EnGAYgement Rings

[KYGTIGuy]

I respectfully disagree with dis. Clarity is what makes it sparkle and the sparkle is way more life standing than the size.

Dat.
Cut is also a piece of the sparkle.

Some inclusions are more obvious than others. If you’re buying a lose diamond for a setting it’s definitely something to be aware of.

In order of importance IMO
Cut
Clarity
Color
Carat

Exactly. Which is why cut is more important, as you've also pointed out...

[KYGTIGuy]

Cut

The most important of the 4Cs is cut because it has the greatest influence on a diamond's sparkle

Clarity

Often the least important of the 4Cs because the tiny imperfections are often microscopic



https://www.bluenile.com/education/diamonds

[KYGTIGuy]

Do what you want. But talk to a trusted jeweler to get the real scoop....

[Johnny_P]

I'd prioritize cut. That's what gives the diamond the sparkle and "fire"

I want to get Lisa an emerald or asscher cut diamond for the infinite depth "hall of mirrors" look. Unfortunately these are extremely sensitive to the cut, where a good cut will produce beautiful depth and reds/blues/etc, and a bad cut will produce blacks and shadows and just look like shit.



vs

[Johnny_P]

better example:

[Johnny_P]

"good"
https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-detail ... ion=newTab

"very good"
https://www.bluenile.com/diamond-detail ... ion=newTab

[Tar]

in4

I'm a very indecisive person and have been thinking about this for a long time, but I feel that the time has probably come to get engaged to my gf. While she isn't perfect, I feel that she is the perfect person for me. It's really tough to come to a decision like this, I'm not the type to just think "this is it" and dive in, but I feel comfortable and at ease with it being the right decision.

So, I'm curious about other's experiences buying one of the most items in American culture. I'm not here for a lecture about how stupid diamonds are. I'm already aware of this and don't really give a shit. I would like to spend my life with a woman, and some things you just have to accept and move on.

Anything to avoid? Pro tips from those who have done this? I am thinking of on line ordering from Blue Nile or James Allen. I went to a local place that supposedly has "amazeballs best prices on the East Coast" and they were 50% more than the online places. I also hate the whole jewelry store experience. Any reason to not buy online?

I'm also thinking of opening a new credit card to finance it for 15 months at 0%. Sure, I could pay cash, but I'm underwhelmed at the thought of thousands leaving my account for some metal and a stone.

Probably shopping in the $4k or so neighborhood.

Firstly, congrats! Saw that coming whilst you guys were frolicking around in Ireland mainly because I did a similar Euro trip with my gf before we got engayged. Guys like us seems to do it pretty commonly. , just thought one of you must have family there, and if so that would be the sure prequel.

Secondly, whatever you pick needs to match and lock in well with the wedding band. Three rings all in lock step. My wife eventually replaced her engagement ring when she needed to resize after our second was borne, and she chose a simpler design, same single stone but on its own, ditched the baguettes I put with it, to go for a "Tiffany" style solitare or whatever. Classic and simple, but it lifted the stone high enough to allow the band to sit flush against the wedding band. The one i originally picked out had the setting too low and it pushed the wedding band away. A gap she secretly despised for years.

Thirdly, ONE POINT OH. That's like the new non-waxer standard. Or at least it was in my circle ten years ago and I had a really great 0.75ct stone, but gave it up for a slightly 1.00ct. Her GF got the call while I was choosing between the two and she didn't hesitate for even a milli-second and told me it must be the bigger one. Remeber, a shitty 1.0 > great 0.8 because . Not sure if the have upped the ante to a bigger stone but they sure as hell aren't going to get smaller. I paid about 4G's 10 yrs ago for a 1.00ct on 14k white gold. That included the baguettes which turned out to be turds both in esthetics and cost/joy ratio.

Hope things work out, i have a friend who's uncle owns a small/private jewellery store and got a better product in the end for a similar price. People's Jewellers is the absolute worst. Find a trusted source, go small/family owned. Get it appraised privately by a gemologist on your own terms but it will likely be pre-appraised, for the $60, do it again to make sure you got what you paid for. Have it booked for the same day that you pick up the ring.

