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Want ribbon-style ring, low price, need mucho help!

M

Ms_Lovely

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jan 11, 2013
Messages
92
If you're reading this--Thank you so much!! I've been a lurker for a few weeks. I'm trying to learn as much as I can about diamonds and jewelry but I'm just getting my feet wet and I need some advice.

First, some backstory: I'm 29 years old and have been living with my boyfriend for nearly 9 years. I'm crazy about him and have wanted to marry him since the first day I met. My beau was phobic at the prospect of marriage for most of the time we've been together. I tried everything--I even broke up with him for a while--but I love him so much that I just decided that being with him was more important to me than being married. I've been okay with that decision for the last two years or so. We welcomed a beautiful baby boy on July 04, 2012 and are happier than ever and--to make a long story short--he changed his mind! He wants to marry me--he really does--we're both so excited but I am demanding a ring and a proposal and a real wedding!

This leads me to my current dilemma. He's budgeted $2500 for the ring. It'd be best if we could finance it or make payments on it. I've fallen completely in love with the Tiffany Round Brilliant Ribbon engagement ring but it's way over-budget. So I would like a replica but I don't know where to begin. I looked at Mark T on the ERD website but I don't see a ribbon-style? I have sent them 2 emails and have had no reply? Can anyone help me?

Also, I was looking on ebay and found a loose diamond with the following specs:
-Gem Type - Diamond
- Carat Weight- .075 each
- Shape- Round
- Color - H-I
- Clarity - VS
- Measurements - 2.65mm
- Symmetry - EX
- Polish- EX

The seller has excellent feedback with nearly 13,000 transactions. The diamond is natural but I'm really not sure about it because of the price. What questions can I ask to be sure I'm not getting scammed. He has a website that seemed legit? I've waited a really long time for this and I just want the most stunning ring possible.
 
You've chosen a beautiful and unique setting... which comes at a price. It's so unique that you're probably not going to find a close replica... and it has a fair amount of detail, so any similar setting is going to use up a fair amont of your budget. Here are some that have some similar elements:

http://www.since1910.com/engagement...ngagement-ring--38ct-tw-m1214rd10-ps1891.aspx

http://www.since1910.com/engagement/simon-g/simon-g-twistknot-engagement-ring-sg-dr167-ps1298.aspx

Ebay seller lord of gem rings (LOGR) has some settings that have some similar design elements. Quite a few PS'ers have LOGR settings, especially for their colored stones. Maybe some of them will give their opinions about LOGR quality?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VS-10mm-Mor...80106192?pt=US_Fine_Rings&hash=item3a7b8041d0

http://www.ebay.com/itm/41ct-DIAMON...33305124?pt=US_Fine_Rings&hash=item3f20cde924

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5mm-ROUND-C...33180955?pt=US_Fine_Rings&hash=item56516b681b

Ebay also has a few rings that appear to be "tiffany round ribbon" rings... they opening bids are over your budget, but lower than Tiffany's price!
 
Is it out of the question to spend as much of the budget as possible on the best and biggest stone you can, put it into the simplest white gold setting you can get for now, and save for the setting to be made as a wedding or first anniversary gift perhaps?
 
ame|1357911280|3352932 said:
Is it out of the question to spend as much of the budget as possible on the best and biggest stone you can, put it into the simplest white gold setting you can get for now, and save for the setting to be made as a wedding or first anniversary gift perhaps?
Click to expand...

I was thinking of the exact same thing! With your budget, you can get a beautiful stone in a very very decent size and put it on a classic, well made simple solitaire setting and end up with a gorgeous ring. If later you wish to upgrade the setting, you can definitely do it, but you'll already have the bigger diamond to show off from the beggining :appl:

Oops! I just saw VRBeauty's suggestions for settings and the last one from LOGR is very similar to the one you like and in an excellent price :appl:
 
I hate to suggest anything out of budget, but it sounds like $2500 isn't going to quite get you what you'd like to have.

With that caveat, there's a Tiff Ribbon for sale with a 0.7ct diamond on one of the resale boards for $4500. You could try to make a lower offer, but if you can swing it, this would get you exactly what you want. http://www.idonowidont.com/diamonds/tiffany-co-brilliant-ribbon-ring-70-carat
 
^worth a shot!
 
Wow! I'm absolutely blown away by the help and support I've received on this thread! When I saw that so many of you posted links to help me get started I literally shed tears. Thank you all so much! :appl:

I am in love with the ribbon setting but I love my man and our little family a lot more so $2500 is really as high as we can go on the ring. I am softening to the idea of purchasing the diamond now and the setting in the future. Buuuut, there's this one thing that gives me pause. My guy has a sister-in-law who is extremely judgmental and competitive. We're the same age and she's been married to his younger brother for 2 years now, after only a year of dating and she never misses an opportunity to rub it in my face. She called me when she found out I was pregnant and asked me what my child's last name would be :roll: She's pregnant now, and I saw a conversation on facebook wherein she referred to the child she's carrying as my honey's parents' first "real" grandchild :angryfire: Here is a pic of her ring. When I was in the hospital after delivering my son, she decided to have a conversation with her husband about having it polished and resized :oops:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10100444190690220&set=a.10100340496643920.2583430.12905291&type=3&theater


I NEVER say anything back to her! I have a psychology degree and I know that this passive-aggressive behavior must be a result of some insecurities she has and is transferring onto me :?: But I'm only human and part of me REALLY yearns to see her jaw drop-- just once
:Up_to_something:

With that said, I see a lot of excellent alternatives to the Tiffany setting. I'll run them by my fella and see what he thinks. The prices are right in our range! Thanks for the links to the stone as well! If you all run across anything else, please send the info my way!! Again, I can't thank you all enough! :appl:
 
Thank you so much! This is an excellent option. It looks very similar to the Tiffany setting!
 
