The average diamond engagement ring costs as much as several notebook computers, or possibly a small car, yet many men know next to nothing about how to make sure they don't get ripped off when it comes time to tie the knot. Luckily, although there is much to know about diamonds there are only a few things you need to remember, and I'm about to tell you what they are.

While the subtleties can be rather boorish and the scales slightly odd there are really only a few things to keep in mind. To begin, you should know the shape of the diamond you want. Looking down on the stone from the top, the "square" diamonds are "princess cut" and the round ones are "round" or "brilliant". A teardrop shape is known as a "pear" cut, "emerald" cut is octagonal, usually oblong, while "Marquise" is an oval with pointed ends. "Oval" and "Heart" cuts are precisely what they sound like. There are other cuts as well, but these are the most common.

Once you've determined the shape you'll be getting you can start thinking about quality vs. price. Foremost, sadly, it is best to stick with GIA certified diamonds because although the price tag might start slightly higher, it's the only way for the amateur to be certain of the quality.

We'll start with the most difficult factor: Cut. And I'll start by telling you to ignore it for the most part. Basically, if the diamond is too shallow or too deep it will affect how it "sparkles". Just make sure the diamond looks fairly normal and you'll be fine.

Diamonds, most people don't realize usually have imperfections inside of them. These are called "inclusions" and are measured on a scale of "very, very slight" to full-blown "inclusion". All you need to know: SI1 or SI2 represent the best value. The "slight inclusion" rating means the imperfections are obvious under magnification, but still impossible to see with the naked eye.

We often think of diamonds as colorless, but in fact many of them are not. Some are valued for their unique color, such as the fictional "Pink Panther" diamond of movie fame. All you need to know: Diamond coloration is measured on a scale of D to Z with D meaning the diamond is completely colorless. The best value for your average diamond-buyer is F, G or H. F will always appear colorless to the naked eye (just not the diamond-measuring scope thingy), G is very difficult to tell and H is just slightly less colorless (but still difficult to tell).

You will notice I did not discuss "Carat". This is a measurement of weight and has absolutely no bearing on the quality of the stone. That being said, it has a LOT of bearing to most girls hoping to wear one someday. If you are one of the many men who feel the need to push your ring budget in the direction of rock-size then keep in mind what you've read above. No matter the size of the stone your best value will always be a GIA certified SI1 G stone. Just make sure the cut isn't obviously too shallow or deep.

Be sure to shop around. Many department stores will have uncertified diamonds at "reasonable" prices. They are not good values for the money, so shop around.

Michael lives in Long Island, NY and consults for Gifts and Otherwise, an online retailer of cheap wedding favors and other wedding stuff.