Non traditional- Non diamond engagement rings?

MeShell2413 · August 2013

What does everyone think about rings that don't have a primary diamond as the center stone?
I've always thought Id want a diamond ring... however lately Ive been looking more and more at other rings. The morganite with the rose gold i think are gorgeous and a hell of a lot cheaper. Just wondered what the communities thoughts are on these non-traditional, non diamond rings?

bethsmiles · August 2013

I'm not going to have a diamond engagement ring. BF and I have narrowed it down to a few different colored stones (green sapphire, blue topaz, and morganite) and he'll pick from there.

Morganite with rose gold is actually one of my top choices for my engagement ring.

KeptInStitches · August 2013

I'd love to have moissanite. The chemist in me loves the stone. BF knows my preference and agrees with it. I don't think he was ever really set on "engagement rings must be diamond."

phira · August 2013

I've got a blue sapphire

I didn't want a diamond at all.

leia1979 · August 2013

If you want something else, get it. It doesn't matter what we or anyone else think.

I personally think diamonds are an overpriced racket. I don't have one. Lots of my friends do because that is what they wanted.

CLoGreenEyes · August 2013

@aliciaharrison, I love peridot!

That is my favorite stone and definitely a contender for any engagement rings in my future. BF is also a fan of emeralds, which I like, but overall I really love and adore the lighter green.

@meshell2413, as you can tell, lots of us dig the non-diamond engagement rings. Originally BF was going to have my grandmother's diamond put in a new setting for me, but that was mostly for the sentimental value, as well as practical reasons. My mother now wears her ring, so that frees us up to go with something more fittin' for us. I think as long as you are aware of the care and keeping of your particular ring and are happy with that, you should be good to go!

MeShell2413 · August 2013

I just recently found the moissanite, love it. I cant decide which id like better betweeen that and the morganite. BF isnt too keen on non diamond bc of it being *like buying a ring out of a gumball machine* lol. So going to have to show him more to explain how pretty they can be and that it isnt like CZ or something cheap that will tarnish/change colors in a short amount of time.

bethsmiles · August 2013

MeShell2413 said:

I just recently found the moissanite, love it. I cant decide which id like better betweeen that and the morganite. BF isnt too keen on non diamond bc of it being *like buying a ring out of a gumball machine* lol. So going to have to show him more to explain how pretty they can be and that it isnt like CZ or something cheap that will tarnish/change colors in a short amount of time.

Just tell him that there is nothing about diamonds that make them inherently more expensive than other options...just really well done marketing.

I'm so glad I didn't have to try to convince BF to get me a non-diamond engagement ring, I just told him that's what I would prefer and he went with it

ShallowSeas · August 2013

I love the idea. I would be 100% completely happy with a blue sapphire engagement ring.

buddysmom80 · August 2013

I love sapphires, so I would be happy either way for an e-ring

@aliciaharrison what is a promise ring?

Blackbird230 · August 2013

@buddysmom80 promise rings can be like pre-engagement or just a way to show your love. My BF gave me a pink pearl on a sterling silver wire wrap as a promise ring. It's just a cute way to show your dedication, but it's not the commitment of an engagement ring or usually nearly the price.

Blackbird230 · August 2013

@buddysmom80 that's my promise ring. Just something simple and cute. Just means you love each other, but aren't ready for engagement or anything like that yet.

buddysmom80 · August 2013

Oh okay, I get it, totally NMS. I don't need a piece of jewelry from my BF that he promises to marry me one day. We communicated that a while back and no piece of jewelry was involved.

GoldenPenguin · August 2013

buddysmom80 said:

I love sapphires, so I would be happy either way for an e-ring

@aliciaharrison what is a promise ring?

Swazzle · August 2013

Love its from me to you, @buddysmom80 and @brisox81.

buddysmom80 · August 2013

I'm feeling the love today, you guys should totally buy me a promise ring, I'll stack them on my finger.

