Apologies for being the common engagement ring seeker, I could use some guidance.

[Gadabout44]

Greetings to all, I hate to be that person who has never contributed to this website who is suddenly asking for favors. But I could really use some guidance. A friend of mine (dcun) referred me to this website. Just the past weekend, during a happy hour get together, he couldnt stop raving about how much helped he had received from here.

The predicament: I have a $10,000 budget for both the ring and the band. However, I have $5,000 secretly saved up. I met my significant other 5 years ago, it was not until a year and a half ago that I finally felt that I was ready and that she is the one. I earn just a bit over $50,000 a year in gross salary. I am not in debt and have terrific credit. My significant other and I, (lets call her Abby) have each been contributing $600 each month into a joint savings account for a few years now. With my salary, you can see that that is actually a huge chunk from my monthly net income. However, despite my not so great spending habits, I was able to save $5,000 secretly in a savings account. I am pretty adamant that I spend somewhere between the $8,000 - $10,000 range for the entire set.
With that said, I am in a bit of a unique situation here. I need to finance the remainder of the expense and would need to shop at a retailer that has a fair interest rate. I am forecasting that I will probably have to finance another $5,000 which would take me at least 6 months to pay off. Ideally I am hoping there is a retailer that allows a 6 month period interest fee finance.
I admit, it wasnt until last week that I decided I need to start my journey on ring shopping so my knowledge is not yet great. I have watched many youtube videos and read a few things such as the 4C's, however, the band or setting is something I am still trying to understand.

The Rock: I am set on a round cut diamond. No less than 1.4carats. I would like to have a color grade anywhere between G-D, a clarity rating from SI1 to IF, and of course nothing less than a "Good" cut. Opinions are welcome! So feel free to chime in. I know from the grape vine that Abbey prefers the "bling" over size. But my objective is to find the largest best-lowest bling I can find just enough to not be visible by the naked eye. Basically purchasing the biggest ring I can find with blemishes / or imperfections not noticeable to the naked eye.

The Band / Setting: I may be totally wrong with this, but to my understanding, the band is the actual ring that loops around the finger while the setting is what holds the diamond. If that is true, I do not think I have a preference on the setting, I am very open to suggestions on this. As for the band, I would like to have "mini diamonds" around the top portion of the band and the band itself has to be white gold. Not too much where it would dilute or remove the spotlight from the main diamond, but just enough to add finesse. I feel this is where I need help with most.

I've gone onto the JamesAllen website and customized a ring that I found to be very nice. It is attached into this file. Now that I am looking at it again, I feel the band may be a little too thick where it is giving the illusion of a smaller diamond. Abby is only 5'4 with a finger size of 4. At this point I am not sure if this is a good purchase. Again, I am here sharing all this because I am seeking suggestions, tips, and well, an answer to my fiancial situation. I would grately appreciate any help!

Thank you in advance!

 

[whitewave]

Pay pal credit is running 24 months no interest for the next week or so. They run 6 months no interest all the time (I have fun with that).

Blue Nile has 12 months no interest. I think Brian Gavin works with a company that does 6 or 9 months no interest.

So I think for that you have plenty of choice for 6-12-24 months financing.

You probably want a 2mm width band. The small diamonds are called pave or micro pave.

I'll be back to look (can't look at the moment-- takes some studying).

Meanwhile, you can do advance search for this range:
Gia excellent:

Depth 60-62.3

Table 54-58

Pavilion 40.6 to 40.9

Crown 34-35

 

[Cherubian]

Clarity should be SI1-VS2 to maximize eye-cleanness VS value. Anything over that you'll be paying more money for something that isn't visually perceptible to the naked eye.

If you get yellow gold/rose gold you can get away with a lower colored diamond which will let you put money towards size. If you need platinum, well then you have to make sure it doesn't show too much warmth unless she likes that.

I'm not a huge diamond nerd by any stretch, there are people on here with 50,000 posts who really know what they're talking about and can get into details. Just be careful you don't over pay for things which aren't actually perceptible to the eye of the average woman who isn't a diamond nerd. My girlfriend couldn't even tell the difference between CZ and a diamond when compared side by side in a jewelry store, so don't get sucked into paying a ton of money for stuff which doesn't really matter. From what I can tell, the industry has done a good job of getting guys to obsess about "specs" to drive price.

Good luck.

