The official LIW e-ring suggestions thread

[madelise]

Lookit this! I wonder how it would look with princesses, but I'm only tossing this out as an option since it's affordable so you can spend the bulk of your budget on the stones.. and also bc your interest in the LM from JbEG = you're looking into cushions, too.

What about something like this? A sapphire with diamond sidestones?

 

[madelise]

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/9492/ + the amazing solitaire..
$2.9k + $300.. just barely over your first budget. As an alternative to the fancier cushion solitaire by LM?

Center .625 ACA Princess for $1600
http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-2835506.htm

There aren't any listings of smaller side stones with photos, but there is this one virtual selection you can inquire about?
Two of these 0.35 flanking the center stone, for $500/each? http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-2843167.htm You can ask them to give you more info on it, and find you a matching pair?

???

 

[MBKRH]

When I clicked that link, I immediately looked at the sapphire! It's gorgeous, and I do like the "claw." I'm a September baby, so a sapphire would do double duty.

ETA:

I really, REALLY like the WhiteFlash diamond. Wow! How gorgeous.

 

[audball]

When I clicked that link, I immediately looked at the sapphire! It's gorgeous, and I do like the "claw." I'm a September baby, so a sapphire would do double duty.

ETA:

I really, REALLY like the WhiteFlash diamond. Wow! How gorgeous.

Both are beautiful options!

 

[pandabee]

I really like the sapphire 3 stone!!

 

[MBKRH]

Okay- I have found what I want:

Thanks to Madelise, the stone: http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-2835506.htm
And I want this setting: http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/diamond-settings/infinity-diamond-engagement-ring-56.htm

Yup. That right there..... I'm in love.

 

[madelise]

Okay- I have found what I want:

Thanks to Madelise, the stone: http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-2835506.htm
And I want this setting: http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/diamond-settings/infinity-diamond-engagement-ring-56.htm

Yup. That right there..... I'm in love.

LOL! What a far way we've traveled in just one page and a half of thread. You started out with wanting a 3-stone!

 

[LoveLikeCrazy]

Okay- I have found what I want:

Thanks to Madelise, the stone: http://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/princess-cut-loose-diamond-2835506.htm
And I want this setting: http://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/diamond-settings/infinity-diamond-engagement-ring-56.htm

Yup. That right there..... I'm in love.

I think that's going to be a beauty!!!! Is the bf ready to buy now or are you researching? Looks like the gals really helped you navigate through a lot of options!

 

[madelise]

K + Strong Blue Fluo? You can get a .75ct K VVS2.. http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/K-VVS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1532207.asp for $1359.

or a .71 J VS2 + StrongBlue.. for $1438.. http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1532186.asp

Similar twisted shank solitaire for $950 http://www.jamesallen.com/engagemen...ve-shank-contemporary-solitaire-11192w14.html
or with halo, $1200 http://www.jamesallen.com/engagemen...alo-and-twisted-shank-solitaire-11195w14.html

 

[MBKRH]

@ madelise. I know, right? I still like the look of a three-stone, but..... these two paired together have me drooling. Thank you for the additional links. I'll let him look at those as well. At this point, I've found what I want, and he can pair everything together. I trust his judgment, but regardless of whatever he comes up with, I know I'll love it.

@ LLC. Sadly, he's not ready to buy now. He has to pay my car off first. So when it comes time, he'll have to find something "like it", he said. (I emailed him the two links, my ring size, and a few other stats).

 

[LoveLikeCrazy]

Ahh that's right! I remember now. I'm "waiting" too. Waiting sucks! I wish there were money trees!

 

[MBKRH]

I know, I know. It'd be nice to be debt free, too.

 

[audball]

Lovely choice! I was going to say, too, that it was a far cry from what you started searching for! And it seems that choice is a lot more budget friendly, too! Woot!

 

[madelise]

I wish there were money trees!

Ah, I think I've said that line so many times in the last year! With all the advanced technology that has come out in the last few years, ya think our genius scientists would have invented a CASH TREE?! Ugh, don't they know we need to buy bling?!?!

 

[pandabee]

speaking of cash trees...MBKRH I hope your SO is able to find one soon, because this ring is absolutely gorgeous!! http://www.ebay.com/itm/130807425390?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619

 

[pandabee]

Or this one is even less than the previous...the prongs make the center look square, and the center is 0.95 which is pretty darn close to 1!!!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMAZING-MINT-TRUE-ANTIQUE-DECO-1920S-1-05CT-DIAMOND-PLATINUM-ENGAGEMENT-RING-/170949167228

 

[LoveLikeCrazy]

speaking of cash trees...MBKRH I hope your SO is able to find one soon, because this ring is absolutely gorgeous!! http://www.ebay.com/itm/130807425390?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619

and such a good price! GORGEOUS!

 

[pandabee]

oops, I forgot...thanks to sweetpea&babycorn for those finds!!

 

[madelise]

….MONEY TREE NAO!

 

[MBKRH]

speaking of cash trees...MBKRH I hope your SO is able to find one soon, because this ring is absolutely gorgeous!! http://www.ebay.com/itm/130807425390?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619

Oh man...................

 

[LoveLikeCrazy]

….MONEY TREE NAO!

moved my post to timelines thread...didn't wanna threadjack!

 

[audball]

speaking of cash trees...MBKRH I hope your SO is able to find one soon, because this ring is absolutely gorgeous!! http://www.ebay.com/itm/130807425390?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619

Oh man...................

Amazeballs. That is all.

