Marriage is (hopefully) forever. And so is that big, sparkly rock you're about to spend a fortune on. 

You've done the hard work of finding the right person; now here's how to find a diamond that'll outlast your love.

1. Do your homework.

First things first: familiarize yourself with the 4 C's (color, clarity, cut, carat weight), which will help you determine the true value of a stone.

Diamond color can range from yellow ("light") to colorless ("crystal clear"); the more colorless, the more valuable. Clarity is graded based on the presence of any nicks, scratches, or internal flaws.

Cut refers both to the amount of light the diamond refracts as a result of its proportions, and to the shape of the stone overall. Finally, carat weight is, well, weight. The average US engagement diamond is just under one carat, about the weight of a small paper clip.

Do your preliminary research with the Gemological Institute of America site, which is the gold standard of objective diamond information, according to diamond expert Chris Del Gatto of DEL GATTO, a buying company and online jewelry marketplace.

But don't think that reading a few pages of the site makes you qualified to spend the big bucks straightaway. "A little bit of knowledge will get you in trouble," Del Gatto warns.

Be aware of what you don't know, too, and don't be afraid to request expert opinions or seek out further information.

Casey Sullivan, co-founder of online jewelry consignment shop Gleem & Co, agrees that the process can be "intimidating." But if you're smart about your approach, you can come away with something special.

And what about conflict diamonds? In 2002, the diamond industry put in place a process to control and diminish the trade in conflict diamonds. Today, 99% of diamonds in the marketplace are conflict free, according to the Gemological Institute of America.

2. Don't think of a diamond as just an investment.

"You're not buying real estate or Apple stock," Del Gatto said. "Part of the return on this investment is the experience of seeing it every day." 

"Get to where you can speak the language and know what you value."

Maybe color is more important to you; maybe you are more drawn to a specific cut. Recognize that beauty is, ultimately, in the eye of the beholder, and what you want will naturally be a subjective and personal preference. 

The takeaway? Buy what you — and your significant other — love. And don't let anyone else tell you otherwise.

3. Do consider the shopping experience you want to have.

"The process can be as different as the person buying it," del Gatto said. You can go to a high-end retailer, like a Tiffany & Co., for that luxe experience. Sure, you'll pay through the nose for the gem, but if your fiancée wants the robin's-egg-blue box and a brand name, then nothing else will do.

Or you can stop at a big name like Kay or Zales, known for their diamond offerings and with a lower price point than the luxury department stores.

Another route is to look to online retailers like Blue Nile. As it's not brick-and-mortar, you can buy a diamond at a better price and more like a commodity, while still maintaining confidence that the quality will be backed by a reputable brand name.

4. Do check out the secondary market.

For the absolute most bang for your buck, secondhand diamonds are your best bet. Just because a diamond has been worn before doesn't mean it's any less beautiful or valuable. And the supply is huge, with — as Del Gatto puts it — "zillions of dollars of product" sitting in safety deposit boxes or at auction houses.

DEL GATTO offers an online marketplace, called I Do Now I Don't, for engagement rings and other jewelry at varying price points. Gleem & Co. hand-curates a selection of luxury jewels and watches, promises below-appraisal prices, and offers a personal concierge to help you find just the right piece. 

On eBay, meanwhile, rings are also becoming a popular find: in the past 5 years, the engagement ring market has grown almost 60%, with an increase of 164% in vintage and estate engagement rings sold since 2008, an eBay spokesperson told us.

While traditional retailers will sell pieces at up to two times their appraised value, markets like these guarantee a much better cost, often at or below the appraisal.

5. Don't fall for a fake.

There are two tip-offs to watch out for. The first is weight: cubic zirconia, the "fake" diamonds often used in costume jewelry, are heavier than real ones. And second is color: a fake will send out more of a rainbow of refracted light than a real gem. But be warned that both of these signs require some serious background knowledge to spot.

"If it seems too good to be true, it usually is," Del Gatto said. At the end of the day, diamond experts spend decades learning to spot fakes or otherwise low-quality diamonds. If you're ever in doubt, find someone to verify your find, Sullivan and Del Gatto agree.

And it's also best to avoid working with anyone one-on-one. "You want to deal with a reputable company that has something to lose," Del Gatto said, instead of with a small or private outfit. Retailers will guarantee their stones, while auction houses and marketplaces will provide an expert opinion and appraisal documents to allay your concerns.

6. Do spend on the stone, first and foremost.

Jewelry trends change all the time, but the diamond itself is going to last forever. Once you establish a budget, put all your money into the diamond and not the design, suggests Del Gatto.

"The diamond won't go in and out of style, although the mounting will," he said. You can always change the setting, but you'll be happier with better quality in your stone. When boredom strikes or your taste changes — which often happens over the years — you can always have it reset, knowing that the core piece is still top-notch.

Because at the end of the day, the nicer the diamond, the more it will be appreciated for years to come.

7. Do consider larger trends in design.

"Millennials want things more personalized and more unique to reflect who they are," Sullivan said. "It's not as brand-driven."

When it comes to trends in stones themselves, Del Gatto says he's noted a definite increase in the popularity of oval-shaped cuts in recent years. Sullivan also suggests that a pear-shaped diamond is a smart move: the cut creates the illusion of being much bigger than it really is, and hides imperfections well.

Marquise shapes are also coming into vogue again; their last heyday was back in the 1920s. In fact, vintage is back in vogue, with eBay reporting a 200% increase in popularity over the last five years, according to a representative of the online auction site.

For mountings, a "halo" effect — tiny stones all around the main diamond — is having a moment, while the baguette style (in which two more rectangular diamonds decorate the band on both sides of a central gem) is fading out, according to Del Gatto. 

Gleem & Co. is seeing more alternative and estate pieces involving additions like baroque pearls and colored stones finding popularity with buyers. The classic three-stone setting, meanwhile, is going out of style. 

8. Don't wing it.

Be an informed buyer — and a prepared proposer. You'll be asked how you popped the question for many years to come, so a little planning is worth it.

If you're worried about the bulky ring box getting in the way of your picture-perfect plan, a lay-flat ring box to fit in your pocket might be an easy solution. 

Otherwise, think of somewhere you'll both be comfortable, and take it from there. 

SEE ALSO: A diamond expert wants to make it easier to get a good price for your luxury watches and jewelry online

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Artist Alexa Meade specializes in painting human subjects that look like 2D oil paintings. Recently, what started as a normal photo shoot took a heartfelt turn.

Special thanks to Alexa Meade and Ride or Cry.

Written and produced by Ben Nigh

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A Yankees fan attempted to propose to his girlfriend from the stands in the middle of a game on Tuesday night. But when the cameras and the Jumbotron cut to him as he slowly got down on one knee, he suddenly lost the engagement ring.

It was, for a moment, a disaster.

Fans around the ballpark started booing, the TV broadcasters couldn't help laughing ("he needs Mariano Rivera right now," they quipped), and this poor man in a Mariano Rivera jersey looked miserable beyond belief.

