You're a groom in the market for an engagement ring but can't stand the nosy salesclerks. You're looking for perfection within reach, but you don't want to be hassled into a bad deal. Is there any way for a groom to bypass Tiffany's (or Costco's!) employee of the month? GroomGroove.com suggests buying your future fiancee an engagement ring online. With wholesale prices, it's fast becoming an attractive alternative for grooms everywhere.

Buying diamonds online

As a groom-to-be, you may never have considered going online to find that all-important token of eternal love, the engagement ring. But with the advent of engagement ring shopping online comes the weighty question of consumer confidence. With so much at stake, it can be difficult for a groom to fork over several thousand dollars on a diamond engagement ring he can't actually observe for the Four Cs (ed. that's carat, cut, color and clarity, by the way).

The key question is whether a diamond engagement ring that shows up in the Fedex box will look exactly the same as the ring on the site. Michael Arnot, founder of GroomGroove.com, speaking about a recent purchase at BlueNile.com, says: "the diamonds looked exactly as they appeared on the screen, with more sparkle." Further, he noted that BlueNile provided "a 'Goldilocks' solution. I wasn't overwhelmed with options. I found exactly what I was looking for, and BlueNile has customer reviews that gave me an added boost of confidence in the order." A groom will want to do some research, read reviews, and make sure the company's website is secure for making credit card purchases.

Get Educated -- Know Your Engagement Rings

When you're engagement ring shopping your most important weapon is knowledge. Some specifics to know about before giving your MasterCard number:

• The 4 Cs: cut, clarity, color and carat.
• What is your future bride's ring size?
• Does your bride prefer platinum, yellow, white, or rose gold?
• Does your bride prefer simple styles or one that will be instantly noticed by others?
• Does she have more classic or contemporary taste?

Knowing more than the cut, clarity, color and carat...

You'll also need to know more than just the 4 Cs. You will need to know your bride. You can study the kind of jewelry she generally wears to understand her taste. If she wears simple jewelry, this is probably a sign that a diamond solitaire may be more appropriate than a flashy or intricate engagement ring carrying a cluster of gems. To reiterate, if she appears to be particularly impressed by a certain ring while casually shopping, make a mental note of the cut and shape of the stone and the color of the gold. (You could even take a shot of the ring with your camera phone, although that's probably a dead giveaway to the brick-and-mortar jewelry store that you are shopping around!) As online shopping can be a little impersonal, you may not find a perfect engagement ring by staring at a computer screen; GroomGroove.com recommends comparing online ring specifications with ones you've handled at your local jeweler.

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