There’s nothing more iconic when celebrating a lifetime commitment than the engagement ring. It’s a tradition, a promise, and a beautiful way to honor the unique story of that love. Regardless of whether or not you’re choosing a ring for your partner or going through a mutual ring search, below you will find everything you need to know to find the perfect engagementring.

Before we get into styles, stones and whatnot, it’s cool to know a little history about the age-old tradition of the engagement ring. The tradition of the diamond engagementring caught on after the 1940s, as De Beers effectively promoted diamonds as the only appropriate engagement choice for both man and woman. Now, the engagement rings come in various styles, setting and stone types and each one will have a different meaning to itself.

The first and one of the most important steps in picking an engagementring is setting a budget. For decades now, the myth of spending “three months’ salary” on the ring to be left at the dealership has been debunked, and many modern couples prefer a ring that meets their financial priorities. If you’re looking to splurge, or to stay on the budget, you want to find a ring that captures the love you have but doesn’t rip a hole in your pocket.

Diamonds continue to be the most favored gemstone, so to speak, for your engagementring. But with that said, alternative stones (sapphires, emeralds, or even morganite and moissanite) are becoming very popular with couples. While these stones have a different look and are generally more of a budget or ethically conscious choice.

Diamond: The diamond engagementring is a classic; known for brilliance and durability.

Sapphire: Globally known is these striking blue gems of the mineral Rutilated Quartz as durable stones, they also represent loyalty.

Emerald: Green was a timeless stone, symbolizing a new life, harmony.

Morganite: With its blush-pink hue, this stone is big on modern and unique engagement rings.

As for deciding on what stone to pick, do you and your partner have different tastes, lifestyles, do you both even like stones? And how does the look of the stone fit your overall vision for the engagementring?

The setting and style of the engagementring can make quite a big difference in how it appears. You need to know which ring style fits your partner’s personality and taste so you will be able to buy him one he will treasure forever. Here are a few popular styles:

Solitaire: Ideal for a single stone, this style exhibits a single stone that is held on a simple band so the gem becomes the focal point.

Halo: The halo setting includes tiny diamonds surrounding the center stone giving extra sparkle and giving the look that the center stone is bigger.

Vintage: Vintage engagement rings are decorated with exquisite detailing and have a look of old world charm if that's what you desire.

Three-Stone: Three stone rings often literally represent a symbolic past, present, and future, and make a unique and meaningful look.

After you’ve settled on an engagementring style and stone, the last piece of the puzzle is knowing how to make sure that engagement ring fits just right. Customers need to know that sizing is important as a too tight or loose ring can become uncomfortable or be lost. While most jewelers will do a free size, it’s best to have the ring sized correctly from the start.

With so many options, it’s important to find a good jeweler where you can be sure your engagementring is good quality. Check for jewelers that receive good customer reviews, have a fair return policy and offer certificates on gems. It’s also good to get some advice from certified jewelers who can help to land a beautiful and ethically mined stone, know custom designs that are available and financing options.

Read some reviews and if your friends have gone, ask them about their experience.

Review levels of license and certification and meet the same quality standards of nurturance and professionality.

Find out about warranties and service options including resizing and polishing.

An engagementring should be a beautiful reminder of the journey and love that went into it, and it is a test of your commitment to letting go of bitterness. Your wedding is an opportunity to celebrate your one of a kind relationship and choosing a piece of jewelry will allow you to highlight a shared value and personal taste. A budget, the perfect stone, understanding your options, all is necessary here to make an informed, meaningful choice.