Luckily, with help from neighbors in the stands, the ring was eventually found. It had, in a fitting twist, landed in the leg of his girlfriend's jeans.

The cameras and Jumbotron returned to him, and for the second time that inning he got down on one knee. This time, his girlfriend in the Derek Jeter jersey said yes!

The crowd went nuts.

Here's the moment:

Afterward, ESPN tracked down the newly engaged fans.

They seemed simultaneously embarrassed, relieved, and overjoyed. They'll remember this moment for the rest of their lives.

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New York City's Diamond District — located on 47th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues — glitters and sparkles, the well-lit diamonds in shop windows immediately drawing the eyes in.

But what shoppers might not realize is that behind extremely tight security and a mazes of various locked doors, diamonds are being examined, cut, and polished in the heart of Manhattan's midtown. 

Online diamond retailer Ritani is one of the brands whose diamonds are perfected in a factory in the city, and when it comes to carats cut, it's the largest diamond factory in the US. It's operated by the Julius Klein Group, which is a part-owner of Ritani.

Ritani has partnered with roughly 230 local jewelers across the the US and Canada. The brand allows customers to preview their online order in a store, alongside a knowledgeable jeweler who can answer any questions.

This revolutionary "clicks-to-bricks" business model was built with the millennial male in mind. "Not only is this [engagement ring] generally their largest purchase to date, it's typically the millennial male, and he has no idea what he's doing,"Ritani's Vice President of Marketing, Mark Keeney told Business Insider.

If the customer likes the ring as they view it in their local store, they can take it home that day — if not, the ring is sent back to Ritani and melted down.

Business Insider recently paid a visit to the factory to see just how Ritani's diamonds are cut and polished.   

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Diamonds that come into the factory are uncut and rough. These rough yellow diamonds are about to be measured.

To get the most value out of a rough stone, the pieces are scanned, creating a 3D version that is analyzed closely to determine if, and where, the stone should be cut before being shaped. The workers consider several different factors, including the stone's flaws and weight.

Some stones are cut to create two separate pieces. How they cut the diamond is also determined by the market — what's selling, and what's not.

Online diamond retailer Ritani knows exactly what its customers are looking for when they visit the site: an engagement ring.

"Not only is this [ring] generally [our customer's] largest purchase to date, it's typically the millennial male, and he has no idea what he's doing," Ritani's Vice President of Marketing, Mark Keeney told Business Insider during a recent visit to their Manhattan diamond factory.

We toured the diamond factory to find out everything you need to know when it comes to purchasing a diamond engagement ring. Below, see how much people are spending, the most popular cuts, settings, and how the "four C's" can affect price. 

SEE ALSO: Go inside America's largest diamond factory, which is leading a revolution in the jewelry industry

US consumers spend an average of $5,871 on an engagement ring.

According to The Knot's 2015 Real Weddings Study, which surveyed 18,000 US brides and grooms married that year, consumers are spending an average of $5,871 on the ring.

And while the rule of "save up two to three month's worth of salary" is long outdated, experts are advising couples to seriously consider finances before buying a ring.

Diamonds are graded and priced based on the "four C's," which include cut, carat, color, and clarity.

The four C's are important to know because they help you understand the quality of the diamond, and they also help determine its price.

For example, a one carat round shaped diamond with an "ideal" cut grade can range from $2,521 to $12,857 at Ritani depending on its grade for clarity and color.

Cut grade determines the diamond's "sparkle" effect.

The cut grade is determined by the diamond's proportions and symmetry of each facet of the diamond — which directly effects the way the diamond captures and reflects light, creating that beloved "sparkle" effect.

Cut grade is measured on a scale from "ideal" to "poor."

The average American spends $5,871 on an engagement ring according to The Knot's 2015 Real Weddings Study. 

The sales team at Ritani, an online diamond retailer that specializes in engagement rings, dove deeper into the statistics to find the average price paid for an engagement ring in each state. 

According to their team, Nevada, Montana, and Washington are at the top of the list, forking over $9,000 to $10,500 for one ring on average.

"About 65-70% of our customer base is the millennial male, and the second segment is a middle-aged male, which I would dub [as this may be] their second [marriage]," Mark Keeney, Ritani's vice president of marketing, told Business Insider during a recent visit to the brand's Manhattan diamond factory. 

"But [these two customers] share similar characteristics, just as you're older, you have a little more disposable income, so you're willing to spend a little more," he said.

Since Nevada has the highest divorce rates in the country, Keeney's hunch about the "second marriage" could hold some truth.  

South Dakota and Vermont come in at the bottom of the list, averaging up to $2,999. 

SEE ALSO: Take a tour of Cartier's glittery, jewel-filled mansion, which has special rooms just for the 1% to shop

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An engagement ring signifies a huge milestone in a relationship, so it's a purchase anyone taking that next step wants to get just right.

Not only is it generally one of the largest purchases a person will make — the average American spends $5,871— it's typically one that's made by millennial males who have no idea what they're doing.

While more and more couples are shopping for engagement rings together, it's still good to have an idea going in of what you're looking for and what you want to spend.

We talked with Rony Vardi and Leigh Plessner, the cofounders of a popular, Brooklyn-based jewelry shop and online store called Catbird to find out everything you need to know about purchasing an engagement ring.

Whether the ring in question is a classic diamond solitaire or something a bit less traditional, Vardi and Plessner have you covered with tons of incredible rings to shop and helpful advice. You can also check out Catbird's engagement ring shopping guide on the company's website.

Find out how much people are spending, how to determine her ring size, whether you need a GIA certification or not, and more.

And also check out our favorite engagement rings to give and get right now. 

Your budget

According to The Knot's 2015 Real Weddings Study, which surveyed 18,000 US brides and grooms married that year, Americans are spending an average of $5,871 on a ring.

While the rule of spending two to three month's worth of salary on a ring is long outdated, couples should still seriously consider finances before buying a ring.

Vardi and Plessner urge Catbird customers to spend what works for them: "Find a ring you love that is perfect for your partner, but it’s only half of what you planned on spending? Who cares! That's more money to buy a beautiful [wedding] band to go with it later. Or, go on vacation. No matter your budget, you’ll be able to find something special." 

The four C's

One of the terms you see a lot when you start researching engagement rings, and particularly diamonds, is the "four C's." Diamonds are graded and priced based on the four C's. These C's are: cut, carat, color, and clarity.

They're important to know because they help you understand the quality of a ring, and they also help determine its price. "While we are of the belief that if a ring is beautiful and feels right, things like this don’t necessarily matter, it’s still good to know what you’re paying for," said Vardi.

You can learn more about the four C's here.

The metal

Typically, you’ll want either gold or platinum for durability.

"We recommend choosing the metal of an engagement ring based on the metal type of her everyday jewelry," said Plessner. 

"For instance, if she wears a lot of silver, she would most likely want a platinum or white gold engagement ring. If she wears yellow gold, stick to that. As for rose gold, we would only recommend it if she wears a lot of rose gold pieces. Rose gold seems to be a real love it, or really, really don’t shade of gold."

