The most popular stone for an engagement ring is a diamond, a new report asserts.
A study published this week by DiamondRingBuyer.net reveals that fiances are more likely to select diamonds for their engagement ring than any other stone.
Diamonds have usurped other, more obscure stones to take up the mantle of the jewellery most likely to signify love and commitment, the web resource and think tank explained.
The company's Christine Koch said: "Let's face it - people love elegance. Stones may come and go, and fashions will certainly change over time, but when the dust settles people will always come back to the quality, clarity and class of traditional diamond engagement rings."
Designer jewellery alternatives to diamond engagement rings include rubies, emeralds and other colourful stones.
However, none of these jewellery options was as popular as diamonds, according to the study, which based its findings on data from a number of jewellery retailers both online and offline.
Diamond rings have also been popular among engaged celebrities recently, with Carmen Electra sporting a diamond jewellery design to represent her impending marriage to Korn guitarist Rob Patterson.