Women Only! Poll: Perfect Size for an Engagement Ring?

[z78gml]

I know this is being nit-picky. But I see this quote attributed to the wrong person all the time. I love Nancy Reagan. But, "A WOMEN IS LIKE A TEA BAG ONLY IN HOT WATER WILL YOU KNOW HOW STRONG SHE IS" NANCY REAGAN

was not coined by her... It was coined by Eleanor Roosevelt.

SORRY ABOUT THIS MISTAKE. I HAVE A LADY AT MY WORK THAT HANGS UP THIS QUOTE WITH NANCY REAGAN NAME AT THE BOTTOM OF IT. I SAW IT AND LIKED THE QUOTE. BUT THANKS FOR TELLING ME .I'LL LET HER KNOW AS WELL.

 

[reena]

that's still a nice quote, though.

 

[Mara]

As to Pscope being atypical...what's a typical girl? I tend to think that most women (not all of course) want bigger baubles rather than smaller, but as Dave noted, most of the time budget keeps people from getting what they really wanted. I mean how many of us would take a Kia over a Mercedes if budget were not an option? Oh no, sorry Al, it's a car example.

I am sure there would be a few people who would take the Kia (better gas mileage, Mercedes too snotty, etc), but most of them would aim for the Mercedes if it was given to them eh?




Same with a diamond ring. As noted in my question originally, this poll is more along the lines of what you would LOVE to have rather than what you think you are going to be getting because the bills have to be paid and the kid or dog needs to be fed. I think I put a 3c here on this poll for my answer, but in reality my stone is 1.29. I aspire to 3c.

So you can really take this poll and pair it with one of the more recent ones that say 'what do you HAVE in your ering' and see how many gals end up having what they wanted. Probably not many on the first go-round?




Many guys come to Pscope and ask what size girls like. Many men DON'T have a clue about size or what their girl would like. We give alot of advice on that. I tend to think a 1c - 1.5c is what most women would think is a nice size. Which the poll corrobrates. But yes it's going to be geographical and of course most of the women here are diamond nuts. But just because you are a diamond nut doesn't mean you HAVE to want a larger stone!

 

[moremoremore]

I am still of the opinion that for the most part, a lot, not all, pscopers are more concerned with diamonds...all aspects of them...size and quality...than a lot of gals, and in that respect, we are not typical.

 

[headlight]

Great poll, Mara!


Stephcola -- I agree with you. I am 5"2-1/2", petite as well, yet the 3+ does not overwhelm me, either (IMO!). I did recently try on a 4+ in a RB and it was too large (but don't tell my DH I said that!!!). My 3.29 RB is absolutely perfect for me. If money were no object, I'd have the same size, but have a D color, Ideal cut, VVS stone.

 

[aljdewey]

----------------
On 10/14/2004 6:00:03 PM Mara wrote:




Oh no, sorry Al, it's a car example.

----------------

Hey, don't apologize to me......I love the car analogies.

It's Fire & Ice who froths at the mouth when they arise!

 

[b52holly]

moremoremore....have you agree with you. You guys seem to have a better want AND appreciation for diamonds than most girls I've talked to. Of all the girls I've talked to 2 cts is the biggest I've heard that girls want if thats what they could have and I live in a city...not LA or NYC but still a city. This poll honestly just BLOWS me away...I've never heard of ppl wanting such large stones...not that anything is at all wrong with that (please dont take it that way) There are quite a few ppl on here that have 3-5 carat diamond rings and I've only met like one person with a 3 carat ring and the others are 1.5 or lower.

 

[Mara]

----------------
On 10/14/2004 9:42:09 PM b52holly wrote:





I've never heard of ppl wanting such large stones...not that anything is at all wrong with that (please dont take it that way) There are quite a few ppl on here that have 3-5 carat diamond rings and I've only met like one person with a 3 carat ring and the others are 1.5 or lower.
----------------

I find this interesting...because I have a large stone for my circle, well only 2 of us are married...hehe....but I want a bigger stone than the one I have. I know some of my friends want big stones, but I don't know if they will get them. So I've heard of people WANTING bigger stones, but what they HAVE as you noted, may tend to be 1.5 or lower. I don't think it's odd to want a larger stone but as noted, it may not be a feasible choice for a luxury expense like a diamond. Esp when people have other priorities as they build their life with their hubby-to-be. Just like the Mercedes vs the Kia!

One other thing that is prevalent around Pscope is that you have a huge amount of people getting engaged and then you have the upgraders or the anniversaries. People who want a bigger stone at year 5, or are celebrating a silver and want a whole new ring, etc. So those people I think tend to get bigger stones than the 'norm'. I honestly don't think we have alot of new engagements that happen at 3c around here.

