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So, you're ready to take the next step and purchase an engagement ring. Congratulations! For an engaged couple, buying an engagement ring and wedding band is an exciting time, one that should be cherished, not stressed over. With education, research, and help from the diamond experts at Agape Diamonds, you'll be able to find the perfect diamond engagement ring in no time. Whether you're planning to incorporate the element of surprise or shop with your fiancé, here's the ultimate guide to finding your dream ring.

Buying an Engagement Ring 101: The Ultimate Guide to Finding the Right Engagement Ring

The process of buying an engagement ring is unique for every couple, but this guide can help you break it down into easy-to-follow steps.

Step 1: Set your budget.

Before you start shopping for jewelry, set a price range. If this is your first time shopping for a diamond engagement ring or a wedding ring, a diamond ring might seem like a big purchase. Having an honest conversation with your future fiancé is the best way to keep your expectations the same and decide how much money you're willing to spend.

The widely accepted rule is that an engagement ring should cost about the same as your three months' salary. Of course, you don't need to follow this rule, but it's good to know the expectation. Additionally, if a real diamond is a bit out of your price range, then you can look into other options such as Lab Grown Diamonds or Simulated Diamonds. All of these options offer beauty and brilliance comparable to that of a diamond at a far lower price.

Additionally, there are other precious and semi-precious gemstones t

Spring is in the air—and so is engagement season!

Whether you're ready to pop the question now or you're waiting for the right moment and just want to be ready, we've got you covered with a list of some of the most popular engagement rings trending right now.

We fully understand that engagement ring trends come and go—but diamonds are forever. If you're afraid of going with a popular engagement ring choice because it might not be popular in five or ten years, don't worry; nothing says "forever" like the time and thought that goes into picking the perfect engagement ring trends.

There are so many styles to choose from, but here are some of our absolute favorites!

Rose Gold Rings

Rose gold has been one of the popular engagement ring trends for several years now. Rose gold is a simple way to add a little bit of elegant color into a ring without changing the color of the diamond. While platinum bands remain the most popular engagement ring and wedding band style—and are closely followed by white gold and classic yellow gold—rose gold has gained popularity in recent years. If your special someone has a knack for thinking outside of the box, a rose gold ring might be the perfect ring for them.

As rose gold has become a popular engagement ring trend, we've seen more and more celebrities sporting these pink-tinted yellow gold engagement rings. Blake Lively (married to Ryan Reynolds) wears a rose gold ring with a stunning pink oval shape diamond and a split shank band, while Lauren Conrad's husband William Tell went with a more classic round cut diamond and a d

We see diamonds everywhere—in jewelry, such as in diamond engagement rings, and in bracelets that sparkle. While the traditional diamond and gold ring has maintained popularity in the United States for a long time, diamond uses are evolving. We even see them in blades and drill bits that are made to break down other materials. But what exactly are diamonds? Where do they come from, and what other uses do they have?

Interesting Facts about Diamonds That You May Not Have Known

We've made a list of 10 interesting facts about diamonds so you can appreciate that little sparkle on your hand as more than just a symbol of love.

1. Not only do diamonds come in all shapes and sizes—but they also come in a wide spectrum of colors.

The color of the diamond depends on the minerals that are present at the time of formation. Colorless diamonds are generally more popular and therefore the most valuable, but diamonds can be many different colors, including green, blue, yellow, brown, orange, purple, red, or even black. In recent decades, pink diamonds have gained popularity thanks to a number of celebrities showing off alternative colors on their engagement rings and wedding bands. 

All diamonds are precious, which is why so many people in the United States choose a diamond engagement ring when they pop the question. If you're thinking about buying an engagement ring or any jewelry with these gemstones, you might not have considered where your diamonds come from or how exactly they were made. Doing a little research into this might surprisingly give you peace of mind and inform your decision. There are two types of diamonds: mined and manmade.

The naked eye probably won't be able to tell the difference between the two types of diamonds, but there are fundamental differences. If you're on the market for diamonds as a buyer, it's a good idea to really understand the difference between mined and manmade diamonds. Here's an easy guide to help you choose.

