Clueless guy needs Ring-Buying advice

[landscape65]

Hi there,

I''''m your average clueless guy getting ready to pop the question and I have to buy THE RING.
Ladies -- what shape diamond is considered the nicest/prettiest/most popular? What shape diamond would YOU want?
The thing is, I want something not everybody else has. Seems like everybody has a round diamond. What other shapes are my options?
And by the way, what the heck is a cushette shaped diamond? Thanks!

 

[Lorelei]

Welcome to PS

It might be best if this topic is moved to Hangout as you will get more responses!

Rounds by a long way are the most popular, fancy shapes such as Pears, Emerald, Radiant, Ovals, Cushions, Marquise, Princess all have their place, but your best bet is to try to either sneakily or ask outright what your GF likes as she will be the one wearing the ring. Not everyone likes fancy shapes or even rounds for that matter! You can still make your ring unique!

 

[~*Alexis*~]

The ring really depends on what type of girl she is. Is she athletic, on the go, girly girl, etc..

I personally like emerald cuts and asshers. Those are different stones and are not really the mainstream.

The cushette diamond is cut differently than a cushion and a round. I have attached a photo for you.

The Cushette™ retains the brilliance of traditional princess cuts, despite rounded corners, because of a new cutting technique called the Rosetta™ Process, which brings eight additional facets (Portals of Light™) into the pavilion, producing greater light refraction. It is a cushion cut stone designed for increased brilliance.

There are 77 facets in the Cushette™ Cut: 33 on the crown and 44 on the pavilion. Table sizes range from 62 to 72 percent and total depth percentages range from 65-to 74 percent. It has rounded corners, but is neither round nor oval. It has four sides, but is neither square nor rectangle. It is an elegant shape with a distinguished look.

For info on the cushette go to
www.cushette.com


Welcome to PS and I hope that helps...

 

[mrssalvo]

If you did a poll here you'd get all sorts of answers. What's important is not what we want but what your girl wants

If you are trying to make it a complete surprise I'd recommend going with a round in a temp setting (then you can setting shop togehter)just because it common and classic for a reason IMO. However, is there any way you can do some snooping to really get an idea of what type of ring she wants? I hadn't researched rings at all when I was young and dating but I always had an idea of what ring i wanted when the time came. she may atleast have an idea in her mind. many time a gal who loves a princess (square shape) stone probably wouldn't want a round and a gal who adores rounds (like me) wouldn't want a princess.

 

[jaz464]

Here are pictures of lots of diamond shapes on a very popular and reputable vendor''s website, Good Old Gold

http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamondSearch.php

I don''t think you should randomly choose a shape however. I would get some suggestion from her or her friends/mother/sister. Opinions vary so much.

 

[pyramid]

I think it looks a bit like the princess cut but without the square corners ofcourse.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Round is popular for a reason...it can be the most brilliant diamond when you get an ideal cut one. It never goes out of style and fancy shapes do come and go in popularity. However, if I were looking for a fancy shape, I''d look for a cushion or asscher or the WhiteFlash X-factor, which is like a princess but with cut corners. I think those three would likely stay in favor always.

Read the tutorial on the 4C''s to learn the basics:

http://www.goodoldgold.com/4Cs/

 

[mtrb]

Ok... I am not a lady,but I want to share with you what my situation was..

I will preface this with telling you Round Diamonds are the most popular among women, and you really need to consider what she would want. They are also generally the most $$ per carat (PS community...correct me if I am wrong). Getting a diamond that is different does not always translate into something SHE will like. I know a woman with a 2.2 Carat princess cut stone, but she has always longed for a round. She finally had it reset into a pendant, and got the round she wanted.

Anyway..
About 3.5 years ago I was in a very similar situation to you. I wanted to surprise my girlfriend and ask her to marry me. I wanted to give her something from me and I wanted it to be something special and that she appreciated. I did not want her to pick it, because this was from my heart and it just wouldnt be special at that point. I was concerned about style and what she would like, but I did not want to ask her opinion, because I did not want her to know. Then I found this site.

In the end, after several months of research here...I got my wife to be the biggest best cut round GIA certified online diamond I could afford and a simple solitaire 14k white gold setting which only cost about $100(gold prices are a little more expensive now). I did that knowing she could choose a setting she loved later and we could have that diamond reset. This way she won't be dissapointed.

Well, 3.5 years later, she has chosen a new setting she loves with 1/2 carat of side diamonds to reset her stone, and I am upgrading her for Christmas! I am pretty excited.

Perhaps this could work for you also...

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 11/17/2006 9:05:18 AM
Author: mtrb
Ok... I am not a lady,but I want to share with you what my situation was..

I will preface this with telling you Round Diamonds are the most popular among women. They are also generally the most $$ per carat (PS community...correct me if I am wrong).

About 3.5 years ago I was in a very similar situation to you. I wanted to surprise my girlfriend and ask her to marry me. I wanted to give her something from me and I wanted it to be something special and that she appreciated. I did not want her to pick it, because this was from my heart and it just wouldnt be specia at that pointl. I was concerned about style and what she would like, but I did not want to ask her opinion, because I did not want her to know. Then I found this site.

