Diamonds and Cost, is it a big deal?

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#16
goodluck on your ring search. i really respect the advice about trading up later. its about how 2 people who live and love each other thru the years, building a life and family together, being successful in more ways than one. A new trade up ring can be a symbol of those years together.

it all boils down to the size of course. if you have tiny fingers (i wear a size 3) sometimes a nice 1 carat looks quite big, if its set in a sparkly pave setting then it looks more glamorous and bigger! hehe

In thailand (where Im from) people really emphasize clarity, it would be quite unacceptable to go for diamonds under VS2 (diamonds are cheaper in Thailand too because they promote the jewelry design industry). But coming here to America I see that people sacrifice clarity (sth they cant really see) for size and color instead. I like that idea...a white eye clean SI1 can look just as good as a VVS1. No one has microscopic eyes! :)

if i were in your situation i would advise my bf to set a budget of 3 months salary.
 
#17
Jinsun said:
I'm from Fayetteville, NC........Fort Bragg.
Click to expand...

Oh, you poor baby! :crybaby:

Do they still call it "Fayettenam" by the way? That was its nickname back during the Vietnam War since the guys left for there from the base. No offense to you if you really like it, but the times I've traveled that part of the state and driven through that area, it was so dreary. That's been a while though. I hope its improved.


Back to topic: have you made any decisions yet after reading all these great suggestions? I did things in reverse when I got engaged. I got a beautiful gemstone ring, fairly inexpensive by diamond standards and we chunked the cash into the wedding ring. I had been married before and only had a plain gold band, never even an engagement ring. After that divorce I always said I'd never get married again without at least a carat of diamonds on my hand. My wedding ring is a 7 stone, one carat beauty. I wore that until our 5th anniversary and upgraded THAT to a two carat princess and round cut uber wide band. The round stones are canary diamonds, the princess are white. I've kept that as my wedding ring ever since and occasionally wear the original on my right hand.

I guess that just shows that as you get a bit older, you tastes can change so keeping to budget and upgrading is really a nice option. :smile1:
 
#18
I would say that it seems like you guys have looked and looked...so he knows basically what you want. Tell him what you said in above thread, that you just want to get engaged, already...and sit back and let him do his guy thing!!! It will be nice for him to pick it out....and nice for you to have a bit of a surprise!!
I never told my DH anything about what type or ring I would like, and had I picked it out, it would have been a round solitair....he ended up getting a marquise with baguettes, and I wouldn't trade that ring for anything in the world!
 
#19
I know exactly how you feel. I was looking around and I finally found a JB Star. I can't get the ring out of my mind. Before I saw this ring I wanted a round solitare, but now, all i can think about is this 20,000+ ring. Its tough, bottom line, I think that you will be so excited to be engaged, FINALLY, that it will not matter. Besides, the thought that it will take him to put into whatever he does get you is sure to make you happy!
 
#20
I think you should shop around some more. I bet you can find something you will both like that isn't $19K. Have you talked about budget?

Personally, my husband spent WAY too much on my engagement ring. I realize now that I shouldn't have let him do it... I love the ring, but now that I'm married, I really prefer to just wear my wedding band by itself. Then I feel guilty because the engagement ring was so expensive. :s If I could go back and do it over again, knowing what I know now, I would have gotten a band-style engagement ring so that I could just stack it next to the wedding band. It would have been a lot cheaper, more practical, and gotten more use. I almost went with that option, too, but I got seduced by the big rock. :push:

Anyway, sorry for the long tangent... LOL... but the point is... really think about whether the ring is worth $19K to you or your BF. You might feel differently on that question later than you do now.

~Ash
 
#21
Tee hee I say go for the largest, best quality stone that he can afford!

My fiancee and I have had a looong engagment bc of my schooling:(:crybaby: This is because my parents won't pay for our wedding until it I am completely done:push:

When he first proposed to me, I had a little over 1 carat stone that was set in a 1 carat diamond eternity band. It was sooo beautiful!
:yes:
However, for my bday this year he bought me a new engagement setting that is like 2x the size of my original old band was and had my original round cut diamond transferred to it.

He then had the prong taken out of the eternity band and the little bitty pave diamond put back in. I now wear that one on my right hand:)

For our first anniversary after we get married, he is going to replace the diamond solitaire with a 2.5 or 3 carat:heart: :heart: :love:
 
#23
Re: Diamonds and Cost, is it a big deal?
No.

You are going to call me a hypocrite because I wear Tiffany 1.3 D/IF but I would not care if I don't have a ring or I have a Cubic Zirconia one. As long as he is standing by me, I'm willing to give up anything.
 
#24
Do some research on Pricescope.com - great place to learn about diamonds and how cut is the most important thing. There is also a database of diamonds on there so you can get an idea of prices.
 
#25
I don't think you are superficial. It's normal to want a nice ring and if you can afford it then get it!!

I requested from my DH a 3-carat solitare and side stones (with a minimun cut, clarity, and color) BUT let me say if he didn't make as much money as he does I would NOT have asked for that. I determined the ring I wanted based on his income. It is something to consider!?!
 
#26
hi im new here, this is actually my first post and i had to comment because i just got engaged in august and my fiance bought me a canadian diomond its total weight isnt even 1 carat but its shaped so beautifully and its the one i always wanted...to me a ring is a ring its the meaning that counts...i could have gotten a one carat diamond ring for almost the same price, a lil more i believe but to me i like simple practical and what ever hits me first as being 'the one' and i think about price range im not a over do it type girl, my family always lived by what we had and we were never extremely wealthy, so i always knew how tight money could be...thats why i cant believe the shoes and bags you ladies have its amazing!! i love them all! but i think hat if its in your price range yes go for it but as another lady here said dont point it as THE ONE and make him feel that if he doesnt get it you wont be happy...be happy with what ever he gets for you, that makes it special, what ever he gets is what HE wnats for you and the idea behind it, being togetehr forever is worth far more then a diomond...
 
#27
I don't think you are superficial. I think all of us have found rings that qualify as our “first choice” J It’s good that you've shared this with him, but that you’ve also given him an alternative style that you would like in case he is not comfortable with the price. I’ve done the same thing with my bf, but it is about minimum carat weight, and said if meeting the minimum carat weight is not possible, I would rather have a simple diamond eternity band because it will look sophisticated and elegant, while being in proportion with my hand (which are larger). I figure that later in our life together, I can always add a beautiful diamond to sit next to the eternity band, or offer to split the cost of the diamond with him before the wedding. J I also think that a diamond eternity band with a simple platinum wedding band can be very elegant.
 
#30
the general rule of thumb was considered 2 months salary for a while, but I know there's other rule of thumbs. . . can't remember the other{?}
 
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