At this time of year, many consumers are searching for a gift for their loved ones that will communicate their feelings properly. Jewelry is one of the first things that many men will think of, and in particular diamonds are a great symbol of love for that special someone in your life! Of course you don't necessarily have to choose a diamond ring. There are lots of other options that incorporate diamonds - earrings, bracelets, or even necklaces can be found that look great and are still relatively inexpensive.

One option that is increasingly becoming more acceptable is the use of simulated diamonds or other synthetic gemstones. These can be set in traditional precious metals, with or without other 'real' stones. Just make sure that you at least sound out your partners feelings on these gems in advance - or plan to never tell her of course!

When buying a diamond, it pays to educate yourself about the terminology used, before you take the plunge and fork out large sums of money. Diamonds are graded and referred to in terms of the '4 Cs'. This refers to Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat.

Of these, cut and carat are the easiest to understand, and are relatively straight forward choices - there is no 'wrong answer'. Cut simply refers to the shape that the diamond is cut into - this can be a traditional round or square profile, or a more exotic shape like a heart or pincushion. Carat, or carat weight, is the size of the diamond - a larger diamond will be more expensive than a small one of the same color.

Color and clarity are a little more complex. The color of a diamond is graded according to a scale from D to X, with D being pure white and X being a pronounced yellow color. Generally whiter diamonds are more valuable. Clarity refers to the quality of the stone. All diamonds have minute faults known as  'inclusions'. The more inclusions, the lower the cost of the diamond - however a good jeweler will be able to hide some inclusions with the setting of the piece. You should think of the inclusion, if any, as a natural part of the character of the stone. Diamond clarity also follows a scale, with the level of inclusions noted as an abbreviation.