In the end, after several months of research here...I got my wife to be the biggest best cut round diamond I could afford and a simple solitaire 14k white gold setting which only cost about $100(gold prices are a little more expensive now). I did that knowing she could choose a setting she loved later and we could have that diamond reset. This way she won''t be dissapointed.

Well, 3.5 years later, she has chosen a new setting she loves with 1/2 carat of side diamonds to reset her stone, and I am upgrading her for Christmas! I am pretty excited.

Perhaps this could work for you also...

Just perfect, mtrb!

 

[firebirdgold]

Ooh, that cushette shape is pretty.

If I was a guy without much exposure to diamonds looking for an e-ring, I'd stick with shapes that are currently graded for the quality of their cut. As anyone here will tell you, the quality of the cut has the most impact on the visual beauty of a diamond. (Think of it like light going in and bouncing around on mirrors and shooting back out towards your eye. Like that Indiana Jones movie.

If the mirrors aren't lined up just right, or angled just right the light just goes off somewhere else)

Of course you can get a pretty diamond in all the shapes, it's just easier if you can base your decision on something quantitave like a cut grade. So I say you should look at Princess shape diamonds with an AGS Ideal cut. (AGS is a respected gem grading lab know for it's cut grading). I believe the GIA lab is also giving Princess diamonds a cut grade since the start of 2006, but I haven't really heard people's opinions on their princess grading.

For starters, you might want to try Whiteflash.com, and bluenile's signature diamonds.


ETA: Oh and just my personal preference, but I adore princess diamonds in three stone settings. For solitares I prefer them in trellis/x-prong style settings, but that's mainly because I just like the trellis setting.

Good Luck!

EYATA: Asscher and Emerald cuts are also very lovely and very pretty. They're known as 'step' cuts. But they aren't as sparkly as the 'brilliant' cuts of diamonds like the round and princess. They have a clean, very elegant look with fewer but much broader flashes of fire and sparkle. Whereas the brilliant cuts have lots of small flashes of sparkle and fire. Symmetry is very important with these cuts, not just for the light return, but because you can really see it in person.

If your girl likes really classy and very simple styles, then she might really love the 'step' cuts. They have a very art deco feel. I originally wanted an asscher or emerald myself, but the good ones were out of our budget. (10 anniversary though...

)
The best place to look for an asscher or emerald cut is Good old gold.

 

[aprilcait]

Hi, Landscape! I just read your post on LIW and I couldn''t figure out how to reply to it there. I don''t know if my computer was just being weird or what, but there was not a "reply" option. Anyway, I have a three stone ring (round diamonds) and I love it. This isn''t exactly the "original" idea I think you were looking for, though.

Regarding diamond shapes, there are a variety options: princess cut, pear, etc. Is it possible for you to bring up the topic of diamond shape preferences with your girlfriend or maybe even one of her friends? Shape preference can be kind of a personal thing. However, one of her friends may be able to guide you in the right direction.

 

[justjulia]

Ask her mother to snoop it out. That, or go to a movie at a mall, and casually window shop and see what her reactions are to the different shapes out there....but don''t buy at a mall store.

 

[winternight]

Well my fiance confessed that he didn''t know what to buy and was considering a pear - I''m thrilled that he''s letting me pick it out because I don''t like pears and I would have felt terrible about telling him that I wasn''t happy with it. I think its soooo much better to pick out the ring that I''m going to wear. I know too many women with rings that they aren''t really into but they didn''t have the heart to tell the guy.

 

[codex57]

Date: 11/17/2006 8:26:05 AM
Author:landscape65

Hi there,

I''m your average clueless guy getting ready to pop the question and I have to buy THE RING.

Ladies -- what shape diamond is considered the nicest/prettiest/most popular? What shape diamond would YOU want?

The thing is, I want something not everybody else has. Seems like everybody has a round diamond. What other shapes are my options?

And by the way, what the heck is a cushette shaped diamond? Thanks!

1) I'm a dude who was in your shoes

2) It doesn't matter what everyone likes, what everyone has, etc. The only thing that matters is what your fiancee wants. Figure that out, then worrying about finding a stone that fits what she wants. Would you try and buy her a pair of shoes based on what other people like? You could get lucky, but much better to try and figure out her preferences first.

3) Round is classic. Princess (a square) is prolly the next most popular. After that, you've gone into the fancy shapes. Read all the stuff under the "Knowledge" section to find out about the shapes. Again, you may not want something that everyone else has, but YOU DON'T MATTER! If you want her to be happy, figure out what she wants generally and if she's ok with some of the fancier shapes, then you go in that direction. If I had gone solely with what I wanted (I initially wanted something a little different too), I would have gotten a cushion shaped stone. I'm pretty sure that would have disappointed my wife greatly cuz she likes "classic" shapes. Now, I would have gotten what I wanted, but what would be the point? I'd have been left with a disappointed girl all cuz I forgot to put her preferences first.

4) I've never heard of a cushette. Sounds like the cushion shaped stones I like.

Read all the Knowledge articles and tutorials first. Then we can start helping you out with specifics.

