If I''d known then what I know now... (past jewelry purchase(s))

[musey]

I've been thinking lately about the things I've learned while on PS. I didn't really spend much time on here before we made our engagement ring purchase, enough to get a few vital pieces of info (about purchasing online, finding settings, etc.)... but there are some things I've learned in the two-ish years since then that, had I known earlier, would have changed my engagement ring. I still completely love it, and wouldn't bother to change it, it just would've been tweaked going in.


If I'd known then what I know now, I would have:
1) Asked for my setting to be made with 950 Platinum/Ruthenium, instead of Iridium. If they couldn't have done it, I might have had a replica made with the alloy of my choice. When we were shopping, I didn't know the differences between alloys - I thought plat was plat was plat.

2) Had them lower my setting as much as humanly possible. I've always preferred my rings set low, but back when we were buying, it didn't occur to me that I could ask for customization like that.

3) Bezeled my center stone. I prefer the look, and am about fed up with worrying about loose prongs and poor workmanship when they're tightened.


So, what about you? It can be for any jewelry purchase that you perhaps may have done differently, whether slightly or entirely, if you'd had all the information you currently had.

Complete the sentence: If I'd known then what I know now, _________________.

 

[Cind11]

If I''d known then what I know now, I would not have let my DH buy me the rainbow sapphire bracelet he bought four years ago in the Caribbean. The sapphires are pretty, but I don''t think they''re cut that well. I also wonder if they''re BE treated or something which would bother me.

If I''d known then what I know now, I might have bought a bigger diamond intead of having an expensive custom seting made. Although I do love my setting. It''s just that I could see myself with a bigger diamond.

 

[Elmorton]

Hmmm...as for my e-ring/wband, I''m not sure I would have changed anything. Maybe gone a little bigger, but then again, maybe not. I might have shopped a bit more for the w-band because I''m sure a better deal could have been had, but not because I''m unhappy with it.

For other things...oh, I''d change tons!!! The sapphire pendant I bought myself during grad school...oh dear. I thought that''s what a sapphire LOOKED like - a dark, inky, included navy thing.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

I would have tried a halo on...

 

[Steel]

Pre PS:

1. I would have suggested DH buy me a plain w/b for our engagement. We were engaged very young and I should not have worried so much about diamonds.

2. I would not have paid so much for our plain yg wedding bands which were non-brand and cost more than their Tiffany counter-parts would, even today. Ireland can really be a rip off

.

Post PS:

I would have looked at lower grade stones in terms of clarity and colour. We were dead set on D VS1 once we found PS. Buying again I would get me some K MB Flour SI1 rock. I would also not waste so much $$ on the setting. I spent 1.5K on my setting (possibly more) then changed it a year later

.

Cute queston Musey.

 

[musey]

Date: 2/23/2009 9:19:27 PM
Author: Steel
1. I would have suggested DH buy me a plain w/b for our engagement. We were engaged very young and I should not have worried so much about diamonds.

That's a good one, steel. I often feel as though we should have gotten a small diamond band for our engagement, and then the plain band that I still pine for as a wedding band. I love this look. I love my set, don't get me wrong, but I can't say why I was so transfixed on the idea of a solitaire-ish engagement ring.

I suppose if I'd done the diamond band + plain band look, I'd be wishing now that I'd done the more traditional e-ring + band look. Grass is always greener!

 

[Steel]

Date: 2/23/2009 9:40:33 PM
Author: musey

Date: 2/23/2009 9:19:27 PM
Author: Steel
1. I would have suggested DH buy me a plain w/b for our engagement. We were engaged very young and I should not have worried so much about diamonds.

That''s a good one, steel. I often feel as though we should have gotten a small diamond band for our engagement, and then the plain band that I still pine for as a wedding band. I love this look. I love my set, don''t get me wrong, but I can''t say why I was so transfixed on the idea of a solitaire-ish engagement ring.

I suppose if I''d done the diamond band + plain band look, I''d be wishing now that I''d done the more traditional e-ring + band look. Grass is always greener!

Thanks Musey. I suggested it in one of the LIW threads awhile ago but it was not a well received suggestion. Then again, I wonder how I would have received such an idea back then?

