Bigger or better engagement ring?

tafft1 · June 2010

This all goes back to my name brands thread awhile back. In some cases it could be worth it , but seriously with Tiffany's, Cartier , etc , unless you are rolling in disposable income just say no. I have a beautiful ring that total weight is about .70 and we were able to choose the setting and diamond and still came well under 2k. We did not have to sacrifice quality just because we refused to pay an arm and a leg for my ring. If you or anyone needs a ring by some designer to be satisfied then you are simply a materialistc a$$hat .

Goldlie11 · June 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_bigger-better-engagement-ring?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:7a15b0b8-d668-4771-bbd0-0ade4cb7909ePost:c48dafe2-a305-47b5-980f-33995a2a3d46">Re: Bigger or better engagement ring?</a>:
[QUOTE]This all goes back to my name brands thread awhile back. In some cases it could be worth it , but seriously with Tiffany's, Cartier , etc , unless you are rolling in disposable income just say no. I have a beautiful ring that total weight is about .70 and we were able to choose the setting and diamond and still came well under 2k. We did not have to sacrifice quality just because we refused to pay an arm and a leg for my ring. If you or anyone needs a ring by some designer to be satisfied then you are simply a materialistc a$$hat .
Posted by tafft1[/QUOTE]
I don't mean to threadjack, but I love your ring, Tafft.

tafft1 · June 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_bigger-better-engagement-ring?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:7a15b0b8-d668-4771-bbd0-0ade4cb7909ePost:eb426c95-7053-4906-9a30-9c3a1ee31951">Re: Bigger or better engagement ring?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Bigger or better engagement ring? : I don't mean to threadjack, but I love your ring, Tafft.
Posted by Goldlie11[/QUOTE]

Aww thank you <3 !

PaigeMcC · June 2010

Tafft, you're my hero for the evening.

and ditto! I have a BEAUTIFUL ring. It's 0.5c and was under 1K. I don't care that it's not name brand, or that it's not his huge blingin' thing (actually my ring is pretty blingy! hehe) But I love it, it's perfect and it's from him. That's what counts.

oceana919 · June 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_bigger-better-engagement-ring?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:7a15b0b8-d668-4771-bbd0-0ade4cb7909ePost:c48dafe2-a305-47b5-980f-33995a2a3d46">Re: Bigger or better engagement ring?</a>:
[QUOTE]This all goes back to my name brands thread awhile back. In some cases it could be worth it , but seriously with Tiffany's, Cartier , etc , unless you are rolling in disposable income just say no. I have a beautiful ring that total weight is about .70 and we were able to choose the setting and diamond and still came well under 2k. We did not have to sacrifice quality just because we refused to pay an arm and a leg for my ring. If you or anyone needs a ring by some designer to be satisfied then you are simply a materialistc a$$hat .
Posted by tafft1[/QUOTE]

Same here - I would rather have quality than quantity. My FI got a higher grade/clearer diamond at 0.5 carat that cost less than a flawed 0.75 carat. But then again, I imagine it's all dependent on what a person is looking for (size, quality, cut, etc.).

tafft1 · June 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_bigger-better-engagement-ring?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:7a15b0b8-d668-4771-bbd0-0ade4cb7909ePost:c6c45105-df82-4014-ae6c-9b4bacc03492">Re: Bigger or better engagement ring?</a>:
[QUOTE]Tafft, you're my hero for the evening. and ditto! <strong>I have a BEAUTIFUL ring. It's 0.5c and was under 1K. I don't care that it's not name brand, or that it's not his huge blingin' thing (actually my ring is pretty blingy! hehe) But I love it, it's perfect and it's from him. That's what counts.</strong>
Posted by PaigeMcC[/QUOTE]

All this is so true :) And I just had to quote it again to get my point across. I love that you ladies are so awesome at knowing what really counts :)

And to mirror what Oceana said - you can decide what matters most to you - cut , clarity ,color or carat weight. You can definitely focus on one or two of those as most important and not have to sacrifice what you both want in the end , just try to steer clear of "needing" a name to stand behind. Definitely so research , try things on in stores in different styles to be sure you like how things look on you versus in a picture , it may surprise you. I know I had thought I would need at least a carat to not get lost on my hand , when surprindingly and much to my happy surprise something much more vintage and dainty fit the bill. There are alot of good suggestions here so best of luck :)

Button5807 · June 2010

Jeana's ring has "freckles" and I think that's the cutest thing I have ever heard.

