| How can women get their dream diamond | | | | become even more determined not to make a |
| engagement ring when it is the boyfriend making | | | | mistake so they spend the next weeks and |
| the purchase and wanting it to be a surprise? | | | | months gathering ever fact and opinion they can |
| To find the answer you need to understand your | | | | find on diamond buying. It is almost like trying to |
| man's thought process. After all, he is shopping | | | | get a drink from a fire hydrant. There is just |
| for a diamond, the symbol of his love for you. | | | | too much to drink in. |
| The man shopping for an engagement diamond | | | | It is at this stage of the shopping process men |
| has three primary shopping priorities: | | | | sometimes forget the reason they started on this |
| 1) They want to make a good investment | | | | adventure in the first place. They can lose sight |
| 2) They want to make you happy | | | | of the fact that their primary goal is to make |
| 3) They fear disappointing you or worse yet, | | | | their girlfriend happy. |
| rejection | | | | If you are a woman, by now you are probably |
| On all three points, men act out of fear of making | | | | getting the picture. However, you are asking |
| a mistake. Their pride and desire to surprise | | | | yourself, what should I do to help ensure the |
| their girlfriend typically prohibit them from asking | | | | diamond of my dreams and the proposal moment |
| the woman's advice. As men so often do, they | | | | as romantic as I hope? |
| try to apply logic to what is a very emotional | | | | Here are some suggestions that can help make |
| decision. | | | | your dreams come true: |
| Most men attack diamond shopping the same as | | | | 1) Do some shopping yourself so you can tell |
| any other problem they face. They research | | | | your boyfriend what shape of diamond you like |
| the subject, gather all the facts (often in a | | | | best on your finger. Do not leave it up to him to |
| spreadsheet), and then make a logical decision. | | | | guess wrong. |
| They assume you will have the same priorities | | | | 2) If you sense this is going to be mostly a |
| they have so they focus on what will be a good | | | | surprise gift, drop some subtle hints about what |
| investment. They seek a high quality diamond | | | | kind of mounting (solitaire, side stones, etc.) you |
| fearing that anything less will as somehow imply | | | | want for your diamond. If you do not know, |
| some lower level of love. | | | | hint you want something very simple so he does |
| The man's first stop is often the jewelry store in | | | | not make an expensive mistake. |
| the closest shopping mall. They walk in the door | | | | 3) If you have a strong preference for the type |
| and realize they just entered a world foreign to | | | | of metal in the ring (yellow gold, white gold, |
| them. They look at rings in the display cases | | | | platinum), find a way to tell him. |
| and see more zeros in the price tag than they | | | | 4) If you have the type of relationship that |
| have seen since they bought their car. Their | | | | supports it, get involved in the diamond buying |
| heart starts pounding as they realize they have | | | | process. There are more couples shopping |
| to spend thousands of dollars on a tiny little rock | | | | together for the engagement ring now than ever |
| they know nothing about, then give it away to | | | | before and the result is often higher levels of |
| someone else or worse yet, face rejection. | | | | happiness and lower levels of stress. |
| Now their legs are shaking so they decide they | | | | Many couples now shop together so the |
| need to do more research and do it in a friendlier | | | | boyfriend knows what shape of diamond the |
| environment. They head home, turn on the | | | | girlfriend likes, knows what style of mounting she |
| computer, and start searching online for clues on | | | | likes and then he takes that knowledge to buy |
| how to survive the diamond buying process. | | | | the ring on his own timetable and make the |
| Their goal is to find a pretty ring their girlfriend will | | | | presentation a surprise. |
| like and have a few dollars left in their pocket. | | | | The bottom line is your man is trying, to the best |
| They feel more comfortable with the discussions | | | | of his ability, to do all the right things to make you |
| of the four C's (color, clarity, carat weight and | | | | happy. You just need to be patient and try to |
| cut) where they can match up those letter | | | | appreciate the effort he is making on your |
| grades with their budget to find some possible | | | | behalf. If you would like to see this diamond gift |
| options. However, with a little knowledge comes | | | | giving repeated, then by all means tell him how |
| the sinking feeling that there is a whole lot more | | | | proud you are of his research show him how |
| for them to learn in order to protect themselves | | | | much you love that sparkling diamond on your |
| from making an expensive mistake. They | | | | finger. |