The holidays are approaching, which means engagement season is upon us! Yes indeed, more people get engaged in late December and the beginning of January than any other time.

So if you’re a guy looking for a ring for your lady (or a lady helping out your guy), here’s every last thing you need to know about finding the perfect engagement ring, from the initial hunt to insuring it. And click through our photo gallery for a sample of some of our favorite engagement rings we’ve posted over the years.

• You’ll likely start your search online. Lucky for you, I have a handy post that will help you determine which ring would best suit your fiancee-to-be, which includes a photo gallery of various engagement rings at different price points.
• My Pinterest board on engagement rings should also give you some good ideas.
• You will soon learn more about the 4 Cs (a diamond’s clarity, cut, color and carat) than you ever dreamed possible.
• If your lady prefers a colored stone to a diamond, this photo gallery of unusual engagement rings is worth checking out.
• Your engagement ring can be eco-conscious and economical. Just a thought.
• Need to figure out your soon-to-be fiancee’s ring size? Here are some sneaky tactics.
• After you’ve done an online search, it’s time to hit some jewelry stores. Here are 10 tips for how to approach the engagement ring hunt on the ground.
• Jewelry appraisal is an important component of buying an engagement ring. I give you the lowdown on the process.
• Once you get that ring, insure it!

Photos courtesy/by Erstwhile Jewelry, Renai Photography, Paris Hotel Boutique, Christine Olson, EidelPrecious, Michael Graham Photography, Caroline Joy Photography, nhanusek