There are so many things that a diamond engagement ring really says, when you think about it. And I have been broaching this topic quite often recently in my writing online because I have a younger brother – the youngest in my family actually – who was recently engaged, and who I helped shop online for a great deal on a dazzling diamond engagement ring for his fiancé. Now he is getting married in May and he will be the last of the troop in our family to finally be wed, and we could not be any happier for him! That takes me back to the days when I first offered my then wife to be a diamond engagement ring, and slid it on her finger after bending one knee. Now, whenever the sun glimmers off that shiny diamond engagement ring on her finger, I get a bit nostalgic. I recall all of the happy years that we have been married and also am reminded of why I am so proud to be called her husband, until death do we part!

Not too long ago my brother called to tell me that he was going to be buying his long time girlfriend an engagement ring this Christmas season.  I couldn’t be more thrilled for the two of them, because they have been dating so long that I already consider her practically my sister in law.  I’m happy to hear that they are going to make it official. She doesn’t have any idea that he’s going to give her an engagement ring though, and he asked me what I thought he should spend on the ring.  I talked to him a little about what he felt he could afford to spend on the engagement ring, and told him that I didn’t think that he should do what many guys do, and that’s go into debt for an engagement ring before the marriage even starts.  I also told him that he could get a lot more for his money by ordering online, to which he said he would definitely do. I told my brother it wasn’t the ring she wanted; it’s the lifetime with him that will make her happy.  He’s planning to ask her in front of everyone on Christmas morning when she opens the engagement ring.

As tender as that proposal was, the one memory that still remains cast in stone for me is when he placed my engagement ring on my finger.  It was absolutely breathtaking!  The platinum gleamed and the diamonds sparkled underneath a sky of twinkling stars.  He picked the most perfect wedding band, too, which I didn't receive or even see until we finished our vows at the altar.  I couldn't have chosen a more perfect ring if I purchased it myself!

To this day, every chance I get to look at my engagement ring and wedding band, I stare at it.  Whether it be while I catch the sun's reflection in my diamond on the steering wheel while driving, or even now as I type this, it always takes me back to that wonderful moment when I said yes (eventually) to the question I had waited all my life to hear.

I love to wear nice jewelry whenever I go out. I have found that wearing very pricey jewelry can be risky when having a fun night out on the town. There have been several incidences when I have lost a nice earing or bracelet out on the dance floor.

A friend of mine suggested to me that I wear costume jewelry out, instead of my genuine expensive pieces. At first I did not think that I could find attractive costume jewelry, but I could not have been more wrong. As I began to look at online superstores, I was pleasantly surprised at the large selection of beautiful and inexpensive jewelry. Now, if I lose or damage an article of jewelry, I am not as concerned. My new costume jewelry is easily replaceable and fun to shop for.

This holiday season I will be purchasing jewelry for myself and my friends at online superstores. Ordering and shipping my purchase is so easy and fun. I get so excited knowing that in just a few short days my shipment will arrive. I am so thankful that my friend gave me such great advice.

If you want to talk costume jewelry I am definitely the one to talk about it. In my other spare time I ballroom dance. I teach and compete and I have been doing this for years. One thing I can say is that when it comes to costume jewelry no other sport or culture (save for maybe Hollywood) elaborates as much and as expensively as the world of ballroom dance.

Just a few months ago I had a necklace made by the same designers that did all the costumes on DWTS. Because they're based locally where I live I can just drive down to their shop and order whatever I want. Now, when it came to this costume jewelry I wanted to order a Cleopatra-esque necklace that was turquoise and gold, as well as having some browns and darker colors. In total with an additional snake armband piece of rhinestones the entire set cost me about four hundred dollars! But it was all well worth it because they only used the most top quality rhinestones and it looked even better than any "real" jewelry I could have gotten.

I recently helped a male friend find the ideal engagement ring for his significant other. An engagement ring can be an expensive symbolic gesture, so it's absolutely important to approach it while armored with research and education. The great thing was that we were able to conduct all the communication and research through the internet. We browsed through online superstores for his engagement ring while chatting online.

The first thing I asked him was whether his girlfriend preferred platinum, gold or silver. He had absolutely no idea, so his homework for that night was to observe which kind of metal she most frequently. Plan B included sneaking through her jewelry box. She ended up preferring gold jewelry, so we kept an eye out for gold engagement rings.

I then asked him what kind of style she had. She was a woman that preferred classic and simple pieces. So, he decided on a round diamond shape engagement ring.

I provided him with educational pieces on the "four c's" which include cut, color, clarity, and carat. Based on his budget and new found engagement ring education, he was able to choose the right diamond ring for his significant other.

My sister and her husband recently celebrated their 20^th wedding anniversary. At the party, he surprised her by getting down on one knee and presenting her with an engagement ring. Now, she already has one that she has worn ever since he first proposed 21 years ago but he had the most wonderful and romantic speech the night of their anniversary party.

He asked her if she would marry him again because if he had it to do over again, she would still be the one he wanted to be with for the rest of his life. He told her the new engagement ring symbolized the next 20 years of their lives together. He did not replace her other one, he simply slipped that one on the ring finger of her other hand so as not to interfere with her original wedding ring and engagement ring.

It was the most touching and romantic scene I had witnessed in some time and it sure beat out any movie out there. I was so happy for the two of them because they had been through their ups and downs like many couples have, only to come out of it with a stronger marriage and closer bond. The new engagement ring symbolized that journey for the two of them and those of us who watched that scene will always be touched by the purity of true love.