Starting to look at engagement rings....

[Sushilover]

Hi all!

I had a question that i was hoping to get some feedback on. I am thinking about proposing to my Girlfriend of 4years at the end of this calender year...

I was wondering what type of ring would be best? I want to surprise her and when i mention anything about rings she doesn''t really seem to have a preference. I really don''t know what she wants and i don''t know how to ask to find out without giving away that i might be proposing. She''s kinda given up hope of me ever proposing so i was hoping to make it a surprise... here are the problems i have..

1. I don''t know her ring size... she''s a tiny one. 5ft tall, about 95lbs. long slender fingers..
or maybe if there''s a subtle way to find out what size she wears ? she doesn''t wear much jewelery right now and i don''t think i can ask to see her rings without her figuring out what i''m trying to do.

2. The cut of the diamond, i know that she probably doesn''t care much but i don''t want her to think it looks ugly.
She''s a biology teacher and her sign is a Leo.. dunno if that helps hah.. She''s 26 and a very confident person

Thank you!

 

[Skippy123]

Hey Sushilover,
I love sushi too! Welcome to Pricescope!

I would get her a Tiffany setting w/round brilliant stone (not from Tiffany's though); it is a classic and lots of engaged couples get that setting. That was my first setting before I got married. What is your budget and we can help you find something?

 

[fanboy]

If you know nothing else in particular, stay away from pear and marquise shape diamonds. Women, particularly younger ones, seem to often have a strong aversion to them. The other classic shapes are pretty safe: round brilliant, princess, accher/emerald-cut, oval, cushion, etc. The round brilliant is pretty standard--hard to see going wrong with one of those unless she specifically said she doesn''t like them. Every girl I know in her mid-20''s seems to like cushions. Many, but not as many, like asscher-cuts.

For the ring itself, I wouldn''t necessarily stick specifically to a Tiffany-style setting, but I echo the advice that you should keep the form of the setting pretty simple. Very ornate and chunky settings not only overwhelm the center stone, but also stand a much greater chance of becoming dated.

What''s your budget?

 

[ladyciel]

You said she doesn''t wear jewelery much, but what styles is the jewelery she DOES wear? Think of the adjectives you would describe it.... simple vs intricate, fluid or more angled, glitz/sparkles or subdued, classic or very modern, dainty vs bold. Also, think about whether she wears mostly silver/white gold or if she prefers yellow gold.

If her jewelry collection isn''t big enough to judge, what is her clothing style? What are her favorite stores to shop at? These things might clue us in to what her tastes are likely to be when it comes to an E-ring.

I doubt you can go wrong with a round brilliant unless she''s said she dislikes them. Would her parents be likely to keep their mouths shut if you talked to them about the proposal? Her mom might know her ring size. My mom knows mine because my hands are basically identical to hers and I''ve tried her rings on before.

 

[Gypsy]

I agree with a round solitare. She's a teacher, so she probably doesn't want anything too showy in terms of a setting. So I would skip pave. But, depending on your budget I wouldn't do a tiffany solitare when there are so many wonderful unique solitares out there to show her the time and care you put into her ring selection (especially after all the time she's been waiting).

My favorite solitares are:

Ritani Butterfly (Pearlmans will carry-- ERD, though not an authorized dealer, could probably get you one too)
Vatche Swan (Wink Jones will carry has a few diamonds in the head, Good old gold can also order it for you)
MWM flame (Mark Morrel will carry. And for a little subtle bling you can get the option with small discreet diamonds in the head)
Leon Mage's Classic thin solitare (www.artofplatinum.com)
Legato Solitare (Whiteflash)


Another lovely option is a three stone ring. A round center with pear sides for example.

What is your budget?

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 7/25/2007 4:59:52 PM
Author: Gypsy
I agree with a round solitare. She''s a teacher, so she probably doesn''t want anything too showy in terms of a setting. So I would skip pave. But, depending on your budget I wouldn''t do a tiffany solitare when there are so many wonderful unique solitares out there to show her the time and care you put into her ring selection (especially after all the time she''s been waiting).

My favorite solitares are:

Ritani Butterfly (Pearlmans will carry)
Vatche Swan (Wink Jones will carry has a few diamonds in the head)
MWM flame (Mark Morrel will carry. And for a little subtle bling you can get the option with small discreet diamonds in the head)
Leon Mage''s Classic thin solitare
Whiteflash Legato


Another lovely option is a three stone ring. A round center with pear sides for example.

What is your budget?

I too love those Gypsy. Sushi, are you out there?