 

[tanalasta]

Well done you for being so conscientious!

Re: Band/setting - your intended and you appear to be rather close, with a joint savings account. Maybe see if she's noticed any hints re: what she may / may not want? Girls don't always want a complete surprise! A short glance at a jeweller window of rings walking past would get the conversation started.

VS2 to SI1 for clarity and if you go with WF/BGD etc... you'll know for sure they were eye clean.

Why 1.4Ct minimum? 1.1 to 1.2Ct would save you some money and not be that much smaller. Still over the magic 1Ct mark. The setting is more of a design choice and usually comes with the ring/band purchase.

A 2mm width band is very narrow and dainty but the way. I'd suggest 2.5 to 3mm. It is also very difficult to do a channel set or pave setting if you have the band too narrow. Whilst beautiful (we also did diamonds on the band) - you can save quite a bit of money buy keeping the band simple.

Are you pricing in the cost of the wedding band (which isn't much if you keep it simple!)

Whilst sweet, don't get caught siphoning away into secret accounts!!! Partners don't like that. Although at least now you've got this post here you'll across as an absolute darling if you get found out. If you can pay off $5000 in 6 months, why finance and buy now? 6 months isn't that long in the scheme of things.

 

[whitewave]

My ring is split shank with pave... each shank is 2mm.

You probably do need to look at shank sizes before you get started... personally, I don't care for 2.5 mm to 3mm...

But the only thing that matters is what your intended wants-- does she have pintrest or anything where you can see what she likes? What about a trusted friend or sister?

 

[Gadabout44]

Meanwhile, you can do advance search for this range:
Gia excellent:

Depth 60-62.3

Table 54-58

Pavilion 40.6 to 40.9

Crown 34-35

I appreicate it whitewave, I'm not sure what those measurements are but I will look into it right now

Clarity should be SI1-VS2 to maximize eye-cleanness VS value. Anything over that you'll be paying more money for something that isn't visually perceptible to the naked eye.

....Just be careful you don't over pay for things which aren't actually perceptible to the eye of the average woman who isn't a diamond nerd.

Good luck.

Thank you Cherubian, that is exactly my objective. I now have a better understanding, anything over VS2 is not noticeable to the naked eye.

Well done you for being so conscientious!

Re: Band/setting - your intended and you appear to be rather close, with a joint savings account. Maybe see if she's noticed any hints re: what she may / may not want? Girls don't always want a complete surprise! A short glance at a jeweller window of rings walking past would get the conversation started.

VS2 to SI1 for clarity and if you go with WF/BGD etc... you'll know for sure they were eye clean.

Why 1.4Ct minimum? 1.1 to 1.2Ct would save you some money and not be that much smaller. Still over the magic 1Ct mark. The setting is more of a design choice and usually comes with the ring/band purchase.

A 2mm width band is very narrow and dainty but the way. I'd suggest 2.5 to 3mm. It is also very difficult to do a channel set or pave setting if you have the band too narrow. Whilst beautiful (we also did diamonds on the band) - you can save quite a bit of money buy keeping the band simple.

Are you pricing in the cost of the wedding band (which isn't much if you keep it simple!)

Whilst sweet, don't get caught siphoning away into secret accounts!!! Partners don't like that. Although at least now you've got this post here you'll across as an absolute darling if you get found out. If you can pay off $5000 in 6 months, why finance and buy now? 6 months isn't that long in the scheme of things.

Hi, sorry for my ignorance; why would a diamond from WF or BGD be considered "eye clean"?

I chose to have nothing less than 1.4 carat because I would like for her to fall in between the sizes of the rings her two close cousin have. One of her cousin has a 1.8Carat ring while the other has a 1.4. I know it may sound silly, but since carats is the most common measurement people talk about when it comes to diamonds, I didnt want Abby to have the smallest carat ring

I am not pricing the wedding band, I just have a total budget of no more than $10,000. I've been told that I should spend %80 on the Diamond, and %20 on the band. I'm not sure how ideal that ratio is, a friend who is single told me this.

6 months to me is actually too long for me to wait for before proposing. I'd like to propose before her birthday which is in May, just so she can say she is engaged at the age of 30. I know, also silly.

