Engagement ring...what is enough?

[Zombie]

I am looking in to engagement rings and GF is actively involved in it. We are not doing the pop the question route. It will be an organized event. So any who how much money is normally spent on the ring? We saw one that is 1k main diamond then 2 .83K diamonds next to that diamond and then smaller diamonds .11K around the ring. Total would be around 2K's and a platinum ring of about $1400. We were quoted the price of around $5800. The main diamond was near colorless and had 1 small abnormality.

Does this sound like a good price? Granted we just looked at 1 place but just wondering. Also do you think I might be able to take pictures of the ring while at the shop for comparison purposes later ?

thanks.

 

[toekramp]

i'm looking as well, and i've taken photos where i've gone, they had no problems with this.

as far as price goes, i have no clue without C/C/C

 

[vi edit]

Don't get me started.

Spend $1500 and save the rest for a nice honeymoon or a house downpayment. $1500 will get you a modest .4-.5 carat of decent color & clarity and a platinum ring to set it in.

 

[rh71]

I would guess your avg. American spends anywhere from $500 - $10000 on an engagement ring. I personally was middle of that pack for a 1.06 carat ring. It's more what you would LIKE to spend.

Do a LOT of comparison shopping. That's the only way you'll know if you're getting a good price... unless you can tell us the color rating, clarity scale, etc.

And stay away from the big chain places like DeBeers and Tiffany's...

Don't forget to leave some savings for the wedding.

 

[toekramp]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Don't get me started.

Spend $1500 and save the rest for a nice honeymoon or a house downpayment. $1500 will get you a modest .4-.5 carat of decent color & clarity and a platinum ring to set it in.

blah...spend however much you want...it's an investment that can always be returned for at least the amount purchased

 

[Viper GTS]

Unless you're old and established there are far better ways to spend your money.

CZ in a titanium ring.



Viper GTS

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: toekramp

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Don't get me started.

Spend $1500 and save the rest for a nice honeymoon or a house downpayment. $1500 will get you a modest .4-.5 carat of decent color & clarity and a platinum ring to set it in.

blah...spend however much you want...it's an investment that can always be returned for at least the amount purchased

Sure, if it weren't for the sentimental attachment.

Why tie that much money up in something you will inevitably be attached to?

Viper GTS

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Unless you're old and established there are far better ways to spend your money.

CZ in a titanium ring.



Viper GTS

har har har....

<----- has a titanium wedding band

Uber light, virtually indestructable, and cheap as hell.

 

[toekramp]

Zombie, most of this advice is coming from people that invest a grand into their machines every year...which then become obsolete and has no real world value. Make the girl happy and get her something nice.

 

[rh71]

Originally posted by: toekramp
Make the girl happy and get her something nice.

...which is the whole point. You'd like it too if she could afford to buy you a $30k car and actually did.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: toekramp
Zombie, most of this advice is coming from people that invest a grand into their machines every year...which then become obsolete and has no real world value. Make the girl happy and get her something nice.

Bzzzzzt. WRONG.

I haven't touched the inside of my machine in close to two years.

But what my wife and I did do, is instead of dumping 5 grand on a ring, we dumped 5 grand on a down payment for a house 2.5 years ago that has since accumulated about $15,000 in equity.

 

[Zombie]

yeh, about the diamond.
The color rating was I(near colorless)
clarity rating was (VI1)

We saw cololess in rating I and G. Some how I looked better even though it was as colorless as G. I had better cut and finish too.

I have about 40K in savings and 2 months to go before I have to shell out the money.


-----------------
I don't think we will have to wait that long to get downpayment on a house. I have some money put away just for that and although she is broke now she will be up and running in 4-5 months.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: Zombie
I am looking in to engagement rings and GF is actively involved in it. We are not doing the pop the question route. It will be an organized event. So any who how much money is normally spent on the ring? We saw one that is 1k main diamond then 2 .83K diamonds next to that diamond and then smaller diamonds .11K around the ring. Total would be around 2K's and a platinum ring of about $1400. We were quoted the price of around $5800. The main diamond was near colorless and had 1 small abnormality.

Does this sound like a good price? Granted we just looked at 1 place but just wondering. Also do you think I might be able to take pictures of the ring while at the shop for comparison purposes later ?

thanks.

Spend what you feel comfortable with. I spent $5000, but as soon as I met my current gf, I knew she was "The One," so I immediately earmarked $500/month to be my "ring fund" and I paid for the ring out of that fund plus a little bit of my leftover cash.

As for the ring you mentioned, weight-wise it sounds like a good price (My ring was .81CT center and 2x .20 + 2x .12, total weight 1.45CT, and 14K white gold setting and $1000 less than yours), but it's impossible for anyone to even guess without knowing the other specs of the diamonds, which influence the price immensely.

Read, read, read. There are even some good threads here.

And shop around, avoid the chains, find a jeweler you can trust, and preferable someone whom you are connected to and can drop a name.

 

[Danman]

I also had this question too, I want to pop the question to my gf but is spending 1500 enough on a engagement ring? I don't wanna cheap out or anything, I guess I'll wait.

