(NAPSA)-Whether it’s the day you pop the question, an anniversary or any special occasion, nothing says “I love you forever” quite like a diamond.

But while love may be blind, there are a few things you should keep in mind before heading out to buy that diamond engagement ring or, in fact, any diamond gift.

First, understand what the 4Cs are. These are the four factors that determine the value of the diamond, and thus the value of the ring.

Next, set a budget: Determine how much money you want to spend before you go into the store and stick to it. For diamond engagement rings, two months’ salary is a good starting point. Now you’re ready to go to a reputable jeweler in your area. Before you do, ask friends or co-workers for recommendations.

Shape
The first thing to think about when choosing a diamond ring is the shape of the stone itself. Here are some tips:
• Round cut is most traditional and most popular. In 2006, 47 percent of brides received a round-cut diamond engagement ring. It can be used in a variety of settings but is able to stand alone as a solitaire.
• The emerald cut is a very elegant cut, chic and sophisticated. High-quality stones are needed for this and work best with simple settings. Eva Longoria has an emerald-cut ring.
• Fancy shapes, such as the pear shape or oval shape, are gaining in popularity. Katherine Heigl wears a 3-carat pear shape. Katie Holmes has an oval-cut diamond.

Style
There are also a variety of styles and designs to choose from:
• A center stone with smaller stones around it is a style favored by many brides to-be, as is the classic diamond solitaire ring.
• A romantic or sentimental choice is the three-stone ring, as the stones represent your past, present and future.

Romantic Gifts
Even if you’re already married- or never intend to be-consider a special Journey Diamond piece. These are graduated diamonds that go from smaller to larger and symbolize how your love grows stronger and deeper over time.

On the other hand, you can show how much you think of her with a right-hand ring. Diamond right-hand rings reflect a woman’s own unique individuality and style. Left-hand rings are about “the two of you”; right-hand rings celebrate “her.”

(NAPSA)-People mark special events with sentimental gifts of jewelry. While weddings reign as the biggest diamond event, there are many small yet glorious celebrations that are honored with beautiful sparklies, too, such as new jobs, anniversaries, graduations, births…the list, happily, is endless.

So how do people learn about diamonds so they can buy, own and enjoy them with confidence? The nonprofit Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the world’s foremost authority on gems and jewelry and the creator of the famous “Four Cs” of diamonds, offers these five tips:

Choose a qualified jeweler.
Select a jeweler as you would a doctor, a lawyer or any professional: Ask around. Find someone who is a trained gemologist, a GIA Graduate Gemologist or GIA Accredited Jewelry Professional, and is affiliated with a professional jewelry association.

Research. GIA’s Web site at www.gia.edu offers in-depth information on diamonds, pearls and other gemstones. GIA even built a special www.gia4cs.gia.edu Web site on the Four Cs. Knowing the Four Cs helps you speak the language of diamonds and communicate with jewelers.

Learn the “Four Cs.” All diamonds are rare and no two diamonds are alike. A diamond’s quality and rarity are determined by its unique combination of characteristics of Carat weight, Clarity, Color and Cut.

The International Diamond Grading System, used around the world since its invention by GIA in the 1950s, is based on the Four Cs.
• Carat: Diamonds are weighed in metric carats. Two carats weigh about the same as a small paper clip. A carat is divided into 100 “points,” so a diamond of 50 points weighs 0.50 carats.
• Clarity: Nearly all diamonds contain unique clarity characteristics. Flawless diamonds are exceptional and costly. Most inclusions are invisible unless magnified.
• Color: Colorless diamonds are extremely uncommon. Most diamonds have a slight yellow or brown tint. GIA uses letters to represent colors, beginning with D (colorless) and ending at Z (light yellow or brown). “Fancy colored diamonds” come in every color imaginable, are also very unusual and have their own GIA color grading system.
• Cut: While diamonds come in different shapes, such as round, pear or marquise, the term “cut” refers to proportion. The well-cut, balanced diamond has unbridled brilliance, sparkle and fire.

Get an independent diamond grading report. A diamond grading report tells you the exact gemological quality of your diamond. Is it a natural diamond? Is it a synthetic diamond? Has it been treated and how? What are its quality ratings according to the Four Cs?

Have your diamond appraised and insured. A diamond grading report describes the precise gemological quality of your diamond while an appraiser puts a monetary value to the stone. You can laser inscribe a personal message or the diamond’s unique GIA grading report number on the diamond’s girdle.

Like true love, a diamond’s light and brilliance won’t fade with time. To learn more about diamonds, visit GIA’s Web site at www.gia.edu or GIA’s Four Cs Web site at www.gia4cs.gia.edu.

(NAPSA)-It’s one of the ironies of love and marriage: Whether for romantic or other reasons, the onus for buying the rings often falls on the very person who knows the least about jewelry-the groom-to-be.

So maybe the best piece of advice for any male out there is this: Pretend you’re shopping for a new car and do as much homework as you would before entering the showroom. Read on for some other useful tips:

• Don’t Rush It-Most men take one to three months to find the right engagement ring. But you might be able to save yourself some time and stress by shopping for all three rings-the engagement ring and separate wedding bands for bride and groom-at once.

“Finding three rings at the same time takes some of the pressure off the groom because it means a big part of the wedding to-do list will already be taken care of,” says jewelry and style expert Michael O’Connor. “Also, it’s easy to decide what will coordinate with the engagement ring if you see them all at the same time.”

• Know The Lingo-You already know that car dealers react differently to buyers who know what they’re talking about. So come armed with a few choice buzzwords technically known as “the four Cs”: “cut” (the proper proportions, whether a pear, oval or other shape, optimize a diamond’s natural radiance); “clarity” (the fewer a diamond’s flaws, the more valuable it is); “color” (whitest is best); and “carat” (although a higher carat weight may increase a diamond’s rarity and value, small stones can still be more expensive if the other three Cs rate highly). And remember: The center diamond generally accounts for most of the ring’s price, so it’s important to invest in a quality Platinum setting-which most brides prefer, according to the latest surveys- that will hold the diamond securely in place for a lifetime.

• Know Her Style-The good news is that the three rings you buy don’t necessarily have to match. “The band and engagement ring just need to work well with one another and complement your bride’s personal style,” O’Connor explains. “Is she ‘girly’ or outdoorsy? Modern or traditional?” If you’re having trouble figuring out what she likes, talk to her friends or hit a few jewelry stores together.

• Determine A Budget-Most men set aside two months’ salary for the engagement ring alone. So if you’re buying all three Platinum rings at once, figure on budgeting another month’s salary for the additional two rings.