 

[Bron357]

Congratulations and well done you “squirreling away” $5,000 for your beloved. I’m no diamond guru, far from it, but I am the “bargain hunter from hell”. As for “credit” look around and read the fine print. A lot of the “special offer interest free” require you to fully have paid off the debt before the free period ends OR interest is charged on the balance AND from the beginning of the period. This can be an expensive, unexpected “surprise”. If planning on this type of borrowing, make sure you can pay it all off before the “interest free” period ends. Read the fine print, all of it even if it 28 pages.
On a size 4 finger, 1.5 carat will give you plenty finger coverage.
Buying from a PS recommended source (on line - a bit scary but safe) will ensure you get a decent diamond for your hard earned dollars. The rings you see in local stores / malls are usually lower quality and their pricing reflects the fact that the shop has to pay rent and staff wages and make a profit! So online, with much lower overheads, you can get more and better diamond for your $$$. Ditto “hand made settings”, very nice but also very expensive. Unless you are setting an unusual shape stone or have a particular look in mind, there are hundreds of beautiful ring settings that you can simply and easily pop a 1.5 carat round diamond into.
You’ll get some fabulous advice from the diamond gurus which will help you get the most for your $$$, just make sure before you enter into any loan agreement you understand all the terms and conditions AND the interest rate. There’s no such thing as “free money”, whoever lends you money will have to be getting a financial return.

 

[Bron357]

I appreicate it whitewave, I'm not sure what those measurements are but I will look into it right now



Thank you Cherubian, that is exactly my objective. I now have a better understanding, anything over VS2 is not noticeable to the naked eye.





Hi, sorry for my ignorance; why would a diamond from WF or BGD be considered "eye clean"?

I chose to have nothing less than 1.4 carat because I would like for her to fall in between the sizes of the rings her two close cousin have. One of her cousin has a 1.8Carat ring while the other has a 1.4. I know it may sound silly, but since carats is the most common measurement people talk about when it comes to diamonds, I didnt want Abby to have the smallest carat ring

I am not pricing the wedding band, I just have a total budget of no more than $10,000. I've been told that I should spend %80 on the Diamond, and %20 on the band. I'm not sure how ideal that ratio is, a friend who is single told me this.

6 months to me is actually too long for me to wait for before proposing. I'd like to propose before her birthday which is in May, just so she can say she is engaged at the age of 30. I know, also silly.

Diamonds are graded by what can be seen under a 10x magnification. It’s basically a count up of “how many, whereabouts and how big”. And there are some types of flaws that are easily seen like a carbon spec (black spot). Others are much harder to see with the unaided eye. When people talk “eye clean” they refer to looking at the stone at a normal viewing distance and not noticing anything with their unaided eyes. So a diamond with a single carbon speck might grade “higher clarity” than one with a number of feathers and crystal clouds “lower clarity grade” yet looking at both with your eyes you might easily see that solitary carbon speck and not see at all the dozen feathers and crystal clouds! And flaws that are on the edge (girdle) are far less noticeable than 1 right in the centre!
That’s why people say even an SI clarity grade can be eye clean, so you don’t necessarily have to go for better clarity grades (and more money) for it to look clean and clear.
The same with colour grades. Some people can see a “hint” of yellow in colour grades H and I, yet others look at an L colour and still think it “white”.
For me, anyway, at the end of the day only two things matter.
Size and cut.
Clarity, SI is fine as long as black spots aren’t “jumping out” at me.
Colour, J and K look perfectly white enough to me (and 95% of others).
Size because that’s obviously noticeable by everyone and cut because without excellent cutting a diamond just won’t sparkle as best it can.

 

[foxinsox]

Hi, sorry for my ignorance; why would a diamond from WF or BGD be considered "eye clean

WF and BGD charge a premium because they either cut the stones in their inventory themselves or are very selective about which stones they stock.
They will state on the stone’s listing whether it’s eye-clean per their definition (which I believe is on their sites) and this is a trustworthy assessment.
Also with their super ideals which are cut to very high standards for symmetry and precision, I believe the light return may mask some inclusions that less precise stones may show

 

[mrs-b]

Hi @Gadabout44 - and welcome!

I think all your reasoning is very valid. I think it's kind of you to want to make sure your girl's ring isn't the smallest of the bunch - so that's a nice touch in my book! Also, her finger is small, so keeping the band delicate (as opposed to flimsy) makes perfect sense to me.

You're on the money re clarity - SI1 - VS1 is my range, tho I prefer VS2 for economy's sake.

