After several months or years of waiting, you've finally come to a decision to ask her to marry you. Now is the right time to ask her out, and the best way to sweep her off her feet is to give her a diamond band that will encompass your undying love for her. Unfortunately for many, purchasing diamond engagement rings can be a stressful task. With this in mind, it pays to be informed in order to know what type of diamond band to pick for her.

For the most part, diamonds are valued as gems because of their rarity and distinct ability to retract light. Because of these characteristics, diamond engagement rings are perhaps the most popular betrothal bands around the globe. However, despite the knowledge we have about these gem stones, many are still unaware of how to properly identify the fake ones from the real ones, or to simply put it, many are still a part of the so called uninformed market. An uninformed market includes people who have an incomplete idea about the nature of diamonds they are purchasing, and they judge the sparkler's qualities not by any set and understood standards but merely through the advertisements they see and the eye-catching features that diamonds boasts; these people are often at the mercy of their retailers.

In order to avoid becoming a part of the uninformed market, you can start understanding the diamond you are about to purchase through the unbiased evaluation from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). GIA, which was founded in 1931, is an international gemological body that set the first internationally accepted diamond grading system. As all diamonds look-a-like, a GIA report will reveal the differences, flaws and inconsistencies in diamonds. The most widely utilized and trusted means of verifying the quality and identification of a diamond is the GIA diamonds grading report or diamond dossier.

A grading report provided by GIA contains the assessment results of a diamond based from the 4Cs of diamond grading: carat, cut, color and clarity. Aside from the 4Cs, the report also has the gem's graphic proportion representation and clarity plotted diagram. Generally, GIA diamonds are well tested to ensure that their qualities are accurate.

It would also be helpful to refer to a quality diamond jeweler. His or her expertise in the field of diamond can truly help you determine whether the diamond band you intend to purchase is a cheap jewelry or a highly valuable piece. However, if you are really after an inexpensive band, rather than choosing a preset diamond band why not settle for loose diamonds instead? Not only will you be able to save money, but more importantly you can have your band customized in accordance to your design preference.

Now that you are aware of the rules when it comes to diamond engagement rings, you can now search for the right band that would suit your budget and design needs. With these guidelines in mind, you can be assured that what you are about to get for your girl will reflect your emotions towards her. Regardless of the diamond band you pick however, your sincerity on your proposal is what truly counts. You have a lifetime ahead of you to prove how much you truly love her; the diamond band you are about to give is just the beginning of the journey you will both share sooner or later.