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Budget Beauty''s...Lets see ''em !

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captainobvious

captainobvious

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Dec 3, 2007
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126
For those of us working on a more modest budget, it seems disappointing at times when you have to "settle" for less. But I know that many of you have some beautiful stones and settings that you aquired for a working man/womans cash flow. So what I''d like to see in this thread are rings that cost 3K or less. Lets see those gems!!
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This whole set only cost $2400. The diamond is about 0.94ct. It was from an antique shop. The diamond is darker, about an L color I think, which is the main reason it was inexpensive, plus the yellow gold, and the fact that it is somewhat worn. But it is very sparkly & I love it.

ETA: I guess I should add that the store was originally asking over $3k for it, but I knew that it had been there a long time, so much DH got it for almost 30% off, if I remember right.

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Here is my sapphire RHR...total budget came in under $2k...so I guess this qualifies!

~2ct lavender sapphire from Natural Sapphire Company, .40 ctw of diamonds, white gold setting (custom) from Nobel Gems

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Date: 12/21/2007 10:32:58 PM
Author: old-fashioned girl
This whole set only cost $2400. The diamond is about 0.94ct. It was from an antique shop. The diamond is darker, about an L color I think, which is the main reason it was inexpensive, plus the yellow gold, and the fact that it is somewhat worn. But it is very sparkly & I love it.

ETA: I guess I should add that the store was originally asking over $3k for it, but I knew that it had been there a long time, so much DH got it for almost 30% off, if I remember right.
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That rock looks larger than .94 on your finger ! Nice set, I like it
 
Procured through www.signedpieces.com and private seller.
Just-over-a-grand total of $1,175, 0.94C H 14K and 18K band:
ETA: a notbadatall sparkly I1.

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technically this is a little over budget, but it''s a steal at a little over 3k after the ps discount. It''s also an F and a FIC...and totally eyeclean. I would have bought it if I could deal with the I1 thing.

Someone needs to buy this incredible stone: http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/F-I1-Premium-Cut-Round-Diamond-1107587.asp
 
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methyst
My antique amethyst ring was only $1k. Which was the most expensive thing I had ever bought at that point! I don''t know if I really got a deal on it or not. But I was happy with the price.
 
This is my beloved three stone ring that I received for our tenth wedding anniversary in May. I love it so much, I can stare into the diamonds all day long! The total cost was $2500 for the stones and the setting.

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I think mine technically qualifies as both diamond and setting were a tiny bit over $3k.

GIA certified .71, G, VVS2 Asscher.

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Lauren,
your asscher is beautiful!
 
Oh yea! I can post mine here too... WF 5-stone 1 ctw...

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Date: 12/22/2007 12:33:43 PM
Author: coatimundi
Lauren,
your asscher is beautiful!
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Thank you, Coatimundi!

I''m a horrible photographer, so photos really do it no justice.
 
Here is my T&Co. set. .55 carats 1 VVS1 with matching knife edge band. Price- $1750

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WOW!! So many absolutely lovely pieces!!

Way to go girls (and boys) - I swear everytime I come here I''m inspired to do something different... now the inspiration is to find a lovely pretty where the price tag will make hubby''s knees wobble for non-sticker shock. hehe... up until this thread, I''ve shown him things like the 70+ carat pink diamond, a bunch of Leon''s stuff that''s just mouth wateringly good to look at... apparently even men suffer from DSS, we''re both looking at the .76 and the .6ct bead bands and we''re like... maybe we should have gone bigger... this will be a pleasant surprise for him to read this thread :-)

Thanks for starting it and for everyone who''s contributing. If I had anything to share, I would... but it''s just my engagement ring and band and those have been posted quite a bit already (I was experiencing proud new momma of a sparkly syndrome. hehe)
 
Date: 12/23/2007 12:03:19 AM
Author: butterfly 17
Here is my T&Co. set. .55 carats 1 VVS1 with matching knife edge band. Price- $1750
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That looks like you got a pretty good deal for T&Co. Nice!
 
Date: 12/22/2007 1:17:16 AM
Author: LadyAmythyst69
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methyst
My antique amethyst ring was only $1k. Which was the most expensive thing I had ever bought at that point! I don''t know if I really got a deal on it or not. But I was happy with the price.
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This ring is AWESOME! Would you mind posting a couple more shots ? Perhaps a side view as well?

I just picked up a really nice blue topaz ring for my gf (soon to be fiance
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) which I''ll post pics of after she opens it on Christmas. I also saw a couple of really nice amethyst and saphire rings. Thats a great combo
 
This is not an engagement ring but an anniversary ring. Center stone .47 carats, total cost $2300 in 2005.