I think for color G-H is your wheelhouse - nice and white - not so blindingly white that ALL you're paying for is color.

Where you're wrong, tho, is to say it has to be good or better. You need your stone to be a better cut than 'good' (and you WILL see the difference between 'good' and 'ideal' if the cut is good enough), and this is where you need some help.

So having said all of that, I looked up Blue Nile. They have a huge inventory. There's a couple of things they *don't* offer - like Idealscopes and ASET images, but the do offer video and full GIA reports, so I think they're an excellent place to start - and often to finish, too! Most of my diamonds come from Blue Nile (BN), and they're lovely. It's all in what you pick.....

I found ONE diamond, in all their inventory, that matched your parameters, while still giving great cut statistics. It's an H SI1, but seems like a very nice SI1 (always check with BN re whether any of their stones you're interested in is eye clean - they WILL tell you the truth) with no obvious tint.

Go here:

www.bluenile.com

In the top right corner, you'll see a search box. Enter this number:

LD09550881

You will then see the ONLY stone under $8200, H or better, SI1 or better, with the cut parameters I entered. I prefer a able 55-57 (58 is way too flat in my book) and this stone has a 56% table, which I think is very visually pleasing.

It's also cut within the depth range I prefer, so you get optimal spread, without being a shallow stone.

With wire discount, the price is $8029.

Re setting - I would never get a setting from BN. Their rings are pre-made, they all use what's called a peg-head, meaning all the heads are made separately then just screwed into the setting - ie the setting isn't made proportionally to the band - and the prong work is lumpy and ill-formed. You have a budget of 2k. Call David Klass Jewelry in LA; I'm sure they'll be able to make you a ring for your budget. It will be completely custom made to fit your stone, and will have much neater, smaller, more shapely prongs - and this will make a BIG difference to the look of the band, and to how much of the diamond is obscured by metal.

Details for the band - get platinum, not white gold. White gold is most generally rhodium plated to make it look whiter (unplated white gold isn't particularly white and shows a yellowish color), and this rhodium plating wears off over time, so you'd need to get your ring re-plated every 12 months or so to keep it looking its best, depending on how much she wears it. Platinum is also heavier and feels nicer on the hand, as well as wearing better. I agree with you re a slim band - tho 2.2mm is a standard width and will give a tiny bit more room for side diamonds (the small diamonds on the band are called melee).

If you bought from BN, you can either ship the stone to you, then to David Klass Jewelry (DKJ), or straight to DKJ. You'd have tracking etc, and DKJ will let you know when they have your stone in hand.

Drawbacks to BN: they don't offer Idealscopes or ASETs, which some people here consider essential. The truth is, in the world at large, most people have never heard of an Idealscope or an ASET - and this includes jewelers - and I buy my stones, in general, from the stats alone. All extra paperwork will cost you money, and you're right on the edge, budget-wise, of being able to achieve your goals with your stated budget as it is. If you're looking for ways to maximize your budget, these things will probably need to go by the wayside. This, for me, is no big deal; they ARE optional, your budget isn't.

Next drawback: do you intend ever to upgrade? BN's upgrade policy isn't that great, in that they require you to double what you initially spent if you ever intend to upgrade. This policy isn't unusual (and is better than a lot of places, which have NO upgrade policy). But it's not as good as some places, which offer the option of upgrading your stone by spending ANY amount higher than the price of your original stone. 100% of its value will go to your new stone, and you can buy a new stone which is more highly priced than your original stone by ANY amount. So if you pay 8k for your stone, and you upgrade with BN, you will need to spend 16k on your new stone. With a company like White Flash, however, if you buy one of their in-house stones, you can spend 8k...and trade up for any stone over 8k.

Re DKJ: the folks at DKJ are lovely people, very honest, and do great work. Every second person on these boards has worked with them and they are highly recommended. If you go to the Show Me The Bling forum, you will see a major thread dedicated to their work on the first page of threads. Take a look; the workmanship is much higher than places like James Allen or BN, who use stock settings, and their prices are very competitive, often better than the big retailers, for the same style ring, but custom made. It really DOES make a visual difference if your setting is made specifically for your diamond, rather than having a generic peg-head shoved into a pre-made band.

I hope this all helped. It would give you a lovely stone in a beautiful setting, of which your girl could be very proud.

Good luck!