 

[Sushilover]

Thank you for all of the quick replies so far

My budget is somewhere between... 3k-10k (10k would be really pushing it hard on my budget, but i want her to be happy)

I don''t think her mom knows her ring size, they don''t talk much about jewelery. They''re a pretty conservative family and aren''t usually into fashion. I was thinking maybe a round cut and a single stone setting. I''m guessing somewhere between 3-5k is more appropriate since she does have skinny fingers i don''t want it to look too big on her.

Her clothing style varies from dress-shirt/blouses for work to t-shirts and cutesy shirts for casual times. She doesn''t have much of a jewelery collection. she wears a gold band thing that her aunt gave her a long time ago. I was reading about ideas to figure out her ring size, there were some good ones but it entailed me getting her current ring off her finger which never comes off...

Thanks again all of my friends are bachelors and their inputs are... quite frankly counterproductive

 

[Harleigh]

First of all, welcome and congrats!!!

I think a RB would be a good place to start...it is classic and will never go out of style.

As for a setting, can you post a few pics of any of her rings she currently wears to give us an idea of her style preferences?

As for sizing, if there is a ring she wears on her ring finger, or right hand ring finger and you can get your hands on it when she''s not around, put it on your pinky, mark the spot on both sides that it fits on, and run on over to your local jeweler to find out the approximate size ASAP.

If she is right-handed, I think it is common that the left hand fingers run about 1/4-1/2 size smaller. I wear a 4.5 on my left hand RF and a 5 on my right RF. I realize this may not be the case for everyone, but all of the fingers on my right hand are 1/3-1/2 size larger, so just wanted to give you a comparison to go buy. I am 5'' 3", 105 lbs., long skinny fingers if that helps you any, so, since she is even smaller than that, her ring finger is probably between a 3.5-4.75, but you really need to try to find out accurately to get any real idea.

Hope that helps!

 

[somethingshiny]

I''m in my midtwenties. My friends and I all like the cushion. (whoever said that, right on!) We all like rounds, obviously! but I wouldn''t particularly want a round myself. I LOVE asscher, although not everyone does. I also really like radiant. I would choose that over princess because I like the sparkle better and they don''t seem to be as common.

Does your GF wear trendy clothes, classic, etc. Does she have a handbag collection. (look at them) That could be a good indicator of her "flashy" or "conservative" style. One way to have a classic but go a little different would be a round in a bezel or semi-bezel setting. Or you could keep the ring very simple (tiffany setting) and work with a wrap to give the style she wants, which she of course, could pick out with you.

Also, to find her size, have you asked her mom or sisters? If she''s in her midtwenties her ring size probably hasn''t changed much from her class ring size. (assuming she hasn''t fluctuated weight a lot) You may want to look at her mom''s ring, too. Most mothers will know if their daughters like the mom''s ring.(if that makes sense?) Also, if her friends are engaged/married. Has she said anything about their rings. "It was so tiny" "that''s gaudy" etc.

Good Luck!

 

[fanboy]

Does her existing ring come from a particular vendor that you know of? You can try calling them and asking for the sales record for the ring, which might give you the size.

Your girlfriend sounds similar in dimensions to mine. I would bet her finger is around a size 4, give or take half a size. If you really need to gamble, pick a 4.5 solid band that can be sized down easily.

 

[fanboy]

Date: 7/25/2007 5:10:31 PM
Author: somethingshiny
I''m in my midtwenties. My friends and I all like the cushion. (whoever said that, right on!) We all like rounds, obviously! but I wouldn''t particularly want a round myself. I LOVE asscher, although not everyone does. I also really like radiant. I would choose that over princess because I like the sparkle better and they don''t seem to be as common.

That was me; why does every woman your age like cushions? Cushions and assher-cuts seem to be the hot shapes these days; fortunately they are also classic.

 

[Skippy123]

This is Maisie's new beauty from WF and such a classic.

or a bezel setting so the diamond doesn't stick up too much

Here are some classic settings:
http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Solitaire/1.htm

and maybe this diamond

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-78257.htm

 

[somethingshiny]

fanboy~

I don''t know what it is exactly about the cushion, they just draw like a bug to a flame. And as far as the asscher, it''s my *dream* ring, but I want BIG one!

 

[Sushilover]

That is a beautiful ring

-Sushi

 

[Gypsy]

MWM Flame-- love those heart prongs:

Vatche Swan -- so romantic and lovely.

Leon Mage Classic Solitare

WF Legato:

Nix Ritani Butter fly it''s got four WEIRD antenea like prongs.

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 7/25/2007 5:19:06 PM
Author: Sushilover
That is a beautiful ring

-Sushi

which one?

 

[somethingshiny]

I love the bezel(pic) and the vatche (pic).

