Deciding to get married is the easy part - at least, compared with the expense and effort that shopping for the engagement ring entails.

    These sparkly manifestations of committed relationships will set shoppers back an average of $5,795 this year, according to market researcher The Wedding Report. And thanks to a combination of a weak dollar and high consumer demand, which has sent gold and diamond prices skyrocketing, engagement rings are only getting more expensive.

    Inflated expectations （mostly on the part of the bride-to-be） about that all-important ring have also pushed prices higher, says Elena Mauer, a senior associate editor at Bridal Guide magazine. Today, most women expect at least a one-carat diamond, while just five years ago a half-carat stone would have sufficed. （Such factors aren't to be ignored: 28% of women say they would turn down a proposal if they didn't like the ring, according to the market research division of Clerical Medical Investment Group, a U.K.-based investment advisor.）

    The general spending rule is to expect to pay the equivalent of two months' salary - or at least that's what the jewelry makers advise. "Affordability is different for every couple, so that's just a starting point," explains Jerry Ehrenwald, president of the International Gemological Institute, a nonprofit industry group.

    The challenge of putting a price on their priceless love leads many consumers to overspend. But there are plenty of ways to cut costs without sacrificing quality. Here's how:

    Reassess the rock

    It's impossible to shop for a diamond without knowing the four Cs. But educating yourself （visit the Gemological Institute of America） has the added advantage of helping you figure out where to splurge, and where to save:

    Clarity. Look for a stone of VS2 or better, which means none of the inclusions are visible to the naked eye. The stone is a far cry from flawless, concedes Ehrenwald, but who will ever know?

    Color. Even a stone on the less-favorable end of the color scale can look stunning in a ring, says Antoinette Matlins, author of "Engagement & Wedding Rings: The Definitive Buying Guide for People in Love." You'll typically notice less color while looking at the stone from the top down anyway （appraisers grade by looking at the side）, and the metal of the setting further masks the tones.

    Carat. Stones jump in price at the carat mark. Look for so-called light carats - those just a little below, say, a 0.95 instead of a one carat. "Visually, you wouldn't be able to see a difference," says Ehrenwald. Pricewise, you will. At Union Diamond, a loose 0.95-carat stone （ideal cut, F, VVS2） is $8,075. The one-carat equivalent costs $11,294.

    Cut. The way a stone is cut largely determines its final appearance, and so has the least wiggle room of any of the four Cs. Get the best cut you can, advises David Levi, owner of David Levi Diamonds in La Jolla, Calif. Trading up yields the most improvement in a diamond's value.

    Consider other shapes

    Round, brilliant-cut diamonds are the most popular shape for engagement rings - and perhaps not coincidentally, the most expensive per carat, says Matlins. Opt for a significantly less expensive oval, marquis or pear cut, which carry more of the carat weight at the top, thereby appearing larger. At Diamonds.com, you'd pay $8,209 for a round diamond （1.01 carats, F, VS1, very good cut） set in white gold. In comparison, you'd pay $5,717 for the same ring set with a pear-shaped stone of the same attributes; $6,174 for a marquis, or $5,803 for an oval.

    Not all shapes offer such a great deal, though. Steer clear of radiant and princess stones if you don't want to stretch your budget. "These shapes, though popular, tend to have a lot of carat weight at the bottom, which can make them look smaller," she says.

    Go generic

    Tiffany & Co. boasts of its "Lucida" stones, Kay Jewelers showcases the "Leo Diamond" from Leo Schachter Diamonds, and Hearts on Fire's eponymous diamonds are sold by independent jewelers nationwide. Such branded diamonds employ trademarked precision cuts to maximize brilliance. As a result, these stones cost 15% to 20% more than a generic （i.e. unbranded） diamond of the same attributes, says Martin D. Fuller, an independent jewelry appraiser based in McLean, Va. You're paying for the name, not necessarily a better stone. And should that brand lose favor with fickle consumers, there's no added value down the line.

    Cut loose

    Buying a loose diamond from a wholesaler can save you hundreds of dollars. The savings will more than make up for what you'd pay to have the stone put in a setting. A half-carat stone （G, VS2, very good cut）, for example, has an average retail price of $2,238, but could cost as little as $1,272 when purchased through a wholesaler, according to Diamond Review, an independent diamond education and pricing web site. Shenoa & Co. in New York City's famed diamond district has several that fit the bill, ranging in price from $1,140 to $1,458.

    Skimp on the setting

    No one will be ogling your fiancé's ring for the band, says Mauer. "Focus your spending on the center stone, rather than the setting," she says. At Diamonds.com, a platinum setting with a half-carat in accent diamonds is $2,205, while a simple cathedral setting in platinum is $875. If you have your heart set on a fancy setting, consider swapping pricey platinum for white gold or palladium （a member of the platinum family）, which offer a similar look for less than half the price. In 18K white gold, those same Diamonds.com bands would be $1,107 and $490, respectively.