 

[E B]

I absolutely agree with everyone who said to find out which shape your GF prefers. I have a round (well, I''ll be getting it tomorrow) and while it''s the most popular shape, it''s also the most classic. It''ll never go out of style. If you want to be sneaky, ask her mom or a friend to go shopping with her and have them report back.

If you want unique, you could always achieve that with a setting. A setting with sapphire or ruby accents or sidestones would be different, and you could have something custom made so it truly would be unique.

 

[monarch64]

Date: 11/17/2006 2:50:53 PM
Author: codex57

Date: 11/17/2006 8:26:05 AM
Author:landscape65

Hi there,

I''m your average clueless guy getting ready to pop the question and I have to buy THE RING.

Ladies -- what shape diamond is considered the nicest/prettiest/most popular? What shape diamond would YOU want?

The thing is, I want something not everybody else has. Seems like everybody has a round diamond. What other shapes are my options?

And by the way, what the heck is a cushette shaped diamond? Thanks!

1) I''m a dude who was in your shoes

2) It doesn''t matter what everyone likes, what everyone has, etc. The only thing that matters is what your fiancee wants. Figure that out, then worrying about finding a stone that fits what she wants. Would you try and buy her a pair of shoes based on what other people like? You could get lucky, but much better to try and figure out her preferences first.

3) Round is classic. Princess (a square) is prolly the next most popular. After that, you''ve gone into the fancy shapes. Read all the stuff under the ''Knowledge'' section to find out about the shapes. Again, you may not want something that everyone else has, but YOU DON''T MATTER! If you want her to be happy, figure out what she wants generally and if she''s ok with some of the fancier shapes, then you go in that direction. If I had gone solely with what I wanted (I initially wanted something a little different too), I would have gotten a cushion shaped stone. I''m pretty sure that would have disappointed my wife greatly cuz she likes ''classic'' shapes. Now, I would have gotten what I wanted, but what would be the point? I''d have been left with a disappointed girl all cuz I forgot to put her preferences first.

4) I''ve never heard of a cushette. Sounds like the cushion shaped stones I like.

Read all the Knowledge articles and tutorials first. Then we can start helping you out with specifics.

Codex has gotten to the very heart of the matter here, IMO!

*Sigh* but if every man could find it in himself to think like this....

Landscape, you have SO come to the right place to ask questions and learn. I definitely vote for you finding out (in an inconspicuous way) what her preference is as far as center stone shape, and whether she might like a plain setting or one with accent stones, be they diamonds or some other gem...perhaps it is time to go a-browsing? Seems to me that is the only time mall stores are useful--when you do some window shopping with your gal and she tries on some things to get a feel for what she really loves on her hand. AS far as the diamond, use her preferences either from window shopping with you or whatever you can get her parents/friends/relatives to divulge to use here and find the best stone for your budget. Best of luck to you!

 

[landscape65]

Terrific, friendly, entertaining advice everyone. I can''t thank you enough for taking the time. I really want this engagement to be a surprise, and unfortunately the mother/sister/friends CAN''T BE TRUSTED. Don''t mean to sound bitter, I know it''s because they love her and would be too excited for her to keep their mouths shut. I have to continue to play this cool to pull off the surprise and will just have to take a chance of picking something out myself. Nice picture of the cushette, I think I like that halfway between round and square option.

And if she doesn''t like it, can a diamond ring be exchanged? I wouldnt take it personally. In fact I''ll tell her myself, if you don''t like this we can get something else. But of course I want to look the hero and guess right the first time.

 

[firebirdgold]

Hmmm, guess it's time to be sneaky! How about this, take her to a jewelry store under the pretext of helping you pick out a holiday present for your mother. And then just pretend to ignore her while you look at something else like watches and see what she looks at the longest. Believe me, she's thinking about getting engaged to you and won't be able to help herself in looking at diamond rings. (Unless she's the sort of person who'd worry about pressuring you into proposing and then she won't go near them.) She might also welcome the opportunity to hit gently at what she likes. The best part is that she'll think she's being clever and subtle, never knowing it's all a ploy!

It's very easy to return a ring that is pre-made up. (The diamond is already set in the ring.) Most online companies, like signed pieces, have a 30 day return policy.
It's a bit harder to return a ring where you picked a diamond and it was set in a ring. White flash has a 10 day return policy on both the diamond and the setting. (100% back on all standard settings, and 80% back on custom.) Whiteflash also has a lifetime trade-up policy. Not all places will refund settings though, although they do refund the diamond. I think the online stores usually have the best return policies, because they know alot of people feel unsure about ordering something over the internet.

4 prong settings can accommodate pretty much all stone shapes, and (unless the first stone had an odd profile like being very thick) can be reset with a diamond about the same size but a different shape. Diamonds with points are an exception because the setter will drill out a little cavity to protect the point. Also with settings where the 'head' (the prong setting) is not integral with the shoulders of the ring, the jeweler can remove the head and put a new one in without a great deal of effort or expense. Some examples are these whiteflash setting:

This one would be only marginally harder to replace the head:

I picked the last two because I've recently seen pics from PSer's who just got erings from Whiteflash with those settings and they were amazingly gorgeous!