Engagement Ring - Need Opinions

[Itzedward]

Hello All,

I am fairly new to the Diamond/Jewelry Community. I started my research on diamonds a few months back. In August of this year, I planned to propose and would love some advice on diamond/ring selection. My budget is $20K. Your advice would be much appreciated!

These are the settings that I like:
1. https://ringconcierge.com/products/signature-devon-oval-engagement-ring/?variant=8219568504920
2. https://www.brilliantearth.com/Viviana-Diamond-Ring-(1/3-ct.-tw.)-White-Gold-BE1D129-4054081/
3. https://www.brilliantearth.com/Valencia-Diamond-Ring-(1/3-ct.-tw.)-White-Gold-BE1D940-2344346/
I love the Devon ring setting from Ring Concierge, however, they want $6.5k for the setting alone. The Brilliant Earth platinum ring is about $2-2.5k. So I will most likely go with one of the Brilliant Earth ring. That leaves me about $18k for the diamond.

As for the diamond, I want the best diamond for my price range. I am interested in a few from Brian Gavin. Feel free to suggest other diamonds that you feel would be a better buy in my budget range. My girlfriend wanted a 2 carats and obviously that is out of my price range unless I go with lab grown diamonds from Brilliant Earth.
1. https://www.briangavindiamonds.com/...ls/1.543-f-vs2-round-diamond-ags-104105957017
2. https://www.briangavindiamonds.com/.../1.585-g-vs2-round-diamond-bkags-104102612041
3. https://www.briangavindiamonds.com/...ls/1.505-g-vs2-round-diamond-ags-104090535096

Below are the lab grown diamonds that I found during my research. I'm in a dilemma since I do not trust IGI certification. Maybe buying a 1.5 carat natural diamond is the better way to go. Please advise.
1. https://www.brilliantearth.com/rings/cyorings/view_diamond/7690756/
2. https://www.brilliantearth.com/lab-diamonds-search/view_detail/7690800/
3. https://www.brilliantearth.com/lab-diamonds-search/view_detail/7691186/
4. https://www.brilliantearth.com/lab-diamonds-search/view_detail/7840772/ Not sure why this one is cheaper

Thank you very much for reading and helping! Any advice at all would be helpful. I really don't want to experience buyers remorse on the biggest purchase of my life.

 

[tyty333]

I dont think brilliant earth sells their settings without a stone in them so if you wanted one of those settings you would need to go with Brilliant Earth.

I'm going to throw a few more settings/stones out there...
https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...rounded-pave-diamond-engagement-ring-2389.htm scroll down and you can see the
ring made up under "Recently Purchased".
https://www.whiteflash.com/engagement-rings/diamond-settings/elena-diamond-engagement-ring-1364.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme...5-d-delicate-diamond-engagement-ring-3459.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/engageme.../rounded-pave-diamond-engagement-ring-563.htm

Stone options
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4037187.htm 1.63 F/VS2
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4049782.htm 1.6 G/VS2
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-3988015.htm 1.53 G/VS2
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4104634.htm 1.52 G/VS1

There are others...

 

[lovedogs]

Take this with a grain of salt as it is only my opinion, but I would NOT spend 6.5K for that Devon setting.
Did your GF tell you anything about preferences in terms of setting? If she said she wanted 2cts, I would do my best to get her close to 2cts, even if it means a very simple setting.

For expensive (but worth the price) settings, I would want it to be hand forged by one of the best is the business. No clue about the cost of this one, but I would choose it over the RC one: https://www.victorcanera.com/rings/engagement/the-alaria-solitaire-with-3ct-oval-in-multi-row-pave
But again, since she said she wants 2ct, I would listen to that.

Granted, I think 6.5K is too much for a setting overall, especially because it's such a substantial piece of your overall budget. I would (personally) rather get the ones from WF that @tyty333 linked above and have more $$ to put towards the center stone. I particularly like the Elena option that was linked.

Unless GF specifically said she was ok with a lab diamond, DO NOT BUY ONE! Some people are fine with them, but others are not. And the certifications are different and harder to read/interpret. Unless she literally said, "I'm happy with a lab diamond if it can get me the size I want", don't even consider it.

 

[lovedogs]

Given that your GF requested a larger stone, these are what I would consider (basically the biggest eye-clean stone that is I color or above):
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4092512.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4104633.htm
https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-2936493.htm

I would pair it either with one of the options that @tyty333 listed (if budget allows), or in a more simple setting if you are getting too close to max budget.

 

[kmoro]

This one is a J, but it’s fairly big and only slightly over budget, eye-clean, small table, gorgeous ASET image ....

https://www.whiteflash.com/loose-diamonds/round-cut-loose-diamond-4104639.htm