 

[tlh]

Cute question!

I knew I loved pave, but I couldnt describe what I liked. I now know I like pave or diamonds w/o any metal around it (miligrain etc) .... or, I like just the look of the band. I dont like it when they both happen. I feel they are competing. But I might just feel that way, because that is what I am wearing.

 

[musey]

Date: 2/24/2009 11:26:23 AM
Author: tlh
Cute question!

I knew I loved pave, but I couldnt describe what I liked. I now know I like pave or diamonds w/o any metal around it (miligrain etc) .... or, I like just the look of the band. I dont like it when they both happen. I feel they are competing. But I might just feel that way, because that is what I am wearing.

So, is there anything you''d have done differently given the knowledge you now have? (That''s where the whole "If I''d known then what I know now, _______________" part comes in

)

 

[Maisie]

If I''d known then what I know now.... I would have saved up instead of a few mini upgrades. I would also have looked at J,K and lower colours from the start.

 

[E B]

I'm slowly coming to the realization that I may not be a traditional engagement ring kind of gal. I've had two, and though they were both what I thought I wanted at the time, they ended up not being right for various reasons. I know why I wanted to go the 'e-ring paired with a band' route, though- it's the traditional choice and I love the look on others. I just don't think I love it on me.

I've always been drawn to the stacked band look (a la Jennifer Garner). The low, simple-yet-elegant 'unfussiness' of this option paired with the ability to change up the look whenever you'd like really appeals to the kind of person I am.

I'm currently trying to remedy this, and the thought alone has me so excited- imagine all of the choices!

 

[Sabine]

Oh dear. This is making me admit how much I would have loved to have known about ps before choosing what I wanted for my ering. I love the sentiment behind my rings, but I would get something totally different now if I could.

I would...

get platinum instead of yellow gold. I hadn''t seen that many rings irl on people''s hands, and although I like the look of some yellow gold jewelry for myself, I would have gotten my main piece in plat.

get prong-set side stones instead of my bead-set stones (that look like channel set). I love the ritani endless love setting, so I might have gone with that or something similar.

insisted on an upgrade policy for my center stone.

and DEFINITELY have bought the stone online instead of a local store. We didn''t get totally ripped off, but we still could have done slightly better.

 

[geckodani]

If I''d known then what I know now.... I would not have a D VS2 on my hand, LOL! Don''t get me wrong, I adore my stone - but the D was completely unnecessary, if gorgeous. Then again, I can spot color in a G, so I''d probably have ended up with an E or F - but still, that''s a BIG difference in the price point, from D to F. DH''s nerdy techie/scientist side likes that it''s a D for bragging rights though....

Silly man.

And the VS2... oh how I wish I knew what the term eye clean meant back then.

I''d have had an eye clean SI1 in a freaking heartbeat! I think. Again, I love my diamond, so it''s hard to know for sure.

Oh, and I wish I''d known what a cushion was. Because, well. Because.

DH already knows that many moons from now I WILL own a cushion.

I''m babbling, LOL.
Finding PS already corrected my setting mistakes from pre-PS.

If I''d known then what I know now when my sister got her ering... her sapphire would kick more ass then it already does.

Musey - I know you usually wear just your Jazz on a day to day basis. Why not get that plain band you pine after and wear the two together? You''ll still have your actual wedding band (because I know you''re sentimental and quite attached to the gorgeous thing) but also the look you want.

I wear my little bezel band with a knife edge when I''m doing things that I might destroy the solitaire doing, or when I feel silly with my big rock on (I feel odd in ratty jeans and a sweat shirt wearing my solitaire. I know, I''m weird) and I really like the look!

 

[tlh]

Date: 2/24/2009 11:48:43 AM
Author: musey

Date: 2/24/2009 11:26:23 AM
Author: tlh
Cute question!

I knew I loved pave, but I couldnt describe what I liked. I now know I like pave or diamonds w/o any metal around it (miligrain etc) .... or, I like just the look of the band. I dont like it when they both happen. I feel they are competing. But I might just feel that way, because that is what I am wearing.

