Engagement Ring

InKellyITrust

InKellyITrust

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Hey everyone,

I'm planning on proposing to my girlfriend of over 3 years sometime this fall. I was looking for any and all advice about buying an engagement ring. I don't know much about the topic. I'm looking for any type of advice regarding price, what's important in regards to the diamond, warranties, etc. I'd really appreciate any info that anyone has.

Thank you for your help!
 
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k1ssme1m1r1sh

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You don't have to get a diamond, or you can get a colored diamond. Princess cut, emerald cut, or round cut look the prettiest. Diamonds tend to sparkle more when they are set on white gold or platinum. If you buy a wedding set becareful...you don't want to propose with the enitre jacket, or she'll end up wearing her wedding ring before you get married.

Is this going to be a total surprise? Because you'll need to know her size, if she wears rings now, you can take one to a jewelry store and have them compare it to the sizer and then you'll know and you won't have to ruin your surprise. Most jewelry stores have good warranties on their products and offer the free cleanings and will tighten the settings yearly for her.

Congratulations!!! Happy hunting!
 
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ND_HAS_RISEN

ND_HAS_RISEN

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First off congratulations!!

Secondly, picking a diamond is really all in what you like, unless you're loaded of course ;-). I personally like the color grading over clarity. I think a colorless diamond grade just looks so much better than a high clarity grade diamond with a very low color grade. Now depending on your price range, if you can actually get a good rating on both color and cut, then that is my choice. A lot of people don't really know it, but the cut on a diamond, especially for a larger diamond, can make it look gorgeous.

My wife's engagement ring cost me 6k (mostly due to the VS1 clarity rating on a .85 carat), and I just upgraded it to colorless (E Rating), a cut rating of (EX), and Clarity (SI1), and I personally think the upgrade is hands down more beautiful than the high clarity grade original. I only paid 9k (1.15 carat) for the upgrade too, so clearly the clarity seems to be the price generator. I am by no means an expert in the field, just offering my own personal preferences.

I used this link to really get a better understanding of the grading system

Diamond Color, Clarity, Carat and Cut (the 4 C's)
 
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edgesofsanity

edgesofsanity

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If there aren't any, I'm sure you could write a book with tips and tricks for buying diamond rings - but in the end, accept that it's going to cost a bunch if you're set on diamonds for the ring. Probably one of the best articles on the DeBeers scam can be found here. - Warning though, it's a 20-30 minute read.

So, after reading that and getting depressed when she STILL wants a diamond; I started here to get some education:

Diamond Review - Articles
Diamond Shape - Blue Nile


As far as random tips: the sellers are looking to off load their whole stock; that means some diamonds that don't sell as easily for whatever reason will be brought out first. Never buy one of the first 5 diamonds you see.

Additionally, go to 2 or 3 stores before buying it - take a whole day if you need to - you wouldn't spend big money on a car without looking at a few models; this purchase shouldn't be different.

If you can, go gold for the ring color - not white or platinum. Diamonds of a lower color quality won't be as noticable; the whiter the ring the clearer (and more expensive) the diamond needs to be.

If you're stuck choosing between 2 diamonds of the same price, get the bigger one. At the end of the day, size matters.


As far as warranties - most places offer free cleanings/inspection; if you do end up with white gold will refinish them as the finish flecks off. Be wary of the place that charges for these services. Warranties - don't bother; you'll just end up insuring the ring through your homeowner/renter for cheap.

Good luck!
 
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CurtisCandy

CurtisCandy

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One of my employers for which I write research and Web content articles has given me all the work for a huge diamond cutter and jeweler from Texas. Because of this, I've been writing diamond articles continually for over 3 months.

I have no monetary attachment to the company whatsoever; I'm paid a flat rate for my writing. However, this company has an EXCELLENT "Education" section on their site. It's great material for determining what should be your most important considerations in buying an engagement ring.

I don't think it's appropriate to post the link here, but if you're interested, just PM me and I'll reply with the guy's link.

His jewelry is really exceptional, but it is pricey. Actually, it's reasonable for what his diamonds are, as he only carries absolute top shelf stuff and cuts his own diamonds, so if he's in your price range you might want to contact him.

Let me know if you'd like his link.

