Choosing between ''value'' E-Rings?

[orion]

Hey folks.... just started looking for my first E-Ring....... Within first 30 mins of search I got directed to PS and am happy to find tons of useful information here ...

Anyways, the situation right now is that I am looking for my first E-ring and would be proposing to my GF in 2 week or so.... Surprisingly, she is not a major fan of jewelry and hence I do not see much point in spending too much on the e-ring.... Still I want to get her something that she and her family would appretiate..... again I do not have a very specific budget either....

After some basic search I was able to select a few rings that I think she will like and just want to get your opinion on the "value" of the rings based on the prices and the quality of diamonds... Here are the ones selected by me, let me know your thoughts:

1) http://www.ice.com/AST/Ice/Ice_Primary/PRD~P_RDB_013249/P_RDB_013249.jsp

2) http://www.ice.com/home/product_details.jsp?productCode=P_RDB_017258

3) http://www.jamesallen.com/products/item_60-451.asp

Also please suggest if I should look somewhere else for better value/quality. I am typically looking for rings in 14K/18K Yellow gold with 0.5 - 1 Ct. Diamond with 'H' or better color....

 

[arjunajane]

Hi Orion,
and Welcome to PS.
Ha ha I like it how you say "my First ering" a couple of times in your post.

However, there are a couple of things that lead me to be a little concerned from your post.
You say you don't want to spend much, but still want value for money - I am not familiar with ice.com but to me those diamonds will not be worth the price tag. Please look elsewhere.

With James Allen you are moving toward a better vendor, which will represent better value for your money.

Also, you want to do this all and propose within 2 weeks? That could be a tight squeeze.
Even if your GF doesn't wear jewellery, an ering is a very personal and significant emotional gift. Are you sure she (and her family) will be happy with something rushed and "off the shelf", or do you think she may appreciate something a lil more personalized?

I see you have chosen three stone style settings mainly - is this what you're specifically after? And is this something you know your GF will like? Perhaps a more traditional solitaire could make a nicer impact in the price range you're looking at, and is usually a "safe bet" for girls that don't wear jewellery.

Sorry, I realize this is an awful lot of questions - its just us PS'ers hate to see anybody not getting what they should for their money when it comes to diamonds/erings.

I know you said you don't have a particular budget in mind, but if you wouldn't mind setting a range you're comfortable with, perhaps people can suggest some ideas for you?

 

[oobiecoo]

I would stay away from both "Ice" rings. The clarity on both is super low and not desirable. You could definitely find better for the money. The James Allen one has a better clarity and is nice but the diamonds are fairly small so won''t have much of a "wow" factor if you know what I mean. You can design your own ring with James Allen. A simple gold solitaire setting is only $250 and then you can add a solitaire diamond in the color and clarity of your choice. There are a couple of diamonds between .30 and .50 carat for under $700 which would put the ring under $1000. You can go to a larger stone for about $1250 total. Cut and clarity are most important in my opinion. Do you know what shape diamond she likes? Or if she prefers yellow gold?

 

[RxTechRN2b]

If she doesn''t wear jewelry, she might be more comfortable with a small, low-set solitaire on a delicate, simple band. But you should do a bit of homework and find out what her preferences are since she will be the one to wear it every day. And you never know, she may secretly be dreaming of an asscher diamond in a halo setting! Does she like yellow or white metals? Is her style modern or traditional -- maybe she would even like an antique style. What shape would she like her diamond to be -- round, princess, cushion? Does she even want a diamond? Some girls prefer gemstone rings such as sapphire. If you do get a diamond, look for something eyeclean or better in clarity (SI1 and up, possibly as low as SI2) and colorless/nearcolorless (some H''s and up, a bit lower in an extremely well cut round) and of course, don''t settle for anything less than the best in cut! Oh yeah, and have fun with the process, and congratulations!

 

[ydiamonds]

Hi Orion,

Here''s a thought: just because your GF is not into jewelry doesn''t mean she doesn''t want a beautiful ering in a nice size. She could be sentimental about an ering and has some ideas of what she would like. If you two haven''t talked about a ring and what she might want, it may be best to propose without a ring and then pick one out together, as long as you think she wouldn''t feel negatively about a proposal without a ring. Women have such diverse feelings about erings and proposals that it can be really hard for a man to know what to do. Take your time and try to find out as much as you can about how she feels. Good luck.