Nothing spells out class quite like Harry Winston Engagement Rings. I've never stepped foot inside a Harry Winston Store but truth be told, I might be a little intimidated.

Winston may be most famous for once owning the Hope diamond which he donated to the Smithsonian Museum in DC. I've seen the diamond firsthand and it is awe-inspiring!

Harry Winston established his company in 1932. He apparently had a love affair with diamonds....feeling immense joy when acquiring a new bauble and deep depression when selling one of his pride and joys. Harry's son Ronald Winston is currently chairman of the company.

Unlike other jewelers, Harry Winston is hands on from start to finish with their pieces. The whole process of cutting, polishing, designing and creating the finished jewel is conducted in the Harry Winston 5th Avenue building in NYC. Their jewelry and engagement rings are like no others when it comes to quality, craftsmanship, and prestige.

Image has always been of the utmost importance to Harry Winston. Harry Winston has draped some of the world's biggest celebrities in diamonds. Who could forget Bennifer's enormous pink diamond engagement ring. Ben Affleck loved Harry Winston jewelry enough to also present Jennifer Garner with a 4.5 carat Harry Winston ring. Paris Hilton briefly sported a canary yellow Harry Winston diamond, when engaged to a man with her same namesake. You may have heard of the Taylor-Burton diamond, a 70 carat pear shaped rock? Hands down, the celebs love Harry Winston. Perhaps this is because Harry Winston covers celebrities in diamonds for some of the largest, most glamorous red carpet events like the Tonys, the Emmys, and the Academy Awards. And their prices are high enough to keep most of the riff-raff out of their stores and from the majority of commoners from wearing their designs.

From what I've heard, entry level pricing for 1 carat Harry Winston engagement rings begin at around $15,000. And forget about buying a little token item. Most everything in the store sells for over $10,000. If you are dead-set on a Harry Winston ring and are a "want champagne on a beer budget" kind of individual, consider getting a local jeweler to make a replica ring.

Don't be disappointed but you won't find a Harry Winston store located at your local mall. There are only a handful locations in Switzerland, Japan, France, Hawaii, Nevada, California, Florida, and New York.

Cartier engagement rings start in the affordable $4,000 range and skyrocket to the millions. Thus, allowing for both Joe Schmo down the street and Joe Millionaire alike to be able to purchase a bauble from Cartier. Still too steep? At least everyone can afford to become a member of the Cartier Club. ...all it takes is signing up on their website http://wwww.cartier.com to receive their free newsletter....... hmm...sounds a little more exclusive than it actually is, huh?

Cartier is a long time player in the jewelry industry. They've been around since the mid 19th century. Cartier's roots were planted in Paris by founder Louis-Francois Cartier. The famed NY branch on the oh so fancy fifth avenue, was established in the early 20th century.

Cartier's creations have been worn by royalty and celebrities across the globe. Legends such as Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe have donned Cartier jewels. They are known for their outstanding quality and design and their name is synonomous with luxury.

Go to the Cartier website and take a look at Cartier's regular jewelry collection. Specifically, find the rings in the trinity collection: They are so cool and sleek. They feature three intertwined rings of various precious metals and diamonds. (I'll put these on my birthday wish list). I don't think these classic pieces will ever go out of style.

Under the bridal collection on the Cartier website, they offer "classic," one-stone rings ranging from .5 carat to many many more. All engagement rings appear to be made out of platinum although they may offer more choices at their store sites. They also offer "creative" engagement rings made of platinum which are significantly more embellished. The same "classic" and "creative" classification system is used for their wedding bands which are presented on their website in platinum, white gold and gold metals. Custom wedding bands can be created within fairly short notice...... most likely for a sweet price. Their rings appear to be a well-balanced mix of modern and antique combined together for a contemporary look.