Diamond Ring Buying Guide by Renee Newman (2002, Paperback, Illustrated)

When I first decided to propose to my girlfriend of five years, I knew I wanted to be *very* sure of what I was doing when I went to go shopping for a ring (it was to be a surprise, so I was on my own). So I scoured the internet for whatever information I could find. I found LOTS of it. Not necessarily all beneficial, either. The information was overwhelming and not always well-presented.

Then I found this book.

This book explains everything you need to know about how diamonds are graded, where prices come from and how to go about shopping for one yourself. The pictures are fantastic, as they provide clear illustrations for the text. The text is highly informative without getting bogged down with jargon or an attitude of superiority that would put-off many laypeople. This is simply a wonderful consumer's guide. I cannot conceive of having shopped for a diamond ring without this book.

It's amazing how Newman makes diamond learning so easy and fun. She outlines what to look for when buying all types of diamonds, and gives clear, concise explanations of all the price factors, not just the 4 C's. Then she illustrates her points with lots of helpful photos. You'll learn things about diamonds from this book that you won't find elsewhere.

But this book is more than just a top-notch diamond book. It helps you choose the right ring mounting and setting style for your needs. It gives tips on buying custom-made rings and it has information on gold and platinum that I haven't seen elsewhere.

I've been to a lot of jewelry stores, but none were able to explain diamonds as well as this book. In fact, if you read this book, you'll know more about diamonds than many of the salespeople. You'd be making a big mistake if you bought a diamond without first reading the Diamond Ring Buying Guide. It helped me save a lot of money

If you're going down the same route, get this book! It will help make everything a lot more clear and easier on your bloodpressure and wallet!