Engagement rings.....

[NSXRguy]

So im basically in a relationship that ive actually considered pulling the trigger and pulling out a ring...

Couple questions for you guys

1. Just to get an idea, what percentage of your salary did you spend?

2. Did you guys go window shopping with the SO to figure out which design she likes?

3. Any jewelers in prime?

4. Good websites or stores who can do custom work?

 

[docjohn]

lots of good old posts about this...imo you have to figure out what your budget is,forget about everyone else. The only tidbit I can give you is about the visual size and carat wieght.If you decide a round cut is for her then you have the option of picking a stone that is slightly shorter but has a larger face,so it looks bigger than it is.the other thing is that unless you want an investment grade diamond you only need to get the clarity to the level of needing a loop to see inclusions.but do your reserch on the grading system and certification.

 

[HIJACKER]

Princess cut is usually a favorite, round always works to and is universal. Like said above, learn the grading system and buy from a reputable place. I don't think it should be a "percentage of salary", I think more so just finding the right ring is the most important thing to focus on.

A very nice 1ct ring is pretty typical set on platinum. Of course, I have absolutely no idea on your age, which typically dictates what is affordable.

 

[SilverStone05]

Educate yourself: Bluenile.com

You won't find a better place to purchase a diamond from. Excellent customer service, and the best pricing.

Also - get a solitaire. Paying for other smaller diamonds around a center stone is usually akin to burning money. :wink:

 

[DocL]

First, don't let anyone tell you how much you should spend on a ring. You decide how much you can afford and then go from there. There are so many different choices on stones and ring design. The ring I got my wife was not her "style", however she loves it and wears it. Second, look at the different settings available. You can get a smaller center stone and then put some side stones on the ring and it will look a lot bigger than you think.

Forget about all the bull$hit and marketing by the big name stores. I'd say to even look on craigslist. And trust me, I know enough about this subject because I've bought three engagement rings.

 

[Motegi]

Agreed. Avoid the shops in the mall. The quality is lower in general and they try to sway you with their "exclusive" cuts.

As far as what you can afford. That is entirely up to you.

 

[RJPKRP]

The way I buy diamonds is I buy the stone....THEN find the setting or have one made. As everyone else has said, educate yourself about the grading system. Decide what color and clarity you would like and then look for a stone in your budget. If you can't find a stone in the weight, color and clarity you'd like at your pricepoint, then you need to be able to budge one one or more criteria. FOR ME, it is usually the weight, I'm after a particular color and clarity and have grades that I will not go below. I also only purchase certified diamonds from a reputable diamond grader (some place like GIA, etc). Or I have the jeweler get the diamond graded (at their expense).

However, that is what works for me and maybe not the next guy. I also never buy jewelry as "an investment". It mind end up being an heirloom, but let's be honest......they won't be investments (for us anyway....maybe those who end up with way down the line, but not us).


However since this is about engagement rings, "back in the day", a princess cut engagement ring is what I went with.....It was/is maybe 3/4ct I think (I'd have to look at the certification ) and I spent a "fair sum" for where I was in life. It was a lot of what I had at the time. However, I think that is part of the "sacrifice" you are making for the other person telling them that what is yours is theirs. It didn't break me, but it was a good chunk of "what is mine".

 

[Dtrigg]

This thread makes me wonder if the ex used her diamond to make a necklace.

 

[docjohn]

This thread makes me wonder if the ex used her diamond to make a necklace.

I think hall and oates had a tune about that one....maneater.....

 

[Aluminsx]

Educate yourself: Bluenile.com

You won't find a better place to purchase a diamond from. Excellent customer service, and the best pricing.

Also - get a solitaire. Paying for other smaller diamonds around a center stone is usually akin to burning money. :wink:

I just checked out that Bluenile site and it looks pretty good. If you're outside New York you can buy the ring with out sales tax (that's a home run when you're make such a big ticket purchase). I went to the diamond district in New York City when I wanted to pop the question and I'm pretty sure this Bluenile site is a better deal. Just my two cents. I hope to never have to buy another engagement ring.

On a side note...make sure she's on board with your NSX ownership. I have the best wife in the world when she agreed, last year, to let me buy mine with two small kids in the house. Women like that are very rare. Good luck.

 

[EN93NSX]

1. Just to get an idea, what percentage of your salary did you spend?

I was young when we got engaged and I literally spent all the money I had saved on a ring. Luckily, my aunt is a jewelry designer and made the ring for me and had a friend who is a diamond broker get the stone. I got a smokin' deal!

 

[romeo62186]

Agreed. Avoid the shops in the mall. The quality is lower in general and they try to sway you with their "exclusive" cuts.

Please don't spread false information. You get what you pay for. And of course a retailer will be a bit pricier than an e-tailer who has less overhead...that's just how it works with EVERYTHING. Find a local jeweler and educate yourself. It doesn't hurt to shop...ask your friends and family if there are any that they recommend and trust.

 

[CL65 Captain]

Looks like a ring to me. :tongue:


<img src="http://www.wheelink.com.hk/UserFiles/gallery/1239251613.jpg" width="600">

 

[NetViper]

Take a trip to the Caribbean. They are cheaper there.

 

[Cairo94507]

I could not agree more with several of the replies re ignoring the BS hype that the big stores put out.

Buy what you can afford and I am sure she will love it. It is not about the size of the ring, but the person who presents the ring.

Good luck.

 

[NetViper]

I forgot to add...

