AisleDash

A friend of mine called the other day to ask for help finding a diamond for his girlfriend. He's a law student at a competitive school -- the boy knows how to do research -- but he wanted to ask me about any secrets of the trade I could pass on. So I asked him what he was looking for in a diamond.

"She has one request. It has to SPARKLE!" Simple enough. You don't need piles of appraisal documents to know if a diamond sparkles -- you can tell by looking at it, right? You'd think...

Actually, how a diamond twinkles in a jewelry display case can be very different from how it looks in natural light, and most jewelry store sales clerks don't even know about the characteristic that could have the most affect on a diamond's sparkle: fluorescence.

Fashion follows Hollywood. When Lindsay Lohan started trotting around Tinseltown in leggings, suddenly everyone started copying this style, much to the dismay of everyone's favorite fashion critics, and retailers across America struggled to keep an adequate spandex stock. Thankfully, it's not just the ridiculous trends that catch on -- when Ben Affleck gave Jennifer Lopez a 6-ct pink diamond engagement ring, there was a rush on pink diamonds (until the rest of the world realized that they were not movie stars and couldn't actually afford them). So then there was a rush on pink cubic zirconia.

The Bennifer engagement ring really sparked a big trend in Hollywood, and the rest of the world followed. Starlets no longer settled for traditional ring styles like round solitaires in Tiffany settings. Those rings are classic and glamorous indeed, but not unique enough to make a splash on the red carpet. Now we're seeing celebs with every color diamond in the spectrum, like JLo's pink rock, Heidi Klum's huge canary diamond, and Carmen Electra's black diamond ring, to name a few. In addition to the colored diamond trend, solitaires have gone the way of the dinosaur as celebs opt instead for much busier rings with lots of accent stones, and maybe even a non-diamond center stone, like the pink sapphire Nicole Richie received from ex-fiance DJ AM.

As Kristen reported earlier today, Scarlett Johansson and longtime beau Ryan Reynolds have made The Big Commitment. No, they're not married, they're engaged, but let's face it, the REAL commitment is to the ring. And if this ring is any indication, they're off to a good start here.

Johannson's ring is a simple solitaire, nothing too over-the-top. This week at the Met Museum's Costume Gala, she paired the ring with a sheer shimmery body lotion and an antique bracelet, both of which were the perfect backdrop for her sparkler.

She also kept her nails short and her manicure simple, which is always a good choice.

Now if we could JUST do something about her DRESS ...

Click through the gallery for more (and bigger!) images of Johannson's ring.

It's said that "A diamond is forever," and while that slogan has been huge for jewelry retailers, most of them hope you'll adopt the unspoken follow-up into your jewelry philosophy. The full saying is, of course, "A diamond is forever -- until you can afford a bigger one."

Most major jewelry retailers offer trade-in programs where you can exchange your original purchase toward something bigger and better down the road -- provided that you're trading up to something at least twice the value. (This is the Zales policy, which is pretty standard throughout the industry.)

This sounds like a nice idea for the couple who doesn't have the money to buy what they want when they're first engaged, but we have to wonder -- doesn't an engagement ring (no matter the size of the rock) have huge sentimental value? Is this something one could really trade in? Grooms, how would you feel about your bride trading up for something "better" than what you first gave her? Tell us what you think!

Brown is one of those colors that you either love or hate. Champagne diamonds are a good reason to love the color. As colored diamonds gain popularity in engagement rings and wedding jewelry, more of these sparkling brown gems are hitting the market.

Brown diamonds are known by several aliases, most commonly "champagne" and "cognac". Their color can be anywhere from very lightly tinted brown to very rich, dark chocolate brown. Diamonds with more intense orange shades will fetch the highest prices in this group, but because brown is the most common naturally occurring diamond color, these stones sell for significantly less than their colorless counterparts. Expect to pay anywhere from $500-$5000 per carat, depending on the intensity of the color and quality of the stone. High clarity stones with intense natural color will command a higher price, but you should be able to find plenty of beautiful choices without exceeding the $5000/ct range.