So, is there anything you''d have done differently given the knowledge you now have? (That''s where the whole ''If I''d known then what I know now, _______________'' part comes in

)

Ha! musey, I love you! I guess I still have soo much to learn. But to answer your question... I guess... I''d be less impulsive about things. I find that I have a pull the trigger style about everything, but I HATE to pull the trigger on expensive purchases, I always feel those are ones that should take more thought and consideration.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Well, my ring was purchased before diamonds were being sold on the internet, so I can't say that I would have purchased online instead, but for sure I would have:

* Picked a platinum setting instead of gold.
* Not have set my mom's diamond into a necklace - I never wear it and I could have used the money it cost for the custom setting to buy a different piece instead. (I later bought a WF solitaire pendant and wear that!)

 

[musey]

Date: 2/24/2009 12:36:39 PM
Author: geckodani
Musey - I know you usually wear just your Jazz on a day to day basis. Why not get that plain band you pine after and wear the two together? You''ll still have your actual wedding band (because I know you''re sentimental and quite attached to the gorgeous thing) but also the look you want.

Oh I do

I have a 3mm plain band that I wear with my wedding band every so often. It''s not quite the same as having that creamy always-appropriate band as my actual wedding band, though... but I need to let that go!

 

[E B]

Date: 2/23/2009 7:25:13 PM
Author:musey

1) Asked for my setting to be made with 950 Platinum/Ruthenium, instead of Iridium. If they couldn''t have done it, I might have had a replica made with the alloy of my choice. When we were shopping, I didn''t know the differences between alloys - I thought plat was plat was plat.

This is a good one. If I have any bands made (

), they''ll be in platinum and this is the formula I''ll request!

 

[geckodani]

Date: 2/24/2009 12:53:21 PM
Author: musey

Date: 2/24/2009 12:36:39 PM
Author: geckodani
Musey - I know you usually wear just your Jazz on a day to day basis. Why not get that plain band you pine after and wear the two together? You''ll still have your actual wedding band (because I know you''re sentimental and quite attached to the gorgeous thing) but also the look you want.

Oh I do

I have a 3mm plain band that I wear with my wedding band every so often. It''s not quite the same as having that creamy always-appropriate band as my actual wedding band, though... but I need to let that go!

LOL. Let it go babe, let it go.

And I should have known you already had one. Hah!

And I saw elsewhere that you''re saving up for bezel studs. You and me both. But mine will be wee. (.25ctw). I think in another month... maybe two... I might have enough stashed.

 

[musey]

Date: 2/24/2009 1:01:36 PM
Author: geckodani

Date: 2/24/2009 12:53:21 PM
Author: musey

Date: 2/24/2009 12:36:39 PM
Author: geckodani
Musey - I know you usually wear just your Jazz on a day to day basis. Why not get that plain band you pine after and wear the two together? You''ll still have your actual wedding band (because I know you''re sentimental and quite attached to the gorgeous thing) but also the look you want.

Oh I do

I have a 3mm plain band that I wear with my wedding band every so often. It''s not quite the same as having that creamy always-appropriate band as my actual wedding band, though... but I need to let that go!

LOL. Let it go babe, let it go.

And I should have known you already had one. Hah!

I actually bought it almost 2 years ago, it was supposed to be my wedding band, before I decided I didn''t like the look with my e-ring. I think that''s why I''m so attached to it

I think if I could do it all over again, I''d have tried on all kinds of sets instead of all kinds of engagement rings. I picked what I wanted in an e-ring with absolutely no thought given to the wedding band/set for the long run.

And I saw elsewhere that you''re saving up for bezel studs. You and me both. But mine will be wee. (.25ctw). I think in another month... maybe two... I might have enough stashed.

Yeah, I''m thinking along the lines of .4ctw. Pretty small still... but I think I''ll have to budget around $1k for it. Sigh. Eventually. I bought my wedding band, what, 6 months ago? I need to learn to be satiated for a longer period before moving on to other thins!

(Working on that.)

 

[musey]

Date: 2/24/2009 12:59:30 PM
Author: EBree

Date: 2/23/2009 7:25:13 PM
Author:musey
1) Asked for my setting to be made with 950 Platinum/Ruthenium, instead of Iridium. If they couldn''t have done it, I might have had a replica made with the alloy of my choice. When we were shopping, I didn''t know the differences between alloys - I thought plat was plat was plat.

