engagement rings? [Archive] - Two Plus Two Older Archives

swolfe

04-07-2005, 04:29 PM

so, i want to get married (i think), and i've been thinking about "the ring". now, being the rational kind of guy that i am, it doesn't make a lot of sense to spend a huge amount of cash on ornamentation. in other words, i'm sort of a cheap ass, so i want to get something nice, but not too expensive. maybe something that has some sapphires to complement some other jewelry that i bought her...

anyway, does anyone have any suggestions on where to look? any other suggestions on going through the buying process (and getting a good deal) would be welcomed...

swede123

04-07-2005, 04:31 PM

Buy her this http://rds.yahoo.com/S=96062883/K=elven+ring+from+lord+of+the+rings/v=2/SID=w/TID=I035_84/l=IVI/SIG=120m52aj5/EXP=1112992213/*-http%3A//www.newline-shop.com/nlc/lotrnbrg.jpg

and have her buy you this http://rds.yahoo.com/S=96062883/K=the+one+ring/v=2/SID=w/TID=I035_84/l=IVI/SIG=1267snlbr/EXP=1112992254/*-http%3A//www.myprecious.us/images/noble_one_ring.jpg

You'll be the envy of everyone!

Swede

mason55

04-07-2005, 04:32 PM

[ QUOTE ]
so, i want to get married

[/ QUOTE ]

wrong

zagosh

04-07-2005, 04:33 PM

ssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc

kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LALDAAS

04-07-2005, 04:33 PM

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20050223/capt.nyet25602231617.manure_pile_nyet256.jpg

my engagement ring thread (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=1567113&page=&view=&sb=5& o=&fpart=1&vc=1)

trotski

04-07-2005, 04:35 PM

I was in the same boat a year ago. We're getting hitched on July 9, congrats on your decision! I found the best value (not sacrificing quality) on shaneco.com. They let you build your own rings and select different prices.

Good luck!

OtisTheMarsupial

04-07-2005, 04:41 PM

Find out what she wants. She's the one who has to wear it.
Then also, she might rather you spend the money on the wedding or honeymoon or a home...

IndieMatty

04-07-2005, 04:45 PM

Fold Preflop.

LALDAAS

04-07-2005, 04:47 PM

Congratz though I am still stalling /images/graemlins/blush.gif

All I can say is you should have seen the heat my girls family was tossing at me on Easter.

I had to go hide in the backyard with my girl's cousin's husband. He just laughed at me and says "now you know how I felt"

tripdad

04-07-2005, 04:51 PM

congratulations. don't be cheap...2 months salary is standard(pre-tax). get a solitary diamond, whatever cut she prefers. no worse than "H" color...no worse than "SI" clarity. as big as your 2 months can afford. settings are also personal...your choice will be standard yellow gold, white gold, or platinum.

cheers!

mostsmooth

04-07-2005, 04:55 PM

go here (http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/) and ask questions
i bought my ring in a b&m, but i would have bought it online if i had it to do over again. i bought a pair of stud earings online and it worked out well.

mostsmooth

04-07-2005, 05:00 PM

[ QUOTE ]
congratulations. don't be cheap...2 months salary is standard(pre-tax). get a solitary diamond, whatever cut she prefers. no worse than "H" color...no worse than "SI" clarity. as big as your 2 months can afford. settings are also personal...your choice will be standard yellow gold, white gold, or platinum.

cheers!

[/ QUOTE ]
id stay above SI for clarity if i were you. dont go below the VS's for clarity imho.
cut and clarity i think are the most important things to look for, again imho.

HDPM

04-07-2005, 05:04 PM

If you want a happy marriage you better dump that rational kind of guy bit.

Spend a bunch. Make sure you spend enough so that in 10 years when you have more money the ring won't look stupid. It doesn't have to be a massive 30K ring, but if you go too cheap you are nuts. Women like diamonds. Don't kid yourself that being Mr. Rational will work. Use your rationality to make enough money to spend too much on the ring.

Freakin

04-07-2005, 05:06 PM

Find a guy in your city who makes rings for the big name stores, it's basically wholesale to you. I've got a guy in Seattle if you're around here. I showed him a picture of teh ring I liked from another store, and he made it for me for less than half what the retail store was charging.

Freakin

Analyst

04-07-2005, 06:18 PM

I'd recommend that you buy the stone (you/she choose) and the setting (she chooses) independantly, though this could be done at the same store. You get a lot more control on the price and quality that way, and if you go to a diamond broker for the stone, you should be able to get a much better diamond for the price than if you buy it at the local mall jeweler.