If you want a rich brown gemstone, diamonds are about your only option on the market today. Other gems exist in brown, but they don't have the sparkle and shine that diamonds posses, and haven't seen anything like the demand for champagne diamonds. Whether you want a champagne diamond engagement rings or just some brown accents in your wedding jewelry, flip through the gallery above for some ideas.

To learn more about how to shop for diamonds, read the posts in the Personal Gemologist series.

When you shop at big box stores like Costco, there are only a few things that don't come in packs of 12 or more. Luckily, diamonds are one of those things you can buy individually. But would you want to? The store isn't exactly known for romance, but it is known for value, and you can actually get quite a bargain when you shop in their jewelry section.

You might think you'd have to compromise on quality when you shop there, but that's not the case, either. Costco carries a wide selection from lower quality diamonds to high quality pieces that might even be nicer than you find in neighboring jewelry stores. Costco is not a jewelry store, though. Their employees are not trained to educate customers on diamonds, but all of their diamonds are clearly marked with their specs, so if you know your four C's, you can browse Costco's rings without the "help" of some commission-minded salesperson. This might actually be an advantage.

If you've been shopping for engagement rings or wedding bands lately, maybe you've noticed that the prices are suddenly higher than they were the first time you shopped around. Is someone trying to rip you off?

Actually, no. Precious metals prices are soaring now, and jewelers are forced to raise their prices as it costs more to purchase their inventory. Gold prices have more than tripled over the last few years, and other precious metals are way up, too. This means that you can't count on the prices you were quoted a few months ago.

If these skyrocketing prices are putting your wedding rings out of your price range, there are other places you can look for better deals. Maybe there is some jewelry in your family that you can have. If not, look at estate sales, antique stores, pawn shops, and eBay. Jewelry will get more expensive at these places, too, but the effect will be less severe than in retail jewelry stores, where so much of the cost depends on the current metal prices.

What's hott in engagement rings this spring? Well, let's see what's hott with celebrities! They always know the trends.

America is buzzing about the upcoming nuptials of First Twin Jenna Bush, and since we'll have to wait a few more weeks to see her dress, we're all trying to get a good look at the ring, which consists of a diamond and two sapphires on a white gold (or possibly platinum) band; the band is set with wee baguettes. The stones came from financé Henry Hagar's grandmother; the reset ring was designed with mom Laura and twin sister Barbara's help.

Very classic and classic.

At the other end of the celebrity bling spectrum is Paris Hilton (I know, could ANYTHING be further from Jenna Bush than Paris Hilton?) who is currently sporting a gigantic ring with the initials BM on it, which COULD stand for a lot of things but apparently stands for Benji Madden, Hilton's love du jour (and brother of Joel Madden, who just happens to be Paris' best frenenmy Nicole Ritchie's fiancé -- confused? so are we).

We hope that's not an engagement ring -- Paris is wearing it on her left ring finger -- not because we don't want to see Paris settle down already (and just IMAGINE what the wedding gown would be like!) but because we're not really a fan of the GIGANTIC diamond encrusted initial as an engagement ring trend. Particularly when your guy's initials are BM.

If you're thinking about proposing anytime soon, we beg you to at least put a millisecond of thought into it first. In other words, don't use a Facebook application to pop the question.

One popular Facebook application allows you to hug, blow bubbles, karate chop, and (yes) propose marriage. We haven't heard of anyone using it yet for the real deal, but you know some clueless soul's going to try it eventually ... and have it backfire like this guy's Facebook/proposal experience.

If that poor sap wanted to get a "yes," he shouldn't have created and recruited for a Facebook group devoted to slamming future in-laws and he should have checked out this AisleDash post.

While you think up the best way to propose to your sweetie, check out these great rings!

You've probably seen these rings before -- the ones with the hands, heart, and crown -- but did you know they are more than just a popular design? The Claddagh design first emerged in Ireland in the 17th century as a symbol of love (the heart), friendship (the hands), and loyalty (the crown).