This is a good one. If I have any bands made (

), they''ll be in platinum and this is the formula I''ll request!

I still can''t believe that I had no concept of this until recently! Oh well. My plat/ir does just fine. It''s mostly mental.

 

[elle_chris]

After about two years of marriage my hubby said it was time for an e-ring and asked what I wanted. I said big. I got big (and ugly).
The idiocy of all this is that I DID know about PS and still let my husband go to the diamond district.
Last year we started the hunt again. Now I''m on my second stone and the first one''s with my sister in law. Talk about a waste of money. I still want to cry everytime I think about it.

Another thing is all the white gold I had. I never understood why my ears always hurt and my skin always developed a rash from wearing it. I was told well it must not be real, or very low karat. So I switched from 14k to 18k and still had the same problem. I learned on PS that it was the nickel in the gold. All the money that went into it.. sigh..

Musey- what''s the difference in the alloys? Is it just a slight color variation?

 

[HollyS]

I''m not going to play the ''what if'' game with my e-ring/w-ring because they represent a major purchase by my DH, and he was very proud of being able to get me exactly what I wanted . . . .then. Have my tastes changed? Somewhat. But what I have is of excellent quality; actually far better than we thought we would be able to afford. No one I know has a bigger, nicer, better set -- and not that that matters to me -- but it does show that we armed ourselves with a great deal of education prior to buying, and we made some excellent choices. And I can''t be anything but happy about that.

Now then, if I should win the MegaMillions jackpot tonight, which is well into the $100M+ bucks, I''ll have more than one set.

And they will be drop dead gorgeous!

 

[musey]

Date: 2/24/2009 1:42:28 PM
Author: elle_chris
Musey- what''s the difference in the alloys? Is it just a slight color variation?

I think that there is a very slight color variation (a bit darker, though most people wouldn''t notice, I believe, the diagram below goes iridium - ruthenium - cobalt), primarily the difference is that it''s more scratch resistant that 950 plat/ir (but I believe not more than 900 plat/ir). Here''s an article that''s often referenced around here, one of my faves in PS journal: An Overview Of Common Alloys Used In Jewelry

 

[geckodani]

Date: 2/24/2009 1:24:32 PM
Author: musey

I actually bought it almost 2 years ago, it was supposed to be my wedding band, before I decided I didn''t like the look with my e-ring. I think that''s why I''m so attached to it

I think if I could do it all over again, I''d have tried on all kinds of sets instead of all kinds of engagement rings. I picked what I wanted in an e-ring with absolutely no thought given to the wedding band/set for the long run.


Yeah, I''m thinking along the lines of .4ctw. Pretty small still... but I think I''ll have to budget around $1k for it. Sigh. Eventually. I bought my wedding band, what, 6 months ago? I need to learn to be satiated for a longer period before moving on to other thins!

(Working on that.)

Yeah... I got my reset and band in Oct & Nov respectively. Meh. I''ve actually found that by trying to save as much of my "allowance" as I can to put towards the studs - I spend less elsewhere. It''s been interesting!

 

[bebe]

Good question Musey. It''s interesting to read everyone''s responses.

If I had known what I know now, well...

1) I would have listened to my head, instead of my heart. Everything I learned on PS went out the window!

2) If I would have followed #1, I wouldn''t have bought my stone quite so quickly.

3) I would have bought my stone 8 years ago when I started looking. Prices were much better then, of course!

4) I would have bought a RB - as close to perfection as I could get. PS has spoiled me with knowledge that is too dangerous.
I want a stunning example of a beautiful diamond. I wanted an awesome heirloom.

5) I would have set my current stone a little higher. I think it gets lost between the traps.

6) I would have listened to Leon. "you are a 4 3/4" !! I insisted my ring finger was larger than that, and now, it''s too big!

Am I complaining? A little. Next time, if there ever is a next time, I''ll know better. Somebody just show me this thread!!

 

[Kelli]

If I''d known then what I know now...

