There is much to consider when purchasing a diamond – especially diamond
engagement rings! The tradition of presenting a woman with a diamond
engagement ring when proposing began in 1477 when Archduke Maximilian presented
a diamond ring to Mary of Burgundy – and in most cases, the woman you plan to
propose to will expect a ring to accompany that proposal!

First, determine how much ring you can afford. Most people use the ‘two months
salary’ rule. This means that the ring should cost the equivalent of two months of your
current salary. Because you have other bills to pay, saving up this amount of money may
take quite a bit of time. You should consider financing. Simply go to the jeweler of your
choice and tell them that you plan to buy an engagement ring, and that financing will be
necessary. Go ahead and get the credit check out of the way, find out what your
payments will be, and how much of a down payment is required.

Now, have your mother, sister, or your girlfriends best friend take your girlfriend
shopping, and make sure that they gaze at the engagement rings to get an idea of what
she might like. Make sure that the jewelry store you buy the ring from will allow you to
return the ring, if that is required, or allow your girlfriend to exchange it for another if
she isn’t happy with it!