Thousands of people buy engagement rings online every year. Mainly because of the savings, numerous options and expanded inventory that online jewelry stores provide to their shoppers. But many women, married or not, wear diamond rings as a fashion accessory. So how do you shop for an item that’s made of non-certified stones, 1,000’s of different designs and no way to try on any of the styles you are interested in?

Here are a few steps you can take to insure you find and buy exactly what you are looking for:

1. You should try to have an idea of the type of diamond ring you are looking for. Cluster rings, eternity rings, solitaire rings, three-stone rings and various designer rings come in many different styles. The better image you have in your mind of what you are looking for, the easier and faster it will be for you to browse through different jewelry sites and find your perfect ring.

2. Once you find a ring you are interested in, make sure you view alternate images that show the underbelly of the ring, the shaft of the ring and most importantly the diamonds in the ring. These are critical design elements that will give you an idea of how well the ring has been constructed, how the diamonds are set in the ring and the overall style and appeal the ring has.

3. Dig into the details:

• clarity and color of the diamonds used in the ring (If the don’t list color and clarity, don’t buy it. They could be selling you anything. If the color and clarity is too general (i.e. SI clarity, no color) don’t buy it. If they give you a wide range of color and clarity (i.e. SI1 – VS2, F – H color) don’t buy it. Diamond clarity and color ranges should stay within the same range (i.e. SI1-SI2, E/F color).

• gold quality (don’t buy anything less than 14k unless you absolutely have to because of budget constraints).

• any good jewelry website will have a ring sizer that you can download, print and use to insure proper fitting. Rings sizes are standard within the industry. It’s not like jean sizes where you have some variation between brands or designers. A size 7 ring from one designer to the next should be almost identical.

4. Check site policies, gold / diamond quality guarantees and return policies before you buy. Most sites will give you between 15 – 30 days for a return, unless you customize the ring, in which case you will not be eligible for a return. There are not many stores that will guarantee the quality of their diamonds in jewelry that does not use certified stones, but the few that are will say as much.

If you follow these steps, remain patient and do your research, you can find some excellent diamond rings jewelry online and at great prices.