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Looking for ring inspiration

leia1979leia1979 member
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Hello there,

I'm starting to gather ideas of engagement ring styles I like, but I would love recommendations of additional sites to look at.

My fave so far is this (but in white gold, which they can do): http://www.nahoku.com/NaHoku/item=45535
This ring is actually much prettier in person. I like the engraving because I feel it just adds a little something more. I'm also not a fan of solitaires.

I think this band is beautiful, too: http://www.novelldesignstudio.com/products_info.php?product=1244

If you can think of other places that have engraved styles like these, I would love to know. Thank you!

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Re: Looking for ring inspiration

  • jeanacorinajeanacorina
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    No amount of looking can really compare to trying rings on. I had my heart set on a certain style and when I put it on in the store, I realized it just wasn't me.

    Talk to your BF and see how much of your input he wants on the ring. You guys could have a great time just trying on engagement rings at different jewelers to get a good idea of what you like and what looks good on you.

    Or, he might want to completely surprise you. Mine did that AFTER we tried on rings and spent a lot of time looking online. He got something completely different and I love it. lol
    Anniversary
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  • leia1979leia1979 member
    5 Love Its First Anniversary Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    Thanks for the input! Things definitely look different in person...I originally liked a different one from Na Hoku until I tried it on. 

    My BF is worried about picking something I won't like (I'm sure many guys have that fear). Shopping together is good idea.

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  • desertsundesertsun member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    I like the James Allen and Blue Nile websites, and the Rocky Talky board on pricescope: http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/forum.asp?forumID=3


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  • BlueBoxBrideBlueBoxBride member
    5 Love Its First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I second Pricescope. 

    I also love all the modeling hand shots on the Purse Forum's Show Off Your Engagement Ring reference thread. I love the posters on tPF and since "shallow obsessing" is the MO (I mean, it is the Purse Form...lol), most of the posters are not offended if you PM them for the size of their ring or the diamond stats or even prices, if you are truly looking at purchasing something similar. 

    Before the my guy decided to buy the *ahem* ring that he did, I was also obsessively checking out the DoverJewelry.com site. If you want a one of a kind ring and you want a vintage/antique style, some of the sites specializing in beautiful estate/vintage jewelry is the way to go. You'll save money, pay less than building the ring new even through a diamond broker and you can usually avoid paying sales tax if the website is based in a different state. Google "Heffern jewelers"... it's also an incredibly reputable jeweler here in town that has the most AMAZING estate jewelry on their website, including colored diamonds! 

    Good luck and best wishes! 
    "I liked it, so I put a ring on it" - future Mr. Box
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  • hetshuphetshup member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    What type of engraving is that? I can find art deco out the wazo, but filigree is more difficult. Does it have a name?
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  • katanne9katanne9 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    If you google "edwardian engagement rings" a lot of rings with engravings or filigree with come up.


    OP - you may want to look into have it custom engraved as well. Then you can get it however you want.
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  • oceana919oceana919
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Can't speak highly enough of Blue Nile. FI and I found a ring I liked at a chain store, and he ended up ordering a similarly-styled but better-quality ring (upgrades on gold strength and diamond quality/clarity). The ring is gorgeous, the service we've gotten from them (we're now ordering my wedding band from them), and the price was lower there for a better ring. Definitely worth checking out.

    However, that being said, be sure to go out and try on several styles, even if you decide to go through an online vendor/dealer for the ring itself. You may hate your dream ring once it's on your finger (happened to me!) or you may realize you want a certain sized stone or setting based on the size/shape of your fingers (we were both thinking 3/4-1 carat center stone originally, but once I tried on rings, I realized anything over 1/2 would overpower my long fingers...I ended up with a little under 1/2 ct and wouldn't want anything bigger).

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  • paintgirlpaintgirl member
    First Comment First Anniversary
    edited December 2011
    I third Blue Nile to get an idea of the kind of cut and band you like. I also agree that you HAVE to try some on in different size stones and styles. BF was horrified that I wanted under a carat - swore I'd be disappointed and thought I was just trying to save him money. But I have ridiculously small hands (circus hands, according to my friends) so a large stone looks really dumb. When he saw a full carat on me, he agreed and now knows I really would be happy with a .5 - .75 and not much bigger.
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  • jeanacorinajeanacorina
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Yeah, I thought 1 carat would be perfect. Tried on rings, and decided that a bit smaller would be better. I have a 3/4 carat center stone, and everyone thinks it's enormous because of how small my hand are. Even the mailman at work said "Bling, bling! You're gon' put somebody's eye out, girl!"

    So, numbers don't mean much until you actually see it ON you. Same goes for cut. Mine is princess. Round and oval looked awful on me. Cushion was okay, but princess was by far the most flattering.
    Anniversary
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  • BlueBoxBrideBlueBoxBride member
    5 Love Its First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I second trying rings on. I have my great-grandmother's engagement ring and my grandmother's channel-set wedding band. My mother gave them to me after my SO and I had hit our six year anniversary, to wear to bars or sometimes work (I get hit on all the time by business men... Forget Patti Stanger, want to meet a guy on the Forbes Top 100 list? Dress men!) It's a .20 carat OEC round solitaire in a gold Tiffany-style six prong setting. The ring is over 120 years old and my hands DO make the stone look bigger (size 3). I was originally looking for a 1-1.25 carat solitaire for my own engagement ring, but my SO likes a flashier look. I can appreciate both aesthetics and will probably wear my GG's ring any place that I wouldn't want to wear my engagement ring. I do think smaller rings stack better if you like that look. 

    But definitely check out Pricescope if you do the online vendor route. There's a discount for Pricescope members with some vendors and some vendors also do a cash wire discount. 
    "I liked it, so I put a ring on it" - future Mr. Box
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  • desertsundesertsun member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    Pricescope is awesome b/c you can get a good diamond education, but there are also tooooonnnns of photos and you can see what looks good on people who have similarly shaped hands/fingers. This is what I did to get a good idea of styles that I would like on my hand. My FI did not want to shop together. He wanted me to outline the specific C's that I thought would get us the best combination of price and quality, and he wanted pics of rings I liked. I did a lot of c&p into Photoshop from the Pricescope forums to make a ring collage. And my ring ended up being PERFECT.

    But, if your BF is open to shopping together, by all means go for that. :)
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  • leia1979leia1979 member
    5 Love Its First Anniversary Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    Thank you so much for the suggestions. I will definitely take a look!

    This morning the BF was so cute. He said "Remember, you don't get to propose; I do. I'm the man." We're very equal, but I'm perhaps the more dominant personality. ;)  I said, "Of course, but can we shop together first?" He replied that he now likes a suggestion I made a while ago--a costume jewelry ring for the surprise and picking something out together later.

    The exchange this morning is one of those things that kept me smiling all day. Thanks again for all your responses!

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