Choosing an engagement ring is both exciting and overwhelming. For many brides-to-be, it’s the most expensive piece of jewelry they own.

One of the major decisions you’ll make when engagement ring shopping is what diamond shape to buy (assuming you’re going with a traditional diamond ring!).

Buying jewelry isn’t the same as buying a new outfit. We’re willing to bet you buy a new piece of clothing at least every other month, so you’re kind of a pro. How often do you buy jewelry, though? Probably not nearly as often.

Read on to learn how you can find the right jeweler for your needs.

As I’m sure you’ve heard, the old adage advises an engagement ring should cost roughly the equivalent of two months’ salary. That out-of-date advice came from a De Beers marketing campaign to create buzz around diamonds. 

If we were to do some quick math and look at median weekly earnings over the last quarter in 2021, the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that would equal $8,080 (based on 8 weeks.)

With Valentine’s Day less than a month away, flowers and chocolates are not the only things in abundance. In 2020, Valentines Day was the most popular day to get engaged, per The Wedding Wire. COVID-19 may have been a factor since it was one of the last holidays to be celebrated pre-pandemic. Nevertheless, it's one of the most romantic holidays, so we're not surprised many couples chose this day for an engagement.

We may not be in wedding season, but we're still happily celebrating couples’ everlasting love as they continue to share their excitement - and beautiful jewelry - with us.

But, why a ring? Why the left hand? Why the fourth finger? There’s much about the history of the wedding ring that remains a mystery, but here’s what we’ve uncovered.