Note that once you get "good enough" on color and clarity, say VS2 and H/I or so respectively, you won't be able to tell the difference between that and anything better once the stone is mounted. Cut remains important, obviously.

Freakin

04-07-2005, 06:21 PM

Also, look for inclusions that are near the edges, instead of in the center of the stone. Black spots in teh center seriously take away from the "sparklyness"

Freakin

Richie Rich

04-07-2005, 06:55 PM

[ QUOTE ]
so, i want to get married (i think)

[/ QUOTE ]
Congratulations (i think). /images/graemlins/tongue.gif Seriously, although you may REALLY, REALLY like this girl, you're definitely not ready to get married. Work on the more important things in your life first...like getting your career on track, buying your first home/condo, etc. You'll get laid/sucked/etc. many times along the way. The "other things", like choosing the right person to marry, will naturally fall into place. Nevertheless, I'm sure you'll do your own thing...

[ QUOTE ]
so i want to get something nice, but not too expensive.

[/ QUOTE ]
Kind of an oxymoron, but okay...

[ QUOTE ]
maybe something that has some sapphires to complement some other jewelry that i bought her...

[/ QUOTE ]
Engagement = diamonds. No way around that. Here's a good link to get started...
http://www.bluenile.com/diamond_search.asp?filter_id=1&set_shape=
DeBeers has effectively marketed to the American public that a man should spend two months' of his regular salary (PRE-TAX) on an engagement ring. I think one to one-and-a-half is more than enough.

pokerstudAA

04-07-2005, 07:58 PM

I bought one not that long ago over the internet from an oklahoma based store. It worked out nicely.

First - We shopped around the local stores looking at all the ratings (color, clarity, size, price, whatever). She showed me what she liked and a few weeks later I had talked her down to reasonable ranges on everything (specifically price) and then started shopping online. The good online sites list all the stats of diamonds for sale. Instant comparison.

Online = no tax if you buy out of state (big savings) and much better prices.

Chobohoya

04-07-2005, 08:13 PM

The best way to get a ring is to have a jewler/gemologist in the family, yours or hers. That worked out really well for me, see this thread (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=exchange&Number=1921580&Fo rum=,All_Forums,&Words=&Searchpage=1&Limit=25&Main =1921580&Search=true&where=bodysub&Name=7976&dater ange=1&newerval=&newertype=w&olderval=&oldertype=& bodyprev=#Post1921580).

Whatever you do though, dont be a cheap ass.

swolfe

04-07-2005, 08:14 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Congratulations (i think). /images/graemlins/tongue.gif Seriously, although you may REALLY, REALLY like this girl, you're definitely not ready to get married. Work on the more important things in your life first...like getting your career on track, buying your first home/condo, etc. You'll get laid/sucked/etc. many times along the way. The "other things", like choosing the right person to marry, will naturally fall into place. Nevertheless, I'm sure you'll do your own thing...

[/ QUOTE ]

funny, the assumptions (or should i say presumptions) people make. my career is plenty "on track", i own 4 houses, and this woman that i've been living with is going to be my wife and the mother of my kids.

thanks for the advice otherwise.

mason55

04-07-2005, 08:34 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Congratulations (i think). /images/graemlins/tongue.gif Seriously, although you may REALLY, REALLY like this girl, you're definitely not ready to get married. Work on the more important things in your life first...like getting your career on track, buying your first home/condo, etc. You'll get laid/sucked/etc. many times along the way. The "other things", like choosing the right person to marry, will naturally fall into place. Nevertheless, I'm sure you'll do your own thing...

[/ QUOTE ]

funny, the assumptions (or should i say presumptions) people make. my career is plenty "on track", i own 4 houses, and this woman that i've been living with is going to be my wife and the mother of my kids.

thanks for the advice otherwise.

[/ QUOTE ]

pwn3d

Freakin

04-07-2005, 08:35 PM

[ QUOTE ]
this woman that i've been living with is going to be my wife

[/ QUOTE ]

Not unless we get this engagement ring thing figured out.

I'd recommend picking out a stone from a jeweler and having it set in a solitaire to propose with. Then you can go back with her and have a setting designed/made right afterwards or a while later. Unless she has microscopic hands, a carat is a decent size to go with. It's not really gonna look to small or too big on most people's hands. You should be able to get a carat stone of decent quality (VS1 or 2, G-ish) for under 4k. Buying it from a retail store will guarantee almost 160-200% markup.

