9.5k to spend, not sure on ring size

Does she wear any jewelery? What is her style? Has she ever commented on any of her friend's rings?

I'm in the engagement shouldn't be a complete surprise camp. If you don't know the answers to any of the questions, go shopping with her one day. I assume that you guys have discussed marriage so she knows this is coming at some point, right? Even if you don't want her involved in all the decisions, it'd be great to know what she, the wearer, wants. A large, non-mall, jewellery store would have several different styles and often have a pre-owned section in case she's an antique lover.

There are so many options and lots of women have strong preferences for something they wear everyday and that friends and family comment on. We sometimes get posts from women who have found this board after the guy proposed. Woman thinks guy is so proud of himself and what he picked out, but she doesn't like it and isn't sure how to tell him. You have a great budget, it'd be awesome to get something that she'll adore!

That is whats difficult. She does wear jewelry and this is not going to come as a surprise to her but she seems cool with whatever I get her. I've tried to listen for any indicators on what she likes/dislikes but can't get a strong preference out of her. I do know that she is not into antiques and would prefer something that is nice and classy as opposed to a larger ring that is of lesser quality. I want to get her something with an ideal or excellent cut in the 1.5 carat range. I'm thinking of going with a princess cut with a cheaper band that can be upgraded in the future. I was thinking of trying to find a diamond with a larger surface area on top so that it appears to be larger than 1.5 carats. What are your thoughts?

Here is a princess from JA

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/I-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Princess-Diamond-1482754.asp

This is a really nice hearts and arrows radiant

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/J-VVS2-Very%20Good-Cut-Radiant-Diamond-1445112.asp

Here is a nice setting that could add some more size it can be customized for a square you would have to call them to see what the price difference would be

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/pave/-18k-White-Gold-Pave-Set-Diamond-Engagement-Ring.html

Hi,

I'm in a similar boat with a similar budget. Proposing this week to my girl who rarely wears any jewelry. I wanted to make the proposal a surprise. Surprising her has been an ongoing theme to our relationship and it is an element we both enjoy.

Given that my girl doesn't wear jewelry and is generally a very modest person, I chose to scale down the size of the stone and focus instead on cut quality and a beautiful setting. There really is no "keeping up with the Joneses" carat size element for us.

I went classic, with a .8 carat round brilliant and found an awesome setting that had great aesthetic as well as emotional value.

The sticking point for me was the ring size. For that, I estimated she was close to the "average" size 6. I spoke to her sister, who had a 6.5. I split the difference and went with 6.25. I'm still not 100% sure I got the size right but I figure it was better to err on the side of too large than too small.

I'm really impressed by that hearts and arrows diamond. Do you suggest going to a retail store to get a better handle on the different diamonds? I have read some of the basics here but it is hard for me to visualize what these diamonds are like in real life. It is especially hard for me to see the difference in the color shades. Also is the turnover at JA pretty quick or would they likely have these specific diamonds say a month from now? One other thing. I was saw this online http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/brian-gavins-blue-diamonds-with-fluorescence/ and was wondering if the blue glow was something gimicky and if there was a way you can tell florescence in a diamond before buying it.

Talk to her. Ask her to do shopping with you so you can get an idea of her finger size AND her taste. And ask her how involved she would like to be in the process. And then follow her preferences.

Unless she TELLS you to pick it out yourself, have the talk. You're mature adults making the decision to get married together, no? Many women also don't want to a "jinx" a potential proposal by expressing interest in rings if the man has been particularily difficult to get to commit. Listen to Gypsy. You want your fiance to LOVE her ring, it's going to be on her finger a long time!

go to www.goodoldgold.com and watch his videos on diamonds and choosing a diamond. Best info. site on the web to learn how to pick a diamond that performs well.

good luck!

Written by milkidentification » April 22nd, 2012, 2:28 pm:I'm really impressed by that hearts and arrows diamond. Do you suggest going to a retail store to get a better handle on the different diamonds? I have read some of the basics here but it is hard for me to visualize what these diamonds are like in real life. It is especially hard for me to see the difference in the color shades. Also is the turnover at JA pretty quick or would they likely have these specific diamonds say a month from now? One other thing. I was saw this online http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/brian-gavins-blue-diamonds-with-fluorescence/ and was wondering if the blue glow was something gimicky and if there was a way you can tell florescence in a diamond before buying it.

