What engagement ring are you dreaming of?

Now that you've found the man you want to spend the rest of your life with, choose the diamond to represent your love with just as much care.

Whichever diamond engagement ring the man of your dreams chooses for you will come from his heart; and you'll undoubtedly love it because he gave it to you. But he'll want it to be the perfect diamond – the one you hoped for – and you will, too. So, which is the diamond that will make your heart go pitter pat?

Without diminishing the romance of the moment, you can help guide his selection and your own. Truth is, he'll probably be grateful, because he definitely won't want to disappoint you – after all, a diamond is the ultimate symbol of love and, as you know, a diamond is forever. Want to drop him some hints? Here's how.

Which diamond attributes are the most important?

Before you can guide him or drop the appropriate hints, you'll need to determine which diamond you really want. Which diamond attributes mean the most to you? There are endless choices in terms of diamond shapes and diamond settings. While you may admire a diamond in the jewelry case, it may not be flattering on your hand. If the size of the diamond makes a difference to you, then you may prefer a shape that reveals more surface area than depth to maximize the appearance of size.

Think about your other jewelry and how the diamond you wear will look with it. Does your taste run to the more simple and traditional, or do you prefer more elaborate pieces? And what about the color of the metal? If you wear predominantly silver jewelry, you'll probably want a platinum or white gold setting. On the other hand, if most of your jewelry is yellow gold, you'll want a 14 karat yellow gold setting for your diamond. Either way, it makes sense to do a little pre-shopping and try on a variety of diamonds in a variety of settings to determine which you prefer.

What other diamond attributes should you look for?

You may have narrowed your choices down to a certain diamond shape or a particular style of setting, but to make a wise purchase, you need to know something about diamonds. The measure of a diamond's quality and value are determined by the 4Cs – color, clarity, cut and carat weight.

The brilliance of your diamond is the key to its beauty, and brilliance has everything to do with color, clarity and cut. A skilled artisan can maximize the fire, sparkle and brilliance of a diamond by how he or she cuts the rough stone. The precision with which each facet is cut and placed is critical.

How to buy the best diamond: Buying a name brand diamond or an unbranded diamond.

When you're shopping for a diamond, you're faced with the same choice as when you're shopping for clothes. There are those with name brands and those without. Usually, name brands are associated with a certain style and cachet that is recognizable to you and to others who see you wearing them. But name brands also suggest better quality . After all, if a designer puts his or her name on a collection, it is done with obvious pride. You may pay slightly more for a brand name, but you know exactly what you're getting – a name that stands behind the products it sells and meets high quality standards.

If you have concerns about how to buy the best diamond (and most people do!), zeroing in on a name brand diamond is an excellent way to narrow your choices to diamonds of particular quality.

Here are some suggestions on giving him hints as to what you're dreaming of.

Looking for more suggestions or information to help you choose the perfect engagement ring?    Leo Schachter, one of the world's leading fine diamond companies, has a website where you can learn about shapes , settings , diamond brilliance , and where to buy a diamond.