There is much to think about as you begin your search for the perfect ring. For starters you need to determine how much you can reasonably afford to spend. Even though this seems trivial, it is easy to get caught up in the moment and end up spending more than you bargained for.

Once you know your magic monetary number, you are ready to start the process of determining what style diamond engagement ring you are in the market for. Does the love of your life prefer white or yellow gold, platinum or titanium?

Maybe the object of your desire is a nontraditional, free-spirited type or a devoted environmentalist. Would something more earth-friendly unique like wood (yes, you read that right) suit her individual sense of style? Another idea is to collect old jewelry from various family members and friends and have it recycled in to something uniquely yours. These are great options for the eco-conscious bride to be.

If you plan to stick with a conventional gold band, you need to be aware that the purity of gold is measured in karats. The higher the karat number the more pure the gold is. For example: 24 karat gold is 100 percent pure while 14 karat gold is only 58 percent pure. Unless you are on a very tight budget you will want to look at nothing less than 18 karat gold bands (75 percent pure). These are less likely to be damaged easily.

After you have given thought to the band, you will move on to the setting. No longer is the traditional clear diamond a requirement. Diamonds come in different rich colors, cuts (shapes), clarity (clearness) and carat weights (size). These qualities are known as “The Four C’s of Diamonds”.

Additionally, other stones like sapphires and rubies are being added to settings alongside time-honored diamonds. There is plenty to discuss with the jewelers when you begin sifting through all of the various unique diamond engagement rings for your loving partner. If all else fails, try a local antique store a pick out a classic ring with a mysterious history the two of you can build on..

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What it would be like to walk in to a room, all eyes on you, with the man of your dreams at your side. But is it you they are looking at? Or perhaps that custom made diamond necklace sitting around your neck and collar bone as if it were a personal attachment?

When a woman wears diamonds, she already feels like a million bucks, when you add custom diamond jewelry that was designed just for her, with no other out there like it, this is a whole new realm of special. There is something very special about owning a piece of jewelry you know was made for you finger, wrist, ears or neck. No matter what it is. Then again, diamonds are a girls best friend after all.

When a lady goes in to the jewelry store to discuss her soon to be made custom diamond engagement ring, this is what she has dreamed of since her mom or dad first read her Cinderella. Today, she gets to play the leading role in her very own fairy tale. Any man whom knows the values of custom diamond jewelry gets the play her prince charming.

Custom diamond jewelry is almost an aphrodisiac in itself. Who needs chocolate? Those add calories, but the real added pounds that a woman can smile about are the ones that come cold and shiny. A diamonds weight is more then in the physical context.

Some would say that women whom enjoy diamonds, or gold, and even silver are nothing but gold diggers., This is simply untrue. There is more to diamonds then wealth and stature. It is a feelings of warmth and ones self successes. Perhaps its magical or perhaps its psychological, either way, custom diamond jewelry put the “H” In Happily Ever After.

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Synthetic diamonds are referred to as lab-created diamonds or manmade diamonds. One of the reasons why they are becoming more popular amongst people today is because recent lab technology has made synthetic diamonds appear real and exceptionally beautiful. Not only are they dazzling to the eye, but synthetic diamonds are a wonderful alternative to real diamonds because they are much lower in price. In fact, purchasing a well made synthetic diamond is almost impossible to distinguish between a real diamond.

Traditionally, people believed that if you bought a synthetic diamond, you couldn’t afford a real diamond. Yet with the public awareness of conflict diamonds, which fund the rebel troops of South African countries, many people are hesitant to purchase real diamonds despite their financial situation. Even with the Kimberly Process in place, which makes the selling of conflict diamonds illegal, many buyers find that they cannot be guaranteed that their diamond purchase is conflict-free since the origins are often unknown.

Even more encouraging is that many actresses including Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow have been shown sporting around beautiful synthetic diamonds in order to raise awareness that they are a viable and safe alternative to purchasing real diamonds. Not only are you getting a beautiful piece of jewelry that is conflict-free, but many people are starting to see diamonds as being nothing more than a con to unsuspecting people.

