engagement ring

[lb2010]

hi everyone,
if i goto a wholesalers and have about $3500 max to spend there, what are some specs of diamond i can get?
i'm looking for a platinum band and a solitare princess cut diamond.
i'm willing to sacrifice the size for a really clear, colourless, well cut diamond.
i really just wanna know wat i should be ending up with at the end of the talks with the wholesaler.
thanks.

[Happy13178]

Don't expect any enormous rock. Platinum is bloody expensive, so the band will likely end up taking most of the price, but it also depends on the design of the ring. A $500 white gold band can easily run into over 2 grand in platinum, because it's much harder to refine and rarer. Useless fact: It takes 1 ton of unprocessed ore to produce 1 ounce of finished platinum. You can probably put a high quality diamond between 0.3 and 0.5 of a carat, or maybe a bit higher on the band for 3500. Make it clear that you'll be paying in cash and they may give you a better deal. Jewellery is a ***** to price out, because there are a lot of variables.

You're very right about sacrificing size for quality though...a smaller, higher quality diamond is better than a larger, lower clarity one.

[mcewen]

If you really plan on being with your future fiance forever... don't cheap-out on the ring! That is the ultimate insult to her. I love you only "this much" honey...

It is ok to demand a good value for your money, but if you amortize the amount over the life of your relationship, a few extra dollars won't be that much in the long term. Find what you want, then look for the best price - and don't forget that it might be worth paying an extra few hundred for the same/comparable ring from a company like Peoples over something like Ben Moss or the "local jewellery guy."

Best of luck - hope she says YES :)
M

[sdm242]

If you really plan on being with your future fiance forever... don't cheap-out on the ring! That is the ultimate insult to her. I love you only "this much" honey...M

Give me a break, the size of the diamond you choose doesn't correspond to how much you love your fiance. Please, spend what you feel is appropriate and don't get taken in my this ridiculous idea!

I know my husband loves me a lot and I have a small engagement ring. The small size of my diamond was a result of our circumstances when we got engaged (we were both in university).

[najibs]

from a wholesaler you can probably get a 1ct diamond with a nice band for about that. I don't know about a platinum one tho...

[rayesyn]

i agree, IMO the rock's for show, its how a man takes care of his woman and vice versa that keeps you going. that rock can be stolen/lost...who knows, what happens then? you buy another one??

(read my signature).

I have to agree with sdm242 on this one. don't cheap out, however just don't sit there thinking the ring's everything you've got to offer.

Give me a break, the size of the diamond you choose doesn't correspond to how much you love your fiance. .

[mrpurrhead]

At the time that I bought my wifes ring (platinum and diamond) I spent 3500 or 10% of my salary. I think they say 2 months gross or 2 months net. The cost of the ring should correalate to your standard of living.. it would be disrespectful of a millionaire to buy a 3500 ring and would be equally absurd for someone making 12,000 a year to spend 3500 on a ring...

My diamond ended up being .54 carats in platinum. it is not the best diamond you can get obviously.. this was about 5 years ago now.

[mcewen]

Give me a break, the size of the diamond you choose doesn't correspond to how much you love your fiance. Please, spend what you feel is appropriate and don't get taken in my this ridiculous idea!

I know my husband loves me a lot and I have a small engagement ring. The small size of my diamond was a result of our circumstances when we got engaged (we were both in university).

If you reread my post I never said buy a big diamond. I said don't cheap out.

There are lots of things which impact the price - cut, colour, clarity. By going for the Biway version of a jewellery store you will get crap, crap and crap.

Know what you want, then look for it at a reputable store.

regards,
M

[lb2010]

$3500
plantinum band
princess cut .71 carat
vs1 or 2
good cut
F colour
i guess thats a pretty good starting point for my search?
also, do u find the round cut to sparkle more? y is the princess cut a little more expensive?

[mlc2000]

If you really plan on being with your future fiance forever... don't cheap-out on the ring! That is the ultimate insult to her. I love you only "this much" honey...



What are you doing on your husbands comptuer??!?!

[eelfliw]

Find out first if she's a gemologist. If not, get the biggest I3 diamond you can find.

If she does know something about diamond, then $3500 should be able to get you VVS-1, E or F color, 1/2 karat rock at (real) wholesale prices (or try the pawn shop and haggle). Don't worry about the setting. It can easily be changed.

The markup on diamonds is phonomenally outrageous and is not based on reality. Your ability to haggle determines what you get. Try diamonds sourced from outside North America. The rock here have higher markups.

I'm not telling you to cheap out on your girlfriend/boyfriend. I'm just telling you that these things don't contribute much to the relationship. Your actions & feelings towards him/her do. So, whether you get a $10 rock or a $50000 rock, she/he will be the same.

[jed]

I'd lose the platinum and spend the savings on more diamond. Go white gold instead if you want the look.

[AnimeEd]

save the platinum for fuel cells!
get a gold band
:cheesygri

[Nemodigital]

If you really plan on being with your future fiance forever... don't cheap-out on the ring! That is the ultimate insult to her. I love you only "this much" honey...

It is ok to demand a good value for your money, but if you amortize the amount over the life of your relationship, a few extra dollars won't be that much in the long term. Find what you want, then look for the best price - and don't forget that it might be worth paying an extra few hundred for the same/comparable ring from a company like Peoples over something like Ben Moss or the "local jewellery guy."

Best of luck - hope she says YES :)
M
Actually spending too much sends her the idea that you are 'buying' her hand. If she is really into you she would rather have you put that money down as a downpayment on a house. I am not saying cheap out but going overboard can also have the same effect :D

[keanefan]

I'd lose the platinum and spend the savings on more diamond. Go white gold instead if you want the look.

I agree.

can people tell the difference between white gold, silver and platinum??

they look similar to me.

[jb22]

I actually bought an engagement ring for my girlfriend (still have to ask though so hopefully she won't find htis post!). Any way, I got a .46K princess cut diamond on a 14k gold band (went with gold because the rest of her jewellery is gold and I honestly could not afford platinum), it's an SI2 becasue it has a light mark on the side if you look through a microscope but I couldn't see it just by looking at it, and it's colour is rated at F. Now I spend under a $1000 less the the original poster's budget. I also bought min at retail so I probably got ripped off big time but I like not to think about it too much.

Hopefully she'll like it, although I hope she understands its them eaning behind the ring that's important not the ring itself (says the guy on the tight budget!)