PS Some people here are good at finding specific stones which are listed on multiple sites for different prices. Places like Blue Nile hold virtual inventories, so stones on their site might pop up also with different vendors who list them at different prices. Blue Nile is competitive, but it pays to check. If you ask people here to look up the stone I listed above, and see if it's listed anywhere else for a lower price, they might be able to help you out. Also, BN often has discounts on their diamonds for Valentine's Day. It's the only time of the year that they do it, and the discounts normally start in February.

 

[mrs-b]

Can anyone do a search on stone, GIA # 2274128540, to see if it's listed anywhere else for less than $8029?

Thanks!

 

[rockysalamander]

You've done a great job saving, but its tough to find anything that will meet your brief. So, I've listed below a range of options that trade among the 4Cs to give you some concrete options to consider. JA does have a finance plan (free interest if you pay off in 6 months), but I'll leave it to you to read the fine print. I'm assuming the setting will be $1000, so I'm using $9000 as the cap for the diamond. Don't buy the wedding band, let her choose it herself once she gets time with the ering.

For all of these, you'll want to request and Idealscope (IS) or ASET image. JA only provide IS, WF already show the ASET. At JA, you can put up to 3 diamonds on hold and request IS for a total of 3 diamonds per email.

https://diamondsdirect.com/loose-diamond?stock=170741-39&utm_source=rarecarat&utm_medium=cpc {60/60 style diamond meaning more white light than fire, but its BIG and spready, biggest I can find. I don't know if they will offer ASET or IS images}

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...h-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3477930 {great angles with a small table. Has a cloud on the clarity plot, so needs to be reviewed by JA gemologist for effect on light return and determine if eyeclean. I'd usually avoid black inclusions in the table, but trying to find options}

https://enchanteddiamonds.com/v/1Z7108134 {great number, high clarity. I color.}

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...-color-vvs1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3613469 {GREAT. Nothing to worry about except if the I color will suit}.

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...f-color-vs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3883320 {great angles. Has a cloud on the clarity plot, so needs to be reviewed by JA gemologist for effect on light return and determine if eyeclean. But, at VS2 I have hope it may be ok.}

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...h-color-vs1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3651160 {great angles. Has "additional clouds", but not grade setting on clarity plot. Needs to be reviewed for the cloud, but this is lovely}

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2631627.htm {solid angles, super ideal. Great clairity. I color, but in a super-ideal, I would not worry provided the setting has 6 prongs or a decorative gallery}

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3897563.htm {solid angles, super ideal. Great clairity. I color, but in a super-ideal, I would not worry provided the setting has 6 prongs or a decorative gallery}

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...-e-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-883375 {should be eye clean. Good numbers.}

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...g-color-vs1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3697299 {should be eye clean. Good numbers.}

Have a look and give some feedback. But, something has to give to keep in budget. I personally would flex color downward.

 

[MarionC]

I have nothing too much to add except to say that you are in good hands here!
I would not go below G if she will be comparing to the diamonds of others and is color sensitive, keep millimeters in mind, not carats, as you look, and cut is most important to get a dazzling diamond.

 

[Austina]

When I clicked on the Enchanted Diamond site, I got a pop up saying by signing up you can get $1000 off your engagement ring!

 

[FinleysMom]

My two cents, and really none of my business but my 1 ctw solitaire is a great size for my 6.5 size finger. She is a size 4. I dunno but a much larger stone can be overwhelming imho. I would look at the thread about solitaires ...which usually tells ring and stone size.

And having a “secret account”.....is fine since you are not married yet but ditch the secrets afterward. A financing a ring is not a great first step into the marriage either. Again..not my biz. I have no doubt that you will find the right ring at the right size and price for her ring. Congrats!

FM

 

[Maggiemeans]

To support mrs-b comments, I think David klass instagram is great to look at.

And to support Jimmiane, pay attention to the millimeter measurements of the face/top of diamond. You can have two 1.4 carat diamonds but if one of them is not cut well you could carry more weight of that 1.4 in the bottom half of diamond and from the top the diamond will look smaller as compared to a stone that has more balanced proportions.

 

[tanalasta]

I’ve posted these pictures before... but since you’re looking at a similar design ...

This is a 2.5mm width Pt950 setting with a gentle taper and 0.20tcw of melee in a channel set. Just so you know the ballpark for a custom job, it was 2490US from WF.

