What Engagement Ring to buy??

[zrehman]

Hey ya'll

 

So, I was just wondering, this is just a hypothetical topic, but I really need advice on it because I know nothing about it nor do my friends.

 

If you can't afford an engagement ring of say a DIAMOND status. But I know that my gf likes White Gold OR Platinum. What choices do I have, to find something affordable now with those styles and I can upgrade when we get married?

[avman]

You can always buy a ring with a nice setting and with a Zircon instead of a diamond. It will still look beautiful and you can upgrade the Zircon to a diamond later on.

 

Just make sure you tell your girlfriend that it is not a diamond. I don't advocate trying to fake it and pass it off as real. That's a good way to ruin an engagement!

[zrehman]

You can always buy a ring with a nice setting and with a Zircon instead of a diamond. It will still look beautiful and you can upgrade the Zircon to a diamond later on.

 

Just make sure you tell your girlfriend that it is not a diamond. I don't advocate trying to fake it and pass it off as real. That's a good way to ruin an engagement!

 

NO WAY - SHE HATES ZIRCON ... she would kill me.

 

Any other ideas?

[avman]

Ok, well then pick another stone that isn't really expensive. Like Moissanite or White Sapphire. Or choose a colored stone like Amethyst, Blue Topaz, etc.

 

I don't know what your budget is but what about Rubies or Emeralds? Those can be very stunning as a solitare ring.

 

Another option is to choose a smaller diamond ring. Diamonds that are 1/4 - 1/3 carat aren't too expensive and you don't need flawless ones in that size because you could never see the flaws anyway.

[avman]

A ruby

 

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A lavender spinel

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Here's a sapphire

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[RayKay]

Yeah, there are so many beautiful stones that I would actually PREFER to a diamond, as they are more unique to see in an engagement ring. Something different from everyone else, and more personal to me! For example my birthstone is a ruby, so that would be a great idea for me, or the stone that signifies our anniversary month for example.

 

Smaller diamonds that are less "perfect" are also a more affordable option.

 

Have you decided from your last post now you are going to get engaged????

[CarnelianButterfly]

If you can't afford real gem stones there are very good fake rubies available, the chemical composition and crystal structure is the same as the real thing, but an extra compound is added to make them fluoresce in certain light to prevent them from being sold at real ruby prices.

 

Garnets are another red stone that are less expensive as well, they aren't as hard as other gems, but set well. Some stones that are more rare, but don't get the hype of diamonds (which are pretty common) are more beautiful and better quality for the same price.

 

Diamond rings are only a recent trend (since about 1900) the push for diamond rings was actually started by diamond companies.

 

Most stones can give a great sparkle depending on the cut and its setting. Prong settings allow more light to hit the stone and refract in the facets so it will give more brilliance. A round, aka brilliant, cut stone has the most cut surfaces so it is the most refractive. Other cuts to consider; Asscher, Marquise, Emerald.

[annie24]

white topaz is very "in" now. that's another clear stone.

 

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I think raykay has a nice suggestion - how about her birthstone? And I agree, upgrading for an anniversary is really nice. You know, i am such a huge fan of jewlery, I would love to be dripping in it, but when you think that some rings can cost as much as a downpayment on a home, it just doesn't make sense if you are a young couple just starting out to go broke buying a piece of jewlery.

 

Another option is to give her a family heirloom, if you are close with a grandmother or your mother, maybe she will give you one of her rings.

 

And CB is 100% right on about the "tradition" of the diamond engagement ring. And with diamonds funding so much confict and violence, especially in africa, that doesn't sound very romantic to me at all! one technique that the war lords use to scare villiagers into mining diamonds is to cut off the hands of other villiagers, in advance, as a warning. After I learned about how diamonds are mined, they do not seem as romantic or lovely to me. There are many good synthetic diamonds out there too. man-made and not funded by blood money.

[CarnelianButterfly]

Diamond mining is still essentially enslaving people. The mining companies have millions of stones stored away and just let a few out each year to fix the price. The people that mine, cut, and do the real work in the business are the ones that see the least of the money.

[jengh]

You could get a beautiful white gold one with diamond chips around the band--those aren't horribly expensive and are super pretty...

 

What price range are you thinking?

[Alezia]

I have a friend who got a pearl from her fiance. Very nice too, but I heard they can chip (not sure if it's true or not) =)

[Aurian]

You could probably look into second-hand rings if you (she) really wants white gold/platinum and a diamond.

 

You'd probably have to pay to have it polished/cleaned up though...

 

on second thought, maybe this idea is a bit tacky when its not an heirloom...

[Alezia]

on second thought, maybe this idea is a bit tacky when its not an heirloom...

 

I'm not too sure how I'd feel about that... if it's a heirloom than that's fine and cute... but sometimes these things are just pawned off dead bodies Okay, maybe I have an over-active imagination!

[Aurian]

or they are sold off "divorce" rings... never mind then.

[Alezia]

or they are sold off "divorce" rings... never mind then.

 

Most likely My head usually thinks up of the worst case scenario!

[ghost69]

you should make one. if you make it yourself it shows your talent and how much you care for her. she will probably kill you if you do this though.

 

you can get some nice rings cheaper on ebay or at a pawn shop.

 

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