Thinking of buying a diamond engagement ring? Wondering how to go about it? Then rest assured you have answers to those questions here.

I have been in the jewelry business since I left school almost eleven years ago and have been making diamond rings for the past seven years.

If you think buying is difficult, then try making them but its great once I have finished a piece I have been working on, when all the parts have been gathered and assembled, when the stones have been chosen and are set in and finally when its all polished to its bright finish and especially when the customer likes what they see. Of course money comes into it but its the making a piece that looks great and will last that makes it worth while. I call that the job satisfaction part!

On the other side of the diamond ring making process is the customer experience and how they view the whole thing, are they satisfied with the service and have they enough options to choose from such as styles and stones and are they getting value for money? These factors are important to a jeweler also and to be able to provide these conditions for the customer is worth maintaining as it will drive competition and keep the business healthy but it all depends on demands, is the customer demanding these conditions or are they happy with whatever is on display?

Even if you are just thinking about buying a diamond ring for your loved one then I suggest you do your home work first. There are a lot of factors involved in buying a diamond ring. You have all those styles and how do you know which one she likes unless she picks it out. Lets assume she hasn't told you and you want to surprise her, she is going to have to wear the ring for a long time so I suggest you find out in a subtle way. Like the next time you are in the shopping mall, steer her to the jewelers and pretend to look at the watches and then veer towards the diamond ring section and you'll nearly not have to prompt her point out the ones that she likes, she might like big or she might be more reserved. You know her best but if not then go to her friends or family and ask those for advice. Maybe if she already has a couple of rings you can see if they are white or yellow gold and that might give you a good indication or maybe she likes platinum.

There is an entire galaxy of styles out there, its a daunting task for some men but there are ways if there is a will.

Stones then are a very important factor because A: they're going to take the biggest chunk out of your wallet and B: the styles and quality vary immensely. If I was to tell you anything then I'd tell you this, try to buy a stone which is certified. Certified diamonds are reliable in the fact that they have been run through tests in a laboratory to determine their quality and if at a later date you want to upgrade the diamond, say for an anniversary, then you can sell it on and the paper work will back up its authenticity.

Basically you will know exactly what you are buying and will not be duped into buying a stones that is less than what the tag says.

Start with studying the Four C's of a diamond (color, cut, clarity and carat), there is ample resources about the four C's online and then move on to actually going around different stores and seeing the quality with your own eyes. Its important to get the idea behind diamond grading because one grade to the next might not look that different but cost you a lot of extra hours in work to pay for.

Visit my web page: www.buyingadiamondengagementring.org to find more tips on buying a diamond ring.