For the girl that has it all....

[magicsock]

Hi all,
So heres the deal. I plan on proposing to my girl in the near future.. well when I take care of what this post addresses anyway. The problem is for me anyway, is that she has exquisite taste, and has many rings already with huge gorgeous diamonds. So.. when it comes time to present her with a ring, not any will do. because one, there is no way that I could afford anything nicer than what she has, and honestly for me, the meaning that a ring presents is special, and for me, simply going out and buying a ring for her is not enough. I want the effort put into this meaning to reflect my love for her, and being able to quickly stop at any store and pick one out is too easy. So.. heres my question/ favor.
What I would like to do.. and any suggestions here would be greatly appericated.. I want to go to a diamond mine.. and actually dig out the rock myself. then go and have it cut, and then set.. and have the whole process recorded. that way when i propose to her.. I can rent out some facility.. and have a regular party with family and friends.. then play the movie on a projector.. and by the time that everyone has figured out what was going on.. walk up to her and propose... So... what am i asking of you guys... I guess.. any help.. are there certain areas where diamonds tend to be more perfect than others. Who or where should I go for having it cut, and setting.. Thanks everyone.. I know that this is a lot to ask.
-Chuck

 

[windowshopper]

no offense but i think that is a bit ridiculous: you shouldnt have to outdo what she already has. how about a sapphire or ruby or an unusual stone or even an eternity band , the symbolism of which is FAR more momentous than an engagement ring which is really just a payment to the future bride. That you feel you need to do that is a little disturbing.........................

 

[jaz464]

If you find yourself with a somewhat limited budget, I'm not sure if flying to a diamond mine (who will let you dig around in their mine?) and having the diamond cut (finding someone to do this will be difficult and you risk alot because the diamond could break while being cut) would be very cost effective. Would you even know what you were looking at when/if you were to see rough diamonds? How would you know what color/clarity it would end up being? Rough diamonds look nothing like polished and cut diamonds. I like windowshopper's idea. Perhaps a different kind of stone would be in order.

 

[glamgirl]

Personally I think ANY thing you buy should be fine. But to make it special, is to perhaps inscribe something beautiful ansd sweet inside the ring, AND to put some thought and effort in the way you propose. NO woman ever forgets, when and how they are proposed to. A ring can get lost, but a memory of propsal is forever. Just something to think about................

 

[Mara]

i don''t know that you could just go to a diamond mine and pull out a diamond and have it be the one you cut and have it turn out great. there''s alot more to selecting rough for cutting than just pulling it out of the ground. you could pull out what may be a Z colored I3 clarity stone when it''s cut. sure you can get rough cut into a spectacular stone (maybe an eightstar if the brand would impress her and the rarity)...but finding the rough may not be easy if you want to find it in a mine.

why don''t you design a ring for her with her in mind...adding special touches here and there..for me that''s pretty meaningful. or have one of the vendors who cuts their own stones (aka a whiteflash) source a piece of rough for them to cut for you or something like that?

i would also venture to say that one of my best friends has tons of expensive things, diamonds, mercedes, her own house etc and i think that some guys end up thinking like you are..aka nothing is going to be good enough so it has to be some huge elaborate thing or a huge ring or something. bottom line is that my friend would be so ecstatic to find a man who loves her and wants to make her happy that she would not care if it was some special mined rough etc. she''d just be happy knowing that there was thought put into it and that the man she loved wanted to marry her.

 

[Demelza]

It is extremely unlikely (read impossible) that you could ever get access to a diamond mine. Moreover, the amount of money it would cost you to carry out this plan could buy you a very nice diamond. I like WS''s idea of getting her a stone other than a diamond if you don''t think you can afford one.

 

[jaz464]

Oooh, yes, what about designing a setting yourself? Great idea Mara. That would be really special. It would place the focus on the setting, not the diamond.

I see you're in Houston. I think you could do no better than working with Whiteflash.

 

[ello]

I think you should ask your girlfriend to share her hopes and dreams with you before you make your decision. You might go through so much and not get the response you were hoping for…

Ask her if she would like to design the ring with you... You might be pleasantly surprised to learn that she’s not expecting a big diamond …or would like to be part of the decision-making. She might want to add a different shape of diamond to her collection, which will help you determine which type of cut to buy.

I also understand that you would like to surprise her so I would suggest taking her to Tiffany or Cartier – just to get a feeling for the size she’s oohing and aaahing over. Also the type of setting that grabbed her attention. You can explain that you are browsing for Christmas gifts (the silver collection is quite affordable at Tiffany).

GOOD LUCK - you sound like a wonderful man! She''s really lucky to have you with or without a diamond.

 

[ello]

Have you visited Whiteflash? www.whiteflash.com

 

[MissAva]

She doesnt have it all yet, she is still waiting to have you. Please do not underestimate the importance of the wedding vows to a woman. Find out what her tastes are and desigin a ring with Bob Hoskins at WhiteFlash. Hit the proposal suggestions forum and the Houston ladies can help you plan out an increabile proposal. Rings are only rocks and metal, it is the man we want, not the jewelry.

 

[Kaleigh]

I agree with Matatora, she may have all the rings in the world but she doesn''t have you as her husband yet. WF can design a beautiful custom ring for you and all the girls in the LIW thread can help you cook up a super romantic proposal. Even us old married gals like to help out. She cares more about you than the ring.

 

[portoar]

I think one way to make the stone special is to have the girdle inscribed with a special message to her. And when you give her the diamond you can show her the inscription under magnification. She will always know that one diamond carries a message. I know some diamond dealers will do this. . .

 

[valeria101]

Date: 11/12/2005 8:28:35 PM
Author: Matatora

She doesn't have it all yet, she is still waiting to have you.

Right!

Forget the silly thing....

And here's one more vote for the colored ring: I don't know what kind of rings she already has, but if you want to match their size and presence, many colored stones would help with the cost without compromise. Even if that is not feasible (what if all those diamonds are 10 carat pieces????

you haven't told us what you are coping with exactly... ) - It doesn't have to be a ring that is worn 24/7, especially since this is not her only by far. The meaning of it already makes it special and nothing else comes close about this particular piece of jewelry.

Lets put it another way: it can only be a good thing that you are not under pressure to supply the first valuable piece of jewelry to your girl as many e-rings are. That has already been taken care of. I suppose she can't possibly expect that you take some silly financial gamble for anything, including that engagement ring. She knows you, you budget and intentions...

Sorry to say this, but there is no need to attach allot of ego to this purchase. Your heart seems to be with it already, and this is the main thing. I have yet to hear of an exception to that rule among all women I know.

 

[valeria101]

Since it came up....

It is not feasible to pick a diamond from the dirt: modern mining is incompatible with the proposition, panning African rivers a strange idea and even if you went to some silly public ground it may take a while, allot of luck and a mountain of dirt to find material for a ten pointer Like this

. Not that the idea is not romantic, but you''d both be old and poor by the time is done

 

[magicsock]

Hey guys,
Seriously, thanks for all the input.. Im gonna check out whiteflash. I have a lot to think about.. fortunetely Ive got ample time. You all will see me around, trying to gather ideas. Thanks again.
Chuck

 

[Kaleigh]

That''s good to hear. Take your time and we''re here if you have any questions.

 

[widget]

Have you thought of finding some fabulous band instead of a more traditional e-ring?

That''s probably what I''d do. And maybe incorportate into it...through design or inscription....something that''s especially personal and meaningful. The possibilities are endless!

Here a just a couple I found at Pearlmans:

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