Thinking about future upgrade--am I just crazy?

[XChick03]

I know, I''ve made like a dozen threads in the past week, but with my best friend and mom being out of town, I have no one else to turn to. Plus, I think only fellow PSers would understand.

Okay, right now I have a gorgeous AGS000 .85 ct (or .83 I can''t remember exactly) I/SI 1 (maybe 2). Wow, I can''t even remeber my diamond specs, how awful is that? Anyway, I absolutely adore my diamond, but I''ve always wanted a 1.5-1.75 ct. Its just my dream size, but he couldn''t afford that at the time and that was fine and he''s also completely fine with me upgrading when we can afford it. I hadn''t really given it any thought until I thought about my wedding band.

I have this setting and I was planning on getting the matching w-ring. Then, I happened to look at my setting again and realized it can only fit up to a 1.2 ct. I took it to my jeweler to ask his opinion if it''d be possible to fit a 1.5 ct and he said it couldn''t, at least not without a lot of work and possibly damaging the setting.

So, now I have a dillemma. When I eventually upgrade, I wanted to keep my same setting and w-ring and just trade up to a bigger diamond. I really, really want to keep the same wedding band forever, it just has a lot of sentimentality to me. Aside from the setting I currently have, my dream ring is a 1.5 ct. H&A in a semi eternity shared prong setting with a matching wedding ring. So, here''s my problem: do I buy a w-ring to match what I will get someday or spend the $500 on the wedding ring to match this setting that I will probably have only a few years and replace everything when I upgrade?

I told my FI my concerns and he told me to get whatever ring I want. The only problem is, if I get a custom semi-eternity from WF like I really want, it will cost more than twice the other ring which will make me feel super guilty, especially since my FI is about to change jobs (with a paycut) and with all the other wedding expenses.

What should I do???

 

[Mara]

it''s a tough call...i wanted to not ever upgrade my wedding ring or change it out and so i think i got something that can work with my setting now but also if i ever got something like a flat edged solitaire it would work then too. sometimes i think boy it''d be nice to have an eternity shared prong or something more blingy, but this is my ring and i chose it, for better or for worse (ask me in another 10-20 years?!).

i actually had kind of a similar worry originally when we were going to get my w-ring, we had alot of expenses coming up with our wedding and stuff and i wasn''t sure if we should spend the $$ to get the matching w-ring etc but i just went ahead and did it because it was for the long-term.

so i would say that if you guys can find the $$ to get the long-term ring you will have to never trade in then do it. something that can work with your setting now or later. if you think you will be okay with upgrading the w-ring later then go the more cost-effective route with your band and get something simple.

in the end you know what is right to do for your situation so go with your gut!!

 

[gailrmv]

That is a tough call. Mara has some excellent points. But me personally, I would get the band to match what you have now. Otherwise you will have a mismatched set for years!! Unless you would wear them on different hands. To save $ you could get a plain WG band. But for me, I''d just get the matching band. Then you can sell the entire set (maybe even incl the diamond, since BN doesn''t have trade up) when you upgrade (or hang onto the w-band for a RHR), and you will not be ITCHING to upgrade because your set doesn''t match. Plus, in a few years, you might change your "dream setting"! And last idea, if you get the matching set and decide to upgrade but don''t want to have wasted the $500 on the w-band, you can always get a solitaire setting for the upgraded diamond and I''m sure it would look nice with this w-band.
Sorry if this makes no sense, it is late and I am fried!

 

[Dancing Fire]

can your jeweler change to a bigger head on the setting you have now?

 

[XChick03]

Date: 4/13/2006 12:52:02 AM
Author: gailrmv
That is a tough call. Mara has some excellent points. But me personally, I would get the band to match what you have now. Otherwise you will have a mismatched set for years!! Unless you would wear them on different hands. To save $ you could get a plain WG band. But for me, I''d just get the matching band. Then you can sell the entire set (maybe even incl the diamond, since BN doesn''t have trade up) when you upgrade (or hang onto the w-band for a RHR), and you will not be ITCHING to upgrade because your set doesn''t match. Plus, in a few years, you might change your ''dream setting''! And last idea, if you get the matching set and decide to upgrade but don''t want to have wasted the $500 on the w-band, you can always get a solitaire setting for the upgraded diamond and I''m sure it would look nice with this w-band.

Sorry if this makes no sense, it is late and I am fried!

Yeah, I was actually kind of concerned about having a mismatched set until we upgraded. So, my FI figures we can take the upgrade one step at a time. Like get the eternity (or semi-eternity) wedding ring now, change to the eternity setting after the wedding, and eventually get a bigger diamond. I really need to go to my jeweler''s and try on an eternity band with this one to see if it will bad. WF has a stock wedding band like I want, but its $1175 for the 18k.

Maybe if I cut back on other wedding expenses (or just my expenses) and save some extra money I wouldn''t feel so bad.

I actually thought about your idea of just getting a solitaire setting for my ering upgrade, but I don''t know that I''d be happy with a plain setting. I thought about just getting a plain WG band, too but I don''t think I''d be happy with that forever either.

I blame you, Mara, your ring is the first WF eternity style I saw and I fell in love immediately. PS is really bad for my finances.