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Unless you're old and established there are far better ways to spend your money.

CZ in a titanium ring.



Viper GTS

har har har....

<----- has a titanium wedding band

Uber light, virtually indestructable, and cheap as hell.

I'm all for titanium jewelry, I love the stuff. Look, feel, etc. is all great.

The price is just an added bonus (and a very nice one).

Viper GTS

 

[Zombie]

So places like zales, longs are useless right?

The place we went to is called Barmakian Jewelers.

 

[royaldank]

Originally posted by: cashman
I also had this question too, I want to pop the question to my gf but is spending 1500 enough on a engagement ring? I don't wanna cheap out or anything, I guess I'll wait.

I spent about $1700 on the ring I bought. It looked nice. Main diamond with two smaller ones on the band. She loved it. Neither of us are high rollers or name brand folks. If you give her a ring and ask her, she's not going to care what the ring looks like. If she does, you probably shouldn't marry her. It's more about you asking her to marry you. The ring is secondary. As long as it looks nice, don't sweat the price.

 

[alkemyst]

Keep in mind with titanium you can't really repolish it to well....I am not sure on the finish over time, most titanium stuff I own has sort of 'tarnished' for lack of a better term....stainless, silver, gold, etc can easily be polished.

With diamonds I know quite a bit, the first thing is going to be figuring out what shape you want...each has it's pluses and minuses.

For $1000-2000 you can buy some nice diamonds in the 3/8 to 3/4 carat range.

diamondtalk.com is a great site.

The thing is the 4'C's are really worthless if you don't have the other aspects of the stone....it's like a nicely spec'ed gaming box full of third rate hardware with flaky drivers.

I am looking for a 5/8 round....I wanted a 3/4, she wanted only a 1/2...she thinks the larger diamonds makes her hands look old....she'd like a nice watch with the difference...

For color it's going to depend on a yellow or white gold/platinum setting...if you are going to set the diamond in yellow, going to D/E/F in color is sort of a waste if 'looks' are what you want (and should be in my opinion since a diamond is a terrible investment really).

Then clarity, anything better than SI2 in smaller stones makes it hard to find flaws (they should not be visible without a 10x loupe when viewed from the top) and I'd recommend SI1/VS2 or better.

There are other important specs, crown height/angle, pavillion, gridle, culet, symmetry, polish, etc.....

With rounds you can get what is called a 'hearts and arrows' cut which refers to the way light is measured in the stone....these = ideal cuts, but you can still have 'problems'.

Department stores and Mall jewelers will have stones roughly 50-100% more in cost than a private jeweler....do not pay attention to 'Appraised Values'. My last diamond 'appraised' at $5k-7k in a jewelry shop but I bought if for $2k a few years ago. (the lower figure being a Mayors type store and the higher being Tiffany and Co.)

 

[dirtboy]

Originally posted by: toekramp
Make the girl happy and get her something nice.

Pfft. Women are never happy. They are only happy for short intervals before they realize they don't have the biggest diamond, biggest house, fanciest car or whatever it is that their friends, family or coworkers might have that is better.

 

[optoman]

How much is enough?

Do you know the 3 rings of life?

Engagement Ring,

Wedding Ring &

the Suffuring

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: dirtboy
Pfft. Women are never happy.

a little bitter, are we?

 

[AbsolutDealage]

GoodOldGold

Read it. Read it again. Read it one more time for good measure.

Really, that is one of the best diamond info places on the web. Read the guide, and pay special attention to the section devoted to "cut". Thanks in large part to that site, I got a ring for my fiance' that is head and shoulders above what I would have gotten otherwise.

Also, I would look into getting a loupe as well as an Ideal Scope. I have both, and I think I got a better stone because I did.

Read around, do your research, visit several shops... and good luck!

 

[oboeguy]

I am amazed at the way people on this forum drool over fancy cars, but then buck at the idea of spending a few grand on an engagement ring. Seriously, spend a few thousand less for a car and get a nice ring.

If you want a good quality main stone around 1c, expect to pay around $5K. Do your research, dude ("the 4 C's").

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: dirtboy
Pfft. Women are never happy.

a little bitter, are we?

Nope, just honest.

/ducks flying frying pan

Yes dear, I'm coming ... no, I'm not on that silly "And And Tech" site again ... I'll have dinner ready in an hour ...



Firstly, the cost of the ring itself shouldn't matter. This is one case where I'll truly buy into the "It's the thought that counts" bit. Whether it's some huge rock in a 22kt band or a CZ on titanium ( go Viper! ) - you're still asking her to marry you either way. I'd hope that by the time you're ready to seriously think about settling down with this girl that you two already have a good grasp of what the other considers "acceptable finances." While dropping $5000 on a ring might seem like a Sweet/Kind/Adorable thing to do in your mind, she might be thinking "I hope he can save enough to get a nice car, I'm sick of choking in this heap/riding the bus/etc..." or whatever else.

- M4H

 

[Papagayo]

Women want a ring with at least 1 karat in size with just 1 stone..
Get her the traditional solitair ring with 1 karat.

It will cost you around $4000-$7000..

Women like to compare rings with other women.