The average diamond engagement ring costs as much as several notebook computers, or possibly a small car, yet many men know next to nothing about how to make sure they don't get ripped off when it comes time to tying the knot. Luckily, although there is much to know about diamonds, there are only a few things you need to remember.

First, Make Sure You Know the Shape of the Diamond You Want

The two most common diamond cuts are Princess (which looks square from the top) and Round. Your jeweller can show you other popular diamond cuts but some of the ones worth mentioning are Pear, Oval, Heart and Emerald all of which look pretty much like what you would expect.

If you are going to look at diamond engagement rings, you will need to choose the right shape. There are many shapes of diamonds for you to choose from so make sure you take your time in choosing your stones shape.

What are the different Shapes of a Diamond?

Many people get confused between the shape and the cut of a diamond. Shape refers to the overall appearance of a particular diamond be it Oval Cut, Round Cut etc. The cut of a diamond refers to how the diamond itself is faceted.

Buy Only Certified Diamonds

After deciding on a shape for your diamond only shop around for GIA Certified Diamonds so you can be sure of the quality and compare different diamonds (and different prices) more easily.

Diamonds usually have imperfections inside of them. These are called "inclusions" and are measured on a scale of "very, very slight" to full-blown "inclusion".

All you need to know:

SI1 or SI2 represent the best value.
The "slight inclusion" rating means the imperfections are obvious under magnification, but still impossible to see with the naked eye.

Colour in a Diamond

The diamond colour is measured in letters which begin with D, which stands for "Colourless". E and F are slightly less colourless to electronic colour measuring equipment, but not human eyes. G, H, and I are considered "near colourless" and it goes on from there into the yellows (and pinks, and more!). G is where the best value is because it is technically coloured but appears colourless except under a colour scanning machine built for rating diamonds.

Diamond Carats

Carats: This is a measurement of weight and has absolutely no bearing on the quality of the stone. That being said, it has a lot of bearing to most girls hoping to wear one someday. If you are one of the many men who feel the need to push your ring budget in the direction of rock-size then keep in mind what you've read above. No matter the size of the stone your best value will always be a GIA Certified Diamond. Just make sure the cut isn't obviously too shallow or deep.

Below are the Most Common Diamond Shapes that are Available on the Market:

Pear-Shaped Diamond. Diamonds with this shape can be usually found on pendants and earrings. It resembles the shape of a pear with a variety of colours available.
Oval-Shaped Diamond. This type of diamond usually gives the impression of a larger diamond and is well-liked by women with shorter fingers to wear as diamond rings.
Round-Shaped Diamond. Round diamond is the most expensive as well as the most popular among all the other shapes of diamonds. It is commonly used in earrings, rings, pendants and necklaces.
Heart-Shaped Diamond. It is the most romantic choice you can give to your lover. Heart-shaped diamonds are professionally cut and shapes can vary from gem cutter to gem cutter.
Emerald-Shaped Diamond. This type of diamond has rectangular corners and is usually bigger in size.

Before you choose the perfect diamond as your engagement ring, make sure that you seek out enough information about the worth and value of diamonds. It can make your purchase decision easier.

Oh... and all the best for the future in your marriage!