The UNDER-$3000 RING Thread: Pls post pics

[DiamondFlame]

HI, fellow PS''ers! A friend of mine is shopping for a proposal ring but is not sure what kind of ring he could get with a rather modest budget. I just wanted to give him an idea the kind of deals one could get for $3000 or less... Pls post pics, price and source if you don''t mind. TIA.

 

[Feralpenchant]

This should be interesting and informative! I''ll definitely keep up with this thread, $3,000 is our budget too

 

[I Love My Sailor]

Well if your friend likes solitares or may be looking for quality here is an option. I don''t have rings within that budget but I am finding some for you

James Allen Ideal cut .72 GIA G, SI1 in a plain Tiffany setting with a matching band would be in his budget

http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/G-SI1-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1216404.asp

 

[I Love My Sailor]

He can get her a smaller solitare with more side stones like this

Wedding band

http://www.jamesallen.com/wedding-and-anniversary/womens-wedding-rings/ring/item_63-2341.asp

Engagement ring

http://www.jamesallen.com/engagement-rings/settings-with-sidestones/Common-Prong-Engagement-Ring.html

and this

.58 G SI1 solitaire, you can go a few points higher with an SI2 but it depends on what you want

 

[risingsun]

Must the center stone be a diamond? For example, you could look at a three stone ring with a sapphire as the center stone and a diamond on either side.

 

[lisamarie84]

My ring (whenever FF proposes) was right at 3k.

0.76 ct J VS2 Whiteflash ACA & Legato Sleek Line setting

 

[Ellen]

This setting in WG.

http://www.whiteflash.com/Engagement-Rings/Styles/Solitaire/-Sleek-Lines--Diamond-Solitaire_688.htm#


With this diamond (5% PS discount off listed price). Need to ask if eyeclean.

http://www.whiteflash.com/hearts_arrows/Whiteflash-ACA-cut-diamond-609783.htm#

 

[DiamondFlame]

Tks for the links but I was hoping for real life pics rather than computer-generated ones...

risingsun, the center doesn''t have to be diamond. Gemstones are gorgeous too.

Wow, lisamarie

...that awesome ACA/Legato combo will take some serious beating.
Goes to show you don''t need to go broke to get a very pretty ring.

Keep them coming!

 

[Ellen]

Sorry DF, I misunderstood your post!

 

[Rhea]

I think some of the rings on the one carat and under thread will fall into your price range if you wanted to look there. I keep trying to post my ring (under $2,000 though and most people go right up to their budget so I don''t think it''ll help), but my photos are all too big.

 

[lisamarie84]

Date: 4/13/2009 10:45:25 AM
Author: DiamondFlame
Tks for the links but I was hoping for real life pics rather than computer-generated ones...

risingsun, the center doesn''t have to be diamond. Gemstones are gorgeous too.

Wow, lisamarie

...that awesome ACA/Legato combo will take some serious beating.
Goes to show you don''t need to go broke to get a very pretty ring.

Keep them coming!

Thanks DiamondFlame, we got a great deal on a beautiful ring thanks to PS I can''t wait until I can finally wear it! Hopefully soon!!

 

[Rhea]

My ring is an estimated .47 (5mm) centre stone with an estimated .25 in tapered baguettes set in white gold and bought from fay cullen several years ago. I would NOT recommend buying from them, the setting is in horrible condition, not disclosed, and they refused to take responsibility for it.

I priced out a similar ring with an Ideal round at JA and came up $1,800 in 18K white gold. The hard part about a ring like this is that the setting cost more than the stone, which most people don''t seem willing to do. It provides good finger coverage width wise for my size 7 fingers.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

If you hop over to the Colored Stone forums, there's a bunch of "show me your" threads stickied at the top that have pics of beautiful, engagement ring worthy colored-gemstone rings! And most are probably under 3k.

I also love this Tanzanite ring:
Ring

And this sapphire one (mostly because I LOVE the setting it's in)
Sapphire ring

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Here''s a pic (click the link in the above post for more. She also has lots of beautiful rings)

 

[Imdanny]

Date: 4/13/2009 6:31:18 PM
Author: Addy
My ring is an estimated .47 (5mm) centre stone with an estimated .25 in tapered baguettes set in white gold and bought from fay cullen several years ago. I would NOT recommend buying from them, the setting is in horrible condition, not disclosed, and they refused to take responsibility for it.


I priced out a similar ring with an Ideal round at JA and came up $1,800 in 18K white gold. The hard part about a ring like this is that the setting cost more than the stone, which most people don't seem willing to do. It provides good finger coverage width wise for my size 7 fingers.

It's a pretty ring!

But I want Fay Cullen to know that this is why I will not do business with them, that I have read many similar stories about them, and that I will share these stories with everyone I know.