James Allen does a complimentary hold for 24 hours, if you need additional images, which you will (Idealscope, unless it's a HA and then the are supplied with the magnified image) it could take an additional 2-3 days, after that you have 24 more hours to commit. The diamonds in the size that your looking at seem to be flying off the site right now, I've missed out on 2 stones because I didn't get the hold quick enough.

Best bet is to be shopping around getting an idea of what color clarity ct weight that you want, and then when it's closer to purchasing time come back and let us know what you are looking for and we can make some suggestions.

Brian Gavin cuts his own stones for the blue line and he is amazing at it!! Some people prefer that a stone have flourescence in it, because it can make the stone appear whiter and brighter in some light sources (UV light). If you were go to a club or some of the rides at disney the stone would appear just as it does in BG's pictures. There is a slight discount to these stones, though some feel that they should cost a premium because it's a very cool characteristic One thing to be careful of is finding a stone online that has DEF color and also has very strong or strong flourescence because it can sometimes cause the stone to look milky or oily, this is rare and doesn't apply to BG blue diamonds because they have been pre evaluated, but it is something that you should ask to have checked before purchasing.

Another thought is purchasing a beautiful diamond and having it set in a classic solitaire setting for the proposal and allowing your gf to select her own setting after the engagement. This way she has the best of both worlds, a beautiful diamond that YOU selected for her and her dream setting.

You have a nice budget and will have no trouble finding a gorgeous rock!

Written by webdiva » April 22nd, 2012, 3:54 pm:Unless she TELLS you to pick it out yourself, have the talk. You're mature adults making the decision to get married together, no? Many women also don't want to a "jinx" a potential proposal by expressing interest in rings if the man has been particularily difficult to get to commit. Listen to Gypsy. You want your fiance to LOVE her ring, it's going to be on her finger a long time!

Are you serious? I understand feeling out what she wants but doesn't going out and picking the ring with her take all the romance out of a proposal? Should I propose with a ring out of a 25 cent machine and then pick out the ring with her at a later time?

You are talking to people on pricescope, where we obsess about every tiny detail.

If you think she would love a surprise, then surprise her. You can never go wrong with a beautiful diamond, and a solitaire setting, and if she doesn't love the setting, simple, it wont cost too much and you can go setting shopping together.

The one thing I would find out though is her favorite shape.

I just picked out a setting that I liked that had sentimental and aesthetic value to me and hopefully therefore her. I'd by very surprised if she doesn't love it and I'll make no bones about letting her do it over if she wants. Go for the gusto!

Written by milkidentification » April 24th, 2012, 7:14 pm:

Written by webdiva » April 22nd, 2012, 3:54 pm:Unless she TELLS you to pick it out yourself, have the talk. You're mature adults making the decision to get married together, no? Many women also don't want to a "jinx" a potential proposal by expressing interest in rings if the man has been particularily difficult to get to commit. Listen to Gypsy. You want your fiance to LOVE her ring, it's going to be on her finger a long time!

Are you serious? I understand feeling out what she wants but doesn't going out and picking the ring with her take all the romance out of a proposal? Should I propose with a ring out of a 25 cent machine and then pick out the ring with her at a later time?

Does she have a friend that she confides in over things like this? Can you entreat the confident to take your intended to lunch then go trying on rings--and get an idea that way?

You have control over how and when you propose--that is where the romance comes in. Honestly, most women have an idea of what kind of ring they would "wish" for..and if you "surprise" your GF with a princess halo when she wants a pear solitare, then you might be out of the romance department longer than you imagined.

cheers--Sharon

Written by canuk-gal » April 24th, 2012, 8:14 pm:

Written by milkidentification » April 24th, 2012, 7:14 pm:

Written by webdiva » April 22nd, 2012, 3:54 pm:Unless she TELLS you to pick it out yourself, have the talk. You're mature adults making the decision to get married together, no? Many women also don't want to a "jinx" a potential proposal by expressing interest in rings if the man has been particularily difficult to get to commit. Listen to Gypsy. You want your fiance to LOVE her ring, it's going to be on her finger a long time!

