I know I've posted this before. I will do the longer story this time.
Short version: I picked out my ring before he proposed.
Long version:
So DH and I had talked about marriage. He always told me he wanted to design a ring for me. We have very different tastes. I am much more simple/traditional while he is more unique/custom. I cried and cried to my mom after I saw a drawing of what DH wanted to make me. She encouraged me to talk to him about it. I finally did and after being hurt by my comments, he understood that it was important that I truly love my ring.
The day after Christmas 2007 DH told me he wanted to buy a ring that day. We went to four different shops in town. A ring from the first store really stood out to me. It was a canary yellow diamond with two tone gold and side diamonds. It was in budget and we both really loved it. DH really wanted some kind of color in my ring (he wanted gemstones, I didn't) so this was the perfect combination of what we loved.
After that day he hid the ring from me and told me he would propose when he was ready. Finally, in March DH proposed. That was a couple of long months knowing he had it but also knowing he wouldn't give it to me yet.