Pennsylvania-Philadelphia

engagement rings

Hi Everyone,

I have only posted once or twice here before, but my boyfriend and I are planning on getting engaged soon and are shopping for rings.  I would love to hear your input regarding how you found your ring (Did you shop together or were you surprised? Did you and/or your significant other shop for diamonds first or already-set rings?  Any recommended retailers or jewelers?)  Thanks for your help!

Re: engagement rings

  • Very exciting! I gave him a few ideas but he did all the shopping.  He went to Benari jewelers and they've been great so far.  Good luck!
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  • broodc2broodc2 member
    First Comment
    My family has an heirloom diamond that was my great great grandmother's.  My great great grandfather originally bought it and it has been passed down to either a son to use to propose or to a daughter to give to a BF to be used to propose.  Most recently, my father was given the diamond upon asking for permission to marry my mother.  So now my mother gave it to me to use for my fiance.  Typically when it's passed down that means someone gets a shiny new ring.  

    So I guess I'm just deferring the cost of a diamond until my kid needs it but it was nice to have a rock appraised for 5 figures without spending a dime!  Thankfully it's a round brilliant cut and that's what my fiance wanted.  I think there are ways to signal what you're looking for if that's your thing.  When we were in the mall I'd stop at a diamond store and kind of point out a ring or two and based on her reaction I kind of narrowed down what she might like and what she might not like.  Not having to pay for a stone, I opted for a more expensive setting in a style I figured she'd like based on deducing what she smiled at/frowned at in the jewelry stores.   

    There's some report that's supposed to be like the kelly blue book of diamonds.  Maybe you could get your hands on that to see what the latest prices are.  Try to find a place that sources its own diamonds because there will be no middle man and therefore it should cost less.  Just stay away from mall jewelry stores. 
  • kfraskfras member
    First Comment
    I looked at so many rings online/in stores. We went to Steven Singer together one day but I really didn't like anything they showed me. We mostly looked together whenever we were at the mall and stopped into each jewelry store. I found mine at Zales and it was the only one I absolutely loved. I sent FI a picture (I wasn't very subtle about dropping a hint, we were together for 6 1/2 years when he finally proposed so I was READY and he knew it). And when we went into Zales to get some other jewelry cleaned/inspected I was just like "Do you want to see the ring I love?" He purchased the one I wanted, but I would have been happy with anything if it were similar. It was pre-set so we didn't choose a center stone separately.
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  • The FI proposed impromptu on New Year's Eve without a ring, so technically he asked and I said yes -- and then we went shopping.  He went to Bario-Neal, an independent jeweler on 6th and Bainbridge, and picked the setting he liked.  Then I went in and made a couple modifications -- I liked white gold not yellow gold, that sort of thing.  Basically, he gave me a couple options and I picked my favorite.

    We ordered the diamond from www.lumeradiamonds.com and had it shipped directly to Bario-Neal and they did the setting.  He picked it up and proposed officially with my family there.

    Bario-Neal's great.  We had a couple issues and it's better if you give them a deadline when you need it -- otherwise, they take their time -- but I LOVE my ring.  Super affordable and independent -- two women doing their own thing.  And my ring looks way better than I thought it would, it can be hard to get a good sense of it in the shop, but they know what they're doing.  Here's their website.  http://bario-neal.com/bn/  We're gonna get our bands there too.

    Good luck!  And post a pic when you get one!  :)

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  • We went to the store that his family uses and I picked out the setting, plus the diamond shape. I pretty much knew exactly what it was going to look like before he gave it to me, and I was cool with that. I didn't want to risk letting him pick it out on his own since lord only knows what he would have chosen.
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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_pennsylvania-philadelphia_engagement-rings?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:105Discussion:ba25f889-b54e-414d-a887-24dbf80139faPost:f43c997d-6b81-460e-84cf-319befd80351">Re: engagement rings</a>:
    [QUOTE]We went to the store that his family uses and I picked out the setting, plus the diamond shape. I pretty much knew exactly what it was going to look like before he gave it to me, and I was cool with that. <strong>I didn't want to risk letting him pick it out on his own since lord only knows what he would have chosen</strong>.
    Posted by angelstar975[/QUOTE]

    Haha, if he had left it to me, I would never have picked anything.  I'm too indecisive and he has better taste than me with these things anyway.  I've been introducing him to vendors as a groomzilla.  But i tease, he's not that bad.  Just more direct.  I require process..  :)

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  • We went to Steven Singer and I picked out the setting and cut of diamond. They took all of the information down and when he was ready he went and picked out the stone.  For me it is just too much money to risk me not liking it and then not wearing it.