...And congratulations! :)
 
ACamp1900

ACamp1900

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I went with the family heirloom with my lady... it meant much more to her anyway... although, just for kicks I got it appraised before I proposed... I don't believe I ever told her how much her ring is valued at...


anyway, if you don't have a jeweler that can work with you, you can also find good stuff on ebay and craigslist... if they have official appraisal papers you know what you're getting regardless... and usually for a better price. everyone is different but if my wife found out I spent a whole month's salary on a ring she'd be more upset than impressed...
 
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A Pac

A Pac

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Ask around your family to see if anyone knows a jeweler. My uncle's jeweler gave me a GREAT deal because of the business my uncle has given him over the years. Whatever you get, just make sure it sparkles and is what she wanted. If she is an American born woman, she will have told you exactly what she wants (probably 10 times). Get her what she wants but add a little to it. My wife wanted a square cut diamond on white gold. I added two stones on band just to dress it up a little. Congrats in advance.

Sidenote: this thread gives me a chance to say my new favorite saying when she is irritated: I was going to buy Calloway irons and Browns season tickets... Instead I bought a ring. Dumb. (seriously though, married life is great. The past five months have been the best of my life).
 
JadeBrecks

JadeBrecks

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Dont have much time so I didnt read everyone else. A warranty is nice because if the stone is lost they will replace it. (you have to make sure they do this but most places I went to did and it must be brought in to the store to be checked every 6 months or less you go over they void the warranty) Plus the price they have on the tag is not what they are willing to sell it for. I talked them down $200 on the ring from the ticketed price so try that too. As far as size and shape that is up to her preference. The bigger the stone the clearer and whiter you will want it.
 
NDinMich

NDinMich

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I would recommend NOT getting the ring from a place in the mall or a strip mall (prices are inflated to pay their rent). I went with a medium sized diamond but paid for better cut, clarity and color. Women love to see it sparkle in the right kind of light. Most jewelers will give a quick run-down of the 4 C's of diamonds and more.

I would also NOT recommend spending X times your salary or 1 or 2 month's salary. Buy what you can afford and what you think she'd like to wear the rest of her life.

If she has a friend who can keep a secret (big 'if' I know when we're talking about women...), ask her. If she's like 99% of women, she's talked about what kind of ring she likes with her friend(s).

Finally, get the ring insured and skip the warranty. If she loses the ring, insurance will cover it but your premium might go up.
 
K

k1ssme1m1r1sh

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NDFanInMich said:
I would recommend NOT getting the ring from a place in the mall or a strip mall (prices are inflated to pay their rent). I went with a medium sized diamond but paid for better cut, clarity and color. Women love to see it sparkle in the right kind of light. Most jewelers will give a quick run-down of the 4 C's of diamonds and more.

I would also NOT recommend spending X times your salary or 1 or 2 month's salary. Buy what you can afford and what you think she'd like to wear the rest of her life.

If she has a friend who can keep a secret (big 'if' I know when we're talking about women...), ask her. If she's like 99% of women, she's talked about what kind of ring she likes with her friend(s).

Finally, get the ring insured and skip the warranty. If she loses the ring, insurance will cover it but your premium might go up.
Click to expand...

OH NO YOU DID NOT!!! haha, just teasing...I do not recommend this if you want it to be a secret. I personally, would not spill the beans, but that's because I don't give two pickles about jewelry. My wedding ring came from walmart and it was a 14K white gold promise ring with a very small princess cut diamond in it, and it cost $75...I couldn't have been more happy. I know from the jumping up and down screaming my women friends do that white gold, sparkly, ooh la la stuff is important. What you CAN do, is happen by jewelry counter, tell her you need to buy a necklace for your mom's bday, because no self respecting lady can resist looking at bridal sets. I'd rather set myself on fire with butane than get married EVER again in my life, but I will look at wedding rings and bridal sets when I happen by a jewelry counter.
 
C

CanadianIrish

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I got engaged last year and put in a ton of effort into finding the right ring. I spoke to dozens of girls about it, and this is what I learned:

The most important thing is the cut, that's what determines how much it sparkles. Make sure you get an "Excellent" cut.

Color and clarity are essentially meaningless. I looked at hundreds of diamonds, and I can't tell the difference between D & H color. At I you can start to see a difference. Get either G or H color (it will save you a ton of money). Clarity is similar, the whole point of SI2 is that it's flawless to the naked eye. Nobody cares what your ring looks like under a magnifying glass. You do not need anything better than SI1 or SI2.

