Deciding to get married is the easy part - at least, compared with the expense and effort that shopping for the engagement ring entails.

    These sparkly manifestations of committed relationships will set shoppers back an average of $5,795 this year, according to market researcher The Wedding Report. And thanks to a combination of a weak dollar and high consumer demand, which has sent gold and diamond prices skyrocketing, engagement rings are only getting more expensive.

    Inflated expectations （mostly on the part of the bride-to-be） about that all-important ring have also pushed prices higher, says Elena Mauer, a senior associate editor at Bridal Guide magazine. Today, most women expect at least a one-carat diamond, while just five years ago a half-carat stone would have sufficed. （Such factors aren't to be ignored: 28% of women say they would turn down a proposal if they didn't like the ring, according to the market research division of Clerical Medical Investment Group, a U.K.-based investment advisor.）

    The general spending rule is to expect to pay the equivalent of two months' salary - or at least that's what the jewelry makers advise. "Affordability is different for every couple, so that's just a starting point," explains Jerry Ehrenwald, president of the International Gemological Institute, a nonprofit industry group.

    The challenge of putting a price on their priceless love leads many consumers to overspend. But there are plenty of ways to cut costs without sacrificing quality. Here's how:

    Reassess the rock

    It's impossible to shop for a diamond without knowing the four Cs. But educating yourself （visit the Gemological Institute of America） has the added advantage of helping you figure out where to splurge, and where to save:

    Clarity. Look for a stone of VS2 or better, which means none of the inclusions are visible to the naked eye. The stone is a far cry from flawless, concedes Ehrenwald, but who will ever know?

    Color. Even a stone on the less-favorable end of the color scale can look stunning in a ring, says Antoinette Matlins, author of "Engagement & Wedding Rings: The Definitive Buying Guide for People in Love." You'll typically notice less color while looking at the stone from the top down anyway （appraisers grade by looking at the side）, and the metal of the setting further masks the tones.

    Carat. Stones jump in price at the carat mark. Look for so-called light carats - those just a little below, say, a 0.95 instead of a one carat. "Visually, you wouldn't be able to see a difference," says Ehrenwald. Pricewise, you will. At Union Diamond, a loose 0.95-carat stone （ideal cut, F, VVS2） is $8,075. The one-carat equivalent costs $11,294.

    Cut. The way a stone is cut largely determines its final appearance, and so has the least wiggle room of any of the four Cs. Get the best cut you can, advises David Levi, owner of David Levi Diamonds in La Jolla, Calif. Trading up yields the most improvement in a diamond's value.liuxuepaper.com