Acrosthec · June 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_bigger-better-engagement-ring?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:7a15b0b8-d668-4771-bbd0-0ade4cb7909ePost:60683435-0862-43fb-a17c-e91cd94d6519">Re: Bigger or better engagement ring?</a>:
[QUOTE]And pray your BF doesn't pull an acro. ;)
Posted by oceana919[/QUOTE]

<img src="http://cdn.cl9.vanillaforums.com/downloaded/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-tongue-out.gif" border="0" alt="Tongue out" title="Tongue out" />

But seriously, she's right about trying things on. Granted I didn't know the size of my diamond before we were engaged and had the ring appraised, but I figured it was somewhere between .25 and .5 carats. It looks perfect on my hand, even though it's much smaller than I'd imagined. Anything much bigger would look REALLY odd to me.

KelseyDF07 · June 2010

I would definitely rather have a flawless almost colorless diamond and it be smaller in size than a 1 carat I can see black specks in. If it's not a quality diamond, I would be embarassed to show it off. I tried a carat on that was definitely flawed and immediately said no. Thanks ladies!

jeanacorina · June 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_bigger-better-engagement-ring?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:7a15b0b8-d668-4771-bbd0-0ade4cb7909ePost:6ce1bef5-8244-482f-b3f5-c8ae2af7045c">Re: Bigger or better engagement ring?</a>:
[QUOTE]Jeana's ring has "freckles" and I think that's the cutest thing I have ever heard.
Posted by Button5807[/QUOTE]

My ring does indeed have "freckles."

DH decided size was important to him, as was the cut, followed by the color to a lesser degree.

My ring is beautiful (although way bigger than I expected a diamond to be, since we had been looking at moissanite), and completely unique. I can tell my diamond from any other because I know exactly where the inclusions are. I didn't notice them until I was inspecting my ring up-close, two inches from my face that night. I was worried DH didn't know, so I mentioned the inclusions to him. He said he knew about them, but that he was able to get me a large (3/4 carat), well-cut, super-glittery stone for less than $1k, and he was really happy with that as long as I was.

My mom is actually the person who coined the term "freckles." I was telling her about it, and she reminded me that a diamond (at least the one I have) is a natural stone, made by nature... and therefore its beauty lies in its imperfections and quirks. Who wants the exact same stone everyone else has? Mine has personality. And no one can see the freckles unless they have my ring two inches from their face inspecting it like I did, and WHO DOES THAT! Nobody, that's who.

I have freckles myself, and I kinda like them. They make me feel youthful and unique. <img src="http://cdn.cl9.vanillaforums.com/downloaded/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-wink.gif" border="0" alt="Wink" title="Wink" />

Anyway, none of that is all that important. What I really want to say is that if you know it's important to you NOT to have inclusions, then simply think about which "C" you can compromise on to keep the price reasonable. Whether it's the size, cut, or color, you need to get the ring you love for a price that won't break the bank. And you can TOTALLY do that. And ditto everyone else about name brands being a rip off.

