my_precious
Rough_Rock
- Joined
- Jul 14, 2007
- Messages
- 12
My gf and I live in Orange County, CA. We''ve been looking at engagement rings at local stores like Bailey, Banks & Biddle and Robbins Bros. Neither one of us knows much about anything when it comes to buying a diamond ring so we really do appreciate whatever advice or suggestions that come our way.
The first ring we found that really caught her eye was the Ritani oval pave ring we found at BB&B The other ring she liked was the Scott Kay three-stone setting we found at Robbins Bros. I will try to attach pictures of both rings.
Originally, she wanted to find something less traditional, more unique and the Ritani oval ring is what we ended up selecting as our top choice. But then she tried on the Scott Kay three-stone setting, and she really liked how it looked. In fact, the three-stone setting had always been her favorite but then we started looking at all the different kinds there are and now we''ve ended up with two very different choices.
Ultimately, we want a nice looking ring with a quality diamond from a reliable jeweler for a reasonable price. After trying on rings at all the local jewelry stores, slowly educating ourselves on diamond shopping, and now perusing this forum, we are both feeling completely defeated and clueless about where to begin finding what we''re looking for. There are just so many different options and things to consider that we don''t know what direction to go at the moment.
After reading through some of the postings here, I know that a lot of people recommend buying a loose diamond from an online vendor and then buying the setting separately. However, I do feel that there is an advantage to buying a ring from a local store like BB&B, such as the conveniency of bringing the ring in for free cleanings/checking the setting and their upgrading plan. Then again, I don''t want to feel like I overpaid for less quality than I might get online.
So here''s what I''m looking for: .75 to 1.0 ct. round or oval, depending on the setting
Very Good cut or higher
H color or higher
SI1 clarity or higher
Platinum band preferred, but will consider white gold
Budget: up to $5,000 for both diamond and setting AND matching wedding band
We both really liked hearts & arrows after we read about them here, but we don''t know if we''ll be able to afford to get one based on our budget and what we''re looking for. Since both the Ritani and Scott Kay settings go for over $2000, we''re open to finding non-designer brands that are similar or having one custom made if it works within our budget. Since she seems to like both rings fairly equally, it''s going to come down to the best deal we can get without having to compromise on quality.
My questions for all of you:
Which setting do you prefer?
Where can we get the best price for the designer setting? Or where can we find a quality knock-off?
If we were to buy the diamond and setting separately, how would that work? And where is the best place to go for the diamond and for the setting?
Or would it be better to have one custom made? Would that work within my budget? Any recommendations for a custom jewerly maker?
The first ring we found that really caught her eye was the Ritani oval pave ring we found at BB&B The other ring she liked was the Scott Kay three-stone setting we found at Robbins Bros. I will try to attach pictures of both rings.
Originally, she wanted to find something less traditional, more unique and the Ritani oval ring is what we ended up selecting as our top choice. But then she tried on the Scott Kay three-stone setting, and she really liked how it looked. In fact, the three-stone setting had always been her favorite but then we started looking at all the different kinds there are and now we''ve ended up with two very different choices.
Ultimately, we want a nice looking ring with a quality diamond from a reliable jeweler for a reasonable price. After trying on rings at all the local jewelry stores, slowly educating ourselves on diamond shopping, and now perusing this forum, we are both feeling completely defeated and clueless about where to begin finding what we''re looking for. There are just so many different options and things to consider that we don''t know what direction to go at the moment.
After reading through some of the postings here, I know that a lot of people recommend buying a loose diamond from an online vendor and then buying the setting separately. However, I do feel that there is an advantage to buying a ring from a local store like BB&B, such as the conveniency of bringing the ring in for free cleanings/checking the setting and their upgrading plan. Then again, I don''t want to feel like I overpaid for less quality than I might get online.
So here''s what I''m looking for: .75 to 1.0 ct. round or oval, depending on the setting
Very Good cut or higher
H color or higher
SI1 clarity or higher
Platinum band preferred, but will consider white gold
Budget: up to $5,000 for both diamond and setting AND matching wedding band
We both really liked hearts & arrows after we read about them here, but we don''t know if we''ll be able to afford to get one based on our budget and what we''re looking for. Since both the Ritani and Scott Kay settings go for over $2000, we''re open to finding non-designer brands that are similar or having one custom made if it works within our budget. Since she seems to like both rings fairly equally, it''s going to come down to the best deal we can get without having to compromise on quality.
My questions for all of you:
Which setting do you prefer?
Where can we get the best price for the designer setting? Or where can we find a quality knock-off?
If we were to buy the diamond and setting separately, how would that work? And where is the best place to go for the diamond and for the setting?
Or would it be better to have one custom made? Would that work within my budget? Any recommendations for a custom jewerly maker?
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