The stone (which doesn't have to be a diamond)

Diamonds are the most popular stones for engagement rings, but they're far from the only option.

A worldwide decline of diamond prices in the 1930s led De Beers to begin its world famous marketing campaign, "A diamond is forever." The campaign helped to cement diamonds' status as the prime engagement ring stone. Sapphires, rubies, opals, emeralds, moonstones, and pearls (or any combination of all the above) can also make a beautiful ring though. For example, Prince Albert gave Queen Victoria an emerald-studded serpent ring to mark their engagement.

"The key is just knowing your partner’s style and what they expect out of a ring in terms of everyday wear and durability," Vardi told us. "Some stones are not as durable as diamonds or sapphires, so this is definitely something to take into consideration when choosing a stone."

You can learn about gemstones' hardness and durability here. 

Her style

Think about the words you use to describe your partner’s style and what you already know she likes. "Isolating a few touch points about her aesthetic helps when going through ring options and allows you to focus on a smaller group of choices, making the process less overwhelming," Vardi told us. 

If you're truly stumped, you should consider proposing without a ring or with an obvious substitute, and then embark on the actual ring-shopping experience together.

Ring sizing

Ring sizing is not an exact science. "It depends so much on the shape of one’s fingers, how someone likes to wear their rings, the width of the ring, and so on," Catbird's cofounders told us.  

"If you can, secretly slip a ring that she wears on her ring finger onto your finger and mark where it hits. If she wears it on her left hand (assuming that is her non-dominant hand), make sure to size down a ¼ size. You can use a ring sizer to see what size the ring is that hits that same mark." 

Things Vardi and Plessner suggest you keep in mind if you do not know her size:

1. After selecting the ring they want to propose with, some customers buy the floor sample for the proposal and then come in afterwards to get sized and order the exact size.

2. Some rings can be re-sized, some cannot be sized at all, and some can only be re-sized a little bit. Ask an experienced jeweler about the style you’re considering if you don’t know her size and they can advise you.

Ultimately, too big is better than too small. You can find more ring sizing information here.

Authentications and certifications

"When it comes to authentications and certifications, it really depends on what you are looking for in a ring," said Plessner. "For instance, if you have your heart set on a full-carat, brilliant-cut diamond, then you’d want a GIA certification. If you are looking for something more along the lines of a colored diamond, such as a black diamond, a GIA certification is not applicable, as GIA's grading scale is centered on evaluating a white, brilliant-cut diamond."

"It is also important to be knowledgeable of where the materials used to make your ring are sourced. At Catbird, we are committed to carrying pieces that use recycled materials and are ethically sourced."

Return and insurance policies

With a purchase as big as this one, you should really consider getting it insured. "Usually insurance companies will ask that you that provide a receipt of purchase, or sometimes even an appraisal, depending on the kind of coverage you’re looking for," said Vardi. 

Returns are more complicated, especially if you go the custom-made route. 

"[Catbird] stands behind all the products that we sell, and if a repair is needed (it can happen), we always send rings back to the original designer so that they can be repaired in the best way. Some rings are returnable, but most custom-ordered rings are final sale. We can always work with customers and show them samples so they are 100% comfortable before having a ring made."

Vardi and Plessner suggest soliciting help from her best friend, mother, or sibling — someone she may have discussed her preferences with — if you're not already sure about what sort of ring she wants. "A surprising number of our wedding annex clients have also been tipped off by a Pinterest board."

Some of our favorite engagement rings you can buy at Catbird:

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Arguably the most classic style, a solitaire ring features one stone (usually diamond) in the center of a metal (usually gold) band.

Pictured:Satomi Kawakita Hexagon Diamond Ring, from $1,200

While traditional solitaire rings stick to one stone, some modern versions add accent diamonds or sparkle around the band.

Pictured:Catbird Serena The Swan Diamond Ring, from $6,600

Most rings you'll find at Catbird are available in all colors of gold and many are available in platinum.

Pictured:Kataoka Sakura Ring, from $2,936

If you're curious about buying an engagement ring, then first: Congratulations on being in love. We're happy for you. Now, on to the important stuff. If you like to save lots of money (seriously, as much as 50%) and find old fashioned customer service — i.e. face-to-face interactions — to be slightly grating (we see you, millennials), you might want to buy an engagement ring online.

Here's how to do that without accidentally wiring your money to a scam artist or buying a hunk of cubic zirconia instead of an actual diamond ring.

SEE ALSO: Go inside America's largest diamond factory, which is leading a revolution in the jewelry industry

Go in with a game plan.

If you think all engagement rings look the same in real life, try figuring out what separates one from another on a computer screen. It's hard. It's going to put you to sleep faster than Law & Order played at a low, almost muted volume. Combat this by doing some field work in advance. Determining your budget is your first step. Then, from there, you want to know a little bit about the type of ring you’re looking for. If you're going for a traditional solitaire, the weight and cut of the diamond is a good place to start. If not, what the hell are you looking for?

Make a decision between a gold or silver setting while you're at it — or rose gold, which is what all the kids are doing these days.

When in doubt, go to the trusted sources.

Blue Nile and James Allen are two trusted e-commerce sites for serious engagement rings while out-of-country e-commerce sites and independent seller platforms like eBay and Etsy can be trickier to navigate. Bottom line: Sites that sell rings with a lifetime warranty, offer free, insured shipping and returns, have 24/7 customer service, and will refund your money in full when you return something are going to be a safer bet. If the site has at least some of those services, you're in much better shape than going with one that has none.

Always have the ring independently appraised.

Once you buy the ring, you should have it appraised by an independent jeweler (within your return window) to make sure what you bought is exactly as advertised — bring the paperwork that came with the ring. This is also needed if you want to get the ring insured, which you should do if you spent some serious money on it.

Know that the grading report you may have received on the diamond is not the same as an appraisal. The grading report assesses the value and qualities of the diamond, where the appraisal covers the whole ring.

Business Insider deputy editor Dave Smith proposed to his girlfriend of two years in December. She said yes! Below, Smith walks us through a traditional, but anguishing, part of the process: buying an engagement ring.

As told to Libby Kane.

I knew I wanted to get engaged about a year ago.

We were in Toronto visiting friends for New Year's Eve. We were at a party earlier, but we left the party so we could just be together as the ball dropped. We were talking and I just felt like I was so connected to her. In that moment, I thought, "This time next year I want us be to engaged. I'm ready for that, I think she's ready for that, we're at that point."

I started thinking about a ring around September, and did some basic research on Yelp and Google about where to go: just "best places to buy an engagement ring New York City."

I found one store that was family-owned. It had been around for 40 years, which I really did like, and it didn't seem like a franchise or a chain. It's one store that's been in New York City, handed down from generation to generation, and has a master jeweler on site. As a non-jewelry person, that made me feel more comfortable. It's called Greenwich St. Jewelers. I checked out their website and saw they could do custom stuff, and I was thinking I would go down that route. I could have gotten a really nice traditional ring, but she doesn't really like traditional styles.