KelseyDF07 · June 2010

He's actually been saving for a while. We've been dating three and a half years...high school sweethearts. We're almost done with college and going to our respectful grad schools...dentistry (me) and law (for him.) Indeed, we do have a lot of things to be saving for. Does anyone know about Blue Nile or sites where you can create your own...it just worries me about buying things online. Like how do you get it cleaned or repaired easily?

frostedkels · June 2010

my boyfriend was looking at tiffany's too.
however, i decided that i'd forfit the whole "tiffany's label" (although i'm still a tiffany's girl at heart). instead, we picked out this BEAUTIFUL ring from tacori. it's a third the price, and so i can have both quality, size, and sparkling diamonds.

it's all about what matters to you.

i figured that maybe later down the road, when we have our "second wedding" i can get a tiffany's ring.

jeanacorina · June 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_bigger-better-engagement-ring?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:7a15b0b8-d668-4771-bbd0-0ade4cb7909ePost:416d02b9-bfc1-49f3-9cbe-87001ea8c2d2">Re: Bigger or better engagement ring?</a>:
[QUOTE] i figured that maybe later down the road, when we have our "second wedding" i can get a tiffany's ring.
Posted by frostedkels[/QUOTE]

<img src="http://cdn.cl9.vanillaforums.com/downloaded/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-surprised.gif" border="0" alt="Surprised" title="Surprised" />

This confuses me. Please elaborate.

catemeg · June 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_bigger-better-engagement-ring?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:7a15b0b8-d668-4771-bbd0-0ade4cb7909ePost:bcbd24ec-377b-499a-836d-2e5482f6e6fd">Re: Bigger or better engagement ring?</a>:
[QUOTE]Does anyone know about Blue Nile or sites where you can create your own...it just worries me about buying things online. Like how do you get it cleaned or repaired easily?
Posted by KelseyDF07[/QUOTE]

I've heard good things about Blue Nile, and sent a friend there who was looking to buy a reasonably priced engagement ring for his girlfriend. I also have had friends use Overstock.com and gotten really good deals on amazing rings.

I'd recommend them for inexpensive to moderately priced rings - it's a great way to save money without sacrificing a lot on the actual ring. Because they don't have storefronts to maintain, it's cheaper.

You just have to take it to a jeweler near you to have it cleaned and repaired, but be sure to have your finger sized first so that he's sure to buy the right size online. You'll have to pay out of pocket as the jeweler didn't supply the ring, but it's usually worth it to get such great deals online.

catemeg · June 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_bigger-better-engagement-ring?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:7a15b0b8-d668-4771-bbd0-0ade4cb7909ePost:49832dfe-6fb2-46a4-9097-64214350360a">Re: Bigger or better engagement ring?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Bigger or better engagement ring? : This confuses me. Please elaborate.
Posted by jeanacorina[/QUOTE]

It confuses me, too, but I'm not sure I want her to elaborate.

Tacori is still a name brand - they have beautiful rings that are quite unique, but it sounds like you're still focused on the name brand.

By "second wedding" I'm hoping you mean for a vow renewal for an anniversary.

KelseyDF07 · June 2010

Went to Tiffany's today...there truly is a difference. I tried my best to find something wrong but It sparkled so much more than the others I had tried on. The cut is absolutely uncomparable to any others. It's a half carat which is the perfect size for my petite hand, and plus, we're young...a half carat is a wonderful start and maybe even the end. It's going to be a great ring, so I don't know if I will ever upgrade. Thank you ladies for your opinions...and to each lady, their own idea of a meaningful gorgeous ring. AHH I'm going to be engaged!!

Goldlie11 · June 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_bigger-better-engagement-ring?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:7a15b0b8-d668-4771-bbd0-0ade4cb7909ePost:f73dc644-c1a4-4dd4-afc5-7de6c4f04c27">Re: Bigger or better engagement ring?</a>:
[QUOTE]Went to Tiffany's today...there truly is a difference. I tried my best to find something wrong but It sparkled so much more than the others I had tried on. The cut is absolutely uncomparable to any others. It's a half carat which is the perfect size for my petite hand, and plus, we're young...a half carat is a wonderful start and maybe even the end. It's going to be a great ring, so I don't know if I will ever upgrade. Thank you ladies for your opinions...and to each lady, their own idea of a meaningful gorgeous ring. AHH I'm going to be engaged!!
Posted by KelseyDF07[/QUOTE]
Good Lord, the difference is the lighting. Tiffany's spends a lot of money to make the rings look wonderful in the store. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with Tiffany. But take a Tiffany ring and put it next to a stone with similar specs from Bluenile and they will look the same. <div>
</div><div>And yes a half a carat is a wonderful size, especially for petite people. But why overpay?</div>

