Need help!! How much should I spend??

[val23]

Hello everyone..
I''m very new to the whole ring purchasing process... but after a bit of reading, I kinda know what to look for... but I want to make sure before I go to the billion stores that I don''t get ripped off. My G/F loves the 3-stone ring settings... she''s not picky or anything, but I want to really purchase a ring that will knock her socks off.
Here are the stone specifications I''m leaning towards... so if you suggest what a fair price would be for such specifications, it will really help me out.

Band: Platinum (size 4.5)
Center Stone:
- 0.6 carat
- Round cut
- Excellent to Ideal cut
- I to G colour
- VVS1-VVS2

Side stones
- 0.3-0.4 carat (would that look nice?)
- Round cut
- Excellent to Ideal cut
- I to G
- VVS1-VVS2

How much should everything all together cost me? I know it''s difficult since there''s so many jewelery stores, but if you were to purchase a ring like this, how much would you be willing to pay for it? I don''t know much about pricing, so any help is very much appreciated. THANKS!!
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[neatfreak]

Personally I would check how much something like that would cost at an online retailer like Whiteflash or Good Old Gold and go from there. You should spend some time in the KNOWLEDGE section here on this forum in order to learn about what you really need to (i.e., how to pick a really well cut stone because well cut=sparkle), otherwise you are likely to get ripped off. For example, you can really drop that clarity to save some money and still see absolutely nothing in the stone without a loupe...at least down to VS2.

And as far as your original question...you should spend as much as you are comfortable spending in cash.

 

[onedrop]

I agree with neatfreak.

In addition, as far as the center stone/side stone combo: the size stones you choose will depend upon the look you want. Do you want the center stone to be prominent? Or do you want the stones to look relatively similar in size? You listed the sidestones as .3 - .4ct? Is that total carat weight or .30-.40ct for each side stone? If the center stone is going to be around .60ct, then .30-.40ct stones are going to make the three stones look similar in size.