My girlfriend — fiancée! — has a Pinterest page and one of her boards is jewelry, and a lot of it is rings. I saved a lot of those images to my phone, just to give the jewelers an idea.

Throughout the entire relationship, we've done everything together: saying I love you, moving in together, all those decisions we made together. This part was something I had to do myself. I did see some people shopping for rings together, but it's not what I wanted to do. I wanted the element of surprise. I didn't even want to ask, "So what's your ring size?" and I didn't know what ring to even take from her if I were to take one, so I didn't. This jeweler, and I think most jewelers, was like, 'If it doesn't fit, you can come back. We'll do it right on site, it takes no time.'

I have no experience jewelry shopping at all. I've never bought myself jewelry, even. As a teenager I got a Fossil watch as like a Bar Mitzvah gift or something. I had no taste in jewelry. No idea what to do.

I worked with this one woman, Amanda, who was really great. She knew everything about jewelry. I explained to her, "I'm a noob at this, I don't know anything — here are some pictures I got for us to work with." The shape that we settled on is different from most other rings. It's called a Marquise diamond.

Since it was custom, there was stuff like getting the right diamond itself. Some are shaped a little differently, some are a little wider, some a little narrower, some have different clarity and qualities I needed to go through. We had to figure out the color, the band, the shape. When you're looking at diamonds on a tweezer, and you don't know much about clarity and stuff like that, you're just trying to go for something that looks good. If you're paying thousands of dollars for it, which you are, you want something that doesn't feel cheap, but it's so hard to tell.

You want the ring to match her. Do you think she would be really pissed if you spent this much money? Do you think she'd be happy with this ring color or size or whatever? Is she the kind that would care a lot about the authenticity of the ring? Would she need the certificates? Because you can go cheaper if you get some elements that aren't certified. You can go for more unique styles or go for a slightly more expensive diamond, which is what I did in this case.

I went back about five or six times over a couple of months. It took a lot longer than I thought. That was the one thing I was surprised with. My fiancée was taking French classes on Wednesday nights, so every Wednesday I would tell her, "Oh I'm playing video games." But I was at the jeweler.

I went above and beyond my budget. I'd asked Amanda, the jeweler who helped me throughout this process: "What's normal here? I'd heard something like a few months' salary? A few paychecks? Do you have any advice with that?" I just didn't know, and I didn't want to seem cheap, but I also wanted to give her something that she deserved because I really do love her.

Amanda said that whole few months' salary thing is total bull. It's whatever you feel comfortable with. That's the bottom line. I had some savings. We've both watched movies and TV shows where people get married and you see the ring, and how much the guy is spending, and my fiancée had said to me on so many occasions, "If you spent that much money I would kill you." Because in the future it's going to be our money. So I do want to spend because she's worth it, but I don't want to piss her off.

I was just going with what I felt comfortable with. I felt comfortable at the store, I felt comfortable with this jeweler. I felt like she was leading me in the right direction, not like I was being taken advantage of. So if it ended up costing an extra few thousand dollars, it's just money. We all live once.

As a guy, you can be as macho as you want, but it's freaky to go shopping for a ring. It really is. It's symbolizing the end of your single life and the beginning of your life with this person. You don't want to f--k it up. It's scary.

You pay for half of it when you fully design the ring and put in the order, then you pay for the other half when it's ready and you come pick it up. I guess this would have showed up in two different bank statements. I only show her the statements when we're going through bills for the month and I tell her what she owes, because I get the bills for rent and utilities and everything like that, and she just Venmos me. But how would you hide it? I don't know.

If I didn't trust Amanda, I would have just gone somewhere else. There are a million bajillion jewelry stores. Even though it's not totally comfortable taking out your wallet and paying for these things, you can be more comfortable if you feel like you did everything you can to make sure it's the ring you wanted.

I wanted to make sure I felt comfortable, because if I felt like I was off the rails here, even though it's for her, I would have felt weird about giving it to her. I would have felt weird about doing the whole engagement. You want to start it off on the right foot. Being engaged — as my brother, my parents, and everyone says — is a party, but for you. You want everything to be as right as possible.

The jeweler told me to come back after the proposal and we'd have champagne, and then do the insurance stuff, which covers a lifetime in case any of the diamonds fall off or anything. I don't wear anything that costs thousands of dollars, so it's very scary prospect.

They called me in early December to pick it up. I ran home and was trying to find a hiding place. The surprise is really hard, because you know she could go anywhere in the apartment. I hid it in the very back of my sock drawer inside of a hat. When she wasn't there, I practiced putting the ring box in and out of my jacket.

I put a lot of thought into the actual surprise of it. She was totally surprised, and it was totally worth it, just watching her gears work as I stopped her in the street right in front of the place where we met. Just watching that reaction was totally worth the surprise, and the angst and everything that I had been through by myself, keeping the secret from her, doing all this planning to get the ring, to find the right one, to buy it, to hide it from her, to plan the restaurant visit and then walk past the place where we met.

She's ecstatic about it. She loves the ring.

Have you purchased an engagement ring? We want to hear your story. Email yourmoney@businessinsider.com. Anonymity can be considered.

SEE ALSO: 8 money conversations every couple should have before getting engaged

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According to The Knot's 2015 Real Weddings Study, the average American spends about $5,871 on an engagement ring.

With diamonds, in particular, pricing is determined by the "four C's"— cut, carat, color, and clarity. On the whole, the more clear a diamond is, the more expensive it will be, according to online diamond retailer Ritani. When it comes to colored gemstones, like rubies, prices can skyrocket due to the vibrancy of the gem.

When there are so many variables contributing to the price of something many people only buy once, it's easy to feel like you could be paying more than you have to. We asked Business Insider employees who have been there to weigh in, and consulted the Quora thread "How do you save money buying an engagement ring?" to find the best tips on how to buy an engagement ring without feeling like you could be getting ripped off.

Check out the best tips to save money below:

1. Buy from a wholesaler

"I think you're better off buying directly from a wholesaler than going to a name-brand retailer, because you wind up paying a lot more for the name (and no one will ever know what store your ring is from). If you don't have someone who can recommend you to a wholesaler and you have the stomach for it, you can get a much better deal in the stores on 47th street in the Diamond District [in New York City]. Even if you aren't able to negotiate, you'll still get a better price than in a name brand store. Make sure the diamond comes with a GIA certificate (the governing body that grades diamonds)."- Julie, Editor

2. Consider your metal choice

"When choosing metals, white gold and palladium fetch cheaper prices; palladium is also a great hypoallergenic choice."- Mark Bronner, Quora user and diamond expert

3. Avoid whole carats

"Instead of buying a 1-carat diamond, try going for something with less weight, from .90 to.99. Prices seem to skyrocket at every whole carat so less brings more savings!"- Mark Bronner

4. Buy a diamond with minor imperfections

"Diamonds with slight inclusions can save you thousands, as opposed to buying a flawless diamond. These flaws are almost always invisible to the naked eye, and only visible with magnification."- Mark Bronner