    We have been very happy with Steven Singer. We got our bands there too.
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  • TeepTeep member
    First Comment First Anniversary
    Mine was a complete surprise, I didn't go shopping with him at all. He bought me a 1 carat princess cut diamond from Jared's, I absolutely love it. He told me he looked around quite a bit, and that the prices were all pretty similiar for what he was getting. Congrats and good luck!
  • We had talked about getting engaged for a little while beforehand. When he was ready to ring shop, he asked me to send him pictures of rings that I liked. He did a bunch of research into the 4 C's, then went to pretty much every jewelry store in the area. The only place that treated him with respect was Jared, so that's where he bought both the diamond and the setting from. We just bought our bands there as well.
    Anniversary
  • edited May 2012
    My fiance and i designed my ring....it's nice to have a one of a kind that i know no one will ever have. i even got the mold to it so it can not be duplicated.  We use my FI's jeweler, who is an independant jeweler. And a lot cheaper then using a store...(of any kind.. my ring was appraised about 8000 more then what he paid for it) Reason being, he didn't have overhead.. insurance.. all that stuff that stores have to make up for.
    I would suggest NOT going to a store in the mall.. I have heard soooo many horror stories about rings.,. If you have a family jewler, use them. I would ask around also, see who others have used.. but really try to stay away from mall jewlery stores. make sure you do your research... Know the difference between the cut, size,grade. all of that is important. 
    Remember, if don't care then great! let it be a huge suprise.. but you will be wearing this beauty for a LONG time, so make sure he knows. Go shopping with him if you don't want to pick the exact one out so he has a really good idea as to what you want!

    Good Luck, happy hunting!
  • I showed him pictures of stuff I liked/didnt' like online and he showed me a few things (so I could veto his more **interesting** suggestions. Then he went and picked it out on his own. I gave him the cuts I prefer but he went with anohter one actually.
  • My FI and I went together. We looked at 4 different stores and ended up at Golden Nugget at 8th and Chestnut. Very nice people and great customer service. They are the official jewelers for the Flyers and the Sixers. I picked out 2 rings and left it up to him to pick which one. I picked the settings and the center stone separately. I didn't know which one I was getting until he proposed.
    imageAnniversary
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_pennsylvania-philadelphia_engagement-rings?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:105Discussion:ba25f889-b54e-414d-a887-24dbf80139faPost:0ed6cdeb-3076-47d2-bdc9-c813e068ba9c">Re: engagement rings</a>:
    [QUOTE]My FI and I went together. We looked at 4 different stores and ended up at <strong>Golden Nugget at 8th and Chestnut. Very nice people and great customer service.</strong> They are the official jewelers for the Flyers and the Sixers. I picked out 2 rings and left it up to him to pick which one. I picked the settings and the center stone separately. I didn't know which one I was getting until he proposed.
    Posted by 20pearls16[/QUOTE]

    My ring was from GN too! Their customer service is awesome!
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  • Mine was a complete surprise and I had no idea that it was coming, so I had no way of telling him what I wanted. Thankfully, he picked precisely what I would have wanted anyway: round, brilliant solitaire with a pave diamond band. Classic and timeless. He did a good job :)
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  • I went to a nice store in fairless hills, bucks county called Michaels Jewelers and found my beautiful ring.  They work really well with you and are locally owned.  They do custom rings as well as all the rings and jewelry in the store.  They are amazing people and they have us a discount and they also do payment plans if having the large sum right away is an issue.  You have to put 1/3 of the cost of the ring down and from there you pay monthly.  My ring is actually made with blue diamonds and they are quick and efficient when you buy the ring.  :)
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  • bluebfalobluebfalo member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited June 2012
    FI and I went ring shopping together. It was important to me to have a ring that was comfortable. It was important to him that I love my ring as it's pretty pricey.

    After browsing through multiple store fronts, and not finding one I liked I looked online. Since I didn't feel comfortable buying a setting I hadn't tried on, we decided to modify a ring setting I found online to my specifications through Steven Singers (Theresa and Joe). It was a wonderful experience. They pointed out that the design I wanted, would require the wedding band to be slightly indented and modified it so that the wedding band could remain straight. Theresa actually improved upon our design to make it more feminine and dainty.

    They allowed you (the proposee) to be as involved as the FI (the proposer) wanted. After I approved of the design and the wax model, I was no longer involved in the ring making process (so you don't know when they mail it) so that FI can keep it a suprise when FI proposes (or repropose in my case) with it officially.

    At Steven Singer they give you beer, soda, water, and cookies while you ring shop (for FI that was a real plus). Also they deliver to DE so that you can waive sales tax.
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  • Mine was a total surprise.  My birthday was in May and he was picking out a piece of jewlery from Tiffany's and while he was there he decided to look for an engagement ring.  A month later he proposed with a 1 carat princess cut platnum ring...We hadn't really looked or talked about what I would like, but after dating so long he just knew what i would love.
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  • this is all so helpful, THANK YOU! :)
  • gmcr78gmcr78 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper First Comment
    Way late to the party, but I wanted to mention Golden Nugget as well!  My FI surprised me, and picked it out completely on his own, and then got the nod from his mom and my friend.  He went to a few stores in Philly and was the most comfortable in GN b/c they didn't bug him. He said he had a great experience and picked out the most perfect ring I could imagine.  If I had the choice, it's exactly what I would have picked!  It's an antique style, I get a ton of compliments on it and people are always asking if it's an antique.
    I had the opportunity to meet the sales person who sold him the ring when I went there after we got engaged to get the appraisal for the insurance. She was so sweet, I think her name was Melissa.  Everyone was really nice in there and helpful even though the ring was already bought and paid for, and we weren't getting anything else that day!  They cleaned it for me while we waited for the appraisal. 
    I thought it was cool to meet the person who helped him. :)
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