    Hone your haggling skills

    The markup on engagement rings can easily be 300% over wholesale costs, so there's plenty of wiggle room when it comes to negotiating a lower price, says Matlins. "Mall chain stores have the highest markup, ironically because they're so competitive," she says. "To afford the occasional 50%-off sale, the regular retail price has to be much steeper." Independent jewelers tend to have slimmer profit markups, as well as more leeway to offer discounts. In such a competitive market, many jewelers will give you a deal for buying the whole ring （instead of having them set a loose stone you bought elsewhere）, or for agreeing to come back later to purchase wedding bands. Because credit-card merchant fees are high, some stores will even give a 3% discount if you pay by cash instead.

    Mine online retailers

    Prices can be up to 40% cheaper when you buy online. But you'll have to be more vigilant about which sites you buy from, says Levi. Price compare at several stores, and steer clear of sites where prices are significantly less than others you've seen. That's a good indication you're looking at low-value, lab-enhanced stones or outright fakes, complete with a fraudulent appraisal report.

    Buck tradition

    Diamonds are still a girl's best friend, serving as the centerpiece stone in 90% of engagement rings, according to The Wedding Report. But there's something to be said for going the nontraditional route. Rings set with colored gemstones are very trendy right now - and very affordable, too, says Mauer. "Colored gems are less expensive [than diamonds], which means you can get a larger, better-quality stone for your budget," she says. At Blue Nile, a three-stone white gold ring set with an oval-cut sapphire （just shy of one carat, good color, no visible flaws） and flanked by two 0.15-carat diamonds goes for $1,575. If you opted for a white diamond of comparable quality instead, that price would get you a 0.30-carat center stone, max. （For a diamond the same size as the sapphire, you'd pay $4,313.） One caveat: Knowing the four Cs of diamonds won't help you here. Our shopping guides for colored pearls can help you figure out what to look for.

    決定結婚是相對容易的部分--至少，比起購買訂婚戒指要花的錢和精力來說是這樣的。

    據市場調研報告《婚禮報告》顯示，今年，這些用來表現愛情承諾的閃閃發光的鉆石的銷售商平均會少賺5795美元（These sparkly manifestations of committed relationships will set shoppers back an average of $5,795 this year, according to market researcher The Wedding Report.）同時，由于市場疲軟和高消費需求的結合，使得黃金和鉆石價格飛漲，結婚戒指則更貴。

    對這件非常重要的結婚戒指過高的期望（主要是準新娘）也對結婚戒指價格的飆升起了推波助瀾的作用，《婚禮指南》雜志的高級副主編埃萊娜莫爾說。現在，大多數女性都會希望買至少一克拉的鉆石，而僅僅五年前，半克拉的鉆石就足夠滿足她們了。（有些因素不容忽視：28%的女士說，如果她們不喜歡男士送的戒指就會拒絕他們的求婚，這一數據來自于英國市場研究部門的投資顧問公司Clerical Medical Investment Group的市場研究報告。）

    一般的預算支出是兩個月的薪水，或者至少珠寶制造商是這樣建議的。"每對夫婦的支付能力不同，所以這只是最低的估計，"國際珠寶協會主席Jerry Ehrenwald解釋說，國際珠寶協會是一家非營利性的機構。

    因為戒指的價錢代表了他們之間無盡的愛，所以會有很多人為了買結婚戒指而超支。但是，有一些辦法可以讓你既不用犧牲掉戒指的質量又能減少開支。具體如下：

    一、Reassess the rock重新對鉆石估價

    去買鉆石不可能不知道四個C.但是，要告訴自己知道一些額外的知識能夠幫你決定哪些需要揮霍哪些需要節省（您可以訪問Gemological Institute of America）,比如透明度、顏色、重量、切割。

    透明度。尋找VS2級或者更好的鉆石，這樣的鉆石無法用肉眼看到里面的夾雜物。Ehrenwald說，這樣的鉆石還遠非完美，但誰又能知道呢？

    顏色。《承諾與婚戒：給深處愛情的人最后的購買指南》的作者Antoinette Matlins說，即使顏色最差的鉆石在鑲入戒指后也會發出驚人的光彩。通常情況下你從戒指上方看鉆石時很少會注意到顏色（評估鉆石的顏色級別是要看側面的）,而底座的顏色則進一步掩蓋了鉆石的本色。

    克拉。一克拉以上和一克拉以下鉆石的價錢差別很大。你可以選擇所謂的"輕克拉"--那些比一克拉稍微輕一些的，比如0.95克拉，而不要選擇1克拉的。"從視覺上是看不出差別的。"Ehrenwald說。但是卻能使你買的戒指更加物有所值。在鉆石聯盟，一顆0.95克拉的裸鉆價值8075美元（理想的切割，F,VVS2）,而1克拉的鉆石則要11294美元。

    切割。鉆石的切割仿石在很大程度上決定了鉆石最后的表觀，所以切割對四個C來說是最沒有發揮空間的一個。加州拉霍亞David Levi珠寶的老板David Levi建議說，要盡最大努力獲得最佳切割。它能夠在很大程度上提升鉆石的價值。