"You want the ring to match her. Do you think she would be really pissed if you spent this much money? Do you think she'd be happy with this ring color or size or whatever? Is she the kind that would care a lot about the authenticity of the ring? Would she need the certificates? Because you can go cheaper if you get some elements that aren't certified. You can go for more unique styles or go for a slightly more expensive diamond, which is what I did."- Dave Smith, Business Insider Deputy Editor

5. Think about the taxes

"A good ring costs thousands, so the sales tax will be in the hundreds or thousands. Ask the store if they can ship your ring to an address where you can receive it in the lowest tax jurisdiction possible (i.e. If you live in New York have them FedEx it to a friend in New Jersey where state tax is lower). You can save hundreds this way."- Jim Edwards, Editor-in-Chief, BI UK

6. Spend only what you feel comfortable spending

"I'd asked Amanda, the jeweler who helped me throughout this process: 'What's normal here? I'd heard something like a few months' salary? A few paychecks? Do you have any advice with that?' I just didn't know, and I didn't want to seem cheap, but I also wanted to give her something that she deserved because I really do love her. Amanda said that whole few months' salary thing is total bull. It's whatever you feel comfortable with. That's the bottom line." - Dave Smith, Business Insider Deputy Editor

7. Use a family heirloom

"Keep it in the family and use a stone that's been passed down. My husband used a diamond that was in his grandmother's engagement ring. My brother used a diamond that belonged to our great-grandmother when proposing to his wife. This keeps things cheap and I think it's more meaningful to know you are being given a family heirloom." - Emily Cohn, Senior Business Editor

"Have your grandmother BUY you a ring! My grannie did, and my mother kept it for ... well, a loooonnnggg time. That's how I avoided getting ripped off!" - Matt DeBord, Senior Correspondent

SEE ALSO: I spent 3 months finding the perfect engagement ring, and it was terrifying — but worth it

DON'T MISS: Everything you need to know before buying an engagement ring

Join the conversation about this story »

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An engagement ring can set you back several thousand dollars, so getting it right is crucial.

Many jewelers offer after-purchase resizing, for a small fee — or even for free — but if you don't get your partner's ring size right, it can put a real hitch in your perfect proposal.

The most obvious way to find out your partner's ring size? Ask them. But if you're banking on the element of surprise, you might want to be a little sneakier.

A few things to keep in mind:

• It's better to err on the side of too big than too small. Not only is it easier to shrink a ring than enlarge it, but being unable to fit the ring on their finger when you ask can be sorely disappointing. Plus, it needs to fit over their knuckles, and hands change size with warmth, cold, pregnancy, or even time of day.

• It's easier to resize a ring with a plain band than one with stones embedded all the way around, so the more stones you have, the more you'll want to get it right the first time.

• "The wider the band, the tighter the fit," notes Emily Duke of DiamondEnvy.com at The Knot. She recommends sizing up by a quarter to a half size if you're seeking a wider band.

Now, to figure out the ring size without your partner noticing, try:

1. Taking, tracing, or trying on a ring

If your partner regularly wears rings, you have a few options. When they take a ring off, you can:

• Bring it to a jeweler. Note which finger they wear it on, though — most people don't wear a ring on their left ring finger before getting engaged, so the chances this ring will be a perfect fit are slim. However, it can give your jeweler an idea of the size of their hands. If in doubt, go bigger. 

• Trace it. Only have until they get out of the shower before it's gone? Grab a paper and pencil, and trace the ring. Then you can measure it using an online ring sizing guide like one from Brilliant Earth, The Knot, or Zales. Ringsizes.co has an international conversion chart that converts millimeters and inches into sizes in different countries.

• Try it on your own hand. Use a pen to mark where it fits you, or take a picture to bring to the jeweler.

• Press it into a bar of soap. It sounds a little weird, but Hamra Jewelers points out that it's an easy way to make a model of a ring to bring to your jeweler. Just make sure to wipe all the soap off before you return it!

2. Asking one of their friends

Find out her ring size without spoiling the surprise by enlisting the help of her friends or family members, suggests Jessica Anand, a jewelry expert at Brilliant Earth, an ethically sourced jeweler:

"A great way to find out her ring size is to ask one of her friends. Friends occasionally have this insight! And, if the friend doesn't know right away, she can be the one to ask (nonchalantly).

"Even better, ask the friend to take your girlfriend engagement ring shopping 'for fun.' Have her get professionally sized and ask her friend to report back to you."

3. Having them try on a friend's ring

You can also get an idea of sizing by having them try on another friend's ring, Anand says:

"If one of your partner's friends is engaged, ask her friend to let your girlfriend try on the ring. This will put you in a ballpark size range to start out with.

"You can also use this as an opportunity to ask what she thought of her friend's ring (in private) and try to do a little sleuthing as to what style of ring she would like for herself."

4. Measuring their finger while they sleep

If your partner is a deep sleeper, you can wrap a piece of string or thin strip of paper around their finger and mark where it meets with a pen, suggests Wikihow. Don't use a measuring tape, cautions Today, because the tape's thickness could lead to an inaccurate reading. Then, compare the measurement to an online sizing chart like the ones noted above, or bring it straight to the jeweler. Be careful not to pull it too tight. 

Tread lightly, because if they wake up, you're toast.

5. Comparing your fingers to theirs

It seems inexact, but hey: It worked for Business Insider editor Dave Smith. If you know how your partner's hand compares to yours (is your pinky about the same size as their ring finger?) you can make a decent estimate at the jeweler's. If you don't want to rely on memory, consider snapping a "romantic" photo of your intertwined hands. Just make sure to get their left.

6. Pretending you're buying a ring for someone else

Admittedly, this method is pretty transparent if you aren't the type to buy rings as gifts for your friends and family. However, if you're willing to commit to the charade, you can have your partner help you shop for a (cheaper!) ring you plan on "gifting" someone else. Have them try it on to gauge size, suggests Hamra Jewelers, and you'll know exactly what size you need. If you're really on your game, you'll call ahead to let the jeweler in on your plan.

If you're still getting nowhere, Brilliant Earth points out that the average woman has a ring size between 6 and 6.5, with the dominant hand usually slightly bigger in size.

The bottom line: You're making a big purchase here, so you'll want to get it right.

SEE ALSO: 7 tips to buy an engagement ring without getting ripped off

DON'T MISS: Everything you need to know before buying an engagement ring

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Mark Bell proposed to his girlfriend of two years in September 2013. They were married in September 2014.

Below, 34-year-old Bell walks us through a traditional, but anguishing, part of the process: buying an engagement ring. 

When we started dating, we became close pretty quick. After about six to eight months, we figured there was no point in us both paying rent in New York City, so we might as well combine and move in together. I knew then that I wanted to propose.

The summer after we moved in together, we were at a fundraiser and I was introduced to Stephanie Bogetti, who is well known for her work with fine jewelry and rings. I went to the bathroom and she was standing there when I came out, so I kind of sneakily said, "Give me your card." I'd been doing some research online on the four Cs and understanding what that means, and everything that goes into a ring, so I emailed her and told her I'd been thinking about rings and wanted to work with someone I could trust.