Claddagh rings are often given as gifts of friendship or familial love, but with the associated symbolism, it's no surprise that the rings are popular wedding and engagement rings as well. Traditionally, when the ring is worn on the right hand with the heart facing outward, that means that the wearer is single. On the right hand with the heart facing the body indicates that the one wearing the ring is in a relationship. Worn on the left hand, the ring symbolizes engagement when the heart faces outward and marriage when the heart faces the body.

There are some variations on the design, and often the rings will feature a gemstone in the heart. They can be worn by both men and women, and claddaghs are a great symbol both of love and Irish heritage. Check out the gallery for examples of traditional and contemporary style claddagh rings.

Diamonds and weddings. Diamonds, with their brilliance, durability and beauty are almost synonymous with love and commitment. Diamonds are formed from carbon, of course. Dark, coarse, unglittering carbon. Most things on earth are carbon-based. Including ourselves.

Which means that it is possible to make a diamond from the ashes of a loved one. Really. LifeGem extracts the carbon from hair (originally they used the ashes from cremation) applies heat and pressure, and, in 24 weeks (more for blue diamonds) creates a diamond. A diamond of beauty, rich with history and significance. Set in recycled gold, you have a planet-friendly ring of immense personal significance.

And before you all race from your computers squealing in disgust, consider this: if you can scatter gramma's ashes over her beloved rose garden, or keep grampa in an urn on the mantlepiece, why couldn't you take those ashes instead, and have them turned into a glittering diamond pendant that you could wear next to your heart? Or, perhaps, a ring to symbolize the love that preceded and nourished us, as well as the new love that will carry us forward?

I love how I tumble into websites and find things that blow me away. Today I found Estate Diamond Jewellery and spent a happy 15 minutes pottering around on the site. The rings are unbelievable. Stunning is almost an understatement.

Okay look - they are expensive. Terribly, scarily expensive. More than I could ever hope to splash out on a piece of rock - precious and gorgeous as they are- but it never hurts to look, does it? What would be even better, would be to try some of those bits and pieces on but it isn't going to happen, so I'll just content myself with some lustful window shopping.

There is an impressive collection of rare and antique diamonds from the Victorian, Edwardian and Art Deco periods. If you're feeling flush - very flush - then it's worth browsing around. Actually, even if you haven't won the lottery it's still worth checking out. Well, a girl can dream, can't she?

Diamonds are by far the most popular gemstone for engagement rings, or any type of jewelry, for that matter, but there is no law that says you have to have a diamond ring. Not every girl likes or wants a diamond engagement ring, and the alternatives are endless.

Ilona wanted an opal. I love opals, too, and I really love opal jewelry, but I'd warn against it for an engagement ring. Opals are very soft, and can crack or shatter easily. They are not really suitable for everyday wear. That doesn't mean you can't have opal jewelry -- an engagement ring doesn't have to be the only jewelry your husband ever gives you (hint, hint).

When they say "Diamonds are forever," it's not just because they're a symbol of everlasting love -- it's because they are the hardest substance found in nature.

My husband does not wear his wedding ring all the time. I always wear my little gold band, but my diamond anniversary band often spends the day in my jewelry box, and I haven't worn my actual engagement ring in over eight years.

What does that say about my marriage? Nothing, really, except that my husband and I are both too rushed in the morning to mess with putting on our rings.

A new study, however, has concluded that Germans are opting out of the wedding ring because of the rising divorce rate in Europe. Slightly more than half of all German marriages end in divorce, and more Germans are waiting until after 30 to marry. Okay, so far that sounds like the statistics for Oklahoma, where I live.

But there is more: "The new study by the Allensbach polling institute shows that only 74 per cent of German women wear a wedding ring. Among husbands, only 60 per cent say they wear a wedding band." Hmm. Most of the married men and women I know wear a wedding ring, at least some of the time. So that's different.