Anyone in the market for an engagement ring will soon find out there's a lot more to making the purchase than picking a ring and paying money. The engagement ring is meant to be a once-in-a-lifetime purchase, and inasmuch, picking just the right one is important. There are things to consider beyond the size of the stone, too. The engagement ring setting is one of the biggest of those other things.

As you look at different rings, you'll find there are a number of different settings available on the market today. Some are classic and timeless; others are more modern and bold. Ultimately, there is no "best one," however. You need to pick the ring that suits you and your wife-to-be the best.

To help you look, however, we've put together some basic descriptions of the most common ones. Be prepared, you're likely to run into all of these and maybe some more as you look for just the right engagement ring setting for your special someone.

Prong setting

This is perhaps the most common. This is the one that's typically used to hold a diamond solitaire. This setting puts a big focus on the stone itself rather than the metal used to hold it. The prong setting does hold the stones in place well while allowing light to pass through the stones for optimum shine and brilliance. This particular engagement ring setting is the most chosen, however, it's one that requires precision to pull off well. You will find most jewelers prefer to use platinum to hold the stones in place because the metal is typically stronger.

Bezel setting

This is another common engagement ring setting. It tends to offer a little more protection for the stone, but does not offer as much light play as the prong. The bezel setting involves the creation of a collar of sorts to sit around the diamond. The collar is made out of precious metal. The bezel setting is also a very traditional one, but it can be mixed up for a more modern look by using a half-bezel setting.

Channel

The channel engagement ring setting is typically used when multiple stones are used in a ring. In a channel setting, the stones are set into, well, channels. This is commonly used with round cut stones and even baguettes. It can be created in combination with a solitaire, as well, to create a unique engagement ring.

Pave

The pave setting, which is pronounced pa-vay, translates to "pave" in English. In this engagement setting the diamonds are generally small and they are arranged to resemble a stone street of sorts. When well done, this ring setting can be more than brilliant to behold.

No matter the engagement ring setting you're looking for, it's important to shop around and make sure you're getting not only quality stones and metals, but also good craftsmanship. The setting you decide upon should be well crafted to ensure the precious stones encased in the ring stay put. Remember, too, your special someone will likely have to take any ring that's received for occasional checks on the prongs and overall structure of the ring. Doing so can help ensure the engagement ring setting is in tip-top shape for withstanding the test of time.