    二、Consider other shapes考慮一下其他形狀

    圓形、明亮式切割的鉆石是訂婚戒指最流行的形狀--而且這種鉆石每克拉最貴，這也許不是巧合，Matlins說。而橢圓形、橄欖形或者梨形則會便宜很多，而且這些鉆石的上部比較重，這會讓鉆石看上去更大。在Diamonds.com,買一個白金底座的圓形鉆石（1.01克拉，F,VS1,切割很好）需要8209美元。相比之下，如果你買同樣底座、同樣屬性的梨形鉆石只需要5717美元，而橄欖形的需要6174美元，橢圓形的需要5803美元。

    但是并非所有的形狀都比圓形便宜。如果不想超出預算，最好是繞開radiant and princess stones.她說："雖然這些形狀很流行，但是這種鉆石通常是底部比較重，看上去會顯得比較小。"

    三、Go generic購買非名牌商品

    Tiffany公司擁有自有品牌"Lucida"鉆石，Kay珠寶店有從利奧斯卡特鉆石來的"利奧鉆石",而火之心的同名鉆石由全國獨立珠寶商出售。這些品牌商標的鉆石以其精密切割獲得最佳光潔度而著稱。因此，這些鉆石要比其他一般（沒有商標的）的鉆石貴上15%至20%,弗吉尼亞州麥克萊恩的一位獨立珠寶評估師馬丁D.富勒說。購買那些品牌鉆石，有些錢是花在品牌上的，而不是鉆石品質上。但是一旦這些品牌不再受變化無常的客戶們歡迎，那么它們幾乎沒有增值的空間。

    四、Cut loose 不精確切割

    從批發商那里買一顆切割不那么精密的鉆石可以節省數百美元。節省下來的這些錢可能要比你給鉆石安個底座的價錢還多。比如，根據獨立珠寶培訓和定價網站珠寶評論上說的，一顆半克拉的鉆石（G, VS2, 精密切割）平均售價是2238美元，而從批發商那里購買只需要1272美元，紐約市著名的珠寶區有很多這樣的鉆石，價錢從1140到1458美元不等。

    五、Skimp on the setting節省在底座上的開支

    沒有人會盯著你未婚夫的戒指看，莫埃說。她說："人們關注的目標是鉆石而不是底座。"在Diamonds.com上，鉑金鑲嵌一顆半克拉鉆石的價格是2205美元，而普通白金底座的只需要875美元。如果你想要個設計精巧的底座，那就考慮將較貴的鉑金換成白金或者鈀金，鈀金也是白色金屬，它們在觀感上和鉑金差不多，但價錢卻能低上一半。Diamonds.com 上的同樣的鉑金戒指和18K白金戒指的售價分別是1107美元和490美元（In 18K white gold, those same Diamonds.com bands would be $1,107 and $490, respectively）.

    六、Hone your haggling skills磨練你的討價還價能力

    訂婚戒指的利潤很多都高達成本的300%,所以有很大的討價還價的余地，Matlins說。 "商場里連鎖店利潤最高，這是因為它們之間的競爭很強烈，這很具諷刺意味。"她說，"如果他們偶爾打五折出售，那么他們平時的零售價就更不可信了。"獨立珠寶商的利潤往往低一些，但也有提供折扣的足夠的余地。在這樣一個競爭激烈的市場中，很多珠寶商都會賣給你成套的戒指，而不是幫你鑲嵌從別處買來的鉆石，或者讓你承諾買結婚戒指的時候也來他們這里買。因為商戶們需要支付的信用卡費很高，所以如果你用現金付錢的話，可能還會給你3%的折扣。

    七、Mine online retailers挖掘網上零售商

    在網上購買戒指可能會讓你節省高達40%的開支。但是你必須要對你購買戒指的網站，列維說。多比較幾家商店的價格，挑出價錢明顯比其他網站低的網站。這是個好跡象，說明你正在看的是有虛假報告的、低附加值的、在實驗室里合成出來的鉆石或者假貨。

    八、Buck tradition巴克傳統

    據《婚禮報告》稱，鉆石仍然最受女孩子們的歡迎，因此90%的訂婚戒指都會選擇鉆石的。但有些事情也可以走非傳統路線。現在彩色寶石戒指也很時髦，而且還很便宜，莫爾說。"彩色寶石[比鉆石]便宜，這意味著同樣的預算你可以買到更大、更好的寶石。"她說。在藍尼羅，三層白金戒指加一顆橢圓形藍寶石（不到一克拉，色澤好，無明顯缺陷）和側面得兩顆0.15克拉鉆石要價1575美元。而如果買同樣成色的鉆石，那么最大也就能買到一顆0.30克拉的鉆石。而如果要買和藍寶石同樣尺寸的鉆石則需要花費4313美元。但要提醒您的是，買彩色寶石時即使了解寶石的四個C也沒什么用。而我們關于購買彩色珍珠的指南能夠幫助你找到自己想要的珠寶。