According to Celeste Ohrens, from New York Diamond Traders, "In six months following J.Lo's engagement to Ben Affleck, we sold more pink diamonds than we'd sold in previous six years!"

And despite fact that THAT engagement ring has been replaced with another equally stunning jewel, copies of J.Lo's six-carat pink diamond are still selling well at many Internet jewelers.

When Marilyn Monroe breathlessly purred "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" (as if we didn't already know!), I have no doubt women everywhere secretly coveted baubles Ms Monroe wore, but such flamboyant displays of excess would have offended sensibilities of any self-respecting 1950s homemaker.

Not so nowadays. We've come to expect ultimate in quality and quantity, and if that equates to wearing a 3-carat diamond ring similar to that worn by our favorite celebrity, more power to us!

Whether celebrities are seen as arbiters or slaves to all that is considered stylish, engagement rings gracing left hand of such stars as Catherine Zeta-Jones, Madonna and Ashley Judd attest to fact that their choice of ring design is influencing (or is influenced by) current trends.

Antique engagement rings have become all rage in recent years, particularly with famous brides like Madonna, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Camilla Parker-Bowles all sporting vintage-inspired engagement rings.

We have Victorians to thank for introducing diamond engagement ring as THE ring to wear and many of those early designs are now being copied and updated for today's modern fiancee. But before you rush out and buy that to-die-for antique engagement ring, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Tips when choosing an antique engagement ring

The settings used in manufacture of modern engagement rings are very different from those used last century. Antique settings often involved fine filigree work and delicate designs that weren't meant for much wear-and-tear. These delicate settings will have become even more delicate over time and there's many a story about starry-eyed soon-to-be-bride who has been heartbroken when her precious antique engagement ring proved even more precious than she had thought.