Few shopping experiences in life are as involved and potentially stressful as the process of purchasing a high-quality diamond. You want to impress your recipient, select something she or he will wear — and make sure you get your money's worth too. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, you'll need all the help you can get. A few tips:

Educate yourself.
Ask people you know for advice on a trusted jeweler. You'll be surprised at how many recommendations come out of it. Ask if any family member, friend or co-worker is (or knows) a diamond aficionado of sorts. Invite him or her along to shop — with a free lunch attached. Visit the web site for the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) to find out how professional gemologists assess diamonds.

Shop around.
Prices vary based on so many factors. Make sure you're comparing apples to apples — first and foremost, using the famous four Cs: A diamond's cut, color, clarity and carats. Once you've found what seems like the right diamond for you, get a second opinion/appraisal from someone certified by the GIA. Make sure this person is not in any way connected to the store where you found the diamond.

Do your homework.
Follow up on a jeweler's reputation and history with both people you know and the Better Business Bureau. Inquire about where the jeweler purchases diamonds and what background the owner and salespeople have. What kind of gemology education did they receive? Do they belong to any professional organizations? If so, what does that membership require of them?

Get every guarantee.
Get details about the return policy to make sure you can bring your diamond back for a refund within a period of time. Request a warranty and a gemological certificate for it as well — along with a written appraisal of the diamond for your records. (This is important for both insuring the diamond and selling it again someday.)

Find deals online.
While you may not be able to check out every detail before you foot the bill when shopping on the web, all reputable online retailers allow full returns within a given time frame. Therefore you can technically buy a GIA-certified diamond online, get your second opinion in person and then return it for a refund if you're not satisfied.

Right now, ConsumerClub.com members can get free shipping on orders over $100 on Diamond.com and DiamondInternational.com, as well as 6% back and a free pearl bracelet from Ice.com and 10% savings on Valentine’s Day purchases from BlueNile.com.