Cut is important. A well cut diamond will sparkle and appear much brighter and it’s the “C” that’s often neglected the most in chain stores. Short of “excellent” on a certificate, for various reasons some brick and mortar stores don’t discuss the topic. They have to sell the “very good” stock somehow.

Eye clean is an arbitrary definition. It is not an industry standard, but generally means you cannot see the inclusion with the naked eye, face up at a certain distance eg. 10 inches. I can spot the inclusion in our diamond closer as I know where to look! Almost but not all VS2 diamonds are eye clean. Some SI1 are. It is important to ask the vendor and also depends how much you care. Only the purchaser and the intended is likely to look that closely!

Others have suggested some diamonds. Wishing you all the very best! I suggest you contact some of the vendors above and ask them to place the ones you like on hold. You’re not likely to get that much cheaper than what’s already been suggested to you without compromising the 4C’s

 

[rockysalamander]

My approach above was to keep only $1100 for the setting, so you have more to put toward the diamond. This is a setting that would make seeing body color harder and make H/I possible unless you or she are color sensitive -- in which case your are looking at G and above and that will be a much smaller stone.

$1100
https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...ench-cut-six-prong-engagement-ring-item-50022

But, you can also look at simple solitaires that have pretty galleries and plan on upgrading the setting in the future. Again, I'm looking at 6 prong and decorative galleries.
https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...e-flower-solitaire-engagement-ring-item-50320 {click on the 1.5 carat example. See how you can't see color from the side due to the gallery detail?}

https://www.jamesallen.com/engageme...dern-tulip-diamond-engagement-ring-item-51014

From WF, this is a long-time favorite.
https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...eek-line-pave-diamond-engagement-ring-422.htm

 

[RetroTreeGal]

Can anyone do a search on stone, GIA # 2274128540, to see if it's listed anywhere else for less than $8029? Thanks!

Nothing came up on google (something usually does) but I’ll try and dig deeper.

 

[Snowdrop13]

My two cents, and really none of my business but my 1 ctw solitaire is a great size for my 6.5 size finger. She is a size 4. I dunno but a much larger stone can be overwhelming imho. I would look at the thread about solitaires ...which usually tells ring and stone size.

And having a “secret account”.....is fine since you are not married yet but ditch the secrets afterward. A financing a ring is not a great first step into the marriage either. Again..not my biz. I have no doubt that you will find the right ring at the right size and price for her ring. Congrats!

FM

This is sensible advice! You have $5000 already, why not buy a ring with that, and maybe upgrade later? Personally, I would not go into any sort of debt, even short term to finance a piece of jewellery. Your fiancé must be aware of your financial position if you’re saving jointly. I know this may seem unromantic but if she wants a bigger diamond maybe she could contribute too??

 

[whitewave]

@mrs-b if you have some secret way of getting DK to answer emails, I'd love a hint. Thanks.

 

[mrs-b]

Nothing came up on google (something usually does) but I’ll try and dig deeper.

Thank you so much, @RetroTreeGal - so helpful!

 

[mrs-b]

@mrs-b if you have some secret way of getting DK to answer emails, I'd love a hint. Thanks.

I do! I call. Their assistant, Pria, normally answers the phone, or sometimes you'll get Amy. very rarely you'll get David. Call and ask them to return your call. Then call twice a day till they do, or until you get them.

Don't call on a Saturday - Tuesday to Thursday is normally your best bet, and then you're most likely to get someone on the phone first try.

 

[whitewave]

I do! I call. Their assistant, Pria, normally answers the phone, or sometimes you'll get Amy. very rarely you'll get David. Call and ask them to return your call. Then call twice a day till they do, or until you get them.

Don't call on a Saturday - Tuesday to Thursday is normally your best bet, and then you're most likely to get someone on the phone first try.

Thank you very much! Did you know he opened wn Etsy store?

 

[mrs-b]

Thank you very much! Did you know he opened wn Etsy store?

I did! I think there's some cool stuff there, and will be increasingly. My sense of it is - not so many engagement rings. I really don't know, tho, but will ask Amy next time we talk and report back, if you like!

 

[whitewave]

I did! I think there's some cool stuff there, and will be increasingly. My sense of it is - not so many engagement rings. I really don't know, tho, but will ask Amy next time we talk and report back, if you like!

Please!

