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!).

It’s a big, blingy rock in an engagement ring. But is it a diamond? Or possibly moissanite, a gem that bears an uncanny resemblance to diamonds? 

Moissanite is a naturally occurring silicon carbide whose microscopic particles were discovered by French chemist Henri Moissan at the Canyon Diablo meteorite strike site in Arizona just over a century ago.

When someone holds a special place in your heart, so do their treasured possessions.

So when you inherit a piece of jewelry from a loved one, you want to do everything you can to honor their memory.

Sometimes that's as simple as keeping the piece safe or wearing it as is. But, other times, you know the owner would want the piece worn, but in a way that makes it as special to you as it was to them.

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 That out-of-date advice came from a De Beers marketing campaign to create buzz around diamonds.