As cliché as it is "it's the thought that counts". Sure us girls want a nice engagement ring to show off, but bigger isn't always better. Personally I'm not a fan of diamonds, I prefer CZ...because if I loose one I'm not that worried, they're still nice looking and inexpensive, but when it comes time for me to get an engagement ring (whenever that may happen
) I would want it to be nice. It just shows that the guy put some thought into it. I used to work at the jewelry counter in a dept. store and no diamond is perfect. Of course some look nicer than others, but sometimes you can find a very nice diamond that isn't going to break the bank and unless your looking at it under a microscope the flaws are pretty much unnoticeable to the naked eye. Then there is the selection of the band of the engagement ring. Gold of course is the most popular choice, but there's also white gold and platinum. Although platinum is the best looking to white gold, it is also softer and more prone to scratches and nicks and also pretty expensive.
I also agree that you should talk with her, hint around or talk to one of her friends to see what she has in mind as far as an engagement ring goes. Hope everything goes well!