 

[rockysalamander]

I just thought to run a second search on 60/60 stones specifically. A 1.4 c modern round of the more typical pattern is ~7.27 mm. So, bear that in mind when looking at the stones I post.

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...f-color-si1-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3301716 {confirm eyeclean, but this is a great size at 7.33 mm so it will have the spread of a 1.5 carat; would get AGL ex/ideal; the CA at 33 is lower than typically recommended, but I still think this is a great option. Its an F color and thats a great and totally visible color difference for most compared to I and J; request an IS}***

https://www.jamesallen.com/loose-di...-color-vvs2-clarity-excellent-cut-sku-3748714 {7.22 mm, this trades some color for clarity; again CA is lower than typical so this is anther 60/60 stone; request an IS)

 

[MTHealthyLiving]

Greetings to all, I hate to be that person who has never contributed to this website who is suddenly asking for favors. But I could really use some guidance. A friend of mine (dcun) referred me to this website. Just the past weekend, during a happy hour get together, he couldnt stop raving about how much helped he had received from here.

The predicament: I have a $10,000 budget for both the ring and the band. However, I have $5,000 secretly saved up. I met my significant other 5 years ago, it was not until a year and a half ago that I finally felt that I was ready and that she is the one. I earn just a bit over $50,000 a year in gross salary. I am not in debt and have terrific credit. My significant other and I, (lets call her Abby) have each been contributing $600 each month into a joint savings account for a few years now. With my salary, you can see that that is actually a huge chunk from my monthly net income. However, despite my not so great spending habits, I was able to save $5,000 secretly in a savings account. I am pretty adamant that I spend somewhere between the $8,000 - $10,000 range for the entire set.
With that said, I am in a bit of a unique situation here. I need to finance the remainder of the expense and would need to shop at a retailer that has a fair interest rate. I am forecasting that I will probably have to finance another $5,000 which would take me at least 6 months to pay off. Ideally I am hoping there is a retailer that allows a 6 month period interest fee finance.
I admit, it wasnt until last week that I decided I need to start my journey on ring shopping so my knowledge is not yet great. I have watched many youtube videos and read a few things such as the 4C's, however, the band or setting is something I am still trying to understand.

The Rock: I am set on a round cut diamond. No less than 1.4carats. I would like to have a color grade anywhere between G-D, a clarity rating from SI1 to IF, and of course nothing less than a "Good" cut. Opinions are welcome! So feel free to chime in. I know from the grape vine that Abbey prefers the "bling" over size. But my objective is to find the largest best-lowest bling I can find just enough to not be visible by the naked eye. Basically purchasing the biggest ring I can find with blemishes / or imperfections not noticeable to the naked eye.

The Band / Setting: I may be totally wrong with this, but to my understanding, the band is the actual ring that loops around the finger while the setting is what holds the diamond. If that is true, I do not think I have a preference on the setting, I am very open to suggestions on this. As for the band, I would like to have "mini diamonds" around the top portion of the band and the band itself has to be white gold. Not too much where it would dilute or remove the spotlight from the main diamond, but just enough to add finesse. I feel this is where I need help with most.

I've gone onto the JamesAllen website and customized a ring that I found to be very nice. It is attached into this file. Now that I am looking at it again, I feel the band may be a little too thick where it is giving the illusion of a smaller diamond. Abby is only 5'4 with a finger size of 4. At this point I am not sure if this is a good purchase. Again, I am here sharing all this because I am seeking suggestions, tips, and well, an answer to my fiancial situation. I would grately appreciate any help!

Thank you in advance!

I’m a little bothered by your statement that you know wgat she wants, but you’re going to get what YOU want for her. If you don’t get what she wants, she might not love it, and it could turn into a headache with hurt feelings. Please get her what she wants! I’m a smaller diamonds/more bling girl, and although I’d appreciate the thought behind a big diamond, it’s just not me.

 

[whitewave]

Come back and tell us what you are thinking and if you sleuthed out her preferences.

 

[Gadabout44]

Hi Everyone, thank you for all the help! I'll get back to everyones post, I've been with my SO this weekend and im trying to be discrete. I dont want her to see this in my web history.

I wanted to clarify, the savings account I have was strictly to save for the engagement ring. We're very honest to one another and once have purchase a ring, there is no longer a need for me to keep this secret savings account of mine anymore.