I wouldn''t have trusted that a GIA "triple excellent" meant that I was getting a top cut quality stone, and would have just gone with an AGS-0 diamond in the first place instead of having to go thru the whole recut process.

I''d probably have been more picky about my setting, but I still don''t know that it would be any different, since my fiance REALLY REALLY wants me to use my "first anniversary of dating" band as my wedding band, and my e-ring is shaped to match it perfectly. It''s not the best quality (only 10k white gold

) but it looks exactly like my 14k engagement ring and hasn''t really EVER needed a rhodium plate-- and I''ve had the thing for eight years today! I WILL however, switch out the diamonds to ACA melee, as the current ones are frozen spit.

We agreed that once the diamonds are switched out, it is officially my "wedding band" and then I won''t wear it again until the big day!

I think that''s it

 

[elrohwen]

I would have been much more specific about the width of the band on my e-ring; it's aruond 3.5mm and I'd prefer it to be about 2.5mm so that it was a little more delicate. The thickness fits well with the style though, and my fingers are very long, so it really doesn't look awkward at all as it is. I also would've been more specific with how I wanted the prongs done because I think they're a little bulky. At the time I just didn't think about the little details and I didn't know what things I should be looking out for. However, I still love the design and wouldn't change a thing about the style of setting.

The good thing PS has taught me is how wonderful my stone is. FI inherited an Old European/Transitional cut and research on it was what brought me here in the first place. I was very worried that it wasn't well cut and I had no idea if it was a pretty stone or not since I had nothing to compre it to. After looking at tons of gorgeous old cuts here, I really started to appreciate it more and realize how fantastic it is. People spend a long time looking for a stone just like mine! I also realize how much I love them in general and, without this stone and the help of PS, I never would have discovered them.

 

[Rhea]

If I''d known then what I know now:
I would have shopped around more for my estate engagement ring since I was paying retail prices. Or I would have used the knowledge to shop on ebay for a bigger and nicer stone with the same budget.

I would have considered lower colours.

I would have considered the amount of finger estate I wanted covered. A .50 in sleek setting looks smaller on my finger than a .33 in a wider filigree setting. I was too concerned about the stone, not the overall look.

I may have put off getting an engagement ring until we could either afford more, or until I knew for sure what I wanted. The danger with this is that the day we bought a ring might never have come again. My DH believes in doing things at certain times (like I wanted to get married at the court house and then have a wedding later, once we weren''t rushed with immigrating and moving. He thought a wedding shouldn''t happen later, it was a one time only deal. I have a feeling he might have thought this way about the engagement ring too.).

 

[JSM]

Well, I didn't have a choice in my engagement ring (FI did it all by himself), so I can't have input there!

But I would have NEVER gotten that goofy contour wedding band (in my avatar)! I actually just purchased a 2mm palladium band online for a great price to wear with my engagement ring. I doubt I will EVER wear that contour band, I'll probably try to sell it.

Also, Platinum or Palladium all the way! I have earrings that are white gold and they definitely irritate my ears! Sure enough, I did allergy testing recently (different reason) and one of the biggest reactions I had was to nickel. Figures!

 

[DivaDiamond007]

If I knew then what I know now.................

1. I wouldn''t have gotten my engagement ring or wedding band at the maul. Mine are custom pieces and I''m totally in love with them but I know that they are not the best quality available.

2. We would have gotten our rings at Tiffany''s and in platinum. I know it makes me sound shallow, but the name does matter to me, hence the reason I got "sucked" into getting a Leo diamond. Realistically I know that nobody really cares, but I do and so do PS''ers so I know I''m not alone. Buying there would have gotten us better quality for sure, even if it came at a premium price.

3. I would have gotten a bigger center stone. Mine is .80 and I wear a 3.75 so it looks huge, but I find that I suffer from DSS and crave a bigger center. I don''t know how big I would go - probably 1.25+. I''ll never convince DH to do an upgrade unless we win the lottery, and if we somehow came into that kind of money then I''d scrap Tiffany''s altogether and get a gargantuan asscher and matching eternity band

4. All that said, at the very least I would have stayed away from the mall and looked into some of the lovely local B&Ms we have around here. I had my James ring made at a local B&M and it was a great experience at a reasonable price.