Freakin

Homer

04-07-2005, 08:39 PM

[ QUOTE ]
congratulations. don't be cheap...2 months salary is standard(pre-tax). get a solitary diamond, whatever cut she prefers. no worse than "H" color...no worse than "SI" clarity. as big as your 2 months can afford. settings are also personal...your choice will be standard yellow gold, white gold, or platinum.

cheers!

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow, is 2 months salary really standard? Guess I got lucky that the one my gf wanted was .37 carats or so. Go me!

fsuplayer

04-07-2005, 08:52 PM

no, its what the jeweler stores would love us to go by however.

i guess it completely depends on your salary though, the less it is, the greater % you should prob. spend.

hell, if you make $15k a month, 25-30k is a bit absurd to pay for a ring. but if you make 2k, then two month's salary is probably a good amount.

tolbiny

04-07-2005, 08:54 PM

if i am makeing 2k a month, there is no way in hell i can afford to spend 4k on a ring. none.

dogsballs

04-07-2005, 08:57 PM

This is a my wife's - or very similar - she likes sapphires too. Got ours at bluenile.com for 4k. Do the custom thing and I'd say get at least 1.0 carats (it's very important for showing off to other women - tho I never knew that before - they can often tell how many crats just by a glance. She'll be much happier with you if it's a good un).

Bluenile.comhttp://www.bluenile.com/assets/product_images/rings/CM30500100_PR_100_zoom.jpg

fsuplayer

04-07-2005, 08:58 PM

ok, but you could certainly finance a 3500 ring or so.

i have a friend doing it atm.

tolbiny

04-07-2005, 09:01 PM

the point being a purchase like that is crippling for someone with a 24k a year job. if he is a grad student about to enter the real world, its one thing, but for someone who is going to work for years before he hits the 30k mark, 4 grand is huge.

swolfe

04-07-2005, 09:07 PM

that looks perfect!

zephed56

04-07-2005, 09:21 PM

[ QUOTE ]
go here (http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/) and ask questions
i bought my ring in a b&m, but i would have bought it online if i had it to do over again. i bought a pair of stud earings online and it worked out well.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, check this site out. I guess it's the 2+2 of diamond ring information.

mostsmooth

04-08-2005, 08:58 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
congratulations. don't be cheap...2 months salary is standard(pre-tax). get a solitary diamond, whatever cut she prefers. no worse than "H" color...no worse than "SI" clarity. as big as your 2 months can afford. settings are also personal...your choice will be standard yellow gold, white gold, or platinum.

cheers!

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow, is 2 months salary really standard? Guess I got lucky that the one my gf wanted was .37 carats or so. Go me!

[/ QUOTE ]
maybe she got used to little things?

HesseJam

04-08-2005, 09:33 AM

I just wanted to let you know that you US guys are the biggest girlie tools. 2 months salary for an engagement ring? WTF? Shouldn't she just be happy that you marry her?

DavidC

04-08-2005, 09:57 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Congratz though I am still stalling /images/graemlins/blush.gif

All I can say is you should have seen the heat my girls family was tossing at me on Easter.

I had to go hide in the backyard with my girl's cousin's husband. He just laughed at me and says "now you know how I felt"

[/ QUOTE ]

I hope I'm not sounding too evil, but I'm curious about hearing more of these details.

On the topic of a ring:

My mother has two plain gold rings, one of which was a wedding ring, and I guess the other was a gift at some point. She also has an engagement ring, which is a small, single, diamond.

She has the option of either wearing her engagement ring alone, as her wedding ring, wearing the wedding ring, or wearing the engagement ring and the two wedding rings on either side to sort of fill it out a bit.

I kinda like that style.

--Dave.

DavidC

04-08-2005, 10:02 AM

[ QUOTE ]
DeBeers has effectively marketed to the American public that a man should spend two months' of his regular salary (PRE-TAX) on an engagement ring. I think one to one-and-a-half is more than enough.

[/ QUOTE ]

This absolutely baffles me.

Buy what you want and what you can afford. Don't worry about the ring:month ratio.

mostsmooth

04-08-2005, 10:04 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
DeBeers has effectively marketed to the American public that a man should spend two months' of his regular salary (PRE-TAX) on an engagement ring. I think one to one-and-a-half is more than enough.

[/ QUOTE ]

This absolutely baffles me.