 

[XChick03]

Date: 4/13/2006 12:54:02 AM
Author: Dancing Fire
can your jeweler change to a bigger head on the setting you have now?

No, I asked him that. Because my ring is a cathedral setting with diamonds in the band, it really cant be altered too much. He said they''d have to pull they side pieces out to fit a bigger head and that was nearly impossible because of the diamonds and the little bar that goes underneath the head would have to be longer. Sorry, if that doesn''t make any sense.

 

[XChick03]

Okay well, I had a nice, long talk with Peter today and we came to an agreement. Our wedding is still 14 months away and we plan on putting away at least $500 a month until then to cover some of the wedding costs (our parents are helping also.) He said, if I can refrain from spending a ton of money over the next year and not go crazy clothes or shoe shopping and don''t go overboard with the wedding stuff, he has no problems spending the extra money on my wedding ring. YAY!

Now, I just need some opinions. Should I go full or semi eternity? I''m worried about going full because of how horrible I am with my hands and they just look uncomfortable. Shared prong or four prong? And 2 or 3 pointers? 14k or 18k white gold? So many choices.

Mara, yours is a four prong, right? What size melee do you have?

 

[Mara]

xchick mine is 2 pointers with 4 prong, i think 26 diamonds for a tcw of .52...its a perfect size and i wish my e-ring was done the same way actually. my e-ring has 3 pointers.

mine is definitely durable that is for sure, i am always banging my rings around. because i am kind of a clumsy gal i really wanted to not worry about my rings so im glad i went 4 prong. it''s a little more metal but in most lighting situations you don''t even see that, it''s almost like a 4 prong line bracelet, just a consistent ring of sparkle.

 

[XChick03]

Thanks. I want something thin, around 2.5 mm and I''m thinking I might go with 14k since its stronger than 18k. Would a four-prong be less expensive than shared prong? I''m guessing it would because with four prong, it''d be more metal, less diamonds, right? I want to get a ballpark quote from WF, but I don''t want them to have to give me 30 quotes on something I won''t be getting for a while. But I want an idea of how much it will cost so I''ll know about how much I need save.

 

[Mara]

my ring was made 2 years ago so it''s not really accurate re: pricing...

i''d ask WF for a quote on 2 pointers with 4 prong like mine and also a quote with something like 2 or 3 pointers in shared prong. have them give you pricing for WG and platinum. i don''t think that''s asking too much!! at least then you will have accurate pricing that is current.

my w-ring is 2.3mm.

 

[XChick03]

Thanks Mara! You''ve been really helpful!

 

[colormyworld]

Hi again Xchick03 there is a jewler at the corner of east bay and calhoun that does very good work. I have had quite a few pieces made there.

 

[Mimikins24]

Hi XChick03!!!

I am of no help with your question, but I was wondering if your current setting is a full eternity band or not? I really like the setting, but I'm undecided as to whether I want a semi or full eternity. Do you find it comfortable?

 

[XChick03]

Date: 4/13/2006 8:19:00 PM
Author: Mimikins24
Hi XChick03!!!

I am of no help with your question, but I was wondering if your current setting is a full eternity band or not? I really like the setting, but I''m undecided as to whether I want a semi or full eternity. Do you find it comfortable?

It''s a semi with nine diamonds on each side, I think (but could be mistaken) they''re .02. Its says approx. .20 carats, so nine 2 pointers would be .18, I''m guessing that''s their "approximate." It took me a while to get used to having it on my finger, but now I barely know its there. I really love it.

Hey color, I think my friend got a ring made there. If its the people I''m thinking of, I''ve heard very good things about them. I''ll have to make a trip there next week. Thanks!

 

[Mimikins24]

Thanks XChick03 --- now I am back to setting shopping!!!

 

[XChick03]

Oh, I should warn you, there is a loophole. Blue Nile won''t sell settings seperately. So, if you got your diamond seperately, like I did, you''re going to have to find a way around the system. Luckily, one of my friends was shopping for a new diamond the same time as me. She found a gorgeous 1.10 ct H&A at a great price from BN, so we teamed up and had her diamond set in my band, then had our jeweler switch them out. It was a big headache, but I love my setting so much!

On the positive side, my FI said we can get me a new eternity (or semi) at least by our first anniversary, then trade my diamond for a bigger one. But I''ll get to keep the setting I have now, so I''ll probably just get a nice sapphire or something and wear it as a RHR. So, I''ll basically be getting two new rings at once. Yay!

 

[moon river]

Date: 4/13/2006 10:44:49 PM
Author: XChick03
Oh, I should warn you, there is a loophole. Blue Nile won''t sell settings seperately. So, if you got your diamond seperately, like I did, you''re going to have to find a way around the system. Luckily, one of my friends was shopping for a new diamond the same time as me. She found a gorgeous 1.10 ct H&A at a great price from BN, so we teamed up and had her diamond set in my band, then had our jeweler switch them out. It was a big headache, but I love my setting so much!

On the positive side, my FI said we can get me a new eternity (or semi) at least by our first anniversary, then trade my diamond for a bigger one. But I''ll get to keep the setting I have now, so I''ll probably just get a nice sapphire or something and wear it as a RHR. So, I''ll basically be getting two new rings at once. Yay!

2 for 1 deal. Cool.