 

[sweetpea&babycorn]

speaking of cash trees...MBKRH I hope your SO is able to find one soon, because this ring is absolutely gorgeous!! http://www.ebay.com/itm/130807425390?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619

oops, I forgot...thanks to sweetpea&babycorn for those finds!!

I usually don't oogle over rings on ebay, but this one I had a hard time leaving alone! I put it on my watch list, for no good reason other than having quick access whenever I wanted to see it again. It's absolutely beautiful, under 4K, 14 day return policy, AND GIA certified!

 

[audball]

I put it on my watch list, for no good reason other than having quick access whenever I wanted to see it again.

For good reason!

 

[MBKRH]

I'm so frustrated. I emailed him the links to the ring I really like, and he was like, "Does it have to be from that site?" I'm like.... "Uh, I'd prefer it to be."

Where else does he expect to get it? I'm assuming he'll try to find something LIKE it, which I'm not happy about.

I understand, the car needs to be paid off first. I get it. But, I've compromised the best I could. I picked a smaller stone so I could go easy on his budget (of course I'd like bigger than I picked), and I'm very much attached to the setting. I KNOW that it'll be a year, if not more before I get engaged.

IMO, picking out a diamond AND setting for under $3300 is more than being fair on my part. That's 1/2 of his budget. He then (jokingly) said "Whatever happened to getting a $400 ring at K-Mart?" At that point, I'm sure he saw the daggers in my eyes, because he said "I'm just kidding, babe. You'll get your ring, just not a $10K ring." I said "The ring I want is a third of that! And now you're trying to figure out where you can go to get it cheaper?"

I'm so f*'ing p*ssed off. Seriously. So- no more ring talk. He knows what I want, he knows what it'll cost. End of discussion on that. The next time we talk rings, HE can bring it up.

ARRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

I must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed today...........

 

[pandabee]

I'm sorry the conversation didn't go well...I'm sure he could see how upset you were and being that it is half of his budget, hopefully he can come around to the idea and put some money toward it aside from paying off his car. Who knows, maybe he has already started budgeting money toward your ring! Don't despair love, even if an engagement isn't happening for another year (like how I suspect it'll be for me), doesn't mean you can't look forward to how exciting it'll be when it happens.

 

[MBKRH]

Thanks panda, but I don't think he has. He still has a little over $3800 left on the car, and that leaves about 51 weeks left to pay it off. Business has been slow for him, and we are dangerously behind on a few bills. There's absolutely no extra money anywhere.

I know I probably sounded like the biggest brat. But we're talking about something that I'll wear for the rest of my life. I want it to be something I truly love. I guess I shouldn't expect a guy to understand that.

 

[audball]

Thanks panda, but I don't think he has. He still has a little over $3800 left on the car, and that leaves about 51 weeks left to pay it off. Business has been slow for him, and we are dangerously behind on a few bills. There's absolutely no extra money anywhere.

I know I probably sounded like the biggest brat. But we're talking about something that I'll wear for the rest of my life. I want it to be something I truly love. I guess I shouldn't expect a guy to understand that.

Of all people certainly we understand that. I don't think you're a brat. I think you asked respectfully about what he intended to spend and came in under by HALF what he anticipated with something you love. It sounds like he's being the unreasonable one. The only thing I can think is that he gave you a number more than he was actually comfortable with.

OR, like a lot of guys that end up on this site asking for advice, he may just flat out be uncomfortable with online purchasing? Whiteflash is online only (unless you go to Texas). It takes some guys a little time to come around to the idea of buying online. Usually throwing out that they save on state sales tax (a couple hundred bucks for most people) and that the overall prices are lower to boot since there is less overhead eventually brings them into the camp of online buyers.

You don't want to be pushy at this point. You know he can't buy anything in the next year anyway. I'd try and drop it for now and revisit the vendor and selection (and even budget) when he's closer to a position where a purchase isn't unheard of.

For what it's worth, you can definitely get something LOVELY for under 3k. My ring came in at 2,698 or something when all was said and done. We didn't actually pay that much, either. I used old gold from jewelry I'd been given by my ex that I never intended to wear again and got an $825 credit towards the setting at the jeweler. We only paid just over 1,800 out of pocket (and 1,200 was for our .788ct stone!). It can be done. There is lots of leg work involved in terms of steps and insurance and shipping, but in the end, it was worth it for us. I wanted to be involved in the purchase anyway and Andrew wanted me to choose with him. Our final appraisal for our piece is just over 6k. The diamond we scored was valued at nearly 4 times what we paid and we got a discount on the designer setting (yay for being a PSer!) plus the gold credit, we just didn't pay a fraction of what our ring is worth.

Hang in there, when the time comes we will find you the perfect ring!

 

[MBKRH]

Thank you, aud.

He actually brought it up last night, how he was re-looking at the links I e-mailed him. He said "You know that the setting is only for round stones." I was like, “I was 100% positive it said round OR princess cut.” So I went and looked again just to be sure, and I was right. Apparently on the mobile app, it only said for round cuts.
Strange…

(I did feel slightly giddy that he was looking on his own, without coercion from me).

It all boils down to money. He said if he had the money, he'd buy the ring tomorrow.

I'm not quite sure how he feels about purchasing online. I myself have a hard time with it. I need to physically try things on, and see with my own eyes how I like something, and not through a computer screen. Maybe he feels the same way. I dunno.

 

[pandabee]

He was looking!! I think that means he *was* listening. At least a little bit. Have you tried shapes other than princess at a local store yet?