Are you serious? I understand feeling out what she wants but doesn't going out and picking the ring with her take all the romance out of a proposal? Should I propose with a ring out of a 25 cent machine and then pick out the ring with her at a later time?

Does she have a friend that she confides in over things like this? Can you entreat the confident to take your intended to lunch then go trying on rings--and get an idea that way?

You have control over how and when you propose--that is where the romance comes in. Honestly, most women have an idea of what kind of ring they would "wish" for..and if you "surprise" your GF with a princess halo when she wants a pear solitare, then you might be out of the romance department longer than you imagined.

cheers--Sharon

Ditto. Read this about how most women would want to be involved:
http://www.pricescope.com/forum/rockytalky/this-question-is-for-the-ladies-out-there-t174037.html

This is probably the most you'll spend on something other than a car or a house. Making a decision together as mature adults will preclude her wanting to change out her ring in the immediate future or not sharing with you that it's not her "dream" ring. Yes, most women have a "dream ring" even if they haven't planned their wedding since they were 8.

You can go to Nordstrom, get a $50 gorgeous CZ temp ring and surprise her with a wonderful proposal. Then plan a glorious brunch followed by appointments to try on various settings at jewelers, followed by a session online to pick out a corresponding ring online in order to avoid those crazy B&M markups. She gets YOU, a proposal AND a shopping opportunity. Every woman's dream.

I agree with WebDiva... Plus, by picking up the CZ to use as the proposal, you have an "extra" ring for those times when there would be a concern about damaging/losing the real thing. Something that would be nice enough to pass off for an Ering but not losing too much sleep over if it took wear and tear.

The downside to this is that you won't have "THE ring" when you propose. Some women attach a sentimental value to the actual ring used in the proposal. That is something that you need to weigh prior to making the decision.

Good Luck...

I agree with asking a friend. My BFF knows exactly what I would like!

I started out with the same romantic notion. I got a good nudge towards the right side. I started all over the place and decided my opinions weren't enough to make this big decision. I think of it as this way; the whole romantic notion of surprising her with a ring came from old Hollywood. My life is neither a movie or old. The times have changed! Plus, she's going to be the one that has to look at it every day. She should have a say on what she puts on.

I also tried asking her friends, but her friends were so excited with the idea that all they could talk about was how excited they were, and lots of giggling of course

Now granted, in my situation, I'm not going to let my girlfriend see the complete deal until I propose to her, but she has seen little pieces and steps of the way. She has a broad interest and has liked everything I've shown her. The only requirements of her was that I get her ring size right the first time so she won't have to part away with the ring once she gets it, and that the center stone be a yellow diamond. With that, she left the rest to me, but I still show her all the ideas I (and fellow Pricescopers) come up with

I'm sure when I'm done and she (hopefully) says yes, I can tell her about Pricescope and we'll probably laugh together about my clueless posts.

chiming in with a different perspective. i love surprises and my husband (of 11 years now!) knew that so he handled all aspects of the engagement as a surprise, including the ring.

he picked a rb solitaire ... and surprised me with a proposal in paris. he didn't know my ring size so i think it was a size 6 (i am actually a 4.75 but there is no way he could have known as i didn't have any rings before we got engaged). i wore it with a bandaid wrapped around the shank until we returned home. his original plan was to have me chose a setting but i decided to keep it as a solitaire (it still is today) with an eternity band as my wedding band.

fwiw, i didn't confide in "ring aspirations" to any friends, my sister, etc. in fact, i didn't really have any; we didn't ring shop together beforehand. i'm just the type of girl who doesn't obsess about this stuff and would have loved anything my husband gave me. and yes, i relished the surprise.

so, what kind of girl is your girlfriend? is she really picky about things generally (clothing, food, jewelry, if she wears any?) when she gets gifts (for birthdays, christmas), does she return/exchange everything (that would be my sister)? does she have definite/strong opinions on jewelry? what is her general sense of style (classic/traditional, funky, artsy)?

good luck!

ETA: however, i just took charge of buying a sapphire and designing a ring for our 10th anniversary and my husband had absolutely no part in it (other than writing the cheque!)

Written by Cornfused_Martian » April 24th, 2012, 9:27 pm:I agree with WebDiva... Plus, by picking up the CZ to use as the proposal, you have an "extra" ring for those times when there would be a concern about damaging/losing the real thing. Something that would be nice enough to pass off for an Ering but not losing too much sleep over if it took wear and tear.