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Mine was just under 3k, a .83 I SI2 ACA from WF in their 6-prong setting in platinum. Ring size 5.5. I
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it!

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I have been engaged since September but have not posted any hand shots. I think my fiance a paid a little less than $2000 for my WF .70 H SI1 oval solitaire set in platinum. I will post some soon.
 
My ring was way under 3k and we got a great deal on it! I think you need to look for a really good deal, which could take a while, but you''ll find something!
 
Date: 12/23/2007 12:35:38 AM
Author: Jypsie
WOW!! So many absolutely lovely pieces!!

Way to go girls (and boys) - I swear everytime I come here I''m inspired to do something different... now the inspiration is to find a lovely pretty where the price tag will make hubby''s knees wobble for non-sticker shock.
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I''m not yet engaged but when I saw Jypsie''s post, I had to respond. I happen to like smaller diamonds (under 1ct) in delicate settings. Things like you''d find in antique stores. My boyfriend is a working musician who also runs his own business, so while he could easily afford to get me something over $3K, I don''t know that he would. He''s a practical kind of guy who prefers to live below his means and sensibly, saving money for things like vacations you''d remember forever, things for the kids, retirement, etc. He''s not cheap - he said to me when we were first dating something to the effect of, "If I have to work hard for my money, I want to buy things with it that make memories and make my life and the lives of those I love better -- not expensive possessions that take up space and make me worry about them getting stolen or broken." I love that about him!

A previous poster on another thread mentioned The Natural Sapphire Company. Show this to your boyfriend: http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/. If you want to find something pretty and different, check there! If you remember, Princess Diana''s engagement ring was a deep blue sapphire with diamond halo. I was drooling all over the keyboard yesterday.They offer loose stones as well as complete rings - colors are not treated! I love champagne diamonds, and this sapphire is a champage color and under $200!! - http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/Sapphires/Peach/Radiant/stoneid=U555. There are lots more in pretty much every imagineable color (including white, if you like a diamond look). Sapphires are also, by the way, as durable as diamonds, so they''re a great engagement stone.

Bridget in Connecticut.
 
Date: 1/3/2008 1:23:51 AM
Author: ajdubya126
I have been engaged since September but have not posted any hand shots. I think my fiance a paid a little less than $2000 for my WF .70 H SI1 oval solitaire set in platinum. I will post some soon.
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Please do, ovals are one of my fave''s!
 
I picked up this vintage/antique band, that was NEVER worn, white gold, well made ring for $ 49! Unfortunately, as pretty as it is, I don''t like it paired with my e-ring, and I don''t want to resize it and disrupt the pattern. I just listed it on E-bay...which is where I found it in the first place! LOL. I love finding great deals there!

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Beautiful rings, all of them!
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What a GREAT idea for a thread!
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Here is my WF.70 oval H SI1 six prong platinum solitaire band!

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I know vintage cuts aren't for everyone -- especially at lower price points, as getting the true specs seems to be trickier to coordinate for some reason!

But that's the route I took. My original . 44 stone + WG setting came in at ~ $700 IIRC, but when I chipped the stone (probably on one of my rather rock-laden hikes, dumb me for never taking it off) I got another old cut put into my setting for $600 + the chipped stone.

So technically what I'm wearing these days cost $1300 for a ~.5 stone of undetermined yet pretty darn bright color -- and undeniably sparkly qualities.

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[size 5 ring these days]
 
And in another plug for seeking out older stones/settings....

Long story semi-short, when my sister visited me last summer she fell in love with an antique setting/OEC stone and ended up trading in her (rather bulky setting/chain store stone) for it. The vintage ring's selling price was ~ 3K, give or take some negotiation -- though she did a trade in and paid out some cash.

I finally got a few decent shots of it when we overlapped during the holiday -- it's def a warmer stone than many would like, but like many old cuts it tends to face up well. The cut is *miles* better than her old stone -- it's a fireball -- and the .88 center looks bigger than her former center did despite being a bit smaller. [She's a 6.5 -7 ring size]

[Not to mention that IMO the platinum setting is beautifully fluid and much more flattering on her finger than her prior one! I love the triple-claw prongs.]

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Here''s my a hand shot of my sister''s vintage ring with her modern wedding band -- they worked well together! Wish I had a shot of her old ring, because this is just a work of art in comparison.


You can see the ring shows its body color a bit more here; we''ve yet to analyze what causes the fairly dramatic color shifts, but it sure reflects its surroundings!

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