Ummmm, what else....

Oh right, appraisal has two values, replacement and retail. A good deal is when replacement is worth double what you pay, and retail about triple. Obvi, neither is real, and i you get curbed the ex will likely sell a 4k ring for $700-1000 to some schmuck at a pawn shop.

[Tar]

Do you know what kind of style she’s hoping to have?

"one that I pick out for her"

Brilliant cut (round is the brightest). If she is a rare gal and you want to pick something different you should consider an emerald cut (very non sparkly, but super cool). If she is a princess get her a princess cut.

[Johnny_P]

Oh yeah like tar said matching wedding band is a thing that can happen and will end up looking better together. Blue nile has these.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

I went to a local place that custom made settings. I went in on my own first and was overwhelmed. Picked a few things I liked, but then mentioned to Michele the idea of designing a ring together. She loved it, I made a date out of it for the day.

She tells everyone how we custom made her ring. We too went small on size for outstanding color and clarity, and it's absolutely stunning. She gets comments all the time on it, and the design we did makes the rock look bigger than it is. 5/7 life experience. She gets more out of telling the story than she does out of the ring it seems.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Went .49 on size and saved a stupid amount of money by staying under .5.

Same for a 1 carat... 0.99 and you'll save money without being able to tell a difference.

[Calvinball]

I’ll chip in that, while it’s always personal preference, I went smaller so I could get a better quality and that made my wife very happy. She’s sparkle > size. Sounds like future Mrs Griff might be as well.


Sent from the Beer Depository

[Tar]

I’ll chip in that, while it’s always personal preference, I went smaller so I could get a better quality and that made my wife very happy. She’s sparkle > size. Sounds like future Mrs Griff might be as well.


Sent from the Beer Depository

JK...but really is unpredictable, i asked a friend. Either way because in the end they both cost the same money.

[Apex]

I went to a local place that custom made settings. I went in on my own first and was overwhelmed. Picked a few things I liked, but then mentioned to Michele the idea of designing a ring together. She loved it, I made a date out of it for the day.

She tells everyone how we custom made her ring. We too went small on size for outstanding color and clarity, and it's absolutely stunning. She gets comments all the time on it, and the design we did makes the rock look bigger than it is. 5/7 life experience. She gets more out of telling the story than she does out of the ring it seems.

Wifey has a close family friend who is an jeweler. So we’ll go there and get some custom stuff made.

[D Griff]

Went .49 on size and saved a stupid amount of money by staying under .5.

Same for a 1 carat... 0.99 and you'll save money without being able to tell a difference.

Yeah I think I'll go with. 9ish, much less than 1.0 and my gal about those specs. Many chicks do, my sister for example is all about the 2 carat but she's kind of a materialistic bitch

The custom thing would be cool but she's really about the surprise element it seems, so that's not possible. I know she'll be excited and happy with what I figure out, which will likely be something fairly simple, she likes small/simple jewelry.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

Went .49 on size and saved a stupid amount of money by staying under .5.

Same for a 1 carat... 0.99 and you'll save money without being able to tell a difference.

Yeah I think I'll go with. 9ish, much less than 1.0 and my gal about those specs. Many chicks do, my sister for example is all about the 2 carat but she's kind of a materialistic bitch

The custom thing would be cool but she's really about the surprise element it seems, so that's not possible. I know she'll be excited and happy with what I figure out, which will likely be something fairly simple, she likes small/simple jewelry.

So, if she's into small and simple, why not go 0.49? With the right setting, it can look plenty big.

I know you don't want to hear about the element, but Michele always talks about how glad she is that we saved money by going with a smaller rock so we could on a nice honeymoon. We're more about experiences than things, and it sounds like you guys are too.

[Jaxper]

First of all, congrats!!

As @Calvinball, @4zilch, and others have said, I would recommend going smaller with higher quality (all 4 Cs). It'll shine, sparkle, etc more than if you went bigger with lower quality. My wife's is around .5 (.52, I think but not 100% sure anymore) with small side stones along the band for a total around .65. Like the other guys and Sno have said, it sparkles much more than its larger counterparts due to the quality. She constantly gets compliments on it as well, especially after a cleaning.

