I finally did it! And I couldn''t be happier!

[LuciferSam]

I got this stone from uniondiamond.com. The guy I dealt with was patient and helpful, much more than Shane Company and the mall retailers that I happened to hate.

Anyhow, this is a 1.71c stone

GIA

G color
totally eye clean SI-1
Table 56%
Depth 62.1%
Cut: Excellent
Polish: Excellent
Symmetry: Very Good

They labeled this as one of their "Select Ideal" stones...

I love it, this is exactly what I was looking for... and the price was actually less than I thought so I grabbed her a pair of .81tcw stud earrings too! She gets it in 2.5 weeks - each day is going to kill me

 

[acidburn]

Hey man, I know how you feel! That''s a great lookin ring...good luck!

 

[dianne]

Oh My Gosh! Be standing close to catch her when she sees all those sparkles! Earrings, too! Lucky, lucky girl!!

 

[LuciferSam]

Thanks guys! I must have been looking for 6 months... I could never make up my mind. I sort of found that you can get more diamond for your dollar if you go with a different shape or a lesser color - at the end as corny as it sounds, the most important thing to me was sparkle. This stone looks much more icy white than I thought it would... I almost got an I color stone well over 2 carats at one point, but I could see the slightest tint of yellow and it was driving me bananas even at the store... so I''m glad I got something that looks white, without paying for a D color.

 

[bling*diva*]

~~So gorgeous...

 

[anchor31]

Wow, lucky woman! Congrats!

 

[ebonykawai]

WOW.

Just....wow.

 

[Sundial]

Oh wow that is one stunning diamond and earrings too - she is going to swoon!!! Please come back with hand and ear shots after you have given them to her

 

[SuzyQZ]

Holy Toledo!!!!

What a surprise this will be!!!

What a lucky lady she is!!!

 

[LuciferSam]

Thanks for the kind words everyone! I plan on proposing at one of the beaches at Point Reyes National Seashore at sunset... You can hike for awhile and find amazing beaches that you end up having all to yourself.

Her family is meeting us in San Francisco afterwards for dinner so it should be a surprise for everyone

Now I've just got to pay for a wedding and I can go back to buying myself some toys!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Just beautiful! Good luck on the proposal. Be sure to post pics after!

 

[FireGoddess]

Fantastic!!

 

[aljdewey]

VERY nicely done! I''m sure she''ll be delighted!

Congrats!

 

[Dee*Jay]

A gorgeous ring AND beautiful diamond studs -- what a lucky girl! Please post hand shots as soon as she says "YES"!

 

[mrssalvo]

well, it doesn''t get much better than that, gorgeous diamonds all around.

 

[Skippy123]

Absolutley gorgeous!!! I luv them both!!!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Oh so loverly...and ever so pleasing to hear you sooooo excited!!! Congrats!

cheers--Sharon

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Beautiful ring and earrings!! You really did a wonderful job!

 

[upgrading mama]

WOW!!!! very nice!
and how sweet to add the earrings with the extra cash, some guys would thank their good luck and keep it! lol

can''t wait to see hand pics after she says yes!

 

[gailrmv]

What a fantastic ring, and NICE JOB ON THE BONUS EARRINGS! She will be ecstatic! You know you are setting the bar extremely high for yourself

 

[Kaleigh]

Oh wow, she''s gonna be thrilled. Nice job!!!

 

[divergrrl]

Gorgeous ring and earrings. Your excitement is absolutely adorable! I wish you both the best of luck.

Diver

 

[MiniMouse]

A ring and earrings? What a dream. Congratulations and I hope the engagement goes well. Come back and let us know.

 

[Catmom]

Wow, is she a lucky woman!!!! Good luck on the proposal and please come back with more pictures.

 

[jfan]

Wow - great job and great taste! WHat an elegant ring and earrings to match!!

Good luck on the proposal!

 

[Ellen]

Just beautiful, and a yummy size to boot. AND studs?? That''s one lucky gal.

Congrats, you did good!!

 

[lumpkin]

She''s going to love them! Very nice.

 

[Stone Hunter]

2 boxes to open. How wonderful. Will you give her the earrings that night too? Or are they a wedding present.

 

[LuciferSam]

Not a wedding present, the earrings are a birthday present. I''ve been talking a lot about diamonds lately and she thinks it''s all related to these earrings she just got from me. It was kind of funny that she took one and put it over her ring finger to see what it would look like as an engagement ring. I had a hard time holding the smirk in.

I just booked a room at the Four Seasons as a surprise after I pop the question at the beach... I have to wait over two weeks and at this point it''s killing me to have to wait!!

 

[asscherisme]

Wow, that is beautiful! One knock out ring.

I think the G color is a great compromise.