Rings...so many choices

[adrock]

If you saw my last post, you know that I''m planning on popping the question sometime soon.

She and I have had several talks about marriage and she knows that it''s likely that I''ll pop the question in the next few months, and during a long discussion on hypothetically getting married we went as far as talking about ring sizes and even downloaded and printed the bluenile ring sizer. I''m wondering if people have experience with this and whether it''s accurate? We got it as tight as we thought we could without breaking it (we sized both her and I), but it wasn''t clear if it was really tight enough, or if something plastic would have given us a better result. Perhaps a piece of string?

I''m just getting up to speed on diamonds and rings, and actually having a harder time with the rings. I haven''t been able to find a good tutorial on what the different settings are and what''s preferred. I would like to get something very classic - she thinks I have good taste and she''s happy with the thought of being surprised. I am planning on a solataire.

I am not sure what the trade-offs of 4-prong vs. 6-prong are, whether there is a disadvangage to "comfort" fits, what an appropriate width is for an engagement ring for a woman who is not petite, but not particularly big, either [she''s 5''9", 155lbs?]. 2.5mm? 3mm? 4mm?

I think I want to go platinum, but am concerned that if I get something online (likely) and the sizing isn''t quite right, we''ll have a hard time getting it resized.

Help?!

 

[adrock]

Whoops. Forgot to "track" this.

Thanks for any replies!

 

[mrssalvo]

since she knows you are planning on proposing, I''d suggest taking her to some jewelry stores and have her sized by them. she can also try on different rings/settings/stone shapes etc. to get an idea of what she really likes.

 

[Sparkalicious]

Hi adrock! Welcome to PS!

What an exciting time for you too and kudos to you for getting yourself up to speed on this whole diamond ring purchasing process!

With regards to sizing, have you considered going into a local jewelry store and having them size your fingers? That might be the easiest. I''ve also read, I believe, that Whiteflash has some sort of sizing tool thing that they can send for you. You should be able to give them a quick call to inquire.

Settings can be quite complex, can''t they? Just so many to choose from!

Might I suggest checking out Pearlman''s Jewelry and view their Designer section. They have a gazillion different settings to look at and you can see which ones "speak" to you most and go from there? Also, given you and your gf like a classic solitaire, you might consider Leon Mege and Mark Morrell. They make gorgeous solitaire settings that are bound to please even the toughest lady.

With regards to prongs, some prefer 6 prong for larger stones b/c they feel that their stone is more secure. In addition, the 6 prong tends to give a round brilliant more of a "round" appearance, whereas, some 4 prong settings can make a round stone appear more squarish. Again, this is a totally personal preference. Unfortunately, I don''t know much about width but there are a ton of PS''ers who are setting gurus and should be able to assist with that further.

Finally, unless the ring has pave diamonds all around the shank, it "should" be able to be resized. You can always inquire about the possibility of resizing before you actually purchase a setting though ... this should give you some peace of mind.

I hope this helps! Good luck!

 

[urseberry]

A lot depends on your budget and your girlfriend's preferences. It sounds like she isn't terribly picky, so I would go ahead with your solitaire idea. A beautiful solitaire will never go out of style.

The current trend seems to be towards thin bands. What do your girlfriend's hands look like? She sounds pretty tall, so does she have long, skinny fingers? Regardless, I think a 2.5 millimeter band looks good on just about everyone. Here is one of my favorite solitaire settings: http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Solitaire/-Legato--Sleek-Line_1118.htm. I especially like the delicate basket and prongs, and the way the shank tapers towards toward the diamond.

Four prong versus six prong gets discussed a lot here. The consensus is that four prongs make a round diamond look somewhat square, allow a more open side view, and protect the diamond less. Six prongs are more secure, emphasize the roundness, and cover more of the diamond. The security isn't really a big deal if you have insurance.

I really recommend that both of you go to jewelery stores, get sized, and try rings on. It can be a lot of fun, and you'll get a much better idea of what she likes.

I recommend comfort fit all the way! It means that the inside of the shank (the part that goes around your finger) is rounded rather than squared off. Much more comfortable and easier to put on and remove.