[My now-wife] Katherine didn't know anything about this, but I'd had some guidance: I was working from home one Friday and my laptop was on the kitchen table. I guess over the weekend she'd been using it, because when I went into work on Monday there were a bunch of pictures of rings she'd been looking at and links in my bookmarks. She didn't realize I was already talking to Stephanie, but that was great. It gave me some guidance for what I was looking for.

When she was out, I took one of her rings which I knew she regularly wore on that finger and literally drew around the inside of the ring on a yellow sticky note. I then gave this to Stephanie and she was able to figure it out from there.

I wanted to make sure she had something on her finger that she loved and was going to love for many years. I always had these grand ideas of it's got to be two karats or whatever, not really understanding the cost of that. But Stephanie did a great job of explaining, "We can get you a two-karat or three-karat ring, but you have to realize the dollar value behind that — you can get far better ring, a smaller ring more in your budget, that she will love."

It was a learning process. It's a scary process when a guy starts out! I also went to 42nd Street, to the diamond district and looked at rings, but I wanted to go with someone I could trust. I think it's really important you have a really good relationship with someone who's going to help you through the process.

We sat around the boardroom table and sketched stuff out, and I showed her the designs Katherine had saved and told her I wanted a mixture of what Katherine liked and what I liked. A week later, she had designs of what it could look like on the computer, and she brought in a bunch of diamonds to look at. I looked at maybe 30 diamonds from different suppliers, but I came back to the first diamond I saw — I knew straightaway.

I wanted the ring to be a big surprise. Not just for me, buying the ring and buying the diamond and getting the mount. It was more of, this is a big stage in your life, and I want it to be correct. I had already booked an anniversary trip to Aruba in September, and I wanted to propose while we were away, so I was making sure everything aligned with that. I figured it was better for me to do it on my own and then share it with her after.

I'd looked online at the prices for different kinds of rings. I had been saving for a good 10 months beforehand, maybe a year, and I made my budget clear when I met with Stephanie and said we need to work with that. Otherwise you can just keep going and going, and one thing I didn't want to do was get in debt over this. I didn't want to use credit cards or loans, and I was in the fortunate position that I didn't have to do that. When you're shopping for rings, it can get very crazy, and you have to make sure you know what you can realistically afford that's going to be what you want and what your partner wants. 

The process probably took about three months in total, and I met with Stephanie maybe once a week during that time. After that first time we met, she came back to me with a wax model of the ring so you can see exactly what it's like — the actual size and setting. We played with it, made a few more adjustments, and once I was happy she did another drawing on the computer and I gave her the go-ahead.

She gave me the platinum setting before it had been finished to look and feel and make sure it was what I wanted before they buffed it. Two weeks after that she came back and gave me the actual ring.

Stephanie said straightaway: Get this insured. She gave me an appraisal with the ring and all the paperwork for the diamonds. I contacted the company she recommended, Jeweler's Mutual, and took out a separate policy on the ring. You're handing over a lot of money for this, and it's good to makes sure it's insured.

I think I had the ring for about three weeks before we left for Aruba. That was a little hairy. I had it in the safe at work because I didn't know what else to do with it. When we had to travel, I was very worried about how I was going to get the ring through customs and down to Aruba and keep it in Aruba in my bag for three days without her seeing it. I even went through a different line of security. Stephanie told me to put a note around the box in case we were together in the same line and they wanted to search my bag — it said this is an engagement ring, please keep this quiet.

While it was in the bag I didn't let it out of my sight at all. I couldn't put the ring in the hotel room safe because Katherine wanted to store passports and things in there and the safe wasn't that big, so I was carrying it around with me. They give it to you in such a big box! It wasn't a thing you could just put in our pocket. 

On our anniversary, I booked Katherine to have a massage on the beach in Aruba. So she went in for her massage and I'd already spoken to the hotel so I went into the little beach hut after and proposed. She was completely blown away. She didn't realize it was coming. We spent the rest of the vacation celebrating.

I had the inside engraved with a little message and the date, and she was thrilled with that. I had a little book made, one of those scrapbooks that you can get online, with all the email communications between me and Stephanie and photos of the process and the ring when they gave it to me, plus emails to my mum and dad, and her mum, and her [late] father's best friend. I wanted her to have something to see what we'd gone through and the decision-making process.

I'd advise doing your research before you even start talking to someone. I think it's good that you have background knowledge of the ring process, and know kind of what you're looking for. Like there are hundreds of mounts out there and when you see them laid out at the jeweler, you're like, I don't know, they all look the same to me! It's far better if you can go in with some kind of image that you like. Because it's an overwhelming process, I'll tell you that.

Also, set your budget, know what it is, and stick to it. It's very tempting to go over it and it can get out of hand quick. One thing I kind of started to get a little caught up on: the blemishes in a diamond, the clarity. When you're looking in microscopes, you can get caught up on, there's blemish in this one or a dark spot in that one, but at the end of the day you can't see with with the naked eye. If you like a diamond and it goes with the setting you like, just go with it. And work with someone you know you can trust, who's going to deliver what you want. It's important that you're very happy with the item you get. When you're looking for someone, make sure they understand your needs upfront so you don't get sidetracked. 

Also I'd say: Enjoy the process. It shouldn't be a burden — it should be an enjoyable experience. It's an exciting time, and you have a lot going through your mind, thinking how am I going to propose, when am I going to propose, as well as telling family and asking parents and all that good stuff. Document it. Be proud of it and make sure it is what you want. 

She absolutely loved the ring. I think she burst into tears when she first saw it, and said that was exactly what she wanted. And that was my goal: I wanted her to love it and to cherish it. She couldn't stop looking at it. Even now, sometimes we're watching TV on the sofa, I look over and she's staring at her ring.

Have you purchased an engagement ring? We want to hear your story. Email yourmoney@businessinsider.com. Anonymity can be considered.

SEE ALSO: I spent 3 months finding the perfect engagement ring, and it was terrifying — but worth it

DON'T MISS: 6 sneaky tricks to figure out their engagement ring size, without having to ask

Join the conversation about this story »

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The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

As part of an ongoing series, Insider Picks features products or stores poised for big things. The subject of this spotlight is a beloved jewelry boutique in Williamsburg called Catbird.

Since opening in 2004, Catbird's online shop and Williamsburg storefront have become sought-after destinations for delicate gold jewelry and engagement rings.

Today, its cult following includes over 200,000 Instagram followers and celebrity loyalists in spades. Its stackable rings and alphabet studs aren't quite so under-the-radar anymore. 

I spoke to Catbird's cofounders, Rony Vardi and Leigh Plessner, a few months ago to find out everything you need to know about purchasing an engagement ring. Not only do Vardi and Plessner have their customers covered with helpful advice, they have hundreds of incredible engagement rings and wedding bands available to purchase.