 

[fanboy]

Can Mark Morrell do different prongs? For whatever reason, the heart-shaped ones really bother me.

 

[Gypsy]

If you budget around 2200 for a setting in platinum and about 6 for a nice one carat round I think you can have a fabulous ring for about 8K. If you want a smaller stone than one carat (maybe .80-.95) then you can get something around 5K.

I would go for a NICE ACA H eyeclean SI and one of the settings posted above (or a classic tiffany type setting).

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 7/25/2007 5:22:04 PM
Author: somethingshiny
I love the bezel(pic) and the vatche (pic).

me too. Wink showed us the vatche swan and it is so beautiful and elegant!!!

 

[Sushilover]

the Maisie new beauty

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 7/25/2007 5:24:49 PM
Author: Sushilover
the Maisie new beauty

yes, yes, she loves hers. Here are her new pics and she got a 3/4 carat round from WF

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-mini-upgrade-is-here.66107/

It is the legato setting.

here http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Solitaire/-Legato--Sleek-Line_1118.htm

and this diamond; you can always upgrade w/WF (lifetime upgrade) .83 carat for approx $3,300
http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-232033.htmhttp://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/A-Cut-Above-H-A-cut-diamond-283256.htm

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 7/25/2007 5:22:05 PM
Author: fanboy
Can Mark Morrell do different prongs? For whatever reason, the heart-shaped ones really bother me.

REALLY? I adore them. But yes, he can do different prongs on the Flame (THE FLAME IS AVAILABLE WITHOUT ALL THOSE LITTLE DIAMONDS IN THE HEAD). It wouldn''t be a completely custom job though I suspect. It wouldn''t be the ''Flame'' setting (which is custom made for the individual stone-- but still a ''stock'' setting).

Another MWM setting Sunbrust with those fabulous heart prongs again.

More ''Tiffany like'' but with Mark''s fabulous finish and flare, GOG can order you this one.

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 7/25/2007 5:30:48 PM
Author: Gypsy

Date: 7/25/2007 5:22:05 PM
Author: fanboy
Can Mark Morrell do different prongs? For whatever reason, the heart-shaped ones really bother me.

REALLY? I adore them. But yes, he can do different prongs on the Flame (THE FLAME IS AVAILABLE WITHOUT ALL THOSE LITTLE DIAMONDS IN THE HEAD). It wouldn't be a completely custom job though I suspect. It wouldn't be the 'Flame' setting (which is custom made for the individual stone-- but still a 'stock' setting).

Ditto what Gypsy says Fanboy.

Shushi. did you like the .83 carat stone?

 

[Sushilover]

It looks very nice that website with the video guides is perfect for me to learn about diamonds. thank you so much.

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 7/25/2007 5:42:58 PM
Author: Sushilover
It looks very nice that website with the video guides is perfect for me to learn about diamonds. thank you so much.

Wonderful and the FAQ http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/forum.asp?forumID=32 should help you too!!!

 

[SpeedracerII]

My suggestion is to focus on the stone. Get a high quality RB that throws off a lot of light and she will love it. Put it in a simple Tiffany style setting but when you buy the setting make a deal with the jeweler that after the proposal you will want to re-set it in a setting of her choice. Better B&M''s should do this for you. Robbins Bros "Engagement Ring Stores" have a great selection of settings but I''m no fan of their hard sell sales techniques. Maybe you can find one locally and get a decent sales person and work something out. Or find another local B&M with a wide selection. You may pay a little more for the setting this way but you have flexibility and she will be able to pick what she wants.

 

[Gothgrrl]

Skippy, the bezel set ring you posted, who''s is it? I really love that look.

 

[takeitez]

Im in a similar situation. Im planning on proposing end of Oct. The way im finding her size is trying on the ring i have already bought her and wears on that finger. When i go to a jewelery store i should be able to figure it out. I dont know about your gf but she may take off her ring when she takes a shower.

My girl left the style of ring open, so i think im going to go with a princess cut 3stone 1ct center, white gold band with sidestones. I figure ill spend more money on a nicer stone then a platinum band. From what i have seen I should be able to get a G/H, VS1/VS2 for around 4,500- 5,000 then a setting for around 1,500 if i go 3 stone. Im still not sure about 3 stone or solitair.

here is the ring i like so far:
http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/settings-with-sidestones.asp?module=setting&cid=58&item=877

good luck, and dont stress too much..

 

[Hest88]

Hm. In your position, I''d put about $5K or so into a round brilliant (the safest choice) somewhere between .85 - 1.25 carats and put it in one of those cheap, 14K temporary rings. After you propose and she says yes and cries over the ring, you can talk about how you want the two of you to choose her wedding set together.