Please Help Me Find My Engagement Ring, Don''t Know Where To Start!!

[jar086]

Hi,

My boyfriend and I are ready to buy a ring for me, but we are not what you would call "experienced" with jewelry. We''ve done a lot of online research, and have memorized our four C''s but are at a loss on how to apply this knowledge to ring shopping. The only store we''ve visited was Tiffany''s, where we really liked the princess cut, but we like to keep our options open. I noticed their band was a bit uncomfortable.

What we know for sure is that I want a platinum setting, and that we have a modest budget of $6000 or a little more.

I would greatly appreciate any guidance and recommendations especially concerning the diamond.

-Does everything have to be the highest level (clarity color etc.) or could I go a level or two down from the best and still have a beautiful ring?

-What stores/ websites should we look at? We are in the L.A. area.

-Any recommendations on what sort of ring looks best on short fingers, which are not slender?

I apologize for my ignorance, any help, advice, comments, or guidance would be really appreciated.

Many thanks!!!

-Jessica

 

[surfgirl]

$6k is a very nice budget, first of all! Second, I would recommend you both read the tutorials on this site on the 4Cs, so you clearly understand what you will be looking at. Then, go to some shops and see what you like in terms of the 4Cs - is color more important than clarity to you? Will you sacrifice color for carat size, etc. And what shape stone looks best on your hand? What setting do you prefer? Once you narrow it down to what shape center stone you want and what setting you want, it''s much easier to shop for the actual ring. Until you know those two things, you''re really just browsing. There are a ton of places in LA to go to. But whatever you do, DONT BUY THE FIRST THING YOU SEE! There will always be pressure salesmen, dont get pressured. Always get the stats on the stone and come back here and people will help you determine if the stone is a great stone or not. Enjoy the shopping...!

 

[nclrgirl]

I don''t know much, but I''ve learned from reading this forum a LOT that cut (i.e. good, very good, excellent, ideal) is one of the most important things.

Also, given the very high prices of platinum, if diamond size is important to you, a simple solitaire setting may be a good choice. Keep in mind, I know just enough (very little) to be dangerous!

 

[choro72]

If you want to go for a local store, then there are some threads about it.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/found-a-great-diamond-in-la-jewelry-district.8316/
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/where-to-buy-in-los-angeles.13406/
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/los-angeles-jewelry-district.4557/

If you are going to buy online, I know that people here love Good Olf Gold and White Flash. I've also heard good things about Green Lake Jewely.

If you are willing to drive a little, my jeweler is The Custom Goldsmith in Santa Ana. We didn't go for a diamond, so I don't know how they are for that. As far as creating rings go, I think they are wonderful. I can't give a full review until it's over though

.

I would strongly suggest going to stores to look at more diamonds and settings, but buying the stone online. Combine that with "knowledge" section, I think you will have a more specific idea of what you want (more fire, size, color, etc).

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 3/18/2008 5:47:28 PM
Author:jar086
-Does everything have to be the highest level (clarity color etc.) or could I go a level or two down from the best and still have a beautiful ring?

-What stores/ websites should we look at? We are in the L.A. area.

-Any recommendations on what sort of ring looks best on short fingers, which are not slender?

I apologize for my ignorance, any help, advice, comments, or guidance would be really appreciated.

Hi Jessica .. Welcome to PS!
How fun to be shopping for an engagement ring ... so exciting!

I agree with what everyone else has shared. I think it is entirely important to educate yourself in preparation for this process. The PS tutorials are a great resource. There are a lot of sales people with a lot of stories, as you will find once you start heading into stores. If you don''t know your right from left, you will fall for everything that they have to say ... true or not.

With regards to your questions...
1)-- Cut is of primary importance, meaning that if you are after the most beautiful, sparkly diamond, you will want to place CUT as your 4C priority.

-- Color is something that tends to be quite personal. Some prefer the icy whiteness of the D - F range, however, others prefer the "warmth" of diamonds in the G - J range. In order to assess your preference accurately, you''ll have to see well cut or AGS 0 diamonds, for example, in real life. This should help you ascertain what you would like. Many find G color a great bargain b/c it is still quite icy but doesn''t have the "premium" associated with the colorless D - F range attached to it.

-- Clarity is important as well, however, if you stick in the VS - Si range, you should be fine providing that you either see for yourself or have your vendor confirm that the diamond is "eyeclean" or has no inclusions visible to the unaided eye. Why pay for more than you can actually see, right ... unless, of course, the "thought" of knowing that there are inclusions bothers you. IF this is the case, then the premium associated with the IF - VVS range, might be worth it to you (even though they will still have inclusions but just much smaller and difficult to see under magnification)

-- Carat weight ... it is often suggested to get the greatest carat weight that you can given the parameters that you have set for your other C''s. This being said, many will also go for the largest carat weight and best cut possible and go quite low in both color and clarity. It''s really about personal preference.


2) I''m not familiar with any vendors in your area, however, there are many reputable and PS recommended online vendors. Some include Whiteflash and Good Old Gold. I, myself, dealt with Gemological Trading Corp in Seattle and they are fantastic and Whiteflash and they too are fantastic. Terrific customer service and superior product.
Buying online usually costs less than buying at a store ... and if you are dealing with vendors such as Good Old Gold and WF for example, they are used to people demanding quality and superior cut so they will not lead you astray. Just take a look at their websites, they are filled with tons of diamond information as well.

3) I have to say that the type of ring that YOU want the most is the kind of ring that looks best on your finger. I don''t have long or slender fingers either, however, I found that after trying on many settings, the one that I was drawn to the most is the one that looks best on my finger. Test out some settings locally and see what "type" of setting you are drawn to.

I hope that this helps! Have a great time shopping for your ring!

 

[jar086]

Thank you so much everyone for the enthusiastic and welcoming attitude, not to mention the wonderful and helpful advice!!!

I did check out the education information on the site and it was so specific and informative. Great recommendation!!

Anyone know any more jewelers in the L.A. area that would be a good place to browse?

Many Thanks,
Jessica

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 3/19/2008 12:44:46 AM
Author: jar086

Thank you so much everyone for the enthusiastic and welcoming attitude, not to mention the wonderful and helpful advice!!!

I did check out the education information on the site and it was so specific and informative. Great recommendation!!

Anyone know any more jewelers in the L.A. area that would be a good place to browse?

Many Thanks,
Jessica

Best to remove your email address. We can't do that here.