[/ QUOTE ]
its the same type of concept as buying birthday cards, christmas cards, easter cards, valentines day in general, mothers day cards, on and on and on. somebody sold us a line and we bought it.

dogsballs

04-08-2005, 04:13 PM

yeah, she's getting the mileage out of it. And I have all the brownie points... /images/graemlins/grin.gif ..looks like I can go to teh wsop this year.. /images/graemlins/cool.gif

try bluenile and look at different combinations of stone/ring/setting. this was a 'radiant' cut, 1.01 carats, decent clarity (cant remember but one where you cant visibly see flaws) with platinum ring, so hence the 4k tag. You could drop down carats and drop a clarity level if your current finances are restrictive.

edit: bluenile is where i went cos I was told it's the best place for choice and price and to ensure you're getting the real thing. I shopped around other places online and in the real world, but ket ending up back there.

M2d

04-08-2005, 06:50 PM

where are you located?

CCx

04-08-2005, 08:13 PM

got engaged last year - went to jewelers row here in philly, then dipped to delaware to save the sales tax once i decided what i wanted to get her ...i suggest doing a lot of research, spend a lot of time on ebay looking at what rings actually look like, also on sites like bluenile and other diamond sites to get price estimates, and also check out your local jewelers (dont go to the mall), then make your decision - i spent 4g's, got just a ridiculously good diamond just under a carat marquise in 14k white gold with diamonds all the way around the band - dont worry about how much you spend either, just dont get something corny and she'll love it

i think the other colored stones with the ring looks weird - my sister got sapphires on her engagement ring, it dont look that good to me - stick to the gold and ice in my opinion

good luck, it's fun! /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Homer

04-08-2005, 08:23 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
congratulations. don't be cheap...2 months salary is standard(pre-tax). get a solitary diamond, whatever cut she prefers. no worse than "H" color...no worse than "SI" clarity. as big as your 2 months can afford. settings are also personal...your choice will be standard yellow gold, white gold, or platinum.

cheers!

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow, is 2 months salary really standard? Guess I got lucky that the one my gf wanted was .37 carats or so. Go me!

[/ QUOTE ]
maybe she got used to little things?

[/ QUOTE ]

Most likely.

Hermlord

04-08-2005, 08:26 PM

Diamonds are a false market; in fact DeBeers (and now a few others) closely regulate the ample supply to boost demand. For many years they were excluded from the US for antitrust violations.

Try this: buy a sapphire or other gem, then take it to another jeweller and see what percentage of your purchase price you get offered. Now do the same thing with a diamond.

Diamonds are often mined by virtual prisoners, in areas controlled by rebel armies. Health conditions are atrocious, and those who refuse to comply or who are suspected of stealing (and you can guess what kind of objective trial they're given) are often subjected to violence or even murder. Though the situation is improving it is far from resolved.

Diamonds are intimately linked to illegal weapons trafficking and money laundering; for example both Palestinian and Israeli paramilitary groups are often involved.

I would never want to marry a woman who, after being exposed to this information, still insisted on getting a diamond. But then, hey, we're Americans, and if we don't see it happening, we're not responsible...

About DeBeers (http://www.answers.com/topic/de-beers)

About Blood Diamonds (http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery;jsessionid=bcrd9clkedhk9?method=4&dsid=222 2&dekey=Conflict+diamond&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1&sbid= lc03a)

More reasons diamonds are bad (http://www.fguide.org/Bulletin/conflictdiamonds.htm)

mostsmooth

04-08-2005, 09:19 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Diamonds are a false market; in fact DeBeers (and now a few others) closely regulate the ample supply to boost demand. For many years they were excluded from the US for antitrust violations.

Try this: buy a sapphire or other gem, then take it to another jeweller and see what percentage of your purchase price you get offered. Now do the same thing with a diamond.

Diamonds are often mined by virtual prisoners, in areas controlled by rebel armies. Health conditions are atrocious, and those who refuse to comply or who are suspected of stealing (and you can guess what kind of objective trial they're given) are often subjected to violence or even murder. Though the situation is improving it is far from resolved.

Diamonds are intimately linked to illegal weapons trafficking and money laundering; for example both Palestinian and Israeli paramilitary groups are often involved.

I would never want to marry a woman who, after being exposed to this information, still insisted on getting a diamond. But then, hey, we're Americans, and if we don't see it happening, we're not responsible...

About DeBeers (http://www.answers.com/topic/de-beers)

About Blood Diamonds (http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery;jsessionid=bcrd9clkedhk9?method=4&dsid=222 2&dekey=Conflict+diamond&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1&sbid= lc03a)

More reasons diamonds are bad (http://www.fguide.org/Bulletin/conflictdiamonds.htm)

[/ QUOTE ]
everybody has problems, lifes a bitch

34TheTruth34

04-08-2005, 09:36 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Fold Preflop.

[/ QUOTE ]

PotD!

OtisTheMarsupial

04-10-2005, 04:20 PM