Pscope does add to diamond love, when I first started looking I wanted a 1c as the 'ultimate' ring. When we continued to look, it was suddenly 1.25 would be soooo great. Then I got a 1.25 and diamond shrinkage started happening and boom, I want a 3c. Well it's diamond shrinkage I blame anyway.

So I don't think that we are atypical in that we love sparkly baubles, but yes..we are more particular about the specs of the stone than the average gal, for sure. But I don't know how much Pscope sways size vs a typical visit to the jeweler would either. It's all speculative!

 

[moremoremore]

holly- ...reminds me of seinfeld...what doesn't..."not that there's anything wrong with that" LOL

 

[didiamond]

I know I'm in the minority here but I have to vote for a 5ct for me. I have two 5ct rings and a 4ct ring and that just seems to be the right size for my 6 1/2 size finger. I'm 5'6 1/2" and 118lbs. It's funny because even with a 5ct diamond, I still get the "shrinkage effect". I mean I know that it's a huge diamond but it still happens (please don't flame me for this!). Just to knock me back into reality, I give it to a friend (or even my hubby)to put on their finger so I can see it from afar. THEN I realize what a rock it is! Don't get me wrong, I love diamonds of ANY size...I just love diamonds. It's in my blood!

 

[researcher]

Has anyone mentioned or considered different shapes for the stone? I can honestly say I wouldn't want bigger than a 2.5 ct for a round, but would go up to a 4 ct princess. I voted for 3+ because that's what my current stone is and I LOVE it!!!, but I would have voted for smaller if this was a poll centered around round stones. Just a thought!

 

[fire&ice]

O.K. I will not get frothed at the mouth w/ the car analogy

, even though I did think - another one!

So, here's what I would do. Take the Mercedes. Sell it. Buy a sensible car that is able to cart stuff & my dogs. And, then put some money in the bank & spend some on other pieces of jewelry.

And, that is why the car analogy doesn't ever work for me.

But, I wouldn't turn down the bigger diamond!

 

[headlight]

----------------
On 10/14/2004 10:36:42 PM Mara wrote:

So those people I think tend to get bigger stones than the 'norm'. I honestly don't think we have alot of new engagements that happen at 3c around here. ----------------

Mara, I agree with you. It seems the majority of "first time" e-rings are in the 1-1.5 range. I got my 3.29 RB 15 years after getting engaged, which was with a 1.01 marquise which was then upgraded to a 1.51 RB two years later, then I waited 11 more years to get the 3.29.

 

[Bagpuss]

I had quite a tiny diamond in my original e-ring (20 points?) which I was very happy with for many years. Later I started yearning for a bigger stone and my dh talked me into a 2ct solitaire. Though I love it, I felt it wasn't quite my 'dream' e-ring and I now prefer to wear it on my right hand. I've just bought myself what I feel in my heart is my real vision of my ideal e-ring. It's a very simply set 0.84ct solitaire.




I tried on an 0.40ct and 0.50ct and a 0.65ct they were all too small. 1ct plus rings were getting too big again, but this size was just right. And money was not a consideration - just my personal preference. I was a bit suprised as I thought I'd want the 1ct stone, but it was just that bit too big for me.




I actually voted for the 1 to 1.5 ct in the poll, as I think that most girls would prefer a 1ct or slightly bigger stone, but for me at least, slightly smaller is actually better.

 

[goldengirl]

----------------
Why would you lie to your boyfriend...you mean to tell me when you and youre boyfriend have one of those hypothetical talks (you know 'if we were gabillionaires would you...') you tell him what you think he can afford...gee fun conversation. Hes not your child hes your boyfriend...i dont understand that.----------------

When we have "if we were gabillionaires" talks they involve real estate and ridiculously expensive cars, not erings. I expect to have that, by then.

No, I prefer to give him a reasonable estimation of acceptable size than to tell him I REALLY want a 12-carat pink diamond but I guess if he can't afford that I'll settle for his piddly little rock. You do that, and make your bf feel inadequate? Gee, fun conversation.

Edited to add: I appreciate you stepping up for me, reena. She sounded hostile to me, too.

 

[b52holly]

I'm sorry that you think I was hostile...I speak my mind and it wasn't intended to offend anyone. I knew I should've never posted on this thread...I've noticed on reading other threads that some you guys get a little defensive. I really hope you don't go through life accusing everyone who has different opinions than yours of being "hostile". This will be my last post...thanks

 

[reena]

it's not about the opinion, it's about the manner of expressing it.