I own a few pieces from Catbird's in-house line (Catbird has a separate, in-house wedding line), and I regularly recommend the company to friends as one of the best places to buy fine jewelry online. Its in-house line has more than 100 pieces of great everyday gold jewelry that won't totally break the bank. The company also sells jewelry from more than 30 new and emerging designers, including WWAKE, which is another favorite of mine.

Catbird's delicate collection of rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets retails for as low as $28 for a pair of silver hoop earrings. Alternately, if you're looking for a real stunner of an engagement ring, the company has a 1.26 carat diamond ring that retails for $14,300. Its Big Hoop Dream Earrings ($140), Maleficent Necklace ($376), and Sweet Nothing Bracelet ($94) are a few of my everyday go-tos, and I'm constantly eyeing other pieces I want to eventually buy myself.

Catbird's online shop is one of the first places I look for new pieces to add to my collection. Its Instagram feed is also full of inspiration for how to wear your jewelry.

Whether you're a woman shopping for herself, or you're looking to find a great gift for the woman you love that doesn't put a huge dent in your wallets, make Catbird your next stop.

Have a closer look at some of my favorite jewelry from Catbird below: 

Wearing a choker with another slightly longer necklace is a subtle way to step up your jewelry game. 

From top to bottom: Yellow Gold Sweet Nothing Choker, $154 | Yellow Gold Ballerina Collar, $334 | Sleeping Beauty Diamond Collar, $890

Catbird's best-selling, classic heart ring is available with custom letter stamping. 

Heart Ring, $96 (+$5 for custom letter stamping)

These hoop earrings offer women a modern, sophisticated silhouette, and they're perfect for everyday wear.

Gold Big Hoop Dream Earrings, $140 | Silver Big Hoop Dream Earrings, $48

Most engagement rings you'll find at Catbird are available in all colors of gold and many are available in platinum as well.

Leda The Swan Engagement Ring, from $3,200 | Fairy Light Curved Demi-Pavé Wedding Band, from $940

Here's another stunning engagement ring and wedding band combination. You can also check out Catbird's engagement ring shopping guide on the company's website.

Serena The Swan Engagement Ring, from $5,600 | Fairy Light Curved Demi-Pavé Black Diamond Wedding Band, from $880

These elegant necklaces are easy to layer since you can adjust where and how they fall.

From top to bottom: Diamond Sleeping Beauty Necklace, $468 | Black Diamond Maleficent Necklace, $376

This diamond stud can be worn on its own or bought as a pair, depending on how you like to style your jewelry.  

Yellow Gold Snow Queen Stud, $356

Here's a simple bracelet that'll go with any outfit. 

Rose Gold Dewdrop Bracelet, $264

DON'T MISS: This under-the-radar Canadian brand makes buying fine jewelry easier and more affordable than ever

SEE ALSO: After years of struggling to find the right bag, this Australian startup let me design my perfect one

READ THIS: A jewelry expert shares everything you need to know before buying an engagement ring

Join the conversation about this story »

The INSIDER Summary:

• Mary Grams, 84, from Alberta, Canada, thought her ring was gone forever when she lost it 13 years ago.
• It turned up this week on her family farm, fit snugly around a recently-uprooted carrot.
• "It still fits," Grams told CBC News.

If you've ever been engaged or married, you're probably familiar with that terrifying moment when your ring is misplaced temporarily. It happens. When Mary Grams, now 84, lost her engagement ring while pulling weeds at her family farm in Alberta, Canada, in 2004, she thought it was gone forever.

But this week, 13 years later, she found her ring miraculously "growing" around a carrot in her garden.

After she initially lost the ring, she told CBC News that she quickly replaced it with a much smaller ring so that her husband of 51 years would not be upset. 

Grams' daughter-in-law was the one who plucked the lucky carrot. "I asked my husband if he recognized the ring,"Colleen Daley said. "And he said yeah. His mother had lost her engagement ring years ago in the garden and never found it again. And it turned up on this carrot."

Sadly, Grams' husband Norman died five years ago, shortly after their 60th wedding anniversary. But she's still excited to find her engagement ring again: "I'm going to wear it because it still fits," she told CBC. 

Join the conversation about this story »

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The INSIDER Summary:

• A Twitter "troll" mocked "small" engagement rings.
• She said she didn't think that a small ring showed a true commitment.
• People with smaller and non-traditional engagement rings showed off their beautiful rings and why they're proud of them. 
• The size and how much you spend on an engagement ring should be something you and your partner discuss. 

Many people dream of the day they'll have a physical symbol of love and commitment from their partner — aka an engagement ring. Engagement rings are incredibly personal to each individual, so when a self-proclaimed Twitter "troll" mocked anyone with small-stoned rings, people were quick to put her in her place. 

Twitter user @Daymjina from Sydney, Australia, tweeted a photo on August 18 of a ring with a caption presumably mocking the size of the stone. In case you didn't understand what she was getting at, she posted some GIFs of people squinting to make her point.

"Imagine finally being proposed to & this is the ring youre [sic] given," she wrote, with several crying face emojis. 

She went on in tweets to say that women weren't loving themselves if they accepted small engagement rings from their partners. 

 "His playstation cost more than your ring," she tweeted.

"These females have no value for themselves they worth a $1 ringpop they say," she wrote. 

Of course, many people are happy and proud of their rings with smaller stones and replied to her tweet, sharing their "small" rings and the "small" rings of family members. 

Of course, @Daymjina told Yahoo that she knew that the photo would "trigger" people into giving her a reaction and that she is a Twitter troll. She told Yahoo that while she is in a relationship, she's not engaged, but doesn't think expecting a larger-stoned ring is wrong. 

"Look, if that's all someone can genuinely afford, then it's not right to reject it, because you love the person. But if he can afford better, then it's not bad to expect more," she told Yahoo. "It's a declaration of their love and they're supposed to get the best ring they can for the person they want to spend life with."

This outpouring of appreciation from people who love their "small" rings was so beautiful. And while I can sort of see what the original poster was getting at, ultimately, this all comes down to priorities.

While some of us would love to be rocking a Kim Kardashian-level sparkler, it's not realistic for most people. While a big ring might be important to some, others would rather a smaller token of love and commitment and use the rest of that money on a house or something else more practical. And even some big ring coveters would drop that dream just to marry the partner of their dreams. 

Like @Daymjina told Yahoo, you should be talking this kind of thing through with your partner and figure out a compromise. But shaming other people for their choices on Twitter is probably not the best way to start out that conversation. 

Join the conversation about this story »

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Proposal stories can be some of the most magical moments of someone's life. But as these stories prove, they can also be some of the cringiest. 

INSIDER found stories from Redditthreadsabout some proposals that range from funny to heart-breaking to outright disastrous. 

"When she turned around the second time, she thought I was tying my shoe or something."

"My wife loves the zoo to the point where I joked that I was going to go to the zoo while I'm in Japan (work) and she was upset for a day then demanded pictures. She would always talk about going so it was a familiar dating spot for us. The one thing she had never gone to was the winter zoo lights.