After that, just get as big a stone as you possible can afford.

I ended up with a 2 carat Excellent cut, SI1, G color on a band with little tiny diamonds. It was certainly well received, and cost the same as a 1 carat diamond that is D color of VS1.
 
phork

phork

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Clarity matters greatly. When I bought my wife's ring I was set on buying a nice 1 carat ring.. Except when I actually took a look at it under a lens, you could see the inclusions. The ring I settled on was .5 Carat, Color F with VSI1 (The best clarity next to flawless). The stone looks bigger than it is and she gets compliments on it all the time.
To say that clarity has no effect on how the stone looks is just not true.
 
NDinL.A.

NDinL.A.

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A Pac said:
Whatever you get, just make sure it sparkles and is what she wanted. If she is an American born woman, she will have told you exactly what she wants (probably 10 times).
Click to expand...

Man, reading this thread - a lot of you guys really know diamonds! (I'm not talking crap - I'm impressed.)

APac...not all women are obsessed with diamonds...thankfully. My wife didn't care at all - which was huge for me on a teacher's salary, and besides that, I wanted it to be a complete surprise.

See, I'm torn on this - I think it's completely unromantic for a couple to go shopping for rings together before they get engaged - where is the surprise in that? But then 2 of my closest friends both made sure they knew exactly what their gf's wanted in a ring and just got engaged. I guess their girlfriends were picky about the rings, and it worked out for them. So to each their own I guess. For me, I wanted my then-girlfriend to have no idea I was about to propose, and she was shocked when I did propose - the look on her face and the ensuing tears were priceless.

And like someone else said, I went to a close friend who was a jeweler and he HOOKED me up. My wife loves her ring; it's simple yet very nice and I got a great deal, and we didn't have to start our marriage off in debt.
 
pkt77242

pkt77242

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First off, Congrats. Second, you know her better then anyone here. Does she like things simple or or big and flashy? Have any of her friends gotten rings before and what did she say about them? all of these things are clues to use when you buy her ring.

An example of this is my wife. She likes simple things and from previous conversations I was aware that she liked round cut diamonds (though I prefer princess cut) so I got her a simple setting with a round cut diamond. Since she can't wear her engagement ring at work (she is a nurse and it tears through gloves) we bought a nice wedding band (titanium and white gold) because she can weark that at work.
 
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WabashFalcon

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I ended up getting my wife a huge ruby inside a pimped out diamond band.

Wife loved ruby... red is a significant color for us, as well as her favorite color.
 
InKellyITrust

InKellyITrust

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pkt77242 said:
First off, Congrats. Second, you know her better then anyone here. Does she like things simple or or big and flashy? Have any of her friends gotten rings before and what did she say about them? all of these things are clues to use when you buy her ring.

An example of this is my wife. She likes simple things and from previous conversations I was aware that she liked round cut diamonds (though I prefer princess cut) so I got her a simple setting with a round cut diamond. Since she can't wear her engagement ring at work (she is a nurse and it tears through gloves) we bought a nice wedding band (titanium and white gold) because she can weark that at work.
Click to expand...

I try to pick up on the clues whenever I can without her knowing when I was planning on proposing. She's an optometrist so she did say before that she doesn't want anything too big because she wants to be able to wear it when she's working. Besides that, she's said princess cut and she doesn't want just a plain band. That's what I have to work with but thanks to everyone for their input. I really appreciate it.
 
bigedefense

bigedefense

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Well, you could go the route my buddy took. He had been engaged once before and it ended badly, for him. She started dating the baseball GA where we were in college. She kept the ring and he was out $3,000. This time, he finds the ring he wants at a mom and pop jewlery store and instead of having the real diamond set in the ring, he had a cubic zirconimum. HE GOT BY WITH IT!!! They got married and he took it for a "cleaning" and had a real diamond set. True story I swear. That was 10 years ago and she still has no idea. Amazing! I pull that sh1t and I end up slapped in the face 5 minutes after the proposal. He does it and nothing. Such is life. Congrats on beginning your journey on the 3 rings of marriage...engagement RING, wedding RING, and suffeRING. HA! Just kidding, but really I'm not. I am serious about the congrats though.
 
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