What the Experts know about Lab Grown Diamonds

If you're seeking an extensive outlook on the question of mined vs. manmade, look no further than the expert understanding of the Gemological Institute of America, or GIA. They explain that one of the main differences is where the diamonds were made. Mined, or natural, diamonds were formed due to pressure and high temperatures deep within the earth. They were most likely formed billions of years ago. These diamonds were made accessible for harvesting, because volcanic activity brought them closer to the top layer of earth, and deposited them in rock formations. If enough diamonds are deposited in a given formation, the area will be mined and the diamonds sold through retailers to people like you.

Manmade

When choosing an engagement ring or a diamond piece of jewelry for someone special, we do it with love in our hearts. That same love should be shared and expressed in the story of the diamond we choose. But do you know the true story and the true cost involved in mining diamonds? The human and environmental impact along the supply chain of diamond mining is massive but shockingly few know about the full extent. First off, how are diamonds mined?

The Diamond Mining Process

We all know how to get diamonds: They are formed underground under high pressure and high temperature and need to be mined. Have you ever considered how deep they might be, or what happens to the rock that gets displaced while trying to find them?

Diamond mine craters are so huge that astronauts can actually see them from space. The average stone used for an engagement ring can require the removal of between 200 and 400 million times its weight in displaced earth. Such huge amounts of mining for a small reward has enormous human and environmental impacts. 

The diamond industry relies on finding rough diamond along either kimberlite pipes, which are belts of igneous rock where diamonds are formed under high pressure and high temperature, or else in alluvial deposits, which refers to areas where rough diamonds have been naturally displaced from the kimberlite and so can be found in more loose, accessible matter.

Such areas are becoming ever harder to find, so when one is found diamond mining companies will be loath to lose them again. This natural

It’s safe to say that times are strange and maybe a little extraordinary right now due to the global health crisis that COVID-19 has caused. Many people are facing a difficult time with the uncertainty of the coming weeks. 

Information in the United States from the CDC and the White House seem to change drastically from last week to this week. New information will be coming out for a long time as doctors learn more about the coronavirus every day. According to the New York Times, New York is the state that has been hit the hardest so far. Even so, it's quite serious everywhere in the United States making it a trying time for everyone in the nation, regardless if you live in New Jersey, California, or anywhere else.

In the midst of all of this chaos, it's important to keep looking forward and cherish the things you do have. For example, getting to practice social distancing with the one you love. With all of this extra time together due to the coronavirus outbreak, you may be thinking it's time to pop the question, but do you know how to propose during this time so you can successfully tie the knot?

Don't let the novel coronavirus rain on your proposal ideas. Here are a few tips for proposing to your quarantine cutie during the coronavirus pandemic. Best of all, you'll have plenty of time to make your wedding plans together afterward. Here are some tips from proposing using lab-grown diamonds and man-made diamonds. 

Dazzle Her With a Stunning Diamond

The star of every proposal and the darling of the wedding industry is the diamond ring. There's nothing more classic or romantic. No matter what circumstances you're g

Engagement season is upon us, and being engaged is one of the most magical periods of anyone's life. The romantic time before getting married will never be repeated for any couple and it deserves its own unique engagement ring to make sure it is something special. Every engagement, as well as every wedded couple-to-be, is unique, so why not have an alternative engagement ring that reflects that? 

Here are some ideas on finding a non-traditional ring that will make a splash.

Choose Something Unique to the Wearer

The first step in deciding which unique ring suits you and your partner is thinking about what the wearer values. Are they classically traditional? Do they do a lot with their hands on a daily basis? Do they have an affinity for a particular type of gemstone? This could factor into what stone you choose, the cut of the ring, the type of metal, the size, and so many other factors that can go into making your engagement rings unique. This could lead you to options like lab-made diamonds and lab-grown engagement rings.

Mix Up Your Stone Choice

The first and perhaps most instantly recognizable change that you could make is switching it up from the traditional diamond engagement ring. If you prefer the look of a diamond ring, why not go for an ethically-sourced diamond or lab-made diamonds to make sure the symbol of your love has as sweet a story as your own? The classic white diamond look can still be achieved but with a harmless origin. This is why lab-grown diamond rings are only growing in popularity.

At Agape Diamonds