I'd be happy to share a pic if you're looking at comparing different styles.

Personally I would skimp on clarity.

I went balls deep into how diamonds are rated and found that if you get the color and cut you like, the untrained eye wont notice a lot of difference between clarity ratings

I had a jeweler my family has known for years show me a bunch of different diamonds of different ratings to help prove that to me

I respectfully disagree with dis. Clarity is what makes it sparkle and the sparkle is way more life standing than the size.

[Acid666]

I can't really comment much about what to get her, but I'll elaborate on my own experience with my wedding ring. I didn't spend a ton of my wife's wedding ring, but I also got a pretty hefty discount because a friend that works at Stuller Settings https://www.stuller.com/ (they manufacture these bitches there, the 2nd largest company in my city).
We both didn't want the other to spend too much on each other and we're a little unconventional with ours. She works in the vet field at a clinic and at the ER, so there's times where her hands are shoved up animals asses, so she doesn't always wear hers.

I've got 3. My actual wedding ring that I love, but wear for dressy occasions, a cheaper black carbon fiber looking one for most of the time, and the one that I love the most, I shit you not.. The Qalo silicone one. She asked if I wanted one of these before we got married and I told her I thought it was the stupidest shit ever.

After wearing mine for a while, I realized that it's the best thing since sliced bread. I'm constantly working on the car, or detailing, or machinery for work when I have to go on site. This shit resists oil and chemicals, doesn't scratch paint, and I can shove my hands in tight spaces in engine bays and not have a piece of metal limiting where I can reach. Also, it doesn't get scratched up, and doesn't scratch things it touches.
So consider that for your own down the road as a secondary ring if you're worried about stuff like that.

[D Griff]

I can't really comment much about what to get her, but I'll elaborate on my own experience with my wedding ring. I didn't spend a ton of my wife's wedding ring, but I also got a pretty hefty discount because a friend that works at Stuller Settings https://www.stuller.com/ (they manufacture these bitches there, the 2nd largest company in my city).
We both didn't want the other to spend too much on each other and we're a little unconventional with ours. She works in the vet field at a clinic and at the ER, so there's times where her hands are shoved up animals asses, so she doesn't always wear hers.

I've got 3. My actual wedding ring that I love, but wear for dressy occasions, a cheaper black carbon fiber looking one for most of the time, and the one that I love the most, I shit you not.. The Qalo silicone one. She asked if I wanted one of these before we got married and I told her I thought it was the stupidest shit ever.

After wearing mine for a while, I realized that it's the best thing since sliced bread. I'm constantly working on the car, or detailing, or machinery for work when I have to go on site. This shit resists oil and chemicals, doesn't scratch paint, and I can shove my hands in tight spaces in engine bays and not have a piece of metal limiting where I can reach. Also, it doesn't get scratched up, and doesn't scratch things it touches.
So consider that for your own down the road as a secondary ring if you're worried about stuff like that.

I do like the silicon idea as secondary down the line

My job involves a lot of hands on and I find I have to take my watch off at least once a day to reach up into a rack or something.

[D Griff]

Yeah I think I'll go with. 9ish, much less than 1.0 and my gal about those specs. Many chicks do, my sister for example is all about the 2 carat but she's kind of a materialistic bitch

The custom thing would be cool but she's really about the surprise element it seems, so that's not possible. I know she'll be excited and happy with what I figure out, which will likely be something fairly simple, she likes small/simple jewelry.

So, if she's into small and simple, why not go 0.49? With the right setting, it can look plenty big.

I know you don't want to hear about the element, but Michele always talks about how glad she is that we saved money by going with a smaller rock so we could on a nice honeymoon. We're more about experiences than things, and it sounds like you guys are too.

Honestly, you have a good point. Maybe I'll look at it. It's silly but going a bit larger is more for me than her ridiculous I know.

We're definitely more about experiences, but this is something she'll have (hopefully) forever, so I really don't mind spending an extra thousand or whatever. We'll see, need to look more this week.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

So, if she's into small and simple, why not go 0.49? With the right setting, it can look plenty big.

