Choosing a pair of gloves

I'm curious what advice everyone has on the qualities of a good pair of gloves for summer/fall area:

Brands worth considering
Pros and cons of different materials
How important the ballistic shell across the knuckles might be.
Price range of a quality pair that won't "break the bank"

Thanks for the advice.  

Try reading this:

http://www.sportrider.com/features/146_0809_riding_gloves_buyers_guide/index.html