps pavé or side stones?  Should it have a matching wedding band? Selecting a ring without her direct input can be a challenge if you’re not completely certain about her tastes.  Enlist the help of those closest to her who you can trust to give you good advice about diamond engagement rings (and keep a secret!).    Pay close attention to the jewelry she already has and what catches her eye in shop windows or on her friends.

As the name implies a solitaire is a single stone set with either six or four prongs.  Many women prefer solitaire engagement rings for their simplicity and elegance.  It’s the perfect setting to showcase a beautiful stone and is easy to match with a coordinating band.  A three-stone cluster is a large stone in the middle with two evenly sized smaller stones set on either side.  A pave setting has small diamonds all along the top half of the band or the full circumference, giving the appearance of a solid diamond surface.  Side stones are larger diamonds along the band on either side of the central stone.

Diamonds are by far the most popular choice of stone for engagement rings but any stone or combination of stones can be used.  The style of rings ranges from vintage to modern.  The most   common choices of metals for engagement rings are platinum and gold.  Platinum is considered very sophisticated because of its purity and weight.  Yellow gold and white gold rings are usually 18K or 14K.  The K stands for carat and is the percentage of real gold in the metal, and not the same thing as the carat weight of a diamond. Gold is an extremely popular choice because of its beauty and durability.