The downside to this is that you won't have "THE ring" when you propose. Some women attach a sentimental value to the actual ring used in the proposal. That is something that you need to weigh prior to making the decision.

Good Luck...

I like this idea as a happy medium. Do you have any thoughts on where to pick out an alright CZ ring for the proposal? I've never really looked at CZ rings.

Gosh, I think the idea of proposing with a cz ring is disasterous! Please either propose without a ring or buy a real diamond! The first thing a girl does after getting engaged is telling family and friends and showing off the ring including posting pictures on facebook! No way in the world is a fake ring going to be satisfactory, in my opinion!

PLEASE pick out an ideal cut round or princess diamond from a pricescope vendor that has a 30 day return/exchange period, set the stone in their cheapest plain solitaire and propose with a gorgeous diamond! Then you can tell her if she prefers a different shape, she is welcome to change it within 30 days. Of course, so PS vendors have lifetime trade up, so ones like GOG and WF can be traded in at any time. You can also tell her that if she likes the diamond that she can choose another setting which can be purchased whenever you can afford it. This is easy. It does not have to be hard. You want to surprise her and that is fine. Just buy a great diamond that has a return/trade-in policy and you will be all set!

Written by diamondseeker2006 » April 29th, 2012, 6:38 am:Gosh, I think the idea of proposing with a cz ring is disasterous! Please either propose without a ring or buy a real diamond! The first thing a girl does after getting engaged is telling family and friends and showing off the ring including posting pictures on facebook! No way in the world is a fake ring going to be satisfactory, in my opinion!

PLEASE pick out an ideal cut round or princess diamond from a pricescope vendor that has a 30 day return/exchange period, set the stone in their cheapest plain solitaire and propose with a gorgeous diamond! Then you can tell her if she prefers a different shape, she is welcome to change it within 30 days. Of course, so PS vendors have lifetime trade up, so ones like GOG and WF can be traded in at any time. You can also tell her that if she likes the diamond that she can choose another setting which can be purchased whenever you can afford it. This is easy. It does not have to be hard. You want to surprise her and that is fine. Just buy a great diamond that has a return/trade-in policy and you will be all set!

I agree with this post. If I were the girl you were shopping for, I'd want you to go to Good Old Gold (GOG), get an ideal cut round, and have it set in a cheap solitaire, as diamondseeker stated above. That way, you surprise her with an amazingly gorgeous diamond but give her the freedom to easily switch to a different shape or setting. Sounds like the perfect setup, in my mind.

Written by diamondseeker2006 » April 29th, 2012, 6:38 am:Gosh, I think the idea of proposing with a cz ring is disasterous! Please either propose without a ring or buy a real diamond! The first thing a girl does after getting engaged is telling family and friends and showing off the ring including posting pictures on facebook! No way in the world is a fake ring going to be satisfactory, in my opinion!

PLEASE pick out an ideal cut round or princess diamond from a pricescope vendor that has a 30 day return/exchange period, set the stone in their cheapest plain solitaire and propose with a gorgeous diamond! Then you can tell her if she prefers a different shape, she is welcome to change it within 30 days. Of course, so PS vendors have lifetime trade up, so ones like GOG and WF can be traded in at any time. You can also tell her that if she likes the diamond that she can choose another setting which can be purchased whenever you can afford it. This is easy. It does not have to be hard. You want to surprise her and that is fine. Just buy a great diamond that has a return/trade-in policy and you will be all set!

I agree with this.
My husband propsed with a pear solitaire, he shopped for it alone, and surprised me with the proposal.
The only input I gave was that I wanted a pear solitaire, lol.

Just a reminder that we do not allow discussions of diamond simulants on PS.

It might be better just to propose with a simple gold band or nothing, and have a ring shopping appointment scheduled for the next day. The CZ would be kind of confusing, because she might at first be all excited and think it's a diamond ring!