"So my whole plan was to take her and propose in front of the polar bears (her favorite animal). Well when we got there, we wandered around making our way towards the polar bears. Well it turned out that the area the polar bears were in was closed off. All my plans were ruined.

"We wandered around some more and I was more nervous trying to find the right moment. Well, I got dumb lucky. There was a crowd around some newborn snow leopards, so while she pushed her way to the front, I stood back and got ready.

"She turned around to try and pull me up to see them and I got down on my knee. The crowd got quiet when they noticed me on a knee and she was too wrapped up in the cats. When she turned around the second time, she thought I was tying my shoe or something. It took her a minute to realize what was going on, I asked and she squeaked out a yes.

"A bunch of people congratulated us and [I] guess the nervous look was apparent because some guy offered to buy me a beer." - Redditor BeringSeaGrizz

"When he finally popped the question she left the restaurant without saying anything."

"A friend of mine was dating a girl for four years. She pressured him for the last year of their relationship about marriage and when he finally popped the question she left the restaurant without saying anything. The next day she called him and said, 'Yeah, we're done. I'm breaking up with you.'

"To this day we still have no idea what her problem was." - Redditor FestivePlague

"Luckily I followed her around."

• Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are engaged. 
• The two announced the news Monday morning in a statement from Kensington Palace. 
• Here are the first photos of Markle's engagement ring. 

Prince Harry and American actress Megan Markle announced their engagement Monday. The two made their first debut as an engaged couple, giving people the chance to catch a glimpse at Markle's engagement ring.

Not that you can really miss it. A three-stone ring on a golden band, The Daily Express reports that the ring was made by Cleave and Company, the Court Jewellers and Medallists to Her Majesty The Queen. A diamond expert looked at the ring and told INSIDER that the center stone is about four carats, while the side stones are half a carat each. 

In addition to being jaw-dropping, Markle's engagement ring is also sentimental. According to Business Insider, the center stone is from Botswana, where the couple spent part of the summer. Additionally, Us Weekly reported that the two side stones are from Harry's mother Princess Diana's personal collection.

Harry confirmed this in his first post-engagement interview with BBC. 

"The the little diamonds either side are from my mother's jewelry collection to make sure that she's with us on this crazy journey together," he said. 

People have been speculating about the engagement for some time, with E! News reporting the couple was engaged in May. According to the official statement, Harry and Markle were engaged earlier this month and chose to share the news with family and friends first before making it public. 

Harry and Markle will reportedly be getting married this coming spring. Here's to easy wedding planning and a lifetime of happiness. 

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• Erin Lowry's fiancé was capable of buying her an engagement ring — but she opted not to have one.
• She writes that engagement rings are not as great of an investment as people might think because the resale price is as little as 20% of the initial value.
• Diamond engagement rings also became the norm after a successful marketing scheme by jewelers in the 1940s.
• Lowry realized she would rather put that money toward a memorable honeymoon.

"So, let's see the ring!" everyone from my grandma to my waxer exclaimed within moments of hearing about my engagement. I don't blame them; I've certainly done it, too. We're conditioned to assume proposals always come with a sparkly rock—so I can understand my loved ones' surprise when I tell them I don't have one.

It's not because my fiance couldn't afford it. Despite having a ring savings fund ready to go, I told him a few months before we got engaged that I didn't plan on wearing one.

What's my issue with this tradition? First off, it ticks me off that men aren't expected to wear them. If my fiancé and I are both "spoken for" now, why should I be the only one wearing the symbol?

This question led me down a research rabbit hole into the history of engagements rings. Back in the 1940s, diamond behemoth De Beers recruited an advertising agency to help turn sluggish diamond sales around. The resulting campaign introduced us to the now classic phrase "A Diamond Is Forever," as well as a marketing scheme that connected (with help from Hollywood) both the romance and necessity of a diamond engagement ring to middle-class American women.

That's right, it was all a brilliant marketing ploy—which cleverly hides the fact that the average diamond ring isn't a great investment at all. In fact, the resale value may be as little as 20 percent of the original price tag, which wraps in the cost of other materials, labor, marketing and even the store's operating costs. (Ouch.) Plus, like many commodities, prices fluctuate with supply and demand. So just because an appraiser valued your ring at $15,000 doesn't mean you'd actually find a willing buyer to pay that.

All that said, the real reason I ditched an engagement ring wasn't for a feminist cause or lack of investment opportunity. I've spent years learning how to ruthlessly prioritize putting money toward things I value, rather than what society says I should. I know that I value travel, living in a major city, the flexibility of being self-employed and being able to afford a pet. I've never valued fashion or jewelry—so why start now?

This hit me after a few months of considering and trying on various rings with my fiancé. I told him it'd be ridiculous for him to spend $5,000 (the average amount spent on engagements rings) or more for something I didn't actually want. Instead, we've happily decided to repurpose the ring money to buy a simple wedding band and to pay for our honeymoon—an experience we'll both remember forever.

SEE ALSO: 12 marriage proposals that were just way too extra

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Engagement ring shopping just got a lot easier for Disney fans and royals enthusiasts alike.

Zales' "Enchanted" collection includes over 70 pieces of jewelry, all inspired by different Disney princesses. While the line also features necklaces, earrings, and bracelets, the engagement rings have taken the internet by storm.

In case you're curious, the collection ranges from a $160 snowflake ring, inspired by Elsa from "Frozen," to a limited edition Snow White ring that'll set you back more than $6,000. If you're having trouble deciding, Zales even made a quiz to help you figure out which princess you're most like.

Here's a closer look at our favorites, and the princesses who inspired them, below.

This snowflake-shaped engagement ring would be perfect for Elsa from "Frozen."

Cost: $1,560.30

Find out more on Zales >

The yellow gold in this ring is as bright as Tiana's crown from "The Princess and the Frog."

Cost: $5,683.30

Find out more on Zales >

The twisting gold design of this ring looks like Rapunzel's long, flowing hair in "Tangled."

Cost: $2,337.30

Find out more on Zales >

• Photos on social media appear to show Jordan Spieth and his longtime girlfriend Annie Verret are now engaged.
• Spieth and Verret have been together since high school, and Verret has been by the young golfer's side for some of the biggest wins of his career.
• While the couple has not made an official announcement yet, Verret's new ring and the smiles on the couple's faces make it pretty clear that they're tying the knot.

It appears that Jordan Spieth and his longtime girlfriend Annie Verret are tying the knot.

Photos emerged on social media on Sunday with the couple wearing big smiles and Verret showing off an impressive diamond on her left hand.

While no official announcement has been made yet, it sure looks like the couple is engaged. Fellow golf pro Colt Knost offered his congratulations to the two, while also empathizing with the young women out there who never got their chance to steal Spieth's heart.

Spieth and Verret began dating during their senior year of high school. An events coordinator by trade, Verret has been by Spieth's side for some of the biggest wins of his young career. Now it looks like they'll have many more ahead of them.

Congratulations to the happy couple!

SEE ALSO: Knicks center Kyle O'Quinn has picked up a surprising hobby in his spare time — entertaining bar mitzvahs in New York City

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