I often am asked to help find someone a unique engagement ring. This puts in a very awkward spot! The term "unique" is so broad that it helps to define it a little bit.

If you are looking for a unique engagement ring, first ask yourself what you want to be unique about it. Is there a particular style you know you are looking for. Do you simply want it to be a design that nobody else has? It is important to narrow down what it is you want in your engagement ring.

If you are a guy who is searching for an engagement ring and your special lady has specificall told you she want a unique ring, ask her what exactly she means by that. You have already talked about the ring if this is the case, so get a little clarification from her. She can let you know what style she wants - this will make your shopping a whole lot less stressful!

On the other hand, if you are shopping for an engagement ring and have decided yourself that you want to buy her a unique engagement ring, I suggest not looking for anything too over the top. Engagement rings are a symbol of your love and commitment to her. She will wear it forever. For this reason, you don't want to pick anything that risks going out of style. There is a reason why classic looks - such as the solitaire ring - are still the most popular today. A simple and classy setting makes you never have to worry about her growing tired of it.

There's nothing wrong with want something a little different than the ordinary though. I suggest looking at tension settings. These rings show off the diamond in a unique way. The diamond isn't in prongs like it usually is, but rather is kept in place simply by the tension of the metal on each side of the diamond. I probably haven't painted a clear picture for you - do a search online for "tension settings" and you will see what I mean.

You can also look at Pave settings. Here the band looks like it is "paved" with diamonds - there are diamonds all along the ring (with one central diamond). Again, do a search and you will see some examples.

I always suggest trying to find out what her "dream ring" is. Get a friend of hers to find out if she hasn't dropped any hints and you don't want to ask her yourself. Just remember that any ring you give her will be unique in the sense that YOU gave it to her. Don't feel as though you have to get her a ring that looks unlike anything else she has seen - sometimes the most classic rings are the best.

Also make sure you focus on getting the best cut diamond you can. You want that diamond to "dance" and sparkle like no other - this is what will make her stare at it for hours (with a smile on her face!). And don't stress out over the price of diamonds - Go to my website to read a Diamond Buying guide I put together. I give out all sorts of tip and tricks that can literally save you thousands - I hope it helps!