 

[cflutist]

----------------
On 10/17/2004 4:43:36 PM researcher wrote:

Has anyone mentioned or considered different shapes for the stone? I can honestly say I wouldn't want bigger than a 2.5 ct for a round, but would go up to a 4 ct princess. I voted for 3+ because that's what my current stone is and I LOVE it!!!, but I would have voted for smaller if this was a poll centered around round stones. Just a thought!----------------

Don't shoot the messenger here but here is a quote from the GIA Diamonds Course - Lesson 6 (c1989 things could have changed since then)
"Round brilliants are the bread and butter of the industry, but fancy shapes are still popular. They are preferred in larger sizes; over two or three carats, rounds begin to look a little gaudy, and fancy cuts are generally considered more attractive. (Of the world's ten largest fashioned diamonds, only one, the 234.50 carat De Beers, is a round).

Remember, if you have an issue with this quote, take it up with the GIA, not me.

 

[researcher]

cflutist~
Thank you for posting that! I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels that way. There were several people on this forum who told me not to go big with a fancy shape, but I tend to believe fancies are most amazing when they are 3+ carats! And it's nice to know I'm not alone thinking that a round that's too large just doesn't look right. If I ever get round diamonds, I think they will have to be in a 3-stone ring with the center no bigger than 1 ct! I do love all fancies though (I REALLY want a pear now that I've seen yours and helped my friend find one--they're so beautiful!!!).

 

[reena]

i agree with that too. for me, i think a big sparkly RB would be awesome up until a certain size . . . for some reason i think that say, a 4 1/2 - 5 ct RB would just be too much on me. but diamondgirl's 6 carat cushion? i think i could handle that.

 

[headlight]

As we all know, the "square cut" shapes tend to measure out smaller for their same weight round counterparts so you can go larger in them -- or you have to go larger to get a certain look. For example, I have my 3.29 RB, but if I wanted to change to say a princess cut but wanted it to have the same "look" in size or same measurements, I'd have to go larger than 3.29 in the square to achieve that.


When I had the three-stone setting made for my 3.29, they showed me a ring already made in the same design but with a 4.85 RB center stone -- it was WAY too big. Also, my father-in-law's wife has a Lucida-inspired cut, thus square/rectangular shape stone, that is a 5 carat (and D color -- GIA) and it does scream "FAKE"!

 

[theinquisitor]

I voted for 1-1.5 ct. I'm 5' 10" and wear a size 8 ring. I think around 1 ct is perfect for me -- qutie a large "wink" from my finger, but not "over the top," either. I'm not a big jewelry-wearer, normally, so I think anything larger than that would just feel strange to me. Also, I want to wear my ring all of the time, through parties and horse-stall shoveling, so I don't want something that will be getting in my way too much!

That said, even though I'm not a big jewelry-wearer, I am a definite jewelry APPRECIATOR, and I love looking at everyone else's, so keep it comin'!

 

[treysar]

I voted 2-2.5. I currently have a 1 carat stone, and I can tell you now, I will never upgrade. My fiance would have a heart attack if he even knew I thought about it. I'm not saying I don't WANT TO, and trust me, this website has all but made me CRAZY thinking about it, but i just wouldn't.

Here's my coniving way of trying to get around this...

If someday I get another 1 carat stone and then a big fat 3 carat, I could use my current stone as a sidestone!!

(HA! that will be after I buy the house, the boat, the car, and, oh yeah, win the lottery..)

 

[kaylagee]

*bump* dunno if the poll is still on? I already voted.

 

[flower12]

I voted for 3 ct more.

I am 5' 2. puttie. ring size is little less than 3.5
but

my dream ring is 5ct cushion with daniel K setting like.( don't have to be daniel K )
if money IS no object

 

[sjz]

The original question is really almost too subjective for a clear cut answer. I guess it would depend on a lot of variables, such as age, lifestyle, funds available at the time of purchase, social status, personal preference, yada yada yada...

But if you are trying to get a feel for the average of all women everywhere who would have a diamond engagement ring, my best guess would be between 1.5 and 2.0 carats. Before I found PS and saw how many people in this little micro byte of the world have ginormous honking diamonds, I''d have probably guestimated lower...like maybe between 0.5 carats and 1.0. Now I know that a lot of you would consider that size appropriate for earring studs...lol!

 

[VuittonGal]

I voted 3+ carats. If money is no object in this poll, then heck yea baby, I''ll take a big hunka diamond!!!

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 8/5/2005 8:57:00 AM
Author: VuittonGal
I voted 3+ carats. If money is no object in this poll, then heck yea baby, I''ll take a big hunka diamond!!!

i SECOND THAT!!

 

[MissAva]

I think 1.5-2.2 is really what looks best on my hand given my favorite shape the RB. That might be diffrent if I was going to get an Emerald but I havent tried enough of those to know my prefrence.

 

[CdnBlingGal]

I''m for 1.5-2.00cts but maybe 3? The bigger the better, baby!!!!