GoldenPenguin · August 2013

buddysmom80 said:

I'm feeling the love today, you guys should totally buy me a promise ring, I'll stack them on my finger.

phira · August 2013

I actually feel weird that I essentially have a promise ring. My partner is Irish and really wanted to get me a claddagh ring for my birthday last year. It wasn't MEANT as a promise ring, but we're both aware that it kind of is. Now I don't know what to do with it!

GoldenPenguin · August 2013

phira said:

I actually feel weird that I essentially have a promise ring. My partner is Irish and really wanted to get me a claddagh ring for my birthday last year. It wasn't MEANT as a promise ring, but we're both aware that it kind of is. Now I don't know what to do with it!

Wear it on your right hand! That's where I have mine (that I got myself, and is in no way a "promise ring"... because I'm not 16) - because on the left hand it's an engagement ring (in Irish culture).

Swazzle · August 2013

My H gave me a claddagh ring (we're both Irish and I have a claddagh tattoo) for Christmas the first year we were together. It was a ring. It was a very pretty ring and I loved it and still have it, but it was still just a ring.

GoldenPenguin · August 2013

aliciaharrison said:

phira said:

I actually feel weird that I essentially have a promise ring. My partner is Irish and really wanted to get me a claddagh ring for my birthday last year. It wasn't MEANT as a promise ring, but we're both aware that it kind of is. Now I don't know what to do with it!

Even though I know that wearing it with the heart facing towards you on your left hand indicates that you are married, at least according to the traditions of the ring, I still do. When I get my engagement ring, I will be moving it either to my middle finger or my right hand.

Why?

Hummingbird125 · August 2013

Personally, I want a moissanite ring. I love how sparkly they are and I like that they're nearly as hard as diamonds. I made sure BF knew this by sending him three of my top choices - all moissanite - when he asked me for ideas, and I'm sure he was pleasantly surprised at the prices. For some crazy reason, he was under the impression that engagement rings should cost around 10k. Thank god I was able to correct him!!!

GoldenPenguin · August 2013

Hummingbird125 said:

Personally, I want a moissanite ring. I love how sparkly they are and I like that they're nearly as hard as diamonds. I made sure BF knew this by sending him three of my top choices - all moissanite - when he asked me for ideas, and I'm sure he was pleasantly surprised at the prices. For some crazy reason, he was under the impression that engagement rings should cost around 10k. Thank god I was able to correct him!!!

I also love moissanite, and will definitely tell BF about it when the time comes. Right now, I'm in LOVE with morganite in rose gold as well, but I'm not sure if it's something that I will love forever, so I'm torn with if I want to present that as a possibility. BF's best friend's dad is also a jeweler, and she has told him that she has to be the first call when he decides it's time to propose so that he can help get a ring. Sooooo we'll see.

buddysmom80 · August 2013

BriSox81 said:

aliciaharrison said:

phira said:

I actually feel weird that I essentially have a promise ring. My partner is Irish and really wanted to get me a claddagh ring for my birthday last year. It wasn't MEANT as a promise ring, but we're both aware that it kind of is. Now I don't know what to do with it!
Even though I know that wearing it with the heart facing towards you on your left hand indicates that you are married, at least according to the traditions of the ring, I still do. When I get my engagement ring, I will be moving it either to my middle finger or my right hand.
Why?

I guess it's because I've always thought a promise ring was to go on the ring finger of your left hand so naturally when we picked it out, I placed it there. And since I have worn it there since he's given it to me, it feels weird to put it on my right hand. I do switch back and forth between putting it on my middle finger and my ring finger since when we got it, it was a sweltering hot day and my fingers were massively swollen due to the heat. It doesn't fit on there properly when it's cooler.

I never had anybody ask me if we were married since it's there, but then again, we don't have many Irish family members. His cousin also wears a claddagh on his left hand with the heart facing in and he and his GF aren't married. *shrug*

Was it bought with the intent of a promise ring or was it bought as a ring and you interpreted it as a promise ring?

