quality. also take into consideration the size of her hands and what she does for work, as it may preclude her from wearing a huge rock.
i would have to say quality over size. of course, it probably helps that i feel anything too much over 1 carat for a solitaire is tacky and cliché.
i've been lucky that my two most recent gfs don't like gold or diamonds
i've been lucky that my two most recent gfs don't like gold or diamonds
I agree with the quality argument. I spent a lot of time looking at a lot of stones to finally decide what I wanted. I bought a loupe, an ideal scope, tweezers, all that stuff.
I ended up deciding on getting a no visible inclusions (VS2) stone with H color. I decided I wanted to pay the premium to go into the 1 carat range. Based on those parameters, I looked at as many diamonds as I could to find the best cut ones (using the ideal scope), and then got the price I wanted for it.
I would suggest looking around to a lot of independant dealers in your area (stay away from the chains... please). If you have the opportunity, go to a jewelry show at your local convention center... having so many dealers all in one place lets you look at a lot of stones, and increases competition.
I ended up deciding on getting a no visible inclusions (VS2) stone with H color. I decided I wanted to pay the premium to go into the 1 carat range. Based on those parameters, I looked at as many diamonds as I could to find the best cut ones (using the ideal scope), and then got the price I wanted for it.
I would suggest looking around to a lot of independant dealers in your area (stay away from the chains... please). If you have the opportunity, go to a jewelry show at your local convention center... having so many dealers all in one place lets you look at a lot of stones, and increases competition.
H color, VS1 clarity, very good cut, 1.5 carats on a size 5 finger...set in platinum
This has only been mentioned once or twice in this thread, but I think it's also very important that the ring be certified by a known lab (GIA). The first thing I made sure of when I was looking at rings was whether or not it was GIA certified. It gives you a piece of mind and adds value to the ring.
This has only been mentioned once or twice in this thread, but I think it's also very important that the ring be certified by a known lab (GIA). The first thing I made sure of when I was looking at rings was whether or not it was GIA certified. It gives you a piece of mind and adds value to the ring.
I would like to add:
Look for the cut. As someone else mentioned, a better cut is more important than almost all the other Cs put together. A poor cut D color 1.0 probably won't look any better than a G color 1.5.
Keep in mind that things like the table size, etc. will determine how "big" a 1.5 looks vs. a 1.0. An ideal cut will give you the better proportions, but some diamonds have an extreme table size that makes them look huge for their size, so it's possible to get a 1.0 that looks almost as big as a 1.5. The problem is that the proportions will affect how radiant the diamond is, so don't compromise too much.
Look for the cut. As someone else mentioned, a better cut is more important than almost all the other Cs put together. A poor cut D color 1.0 probably won't look any better than a G color 1.5.
Keep in mind that things like the table size, etc. will determine how "big" a 1.5 looks vs. a 1.0. An ideal cut will give you the better proportions, but some diamonds have an extreme table size that makes them look huge for their size, so it's possible to get a 1.0 that looks almost as big as a 1.5. The problem is that the proportions will affect how radiant the diamond is, so don't compromise too much.
You sure about that? I always heard that platinum is denser and stronger than gold.
The wife and I both have platinum rings, and we bought them primarily because of this fact.
I looked at colorless diamonds (such as your G color) and near-colorless diamonds (like the H color I got for my fiancee). You could barely see the difference, and when I say barely, I mean that it took a closer look and side by side comparision to see the difference. Congrats on your g color ring, but I felt my money would be better spent on other C's without compromising quality.
Anubis
No Lifer
I went with quality over size, because a larger size with roughly the same quality gets expensive fast once you hit about 75 pts, in my experience (= bought one engagement ring, she said yes, no other experience).
Comparing 150's to 100's, you'll have a BIG quality gap if they're going to otherwise be priced the same. $X in the 100pt ballpark will get you, say Ideal/F/SI2, then in the 150pt ballpark you're looking at a Good/J-K/I1.
Who gives a crap? As long as the ring the stone is set in is of good quality, so that it doesn't lose the stone or look like crap after a month, get something that looks pretty. Wedding rings aren't an investment. Spend your money on a down payment for a house, not something as trivial as a ring. An expensive ring doesn't mean you love her any more than if you spend less on the ring. Expensive rings and weddings don't make a marriage a good one.