I know you don't want to hear about the element, but Michele always talks about how glad she is that we saved money by going with a smaller rock so we could on a nice honeymoon. We're more about experiences than things, and it sounds like you guys are too.

Honestly, you have a good point. Maybe I'll look at it. It's silly but going a bit larger is more for me than her ridiculous I know.

We're definitely more about experiences, but this is something she'll have (hopefully) forever, so I really don't mind spending an extra thousand or whatever. We'll see, need to look more this week.

The reality is, after a few years, she'll likely stop wearing it. Not because she doesn't want it, but because it can get in the way and she won't want anything happening to it. Then you end up with silicone rings or the like to wear on a daily basis, which is fine...but just keep in mind the "life long" term here.

Definitely worth considering as you shop.

[Jaxper]

I can't really comment much about what to get her, but I'll elaborate on my own experience with my wedding ring. I didn't spend a ton of my wife's wedding ring, but I also got a pretty hefty discount because a friend that works at Stuller Settings https://www.stuller.com/ (they manufacture these bitches there, the 2nd largest company in my city).
We both didn't want the other to spend too much on each other and we're a little unconventional with ours. She works in the vet field at a clinic and at the ER, so there's times where her hands are shoved up animals asses, so she doesn't always wear hers.

I've got 3. My actual wedding ring that I love, but wear for dressy occasions, a cheaper black carbon fiber looking one for most of the time, and the one that I love the most, I shit you not.. The Qalo silicone one. She asked if I wanted one of these before we got married and I told her I thought it was the stupidest shit ever.

After wearing mine for a while, I realized that it's the best thing since sliced bread. I'm constantly working on the car, or detailing, or machinery for work when I have to go on site. This shit resists oil and chemicals, doesn't scratch paint, and I can shove my hands in tight spaces in engine bays and not have a piece of metal limiting where I can reach. Also, it doesn't get scratched up, and doesn't scratch things it touches.
So consider that for your own down the road as a secondary ring if you're worried about stuff like that.

I'll echo that as well. I wear my Qalo for an occasion that could be remotely "rough" on my hands - working out, yard work, carpentry, sports, etc - to avoid scuffing up my real wedding band. My wife does the same when she's at work (nurse), sports, etc.

[Desertbreh]

Ha ha. No shit.

[D Griff]

Honestly, you have a good point. Maybe I'll look at it. It's silly but going a bit larger is more for me than her ridiculous I know.

We're definitely more about experiences, but this is something she'll have (hopefully) forever, so I really don't mind spending an extra thousand or whatever. We'll see, need to look more this week.

The reality is, after a few years, she'll likely stop wearing it. Not because she doesn't want it, but because it can get in the way and she won't want anything happening to it. Then you end up with silicone rings or the like to wear on a daily basis, which is fine...but just keep in mind the "life long" term here.

Definitely worth considering as you shop.

Yeah, I see many women in the wedding band only and I could see Allison going down that road. But even if it's life ling only on special occasions, $3,500-4000 isn't all THAT much. . I need to do less foruming, more shopping I guess. I don't really enjoy the whole process, wish something could just land on my doorstep and debit me ze funds.

[D Griff]

First of all, congrats!!

As @Calvinball, @4zilch, and others have said, I would recommend going smaller with higher quality (all 4 Cs). It'll shine, sparkle, etc more than if you went bigger with lower quality. My wife's is around .5 (.52, I think but not 100% sure anymore) with small side stones along the band for a total around .65. Like the other guys and Sno have said, it sparkles much more than its larger counterparts due to the quality. She constantly gets compliments on it as well, especially after a cleaning.

I'd be happy to share a pic if you're looking at comparing different styles.

I respectfully disagree with dis. Clarity is what makes it sparkle and the sparkle is way more life standing than the size.

Noted. Size def isn't the main concern here, so I'll keep all of that in mind.

This is where I slightly question the online thing, but they're all certified and seem to be high quality, I imagine if the specs are there, it's fine.