From what I'm gathering is that it seems like this ring is a pacifier to hold off on the complaining about not getting engaged yet.

Also there's this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-engagement_ring

I just think it's a little juvenille

Also I would LOVE a moissanite ring!!!!

phira · August 2013

I actually already wear my claddagh on my right hand. My partner wanted me to switch it to my left hand, but it looks RIDICULOUS on my left ring finger, and it's too small for my index or middle fingers. Oops. We don't want to get it resized because we did it once before, and the resize cost more than the ring was worth.

I think I might look into ways to turn it into another piece of jewelry (necklace).

GoldenPenguin · August 2013

aliciaharrison said:

@buddymoms80 The ring was bought as a promise ring. I'm not complaining one bit about not being engaged. I riff with my boyfriend a lot about how I want to get engaged and have my engagement ring, but at the same time, I know there is much we need to work on and we can't afford to get married at this point in our lives. With the down payment he's putting down on the condo, as well as all other fees associated with it, he can't afford to get me an engagement ring.

It all boils down to what I want compared to what is needed at the moment. Do I need to get married sooner rather than later? No, but I want to. But we also have seen first hand what happens to some couples who get married young. We don't want that to happen to us.

Hummingbird125 · August 2013

BriSox81 said:

Hummingbird125 said:

Personally, I want a moissanite ring. I love how sparkly they are and I like that they're nearly as hard as diamonds. I made sure BF knew this by sending him three of my top choices - all moissanite - when he asked me for ideas, and I'm sure he was pleasantly surprised at the prices. For some crazy reason, he was under the impression that engagement rings should cost around 10k. Thank god I was able to correct him!!!

I also love moissanite, and will definitely tell BF about it when the time comes. Right now, I'm in LOVE with morganite in rose gold as well, but I'm not sure if it's something that I will love forever, so I'm torn with if I want to present that as a possibility. BF's best friend's dad is also a jeweler, and she has told him that she has to be the first call when he decides it's time to propose so that he can help get a ring. Sooooo we'll see.

I've never even looked at morganite before, but morganite with rose gold is GORGEOUS.

buddysmom80 · August 2013

aliciaharrison said:

@buddymoms80 The ring was bought as a promise ring. I'm not complaining one bit about not being engaged. I riff with my boyfriend a lot about how I want to get engaged and have my engagement ring, but at the same time, I know there is much we need to work on and we can't afford to get married at this point in our lives. With the down payment he's putting down on the condo, as well as all other fees associated with it, he can't afford to get me an engagement ring.

It all boils down to what I want compared to what is needed at the moment. Do I need to get married sooner rather than later? No, but I want to. But we also have seen first hand what happens to some couples who get married young. We don't want that to happen to us.

Why do you need a ring to symbolize that though? I guess that's what I can't wrap my head around. It's like you need an actual something to say "SEE! YOU PROMISED ME THIS!!!!" which I think is silly. Like I said in a prior post, my BF and I talked things out, came up with a timeline and that's it. There was no ring or piece of jewelry. We were on the same page about where we wanted to be in life.

GoldenPenguin · August 2013

aliciaharrison said:

BriSox81 said:

aliciaharrison said:

@buddymoms80 The ring was bought as a promise ring. I'm not complaining one bit about not being engaged. I riff with my boyfriend a lot about how I want to get engaged and have my engagement ring, but at the same time, I know there is much we need to work on and we can't afford to get married at this point in our lives. With the down payment he's putting down on the condo, as well as all other fees associated with it, he can't afford to get me an engagement ring.

It all boils down to what I want compared to what is needed at the moment. Do I need to get married sooner rather than later? No, but I want to. But we also have seen first hand what happens to some couples who get married young. We don't want that to happen to us.

Hiya Dean! Lol, sorry but just had to.

