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06-25-2007, 09:53 AM | #45 |
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Bluenile.com has good prices, but a local dealer will probably match, if it's the exact same size, quality, cut, color.
Costco will also sell you a diamond; look online, send them an email, and they'll ship it to your local Costco for inspection. If you decide on a specific size, color, cut, etc., then you can shop around for the best price. Put the time in and shop around; you can save hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Go to Tiffany's for the special-designer 10- or 20-year anniversary band; save your money on the engagement ring and shop elsewhere. |
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06-25-2007, 10:06 AM | #46 |
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I got my wife's ring at Tiffany's. It was more expensive than most shops but the quality of the stone was remarkable. I got her the Lucida diamond, and it's a gorgeous cut. When I purchased it, I wanted to order her size, but they wouldn't because they said they gets lots of ladies coming back in to trade in on a different ring. I think that's crazy, but oh well. Luckily, my wife loved the ring I picked out. Unfortunately, I never actually asked her to marry me
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11-08-2008, 12:57 AM | #47 |
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Nailed it on the head.
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11-08-2008, 02:49 AM | #48 |
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I like diamonds but don't have a wife. Basic rule of thumb for me is get what i can afford i mean i would obviously push it past what i can afford somewhat but not put myself in a hole for my wife's ring. Materialistic shit means nothing compared to the relationship. HHAHAH here are a few of my own gifts to myself. vs1s or betta
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11-08-2008, 03:40 AM | #49 |
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I'm sorry, but who the hell spends $20k on a ring? You must've really not wanted her to leave you if you did.
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11-08-2008, 04:24 AM | #50 |
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Agreed.. 2 months salary is bs. I bought a quality 1 ct solitaire for $6k (though my bro in law is in the jewelry business, so that helped). Any chick who wants you to put yourself in debt for a rock is smoking rocks.
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11-08-2008, 04:37 AM | #51 |
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Yeah, when I was looking for an engagement ring $5k-$7k was my limit. I find it amazing that people spend more than that on something that can easily be lost, stolen or damaged. If she demands some outrageous $20k+ ring, well....good luck with that.
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11-08-2008, 07:48 AM | #52 |
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Best thing you can do is get an Excellent cut stone with a great color. HOF (Hearts on Fire) diamonds follow these principals and they will always stand out against other diamonds. The better the cut and better the color the bigger the diamond will appear and the more sparkle it will give. You want Excellent or Ideal cut (not Good or Premium or Fine) and color wise stick to D, E , F, G colors. Smaller diamonds with these characteristics will actually appear larger and more brilliant than the average diamond that is 1-2 carats greater in size. All the diamond Jewelry I buy my sweet is HOF because their diamonds always stand out since they practice this method. Technically their stones are VS2 or better but they sparkle like no other.
Some other advice for the budget minded. Don't be afraid to buy a diamond at a Jewelry or Gem auction or estate sale. (just know what you are doing or buy a diamond that has papers with it like an AGA or GIA cert) I was able to get a 2.81 Princess Cut Diamond that was VVS1 G color and Excellent 1 cut for about $15K at auction. That may sound like alot but appraisal value the stone comes in over $40K. I then looked at a bunch of designs on-line and found several styles I liked and took pictures to a jeweler that I knew who then with my help created a custom ring. He made molds, I approved and next thing you know I have a ring that is certified for about $50K that looks fantastic on my fiance's hand. "The Rock" as it has been nicknamed by all her friends (its total carat weight is about 4cts with the accent diamonds) looks great and she loves the fact that I designed it more than anything else. I like the fact that I gave her a $50K ring that in reality only cost me about $18K and a little of time/effort. Last little piece of advice which is a great middle ground.... Costco on-line!!! Their premium rings and loose diamonds are usually a great value and Costco can be trusted as a seller for their quality. I would have gone this route if I was short on time or could not find the stone I wanted at Auction. Good Luck!! |
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11-08-2008, 12:51 PM | #53 |
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This is what I got my wife. The picture is of both the engagement and wedding bands. They are designed to be joined together as one ring.
http://www.markschneiderdesign.com/d...ngname=Destiny The engagement band is platinum and was around $3k. The wedding band is paladium which was about 2.5k. The diamond was my mothers, which she left to me after she passed. It's just under a carat at .95 and is near flawless. The whole set appraised around $17k
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11-08-2008, 01:55 PM | #54 | |
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11-08-2008, 08:31 PM | #55 |
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Better not be
nah, its not a custom ring but not many jewelers actually carry this designer and if they do they don't carry nearly a third of his designs. The wifey did considerable online shopping to find a type of design she liked and found this guy. It just so happened that a jeweler right down the road carried his designs and just so happened to even have this particular ring in stock. It was fate, if you believe in that stuff.
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11-08-2008, 08:40 PM | #56 |
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I got my wife a $1500 ring, plus 100 shares of e-bay that eventually went towards the down payment of our house.
Screw this "4-month salary" rule. It's just something dreamt up by diamond dealers to screw us. The whole wedding industry is a giant scam, messing with the Bridezilla's mind into way overspending. Many couples are still paying for their wedding long after their divorce. And my marriage is still going strong
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11-08-2008, 08:43 PM | #57 |
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This is what i got for my fiance. 1.56C center stone (1.75C with side stones), SI1 clarity, E color, round brilliant, and custom made bypass setting cuz i knew she didn't want the traditional settings....approx $14k otd. To be honest, its a lot of money but if she was okay with me buying a $40K+ car then i think she deserves to be spoiled a little bit too I'm not afraid of it being lost or damaged cuz i have insurance on it which only costs about $150 a year.
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11-09-2008, 04:22 AM | #58 | |
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Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction. - Albert Einstein
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11-09-2008, 09:20 AM | #59 |
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^^^ Just contact your insurance. I have statefarm. I told them I wanted to insure hers and my ring. I sent them a certified appraisal from a jeweler and they then contacted me and gave me several rates on how much coverage I wanted. Full replacement costs me about $16/mo for $20k worth of rings.
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11-09-2008, 12:02 PM | #60 | |
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Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction. - Albert Einstein
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11-09-2008, 01:53 PM | #61 |
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yeh insurance covers lost stolen damage etc. Check out Jewelers Mutual. they are the one most people use and cheapest too. The site also gives you quotes for free.
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11-09-2008, 02:03 PM | #62 |
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long is a mack daddy lol
damn my sisters finance got her a 9k ring for 4k...and that thing is huge and its not even a wedding ring, i cant imagine a 22k ring or 19k or 14k. However i do believe that if you love her and shes really worth it go for it. |
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11-09-2008, 11:18 PM | #64 |
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09-19-2018, 10:40 AM | #65 |
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