Cluless|1357939653|3353314 said:
I think I also found the perfect stone to go with the setting it would look amazing and it could be done under budget.

Mara's beautiful old mine yum!

http://loupetroop.com/listings/loose-stones/fiery-late-1800-s-60c-omc

relisting the link to the setting

http://www.25karats.com/enr/style/view/6633-designer-inspired-ribbon-diamond-ring-0-43-ct-tw-.html
Click to expand...

Thank you so much! This is an excellent option. It looks very similar to the Tiffany setting!
 
Ms_Lovely, I just wanted to say congratulations on the birth of your first child & also on your BF finally deciding to get married :appl:

Whilst I cannot offer any technical help here as I am WAY less experienced than the other lovelies on this site, I would like to say that whatever you decide to chose, wear it with health & happiness. Cherish it for what it means to you & here's hoping you put that snotty sister in laws nose RIGHT out of joint! :D
 
If it were me, I'd call IDJewelry and tell them you are from PS and give them your budget and the ring style you are interested in. Their pronged version has a similar feel to the Tiffany one without the outrageous pricetag or also having to go through all the hassle of finding a stone to be sent to be set with the other setting. It seems like it'd be difficult to set since it doesn't seem to have prongs so I bet you'd have to send a stone to them. I bet you'd be able to get great bang for your buck with the IDJ one, and with the price of the one from IDJ, you'd have about $1500 left for the stone and they are in the NY diamond district so stone and setting would all be done at once. They do lovely claw prongs and I bet it would look really good with that setting!

http://idjewelryonline.com/product_info.php?cPath=42_44&products_id=10113&cType=ER

Here's an idea of about what size you'd be able to get if you go this route, but I'd let them find the stone for you. Just tell them you want it very sparkley and eyeclean. :)

http://idjewelryonline.com/diamond_details1.php?id=40753492&shape=B&pricefrom=0&priceto=500000&caratfrom=0.50&caratto=.89&colorfrom=G&colorto=I&clarfrom=VS1&clarto=SI1&polish=ANY&cert=Any&symmetry=ANY&depthfrom=&depthto=&tablefrom=&tableto=&cut=Array&item_id=

I also think you might consider the other route (simple setting for now with biggest stone in your budget) and I think I'd still talk to IDJ for it. They can be your eyes.

And don't worry about your SIL, people just get weird sometimes...who knows....competition mentalities are strange...
 
That IDJewelry one is better than the original due to the delicate milgrain detail IMO.
So pretty, so special. Fugeddabout it as to the sis in law. I'd be surprised if they stay
married if she 's so mean...say a little prayer to heal up her wounds so she gets off your back! : )
 
Well I stand by the get the best stone for the budget and setting later. I mean this with respect but eff her and her passive aggressive and obnoxious attitude competing with you. What your ring looks like in comparison and what you spend and whether your child or hers is the "real first grandchild" doesn't matter one iota. I think getting the setting later as a wedding gift or anniversary gift is a way to get a setting you love without sacrifice and still getting the best stone for your money now and wearing it. You might find you like having a great and larger stone anyway later.

Give her attitude the finger. One with a gorgeous 2500$ diamond on it!
 
Ms Lovely, I was once engaged with a ring given to please and wow other people. And it never pleased me like it should have. My advice is to get the quality stone and ignore your sister in law.
 
I would add one other thing. I shouldn't worry about the size of your ring as much as I would go with the the sparkliest, best cut stone you can (and I think IDJ won't do you wrong there). If you've been reading on the boards here you will already know that a really well cut stone (well proportioned) is going to look nicer and be more sparkley than a poorly cut one. For your budget right now, there isn't a way to get a really large size stone, but you can do what most people out there have not done (possibly including your SIL) and educate yourself so that you make an informed purchase of really nice quality, the biggest and best you can in your budget. It can be done. You don't have to settle for a "mall stone" you just need to figure out where you have flexibility in a stone (ie color or clarity or size) and where you shouldn't budge (cut quality).
 
if you want something to "impress' than i would get a nicely colored spinel or something and flank it with smaller diamonds, maybe an oval with half moons. or round with side pears. (but there most of the price would go toward the setting)


but if you want that ribbon style for YOURSELF, then i would buy the stone now and upgrade later. The good thing about that setting, i think it looks nicer with smaller stones. ( plus, good things come to those who wait lol)
 
I came across someone on this forum who had the Tiffany version of this ring (I'm sorry I can't relocate it) who said the ring worked better with a smaller diamond - in the .5 to .75 size. She'd said she had received lots of compliments as the setting is really pretty. I like bastetcat's suggestion.

The thing about competing with a competitive person is that you can't win, they invent a way for you to lose. Getting a ring that's special to you and your fiance and being secure about it - therein lies the win.
 
plus, she sounds like a Bee. so youll have the last laugh when your future BIL leaves her. :lol:
 
Cluless|1357939653|3353314 said:
I think I also found the perfect stone to go with the setting it would look amazing and it could be done under budget.

Mara's beautiful old mine yum!

http://loupetroop.com/listings/loose-stones/fiery-late-1800-s-60c-omc

relisting the link to the setting

http://www.25karats.com/enr/style/view/6633-designer-inspired-ribbon-diamond-ring-0-43-ct-tw-.html
Click to expand...

This may be a silly question, but does the 25k.com ring actually have a black color behind the pave diamonds on the band and the ribbon? I'm not sure if it's just because of the close-up shot or if the ring would look like that to the naked eye :?
 
Maybe they turn up the contrast with this kind of photo in order to show you the detail? That would explain the darkness. In real life pave set diamonds like this don't have a dark feeling behind them.
 
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