maleficent

Not sure where you are located, but for shopping, I would stay away from the chain jewelry stores, you probably aren't going to get the best quality or the best price. Find a local jeweler. Some jewelers have estate jewelry, that if she likes antiquish or just a unique piece, it might be perfect for her - - I have a bracelet that a friend bough as a piece of estate jewelry, and it's gorgeous.. I don't see anything like it anywhere I go.

Decide at the outset how much you want to spend - -like - what's your maximum. It's not asking you to put a pricetag on your love, but you want to be realisitc, you probably don't want to spend 25 dollars for a ring, but 25,000 is gonna be excessive. Really figure out what your budge is. (Rule of thumb has been 2 months salary, but that's from a different place and time -- spend what you are comfortable spending)

Going for a colored gem, is going to be a lot less than a diamond you will also be able to get a bigger stone.

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