Need advice on a ring...

[Japher]

I know a guy who but the diamond uncut and had a jeweler shape and set the stone. Saved money in the long run.

I also hear that the princess cut is the most popular. They also like engagement rings that can be paired easily with the wedding band, so I would think about having them designed together.

That is all

[Sprayber]

Princess cut is the most popular and you should be able to find a place where you can purchase the band along with the engagement ring. Your money is best invested in clairity and color. Remember you can upgrade and add to it later as an aniversary present. Start out with a modest size and slowly add to it over the years.

[Kontiki]

While clarity and colour are indeed important, most women would tell you that size is the primo consideration. Which isn't to say get the biggest crappy quality diamond you can find, but that you may consider forgoing a bit on the colour and clarity in order to get some more size. The trick is to find a healthy balance between the three.

As for cut, there are really two things to consider. The obvious one is the shape, and really that's a personal choice. But the other one that fewer people consider is the quality of the cut. It's easy (and common) for diamond cutters to bottom-weight or otherwise disproportionatly cut the stone in order to add weight. Try to avoid this. In order to get the most out of the stone, make sure you get an ideal cut.

Wedding bands are seperate, and probably something you'll shop for together closer to the wedding (assuming you have a decent gap between engagement and marriage).

[Donegeal]

I think what I did was a dead on perfect idea for a wedding ring.

First, congrats on taking the plunge... Just remember, that no matter that you know the answer (do NOT ask if you think she might say no), it is going to be one of the most nerve wraking times of your life and you will remember it forever.

What I did was I went to the jewlery shop and purchased a solitare dimond ring. In your case, maybe a white gold solitare. The size does not matter. The cut and clarity do not matter. Buy her the ring as a place holder so you and her can go pick out the ring she keeps forever later (the price you pay for the solitare should applied to the actual wedding ring when you trade back in the solitare). She might already have one in mind.

Wedding bands is just an extra band that conforms to the wedding ring and can be custom made at a fairly resonable rate (almost just the cost of material).

[Drogue]

Most women may have size as the biggest importance, but probably haven't seen the difference clarity and colour make. A clear and colourless diamond sparkles much brighter.

As Kontiki says, whatever cut you get, it should be ideal cut. This matters hugely for the sparkle. Personally I like brilliant or princess cut, or a gorgeous almost triangular cut I saw the other week.

Engagement rings are a simple "buy the best you can afford". They keep their value quite well, and they do make a difference, IMHO. However half a carat, with a decent cut, colour and clarity, would be fantastic, however I can't see it costing less than $900. Maybe nearer $1500 for a nicely made example. Having said that, I don't know US prices too well.

[self biased]

i spent less than a hundred dollars. on ebay. yeah. i said it. the point being, the diamond isn't just the only thing to the ring. i was able to acquire a vintage piece from the thirties at wholesale prices. best of all my fiancee loved the fact that it was vintage.

:shrugs: my two cents, fellas.

[ixnay]

Diamonds

My wife never wanted an engagement ring - so when I proposed to her I actually made her a temporary one out of a pretzel - and she's made it quite clear to me to never buy her diamond jewelery.

For the wedding rings we went with a plain band for me and a beautiful little ring with some small emeralds for her. Total cost for both of them: 300 bucks.

[Arrian]

I was somewhat lucky in that my wife knew exactly what she wanted, and we discussed it beforehand. All I had to do was haggle for it.

I'm partial to the round cut. My wife's ring has a round cut diamond (.9 carat) flanked by two round cut sapphires (that are each about .3 carat, IIRC) on a platinum band. Did I say I was lucky? Well, yeah, until I had to pay for it

As for cut/clarity/color and all that...

The cut is pretty key - make sure that's high quality.

The clarity & color ... I must admit I went with a middling quality & color diamond so I could get a .9 carat stone w/in my price range. It still looks damned good. I looked at several diffenent clarity/color stones, ranging from top-of-the-line to below what I purchased. Neither I nor my mother (yes, my mommy helped me) could tell the difference between top-of-the-line and a few grades down. The price difference was dramatic. I bought it from a wholesaler, not a jewelry store.

Harry,

First thing is establish your price limit. Then figure out what you can make work within that limit.

-Arrian

[Drogue]

Originally posted by Arrian
I'm partial to the round cut. My wife's ring has a round cut diamond (.9 carat) flanked by two round cut sapphires (that are each about .3 carat, IIRC) on a platinum band.

Exactly what I want to get. Never found anywhere here that sells diamond solitares flanked by smaller sapphires, just the other way around.

Though I did find a gorgeous handmade piece of diamond and tanzanite that was gorgeous. But small stones and £750 meant not for an engagement (except to Rhi, who fell in love with it) and too expensive for a more normal present.

[Arrian]

That particular ring setup was rather popular around here. One of my good friends who got married last year as well also got a sapphire-diamond-sapphire ring for his wife (although the cheating bastard got the diamond as a family hand-me-down ) and a woman at work had the same basic ring too... diamond flanked by sapphires is popular, at least around here. It was kinda funny, since Michelle thought her design was unique and suddenly we knew two other people with the same basic design.

-Arrian

p.s. I'm still a bit appalled at what I spent on it...

[Drogue]

Hehe... I have a family vintage ring to use, but it's not really my style. Worth *way* more than I'd ever consider spending, but it has diamonds laid out as petals on a flower. Plus it's in a gold and platinum setting, and I'm no fan of yellow gold.

[Arrian]

Gold *and* platinum? Ugh! Two-tone IMO, of course

My friend Dan just got the diamond... dunno what happened to the ring said diamond used to be in. So he could just have it mounted on a new ring, and add sapphires. That saved him a bundle.

-Arrian

[Harry Tuttle]

Thanks guys I'll take it all in and try to make a good choice. I just want her to have the best.

[Provost Harrison]

It's just a piece of carbon dammit!

[Barinthus]

I just read that diamonds are coming out of style. Make your loved one the most stylish gal on the block with something else instead of a diamond