For example, the prices of diamonds are controlled by diamond cartels and do not reflect the true value of the diamond itself. For this reason, people find themselves paying 40% more than what they should, primarily on such things as diamond engagement rings. In addition, studies show that one out of three diamonds in the United States has been altered in order to increase its value. This “value” however is only artificial to the eye and does not reflect the diamond’s true value.

There are many choices of synthetic diamonds on the market today, including cubic zirconia, moissanite and Russian diamonds. Keep in mind that while you can save thousands in purchasing a synthetic diamond, it will be nearly impossible for anyone to know.

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Today, the Argyle mine produces greater than 90% of the world’s pink diamonds, with the remainder mined in India, Brazil and Africa. Less than 1% of all diamonds are nitrogen-free and less than 1% of all quality diamonds are colored. This kind of exclusivity makes the pink not only very precious but very pricey. You would really need to be on top of your finances, by going to sites like lovemoney.com to be able to afford one of these. But as the most rare of diamonds, most people think they are really worth the money.

Natural pink diamonds come in a range of shades from a light pastel rose pink to raspberry and purple-reds. The diamonds are priced depending upon several factors: hue (dominant color exhibiting a possible modifier), intensity or saturation of the color, brightness and clarity of the color and market availability. The diamonds are graded to indicate color intensity on a scale of 1 to 8, the higher gradation having the paler color.

Some diamonds including natural pinks exhibit a “modifier,” a second color that modifies the main color. Sometimes modifiers are considered negatives and lessen the value of the gem. Other times, the modifier can actually add to the value of the diamond. A purplish-pink diamond, for example, may be more appealing and worth more than a pure natural pink.

In 1989 at the Christie’s auction in New York a 3.14 carat natural pink diamond sold for $1,510,000. In private circles, Argyle Mines has sold pinks for up to $1 million a carat. While these prices are far too high for the average buyer, natural pink diamonds can be found at more reasonable prices.

If a buyer is willing to purchase a light pink hue, a 1 carat natural pink diamond can be found in the U.S. for about $5,000. If the same buyer has his heart set on a Fancy Vivid Pink, however, he can expect to pay over $200,000. The discreet buyer may purchase a natural pink at Argyle Diamond’s annual Pink Diamond Tender auction, when the mine releases a special issue of outstanding pinks that are sold by special bids.

Either way a buyer goes, he can expect to pay more for a natural pink diamond than the traditional white. How much more will be determined by the uniqueness of the gem and the size of his bank account.

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Back in 1867, a 15 year-old boy named Stephanus Erasmus Jacobs found a small, white pebble on the ground in an area which is now known as South Africa. After playing with this small pebble for quite some time, the boy turned the pretty stone over to his neighbor, Schalk van Niekerk, who was known for collecting unique stones. The neighbor was unsure of what this stone was, so he turned it into a traveling peddler named John O‘Reilly. The peddler showed it to his friend, a magistrate named Lourenzo Boyes, who in turn saw that this mysterious pebble could etch glass. The stone was declared a diamond and was showcased at the World’s Fair.

Although there was some controversy surrounding the finding of this diamond, the story gained more validation when another large diamond was found in the same spot. It was then that South Africa became a central location for mining for diamonds. As diamonds grew in worth and value, mining became more dangerous and life threatening. There were many groups of people that were trying to gain control of the land and something that was supposed to grant the people of South Africa prosperity and wealth, instead brought bloodshed, mutilation and death.

During the 1930’s when the Great Depression hit, the market of diamonds was challenged. It was then that the slogan “A Diamond Is Forever” was created, which meant that in order to have true meaning, a diamond should be untouched by any other woman, thus preventing secondary markets. Out of this grew blood diamonds, which are diamonds that are mined and sold by terrorist groups and rebel armies. The money gained is to fund weapons to attack against the government. The countries where blood diamonds are found include Sierra Leone, Angola and The Congo.

Perhaps the worst of the bloodshed came in the 1990s when people were allowed to vote in order to cease the guerilla warfare that was taking place. To vote, people had to use their thumbprint and to avoid them from doing so, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) mutilated people’s hands and arms. In 2000, heads from these diamond states met with one another to stop the selling of blood diamonds. Through this, the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme was born, which makes selling these blood diamonds illegal.

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