I don't understand why men worry so much about stuff like this. Invest that energy into your relationship instead.
I don't understand why men worry so much about stuff like this. Invest that energy into your relationship instead.
because most women do.
maybe we'd all be best off gay. then, instead of receptions, we could have LAN parties!
Originally posted by: Bryophyte
Who gives a crap? As long as the ring the stone is set in is of good quality, so that it doesn't lose the stone or look like crap after a month, get something that looks pretty. Wedding rings aren't an investment. Spend your money on a down payment for a house, not something as trivial as a ring. An expensive ring doesn't mean you love her any more than if you spend less on the ring. Expensive rings and weddings don't make a marriage a good one.
I don't understand why men worry so much about stuff like this. Invest that energy into your relationship instead.
It would be nice if that were the reality of it, but the truth is that the engagement/wedding business if one big game of "keeping up with the Jones"
nakedfrog
No Lifer
- Apr 3, 2001
- 63,074
- 19,391
- 136
Originally posted by: krunchykrome
Originally posted by: Bryophyte
Who gives a crap? As long as the ring the stone is set in is of good quality, so that it doesn't lose the stone or look like crap after a month, get something that looks pretty. Wedding rings aren't an investment. Spend your money on a down payment for a house, not something as trivial as a ring. An expensive ring doesn't mean you love her any more than if you spend less on the ring. Expensive rings and weddings don't make a marriage a good one.
I don't understand why men worry so much about stuff like this. Invest that energy into your relationship instead.
It would be nice if that were the reality of it, but the truth is that the engagement/wedding business if one big game of "keeping up with the Jones"
Unless you've found the right kind of woman
TraumaRN
Diamond Member
- Jun 5, 2005
- 6,893
- 63
- 91
Unfortunately, I didnt have good choices on color. It was the G color with the VS1 clarity or H color with SI 1 clarity. I realize the color between G and H is minimal but the difference between the VS1 and the SI 1 were even bigger(at least to me)
I completely agree with you; the differences between the VS clarity and the SI clarity are definetly visible.
Originally posted by: krunchykrome
Originally posted by: Bryophyte
Who gives a crap? As long as the ring the stone is set in is of good quality, so that it doesn't lose the stone or look like crap after a month, get something that looks pretty. Wedding rings aren't an investment. Spend your money on a down payment for a house, not something as trivial as a ring. An expensive ring doesn't mean you love her any more than if you spend less on the ring. Expensive rings and weddings don't make a marriage a good one.
I don't understand why men worry so much about stuff like this. Invest that energy into your relationship instead.
It would be nice if that were the reality of it, but the truth is that the engagement/wedding business if one big game of "keeping up with the Jones"
Perhaps the fact that many people see it as one big game is the reason for our abysmal divorce rate. People getting married should be grown up and responsible enough to see that the marriage is what matters, not the wedding or the shiny engagement ring.
Many women just don't give a crap about the game. I suspect that we are the ones who are still married after (in my case) 14 years. Or my parents, who've been married for 44 years, or my sister, who's been married for 17 years.
A lot of people will put all of this money and energy into the "perfect engagement ring" (all the right specs for the diamond, etc) and "perfect wedding" (20-30 thousand dollar, two hour long party), only to get divorced a year or two later. If they'd put all of that energy into making their relationship stronger and making sure they were suitable mates, and saved up most of that money for something that would benefit their lives for longer than two hours, they might not get divorced on a whim.
I think SI2 is the biggest value out there, though. Side by side you can tell, but she can't, and neither can anyone else when she's wearing it.
KentState
Diamond Member
- Oct 19, 2001
- 8,397
- 393
- 126
It makes me sick thinking about spending 4-5k on a ring. I don't know how you can blow 12-15k especially when it has zero value after you buy it. It's not like in 30 years, you will just sell it for profit or even get to keep it after a divorce.
mugs
Lifer
- Apr 29, 2003
- 48,920
- 46
- 91
Really, I think the answer to this question depend on where on the quality scale we're talking about. There is a point where increasing quality just isn't worth the increase in cost. I'd pick a VS over an SI, but I'm not sure that VVS is worth the price premium. I'd pick an F over an H, but probably not a D over an F. Cut is very important, so don't sacrifice too much on the cut.
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