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