My engagement was a complete blow-you-away-surprise! I had no input/hints whatsoever - it's a memory I will ALWAYS cherish - just sayin......

proposals work best when both parties are on the same page.

girl wants surprise ring--girl gets surprise ring--yay!

girl doesn't want surprise ring--girl doesn't get surprise ring--yay!

so...which would your lady prefer? a surprise ring that you pick out or a ring that she has input in? 9.5k is a LOT of money to spend on something that you're not sure about!

as a side note...her having input in the ring does not mean the proposal is not a surprise. I designed my ring and selected my diamond, and my proposal was a complete surprise personally for me, I wanted the ring with the proposal since that //to me// made it more 'official'. we already knew we wanted to get married

also, I assume you have discussed marriage at some point? so asking her about rings would not spoil the surprise? ultimately it really boils down to what is best for you as a couple and what will make you guys the happiest

Written by slg47 » April 30th, 2012, 12:10 am:proposals work best when both parties are on the same page.

girl wants surprise ring--girl gets surprise ring--yay!

girl doesn't want surprise ring--girl doesn't get surprise ring--yay!

so...which would your lady prefer? a surprise ring that you pick out or a ring that she has input in? 9.5k is a LOT of money to spend on something that you're not sure about!

SERIOUSLY! Best advice!

HAVE SOMEONE ASK HER WHAT SHE WANTS! Does she want a surprise ring. Does she want input? '

I don't like the CZ idea.

Written by Gypsy » April 30th, 2012, 12:20 am:

Written by slg47 » April 30th, 2012, 12:10 am:proposals work best when both parties are on the same page.

girl wants surprise ring--girl gets surprise ring--yay!

girl doesn't want surprise ring--girl doesn't get surprise ring--yay!

so...which would your lady prefer? a surprise ring that you pick out or a ring that she has input in? 9.5k is a LOT of money to spend on something that you're not sure about!

SERIOUSLY! Best advice!

HAVE SOMEONE ASK HER WHAT SHE WANTS! Does she want a surprise ring. Does she want input? '

I don't like the CZ idea.

thanks Gypsy!

I don't like the CZ idea either.

OP...you still there???

Written by slg47 » April 30th, 2012, 12:10 am:proposals work best when both parties are on the same page.

girl wants surprise ring--girl gets surprise ring--yay!

girl doesn't want surprise ring--girl doesn't get surprise ring--yay!

so...which would your lady prefer? a surprise ring that you pick out or a ring that she has input in? 9.5k is a LOT of money to spend on something that you're not sure about!

as a side note...her having input in the ring does not mean the proposal is not a surprise. I designed my ring and selected my diamond, and my proposal was a complete surprise personally for me, I wanted the ring with the proposal since that //to me// made it more 'official'. we already knew we wanted to get married

also, I assume you have discussed marriage at some point? so asking her about rings would not spoil the surprise? ultimately it really boils down to what is best for you as a couple and what will make you guys the happiest

I appreciate your feedback as well as other members feedback. My girl would definitely want a surprise knowing her. I thought I had this all worked out but each member has a different approach which makes it difficult to find my way. I'm going to go to the mall with her and just stroll by some jewelry to check it out and see if I can get a feel on what she likes as well as find out her ring size.

Written by milkidentification » April 30th, 2012, 12:32 am:

Written by slg47 » April 30th, 2012, 12:10 am:proposals work best when both parties are on the same page.

girl wants surprise ring--girl gets surprise ring--yay!

girl doesn't want surprise ring--girl doesn't get surprise ring--yay!

so...which would your lady prefer? a surprise ring that you pick out or a ring that she has input in? 9.5k is a LOT of money to spend on something that you're not sure about!

as a side note...her having input in the ring does not mean the proposal is not a surprise. I designed my ring and selected my diamond, and my proposal was a complete surprise personally for me, I wanted the ring with the proposal since that //to me// made it more 'official'. we already knew we wanted to get married

also, I assume you have discussed marriage at some point? so asking her about rings would not spoil the surprise? ultimately it really boils down to what is best for you as a couple and what will make you guys the happiest

I appreciate your feedback as well as other members feedback. My girl would definitely want a surprise knowing her. I thought I had this all worked out but each member has a different approach which makes it difficult to find my way. I'm going to go to the mall with her and just stroll by some jewelry to check it out and see if I can get a feel on what she likes as well as find out her ring size.

that sounds good-definitely get her ring size! also note if she likes solitaire/three stone/pave...what shape...etc. once you get her preferences figured out we can help you find some options that fit her style and your budget