.....I think you missed the point.

buddysmom80 · August 2013

aliciaharrison said:

buddysmom80 said:

aliciaharrison said:

@buddymoms80 The ring was bought as a promise ring. I'm not complaining one bit about not being engaged. I riff with my boyfriend a lot about how I want to get engaged and have my engagement ring, but at the same time, I know there is much we need to work on and we can't afford to get married at this point in our lives. With the down payment he's putting down on the condo, as well as all other fees associated with it, he can't afford to get me an engagement ring.

It all boils down to what I want compared to what is needed at the moment. Do I need to get married sooner rather than later? No, but I want to. But we also have seen first hand what happens to some couples who get married young. We don't want that to happen to us.

Why do you need a ring to symbolize that though? I guess that's what I can't wrap my head around. It's like you need an actual something to say "SEE! YOU PROMISED ME THIS!!!!" which I think is silly. Like I said in a prior post, my BF and I talked things out, came up with a timeline and that's it. There was no ring or piece of jewelry. We were on the same page about where we wanted to be in life.
I guess because we both come from some very traditional families even though some of the things we do or plan to do aren't traditional. I like the idea of a promise ring but it doesn't have to be seen as a promise to get married. We both look at it as both a promise to get married one day and as a symbol of our love for each other.

I had a timeline as well but it didn't work out because things just don't work out the way you want them sometimes. I wanted to be engaged by 25, married by 27, and have at least one kid by the time I'm 30. My 25th birthday is in October and I won't be moving in with my boyfriend until at least December.

Like I said, we both come from traditional families. Hell maybe a month ago, my mother told me that she and my father weren't really expecting to get engaged or even married,. Just that my father proposed to her one day out of the blue and that was that.

I come from a traditional family as well, but I don't have a promise ring. My BF is mature enough to tell my dad (who's the traditional one, he went crazy when we moved in together) that he promises to marry me soon. My dad didn't ask "so, is there a promise ring?" because like what @brisox81 said, I'm not 16.

And I'm not talking about your own timeline, a timeline as a couple ie: we should get engaged by X, married by X, etc.

GoldenPenguin · August 2013

aliciaharrison said:

buddysmom80 said:

aliciaharrison said:

@buddymoms80 The ring was bought as a promise ring. I'm not complaining one bit about not being engaged. I riff with my boyfriend a lot about how I want to get engaged and have my engagement ring, but at the same time, I know there is much we need to work on and we can't afford to get married at this point in our lives. With the down payment he's putting down on the condo, as well as all other fees associated with it, he can't afford to get me an engagement ring.

It all boils down to what I want compared to what is needed at the moment. Do I need to get married sooner rather than later? No, but I want to. But we also have seen first hand what happens to some couples who get married young. We don't want that to happen to us.

Why do you need a ring to symbolize that though? I guess that's what I can't wrap my head around. It's like you need an actual something to say "SEE! YOU PROMISED ME THIS!!!!" which I think is silly. Like I said in a prior post, my BF and I talked things out, came up with a timeline and that's it. There was no ring or piece of jewelry. We were on the same page about where we wanted to be in life.

I guess because we both come from some very traditional families even though some of the things we do or plan to do aren't traditional. I like the idea of a promise ring but it doesn't have to be seen as a promise to get married. We both look at it as both a promise to get married one day and as a symbol of our love for each other.

I had a timeline as well but it didn't work out because things just don't work out the way you want them sometimes. I wanted to be engaged by 25, married by 27, and have at least one kid by the time I'm 30. My 25th birthday is in October and I won't be moving in with my boyfriend until at least December.

Like I said, we both come from traditional families. Hell maybe a month ago, my mother told me that she and my father weren't really expecting to get engaged or even married,. Just that my father proposed to her one day out of the blue and that was that.

Edit: I just realized my last paragraph was contradictory in every aspect. What I meant to say was just because they never expected to get married they did anyway.

Having a life timeline and a relationship timeline are two very different things. A life timeline (I want to be married by 25, kids by 30) can change in a second, and usually DOESN'T go the way you want it to. A relationship timeline is something you sit down with your significant other and talk about (We've been together for two years, what do you think the next step is?)

Non traditional- Non diamond engagement rings?

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