catemeg · June 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_bigger-better-engagement-ring?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:7a15b0b8-d668-4771-bbd0-0ade4cb7909ePost:f73dc644-c1a4-4dd4-afc5-7de6c4f04c27">Re: Bigger or better engagement ring?</a>:
[QUOTE]Went to Tiffany's today...there truly is a difference. I tried my best to find something wrong but It sparkled so much more than the others I had tried on. The cut is absolutely uncomparable to any others. It's a half carat which is the perfect size for my petite hand, and plus, we're young...a half carat is a wonderful start and maybe even the end. It's going to be a great ring, so I don't know if I will ever upgrade. Thank you ladies for your opinions...and to each lady, their own idea of a meaningful gorgeous ring. AHH I'm going to be engaged!!
Posted by KelseyDF07[/QUOTE]

I'm glad you found your ring and are happy. I'm sad that Tiffany's suckered someone else into believing they were superior.

But like you said, to each their own. Congratulations!

jwang517 · July 2010

if you get a Tiffany, you're paying for the name. i shop at Tiffanys, but when it comes to e-ring, i don't really need Tiffanys cos I personally think it's really not worthy it and plus I don't really like their settings after checking out tons and tons of settings everywhere :P

On the practical side, nobody will know it's a Tiffany unless you tell them. So is it worthy to pay at least a 3240 (0.5ct classic Tiffany setting). But what people (including you, or your children, grandchildren, or anybody) will notice is the quality and size of the ring. Think about the quality of the ring you can get from Tiffany with your budget, and look around more at other stores, or even online stores such as BlueNile and Whiteflash, and see what you can get with the same budget.

With 3000 or more, you can get a 0.6 D VS1 AGS triple 0, or something bigger with a bit less for color/clarity but still AGS triple 0 on Whiteflash or similar grading/quality and size from Bluenile. Look around more, and if you want to do some research about what people say when it comes to e-ring shopping, u can check out PriceScope.com which might help.

KelseyDF07 · July 2010

Oh my gosh...can't believe so many people can't just be happy for someone! Blue Nile comes with no extended care plan....I just don't want him to spend the money on something and not have it taken care of for the rest of my life. Maybe I'm missing their care-plan options...
No ring yet...still shopping around. Now thinking something a little bigger than a half, so I've lowered the specs I wanted. Think I'll quit getting on theknot since everyone wants to tell me what a e-ring should be. I told him, It should just be about love. If it's Tiffanys or Zales or made from a flower.

ekathleen684 · July 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_bigger-better-engagement-ring?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:7a15b0b8-d668-4771-bbd0-0ade4cb7909ePost:5b0338af-0612-40c9-b9b9-a2ceba4e8c4d">Re: Bigger or better engagement ring?</a>:
[QUOTE]Oh my gosh...can't believe so many people can't just be happy for someone! Blue Nile comes with no extended care plan....I just don't want him to spend the money on something and not have it taken care of for the rest of my life. Maybe I'm missing their care-plan options... No ring yet...still shopping around. Now thinking something a little bigger than a half, so I've lowered the specs I wanted. Think I'll quit getting on theknot since everyone wants to tell me what a e-ring should be. I told him, It should just be about love. If it's Tiffanys or Zales or made from a flower.
Posted by KelseyDF07[/QUOTE]

Thank you for the update ;)

Bigger or better engagement ring?

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