Weddingbee boards

check out www.faycullen.com

I didn't get my ring from there, but used it as inspiration to give my FI an idea of what I like.

V- I had another thought.  Just a word of advice that may help.  I have an antique engagement ring (approximately 75 years old).  I did a lot of looking online (I drooled over the Fay Cullen stuff) but was worried about buying online.  I also went into a couple of jewelry chain stores that carry estate pieces (Ross-Simons, Long's Jewelers).

In both instances, the majority of the rings were priced WAY out of my FI's price-range (he didn't have $10,000 to spend on my ring).

Then I did some research on local jewelers that carry estate pieces.  We went to Boston's diamond district and found dozens of gorgeous rings that were similar in specifications to the $10,000 rings we'd seen elsewhere, but for a fraction of the cost.

Unfortunately a lot the jewelers didn't have extensive listings on their websites (if they even had websites) so we had to go in person.  However, I'm really glad we did. Because they are wholesalers/jewelers and not jewelry stores, I think their prices are better and they can work with you (I'm generalizing here of course).  When we saw my ring (just the setting) it was missing lots of diamonds and was unfinished- all tarnished and neglected looking, but I fell in love with it.  I couldn't believe how it turned out when the jeweler refurbished it.

We wound up going back to get my wedding band custom made. I was afraid how much it would cost since it would have to be customized to fit my ring and I wanted platinum (and I have fat fingers).  So I nearly fell over when the jeweler could make the ring and engrave it (as well as engrave my FIs band purchased elsewhere) all for well under $700!

Many of the jewelers offered to custom make an engagement ring, but I wanted an old, estate piece for several reasons.  So look around and don't let them railroad you into ordering a custom piece- what you want is probably out there, you just have to find it.