need help!

[vizsla]

hi all-
i''ve been very bad... for christmas my boyfriend gave me a card, in it he said we could go shopping for engagement rings (meaning he''s actually going to go into a store and look with me! - amazing - no more email forwards or print offs!!!)

here''s where it gets tricky... i just couldn''t wait... after i got the notion in my head that it was going to happen, i had to quench my "bling bug"... so i went into a well known local jewelry store by myself... you know.. just to test the waters.... i wouldn''t want to go with him without knowing a little more about what i like right?

anyway... i''ve been set for almost a year now on a cushion/halo combination (i''ve seen so many beautiful ones here, i just thought that THAT was IT). .... then i went into the store..... to my horror.. the halo (round or cushion) just didn''t speak to me the way it has on-line... i was so bummed... how could this be... this WAS THE RING!!

i was totally confused... i was simply going to the jewelry store to confirm what i wanted.. not to start from square one. and i can''t even explain why i didn''t like it.... i mean they are beautiful and sooooo sparkly.... what''s not to love?

so the nice sales lady started brining over some more styles... yuck yuck yuck........ until...... she pulled out something i had always swore i''d never get.... i didn''t even want to try it on.... to my shock and disbelief... I LOVED IT! a three stone oval ring!! who would have thunk it? then i tried on something even more amazing.. an oval center with half moons sides..... OMG!!!! i can''t get it out of my head!!! it was soooo beautiful, yet simple!

i immediately rushed home and pulled up every story/question/picture i could on ps about oval/half moon rings... even did some initial setting research... but i need your help.

while i love the oval/half moon look.. every band i see is just a plain band... i''d love to find a pave band/oval/half moon setting.. but i''ve had no luck...

i know my bf and i will end up buying on-line.. and i''m pretty confident about the proportions i''ll need, but i really would like to find a band/basket combo that has a little more "somethin'' somethin''"

HELP!!!!

 

[coda72]

I absolutely love an oval with half moon sides!! I am hoping to get one for a right hand ring after I pay off the Christmas bills. I haven''t seen a pave band with this type of ring, just a plain band, but I''m sure you could have one custom made. I''m planning on having mine custom made, and I just want a plain band. I''m going to have mine made by James Allen.

 

[strmrdr]

Id contact Bill Pearlman
If the setting is avaialble off the shelf he would be the one most likely to have it.
Otherwise you would have to go the custom route.



https://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/profile/myprofile.asp?userID=7409

http://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/

 

[vizsla]

thanks!
i was trying to stay away from the custom route.. only because i know my bf still would like this to be a surprise.. i just wanted to point him in the right direction and hope he picks out the same one i would have... plus i don''t know if our budget would be able to handle custom... but i''m checking out his site right now
thanks again!

 

[coda72]

With having a very specific ring in style, you might want to rethink it being a surprise. Just because you pick out the ring doesn''t mean the timing of the actual proposal won''t be a surprise. Also, custom doesn''t necessarily mean expensive. I know with James Allen their 3-stone settings are $400 white gold and $1200 for platinum. Add in the cost of the side diamonds, and it will probably cost around $1200 for the white gold and $2000 for platinum. That''s not too expensive for me, especially when many custom settings can run up to $10,000 for certain designers. I know if you want pave on the ring also, that will add some more expense, I have no idea how much that would cost; you would have to contact some vendors to get price estimates. I''ve never seen what you want, but that doesn''t mean it doesn''t exist as a stock setting, but I just thought I''d let you know that custom doesn''t have to mean expensive.

 

[Janis]

I was also looking at 3 stone ring settings and found one at Blue Nile for round or princess cuts that has the diamonds in the band. So perhaps you can ask them if that setting could be altered for oval diamonds.

http://www.bluenile.com/product_details.asp?oid=5923&catid=153&filter_id=0&nav1=settings_channel.asp&page=1&col=3&row=1&pos=3&set_shape=RD

 

[Ann]

JB Star Oval

I have tried this on - very pretty

 

[E B]

Viszla,

I found this setting at Solomon Bros. It's missing the center diamond (apparently, the sides are .32 ct each) but you could find that easily, making it somewhat custom but not too difficult.

3-stone oval platinum setting

How much is your boyfriend looking to spend?

ETA: I now read that you're not looking for a plain band. I'll keep looking!

 

[Mrsgardener]

I know from experience, that a Future bride needs to pick out her own engagement ring. Of course the BF will be with her and share the experience. They will need a budget. Marriage is a partnership- but hey the Bride wears the ring not the groom.- Get Exactly what she wants, while the getting is good. When the daily living starts with bills, babies, dirty Laundry, perhaps hardships, she will not be sorry of her chose.

 

[vizsla]

thanks for all of your help!!!

that blue nile one just might work!!! thanks! i was thinking diamonds a little bit smaller... more of a soft sparkle.... (for budget and bling reasons.. sometimes i don''t know if i can pull off a huge sparkler)

thanks coda72 on the james allen suggestion.. i didn''t realize it would be that affordable. i''m thinking we have about 5-6K to spend.. which is a pretty healthy budget.. right now i''d rather invest most of that on the actual diamonds over a fancy setting... i was thinking i could always upgrade the setting later on... that''s another reason i''m steering away from my first love (halo).

i''m going to check into the james allen option.. ideally i wouldn''t want to spend more than 1K on the setting. less if possible.

i totally agree with mrsgardener... but i want the surprise too... yes, i should love the ring and i''m going guide him in the right direction... but i want him to love it too.. i agree the proposal is going to be a total surprise.. that''s him.... but i wouldn''t mind being a little in the dark about the ring.. that''s part of the fun

 

[vizsla]

sooo.. i''ve been doing a lot of looking and have found something that meets all requirements... what do you all think?

do you think this setting could hold an oval center with half moon sides?

i know shenoa doesn''t have the best reviews here... but do you think it''s worth it just to buy the semi-mount and purchase the diamonds somewhere else and have them set it?

BTW the semi mount is $290 14K white gold..... (i know.. if it seems to good to be true....)

honest opinons please
thanks!!!

 

[coda72]

This setting looks like it holds 3 round diamonds, so I doubt it if you could put an oval and half moons in it. I don''t know how easy it''s going to find a stock setting that will hold these shapes of diamonds. Also, I probably wouldn''t buy from Shenoa based on the bad reviews they have had. I would guess that this ring is not of good quality. I know you don''t want to do custom, but they may be the way to go with the type of ring that you want.