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Need help! Major jewelry newb looking for an engagement ring

ssayssup

Rough_Rock
Joined
Oct 26, 2011
Messages
8
Hi All!

This is my first post and I admittedly know nothing so please don't flame. I plan to propose to my girlfriend of 5 years in the beginning of December and I've just started researching engagement rings. I went to Robbins Brothers with the sole purpose of learning as much as I could (and not making a purchase) earlier this week. The lesson was helpful as I've never looked closely at a diamond and now have some understanding of what the four C's are and how they relate to a physical rock.

Here is my story: My girlfriend has zero clue that I am going to propose. We have discussed marriage some over the last few years but nothing to make her think I would propose now. I plan to keep it that way and therefore cannot get any information from her or her friends. I plan to pick out the best ring I can from a place that allows for returns so that she can return it and get her perfect ring if she so chooses. My price is somewhere in the 5 - 8K range.

Based on what I told the guy at RB, he recommended I go with a round cut diamond. He showed me 5 diamonds in the 5 - 6K range leaving $2000 budget in case she wants to get a different/better ring. The best of the options he showed me (to my eye) was their signature cut 1.03 carat H, I1 ($5500).

Since my visit to RB I have started to do my own research and I came across your great site. I've started to do research on a few of the sites mentioned by people in their testimonials and realize (I realized this going into it) that RB is a rip off and the same rock should cost $1000 less.

Sorry for the long winded explanation... my questions are:
What would you guys recommend as a ring?
Is there a getting started post to the forum to help me figure out the process of dealing with an online retailer? I looked and couldn't find anything.
Do you see any issues with my plan to buy the best ring I can and allow her to return it if she wants for her perfect ring?

Thanks for all your help!
 

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Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jul 30, 2010
Messages
1,257
Re: Need help! Major jewelry newb looking for an engagement

Good job on doing your own research and avoiding Robbins Brothers.

You can start here: https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/

http://www.goodoldgold.com/ also offers lots of helpful info on their site and videos on http://vimeo.com/diamondinfo

It's best to go with vendors that offer generous return and buyback policies and stick with stones with GIA or AGS reports.

Popular vendors here include:
GOG http://www.goodoldgold.com/
JA http://www.jamesallen.com/
WF http://www.whiteflash.com/
BGD http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/

Once you have a better idea of what you are looking for start a new thread in [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/forums/rockytalky.3/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/forums/rockytalky.3/[/URL] . It gets more eyeballs and is much more active.
 
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