Engagement... so expensive.
 

So things have been going very well with my girlfriend and I think I am going to take the next step but damn, rings are expensive. For those of you who are married or engaged, where did you buy the rock? Any tips or suggestions?

I am thinking a little over a carat with a simple band and will probably go with something along the lines of a leo or hearts and arrows cut. This will be around 7,000 for the ring and then 2,500 too 3,000 for the wedding band down the road.

Unfortunately I am going to have to wait for the FRS/BRZ a little longer now due to the fact that the $500 a month I was saving for a down payment will now be going to this ring.

Any suggestions ladies?

blue nile for me.

Same boat as you - just a little bit further down the road this year. To be honest - I don't know what to do lol. They always say something like 3 months pay check? but to be honest - it all depends on your girl and you. Are you willing to spend that much money on osmething like that? Does she even want something that expensive? My g/f is very practical and she says she doesnt need something super expensive where she feels uneasy having it on her finger - but it can't be something like a fake rock =T

Sorry if that didn't help at all..haha

If you do fork out the money for a real rock, make sure it is GIA or AGS certified and comes with the certificate.

AGS certs are worth a bit more than GIA certs (5 to 10%). The european standards are garbage in comparison, so do not let a salesman talk you into accepting a color grade from a euro certificate, as it is not the same. Stick to GIA or AGS without exception.

Also, if you want a bit bigger of a looking diamond, without the price, look for one that has a larger table, but is still in the range that is considered ideal. A 60% table is a good target. My wife has a bit bigger table, so her ~1.3C looks closer to 1.4/1.5C in size, even though it is still ideal cut. Ideal cut is still a +/- 3 or 4% range. Also this keeps the depth lower so it isn't sticking out of her hand too much and catching on everything. The bigger diamonds do stand up pretty far.

I bought mine at Cosco, 1.2 carat, round cut, D class purity for 9k....I get it there because all their diamonds are certified and you can trade it in later for an upgrade with full original value.

i did not buy my wife an engagement ring because in our culture (russian orthodox) there are no engagement rings!

for wedding bands the simpler and smaller you go, the cheaper it will be

we bought white-gold rings, 3mm for me and 2mm for her with lifetime re-sizing and polishing for both. Total came out to 450.00 (taxes in)

honestly, the whole diamonds and engagement thing is blown way out of proportion

7 grand is what i spent on catering and service for 50 people from one of the cities more expensive/well known caterers.

in my experience popping the question was worth more to her than any of the other ceremony crap that came afterwards.

Begin rant -

I am a geologist, and let me tell you the most important thing in a diamond is the cut - by far. Look online of pics of raw diamonds, they look like glass, nothing special, hence the importance of the cut. After cut comes color and clarity and they are pretty much equally important. BUT.........real diamonds are lame, they are cut by some poor dude in India, and, diamond mines are big ugly holes at best, and environmental disasters at worst, literally the only thing going for them (diamonds) is that they are super hard, are marketed well, and will last forever, big deal. I got my wife a fake diamond by this company betterthandiamond.com They sell various diamond simulants including lab grown diamonds. I got my wife the ASHA simulant (a specially coated CZ) and she loves it and she knows it's fake. It costs about 1/10th the price of a mined diamond and looks like a very high quality diamond. If you could consider saving thousands of dollars check it out, wouldn't it be better to travel and actually do stuff with that money? The only magic about a diamond is how they make things, such as your wallet, lighter.

- End rant

Ehh, I'm not a big fan of diamonds but I do believe a diamond ring serves as a symbolic for my marriage....there is a difference between do it right and do it cheap....30 yrs from now the ring is still there but I bet she wouldn't remember your propose question (i hope she will)....I spent $17k for 300 people in a high regard Chinese restaurant...but 7K for catered 50 people? Must be the labor....

Stay away from big chains like Robbins Bros. They will charge you an obscene mark-up (Like 2 to 3 times markup).

Go with a local goldsmith or jeweler who has been around a while and has a good reputation. These guys should take the time to explain the importance of certifications and diamond qualities to you.

See if the dealer will take a bit off the price if you pay in cash or in full up front (as opposed to making payments).

People gawk at my wife's ring all the time and can't believe how little we paid for it when we tell them.

:word:

After watching Blood Diamond and the divorce rate, I don't believe in a diamond ring as a sign of affection, especially ones that cost over 5K! My g/f openly jokes about where is her Kim K sized engagement ring and I tell her to go to the club in downtown San Diego called Stingaree b/c that is where all the SD Charger players usually hang out. :bellyroll:

that's what the wedding band is for :)

On behalf of society I apologize for making you feel like you need to spend 7K (after interest more like 10-13) on a piece of hard glass that was found in the ground. If I were you I would seriously get a fake, then id buy the car you want, and let things work out how they will.

Supply and demand....if dirt is as scarce as diamond, I'm sure it'll be hell expensive....diamond is women best friend, you dont want to upset that balance....as much as I hate saying it, it is what it is....