 

[risingsun]

Date: 4/13/2009 10:45:25 AM
Author: DiamondFlame
Tks for the links but I was hoping for real life pics rather than computer-generated ones...

risingsun, the center doesn''t have to be diamond. Gemstones are gorgeous too.

Wow, lisamarie

...that awesome ACA/Legato combo will take some serious beating.
Goes to show you don''t need to go broke to get a very pretty ring.

Keep them coming!

This is my three-stone ring. It is more than $3000, but you can easily find a nice sapphire that should bring it in at your price range.

 

[risingsun]

With matching wedding band, when I wore them this way...[thinking of later upgrade for your FF]

 

[Jonah80]

Just bought this ring and my new fiance is quite pleased with it. The stone is smallish, but she loves it.

.45ct EX cut in a pretty little Tacori setting. Cost about $2000. Not sure if it''s what you''re looking for, but it fits the price range

 

[Jonah80]

Another picture.

 

[DiamondFlame]

Addy, the stone is gorgeous. Is that the original setting cuz it looks fine to me. Or did you have it reset?

MakingTheGrade, that Tanzanite blows me away. I'm sure my friend would reconsider a non-diamond center if it is as beautiful.

He did say his GF wd prefer a diamond center...

Marian, that's a splendid ring and I wd have guessed it costs > 3000. Thanks for sharing!

Jonah80, a Tacori set solitaire for ~ $2K? Wow, I didn't know that was possible. The exquisite ring looks like a sweet deal to me.



***BEAUTY COMES IN ALL SIZES. BE PROUD & SHOW ME YOUR SUB-$3000 RINGS ***

 

[Jonah80]

I know!

I got a really good deal on the diamond, to be fair. But even so, the setting was only about $1200 in 18K white gold. There are definitely some reasonable-for-tacori settings (under $2000), just depends on how big of a rock you want

 

[Rhea]

Date: 4/14/2009 12:57:25 PM
Author: DiamondFlame
Addy, the stone is gorgeous. Is that the original setting cuz it looks fine to me. Or did you have it reset?

It is it''s original setting, supposedly from around 1940s. The ring arrived and looked like it had been sized from one size, so the diamond poked off the ring at an angle. I paid a bit to get it fixed but all four prongs are still different sizes and the bridge underneath is so thin it gives a bit when I poke it with my fingernail. It''s just really thin and dainty to the point of not actually being very useable.

Not that I wanted to side track the thread with my issues, but I always speak up when asked. I have a passionate dislike of fay cullen for their lack of customer service, overconfidence in their ability to resize a ring, and not disclosing or pictures the ring as well as they could have. DH doesn''t want to fix it, he feels quite attached to the original engagement ring, and I think a bit embarassed at what we bought when it''s looked at closely.

 

[Rhea]

Date: 4/14/2009 10:53:46 AM
Author: Jonah80
Just bought this ring and my new fiance is quite pleased with it. The stone is smallish, but she loves it.


.45ct EX cut in a pretty little Tacori setting. Cost about $2000. Not sure if it''s what you''re looking for, but it fits the price range

Stunning ring! I love the profile!

 

[Diamond*Dana]

My three stone (in my avatar) was just under $3000.

 

[aveda6]

Here is the one I purchased from Excel Diamonds. Altogether it was under $2500 for a 0.5ct stone and the setting that you see....

 

[Jonah80]

Date: 4/14/2009 3:33:55 PM
Author: Addy

Stunning ring! I love the profile!

Thank you. I think her words were "it''s perfect". That always feels nice

 

[mausketeer]

Oh, any discussion of budget rings is NOT complete without mentioning antique stones!!! We bought this lovely 1.08 carat off-colour OEC transitional (it IS an antique so it''s a bit wonky and has a few dings - she''s old - I can live with it) for $2,000 from a fellow PS-er (hi Kitten!). The .50 carat eternity band with extra labour (we had to change the head a few times) came to about $600. Total ring cost was under $3,000...... no pics of finished ring yet sorry.......

- Jodie -

 

[mausketeer]

Here is the lovely half carat eternity style e-ring band from ID Jewelry. It was just over $400 (not sure what the price is now)......

 

[Octavia]

My ring was just over $3K, but close enough that I'll post it anyway. It's Tiffany, .35 ct E VS1 in platinum. You can see by comparing to lisamarie's ring how much of a premium you pay for the name (although I'm not sure if her setting is platinum or WG, but that would also make a difference). I still think FI did well, though!

 

[hoofbeats95]

You can totally do a nice ring for 3K. Mine was about that. My stone was around $2500 I believe and the setting was about $300. I think that''s right. I have a .728 princess ACA from WF. VERY simple setting - plain cathedral. I wanted to spend more money on the stone and get a fairly good sized one. There are settings in that range at WF though and I recommend getting the whole thing from them. In anycase, for a relatively low budget compared to some, I think we did good! Here is a link to real life pics of my ring.