It doesn't matter what you buy.. she will want something bigger in 5 years anyway.:biggrin:

 

[druby]

I agree with netviper, they will always bigger, buy from a place that allows you to upgrade over the years at full value. I bought the original ring from a big box place. O was in college and had no money. She loved it anyway. Later in life my mother became a jeweler and said the stone wasn't worth much even compared to what I paid for it. However, she set in a another setting with other stones and made a nice necklace for my wife with it when we first upgraded. My mother is no longer in the business but I have found that there are really good places in St. Thomas V.I. (Imperial Jewelers ask for Vinnie) or just locally that can help you. Like others have said ask around for who people trust in your area. You may pay a little more but you will also get service especially from the home grown folks that want to keep a good name in the community.

 

[Hapa88]

I found the best diamond information is on this website.
http://www.pricescope.com/

The two C's most visible to the naked eye are CARAT and Cut. Cut because it determines how much it sparkles, but the only thing that girls ask each other is "how big is the ring"?

You'll have to determine what type of girl yours is. . does she care about the other C's? (I'd say 90% of women only care about "Carat", at least here in SoCal). I've NEVER heard anyone ask what cut it is, what color was, nor what clarity it is. .

Note that it's practically impossible for someone to see inclusions in a SI1 with the naked eye, especially if you're casually showing someone. And I don't know anyone that carries a loupe around to check peoples rings!


Anyway, this is a pretty good recommendation scale for average buyers.
http://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/what-diamond-to-buy/

4 C's Effect on:
Money vs Beauty
Cut - $ - Affects Beauty Most
Color - $$ - Affects Beauty A lot
Clarity - $$$ - Affects Beauty Some
Carat - $$$$ -Affects Beauty ???


Priority Recommendations
Size Only
You can live with a yellowish diamond with a few black spots! The cut should be in the 54% to 60% total depth range with a thin to very thin girdle (this can still rate well on the Cut Adviser). Look for a +60% table (keep below 65%) Cut Spread
Carat magic weights
Clarity I2
Color L - M

Size, then Quality
Your friends can't see the inclusions if you keep moving it. Slightly yellowish in daylight or office lighting. Cut - as above. Cut Spread
Clarity I1 - SI3
Color J - K

Both Size and Quality
Your diamond must look clean to the eye, white and sparkly. It should have a good ideal-scope image etc. Cut BIC
Clarity SI1-2
Color I up

Quality Only
You want to impress people with the jargon, or you want the best money can buy because the diamond is a symbol of your love. Inclusions must be hard for you to see through a microscope or a 10X loupe. The diamond must blow your friends away with its icy whiteness. It must be beautiful with a Cut Adviser rating of around 1.0 to 2.0. It probably should have a branded cut name. Cut TIC or FIC
Clarity VS up
Color D - F

 

[chumch]

costco. thats where i got my wife's ring. plus you dont need to concern yourself with 2 of the 'c' s because costco only deals in the higher quality of color and clarity--you can just pick out the size and shape you want and you know you'll have a quality ring.

http://www.costco.com/Common/Catego...&cat=56574&eCat=BC|108|28447|56574&lang=en-US

 

[Motegi]

Please don't spread false information. You get what you pay for. And of course a retailer will be a bit pricier than an e-tailer who has less overhead...that's just how it works with EVERYTHING. Find a local jeweler and educate yourself. It doesn't hurt to shop...ask your friends and family if there are any that they recommend and trust.

I NEVER said to buy a diamond on-line. In fact, I think a smaller specialty retailer will be able to better tailor to your needs. Especially one that has someone in house that can resize/repair etc. As a frequent buyer of "mens jewelry" (watches) I value having a local jeweler that I can trust.

When I was in the market NONE of the diamonds at the national mall chains such as Zales/Helzburg/Kay/etc were of even medium quality. Perhaps it was the part of Florida that I was living at the time (Clearwater) but they couldn't even show me a diamond that was better than SI-1 and I or J color in the 1-2 carat range. Most of them had inclusions that were perceptible without a loupe. And the prices that they were asking! Good lord! They kept pushing me toward their "special/exclusive cuts" yada yada and some of them would call me on the telephone incessantly once they knew I was in the market. Many said that they could "order" a higher quality diamond IF I wanted to buy from them. But I was not about to buy one sight unseen!

Of all of the national chains that I visited I think Jared (incidentally, not located in the mall) was the best but I ended up going elsewhere and got a much nicer diamond at a great price at a local shop.

 

[Hapa88]

costco. thats where i got my wife's ring. plus you dont need to concern yourself with 2 of the 'c' s because costco only deals in the higher quality of color and clarity--you can just pick out the size and shape you want and you know you'll have a quality ring.

http://www.costco.com/Common/Catego...&cat=56574&eCat=BC|108|28447|56574&lang=en-US

+1, After a ton of research, I actually got my fiances from Costco too.
I couldn't pass up the fact that it was cheaper than BlueNile, plus had an unconditional 100% return policy (only if it hasn't been resized). Using the Costco Amex with Executive membership gets you another 3% off too.:biggrin:

But if I were to do it again, now knowing that my fiance doesn't care too much about clarity or color, I would have gotten a bigger diamond with more inclusions and slightly more yellow in the color. .

 

[NSXLuvr]

All that is good advice. My advice to you - GET A PRENUP!! If she loves you - you have nothing to worry about. If She/You change you mind, you have NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT!:wink: