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tips on buying an engagement ring

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Tommy2000GT said:
Here is what I got for $10k:
Shape - round
Carat - 1.01
Cut - very good
Color - D
Clarity - VS1

If I had to do it again I would drop the color down to G, drop the cut down to good, and keep clarity the same to make up for the price for 2 carat plus $10k more.

I don't know what the OP's budget is, but less than $10k won't get you anything decent.
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I had to check my GIA certification; haven't looked at it in a while.
I bought her a Round Brilliant
Carat: 0.90
Color: F
Clarity: VS2
Cut: Excellent

Also have on my GIA cert:
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Very Good

I got all of that for ~$5k.

This was in 2007, so who knows what the price differences are now. I am absolutely happy with the parameters I chose: Color, Clarity, and Cut. Sure, the wife probably wouldn't mind having a larger stone that still looked as good, but the price goes way up past 1.0 carat. She wears it daily along with her wedding band; never felt insecure about it. I have seen women with larger diamonds, but some of them were so terrible I could see the black inclusions with the naked eye several feet away. Seems trashy to me.
 
Babbles said:
I had to check my GIA certification; haven't looked at it in a while.
I bought her a Round Brilliant
Carat: 0.90
Color: F
Clarity: VS2
Cut: Excellent

Also have on my GIA cert:
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Very Good

I got all of that for ~$5k.

This was in 2007, so who knows what the price differences are now. I am absolutely happy with the parameters I chose: Color, Clarity, and Cut. Sure, the wife probably wouldn't mind having a larger stone that still looked as good, but the price goes way up past 1.0 carat. She wears it daily along with her wedding band; never felt insecure about it. I have seen women with larger diamonds, but some of them were so terrible I could see the black inclusions with the naked eye several feet away. Seems trashy to me.
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Both those stones are right in the mid-range or so for what is being said. There is a huge jump at the 1 carat point.
 
Tommy2000GT said:
My wife still wears her engagement ring with her wedding ring. When I'm out and about with my wife and her friends, I feel bad when some of them have a bigger diamond than her.
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Does she have an issue with it? There's always someone out there with more money. If you want the ring to look bigger, get it set in a halo.

brianmanahan said:
my brother bought his wife a ring that costed 150$ and she bought him one that costed 30$
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My wedding band was cheap enough that when I lost mine on vacation, I got another without thought. ($30 tungsten off Amazon)

M0oG0oGaiPan said:
Save the receipt. My coworker had his house robbed and state farm is only covering 2.5k (i think. might be slightly more). they actually cut him a check but now they're asking for receipts for stuff even the wedding ring, which was purchased 6 years ago. He said he bought it for 10k.
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The receipt probably won't help in your coworker's case. He needs to talk to his agent to get a special provision for jewelry in general or just specific pieces. Appraisals will help with getting paid back when things are stolen/lost.
 
I bought a lab created diamond.

Emerald shape
0.48 carat
Very Good cut
E color
VVS2 clarity

I don't have the certificate in front of me but I think it was very good or maybe excellent on the polish and symmetry or whatever. Was under $1000 for the diamond 🙂
 
gorb said:
I bought a lab created diamond.

Emerald shape
0.48 carat
Very Good cut
E color
VVS2 clarity

I don't have the certificate in front of me but I think it was very good or maybe excellent on the polish and symmetry or whatever. Was under $1000 for the diamond 🙂
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For a real one it wouldn't be over $1000 either.
 
gorb said:
Perhaps. Either way, the lab created ones are chemically identical and cheaper 🙂
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You are from Texas.

I sort of get it, but if I was going to buy a lab gem; I'd have gone perfect across the board at less than a half carat and still spent less than $1000.
 
lol. I checked multiple sources. I didn't see any stones that were perfect across the board for cheap.
 
Seriously, am I missing something? Isn't the whole point of lab created to be cheaper and higher quality?

Being the baller that I am, my wife was a touch embarrassed at times when her classmates got rings and hers was noticeably better.
 
It's clear most here don't really put a value on the symbolism for a relationship and I am willing to bet will move on from that relationship easily.

The ring is about a sacrifice you make. Sure companies profit from it.

However; why shouldn't you?

If you are not in the long game, don't buy a fucking ring. Don't make false promises.

Take her out and fuck her, rinse and repeat. You both will probably be happier.
 
Something about lab created removes the whole point of the ring to me. Granted, I see very little point in even a real ring but a lab created diamond might as well be cubic zirconia imo.
 
Tommy2000GT said:
Here is what I got for $10k:
Shape - round
Carat - 1.01
Cut - very good
Color - D
Clarity - VS1

If I had to do it again I would drop the color down to G, drop the cut down to good, and keep clarity the same to make up for the price for 2 carat plus $10k more.

I don't know what the OP's budget is, but less than $10k won't get you anything decent.
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To the OP: ignore the above. I bought the following for $5050 within the last month. It's half the price and I would argue is a better stone.

Shape - round
Carat - 0.96
Cut - excellent
Color - I
Clarity - VS2

Here's the link if you want to see it: www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.96-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-327680

With the better cut, you won't be able to tell the difference in carat. The clarity is lower, but it's eye clean, so unless looking at it with magnification you can't see any inclusions. Without comparing it side-by-side to another stone with better color you won't be able to tell that it isn't a higher color grade. I recommend starting with a budget, finding GIA cert excellent cut diamonds, and play with the remaining C's until you find what you like.
 
NutBucket said:
Seriously, am I missing something? Isn't the whole point of lab created to be cheaper and higher quality?

Being the baller that I am, my wife was a touch embarrassed at times when her classmates got rings and hers was noticeably better.
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I think the other guy got had. Usually lab created stuff (like counterfeit money) isn't at that smaller end.

He never said an exact price and < $1000 could mean anything from a penny to $999.99.

With simulants, you know and no one else does by looking at them.

However; if you come out of your social status wearing gems that only the 1% can buy, everyone will know.

If you are going to go fake, go in your realistic price range.

And don't live in Palm Beach. If your chick is hot enough some asshat is going to put a diamond tester on her ring when you finally have to go take a leak... (yes, this happened to me when I was proposing at the Sundy House in Delray a decade or more ago. He told her "it's a fake honey, this is a real diamond!" However, her's tested real and he wouldn't test his despite the audience he caused. He was removed and later found not in such great shape).

I know those that have a ton of money that wear fakes. However; they have more real stuff they just keep locked up.

If anyone wants to ever hack off your finger over a ring, just give it to them.
 
Insomniator said:
Something about lab created removes the whole point of the ring to me. Granted, I see very little point in even a real ring but a lab created diamond might as well be cubic zirconia imo.
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They're literally the exactly the same thing. Why does it make a difference if the rock was created in the ground versus a lab?

I guess if the point of the ring is that you want to brag about how much you spent to buy your spouses love, thats your prerogative.
 
cheezmunky said:
To the OP: ignore the above. I bought the following for $5050 within the last month. It's half the price and I would argue is a better stone.

Shape - round
Carat - 0.96
Cut - excellent
Color - I
Clarity - VS2

Here's the link if you want to see it: www.jamesallen.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut/0.96-carat-i-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-327680

With the better cut, you won't be able to tell the difference in carat. The clarity is lower, but it's eye clean, so unless looking at it with magnification you can't see any inclusions. Without comparing it side-by-side to another stone with better color you won't be able to tell that it isn't a higher color grade. I recommend starting with a budget, finding GIA cert excellent cut diamonds, and play with the remaining C's until you find what you like.
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Some can see I color even at that size set in yellow gold.

Some prefer warmer stones though than the colorless ones.

When speaking clarity SI1 should be eye clean usually.

You can get great deals if going to I or SI2 or just good cut/clarity.
 
NikolaeVarius said:
They're literally the exactly the same thing. Why does it make a difference if the rock was created in the ground versus a lab?

I guess if the point of the ring is that you want to brag about how much you spent to buy your spouses love, thats your prerogative.
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You are missing the point.

The wrong game would be to day, perhaps you like fake tits.

Think about Vaginal rejuvenation.

Think that as great as you think any woman is, 9 times out of 10 for around $1000 you could have a mind-altering pillow chase.

Think about the fake Rolex (etc).

The real diamond game is about those that don't have to worry about affording it.

If you and your's think a simple twisted up paperclip around your fingers is your creed...follow it.

Do your research and pick the best diamond you can afford. If that doesn't mean sacrifice, skip it all and do something else. You can't enter an arena that is a fight to the death and pull out a cap gun without any combat skills and tell them "Guys, you suck!"

People like to shit on me here...listen to my words though. Almost any of these motherfuckers ever needed something I can offer (and some of them have and I keep that secret even if they crap on me again), I will help them out.

I perhaps started my internet journey too young at 10 back in 1981. I learned people you talk to are real and there wasn't all this BS trolling, trying to mess up a business, fucking with food as a waiter, returning items because you bought them to do that.
 
Until the lady finds out.

Yes, there are exceptions but generally speaking you're screwed if you pass off "fake" as being "real".
 
Lab created stones aren't fake. That's like saying lab created water is fake. That's like saying salt created in the lab is fake salt. They're literally the exact same thing. Fake rolexes have inferior parts, don't last as long etc etc.
Lab created diamonds are the same as diamonds from the ground.

The ONLY value that diamonds have is that society says it does. The amount that a diamond cost should not be a factor in the strength of your relationship.
 
gorb said:
I didn't say I had a perfect stone. You said you could find one for under $1k. I checked out your link. None to be found.

And yes, lab created stones are just fine.
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You can't find your stone on pricescope for a reason...the ones that come close are all in the 1000-1500 mark.

How much did you pay for that one?
 
NikolaeVarius said:
Lab created stones aren't fake. That's like saying lab created water is fake. That's like saying salt created in the lab is fake salt. They're literally the exact same thing. Fake rolexes have inferior parts, don't last as long etc etc.
Lab created diamonds are the same as diamonds from the ground.

The ONLY value that diamonds have is that society says it does. The amount that a diamond cost should not be a factor in the strength of your relationship.
Click to expand...

Truth.
 
alkemyst said:
You can't find your stone on pricescope for a reason...the ones that come close are all in the 1000-1500 mark.

How much did you pay for that one?
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$790.

Good luck finding a comparable emerald cut stone on price scope for anything close to that.
 
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