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My boyfriend and I began our search for my perfect engagement ring last night. After looking at a few online places (eBay, Amazon), we realized that diamonds are ridiculously expensive. I was just wondering if anyone else was on a tight ring budget ($500) and what kind of rings you ended up with. :)
Thanks girls!
@mrand2008: Have you thought about ordering a loose diamond online and then having a jeweler set it?
If you want t a diamond you can often get a much better deal online then going to an actual brick and mortar store.
I just did a quick serach on adiamor.com (you could also look at bluenile.com and others) and they have almost 1,000 listed for sale at $500 or less.
Also, there are settings where you can have many small diamonds set in the center of the ring rather than one larger one. I believe these tend to be less expensive as well.
If you are not set on a diamond, you could look at other gemstone rings. I've seen lots of beautiful colored gemstones on this site.
There is also mossanite, which is beautiful as well.
i would suggest looking for a moissanite. they are so beautiful and have so much sparkle if you are going for the colorless look.
if you don't necessarily want to go for the colorless look, there are some beautiful colored stones that you could find for under 500 dollars.
also, etsy.com often has vintage diamond rings. i bet you could find one in your price range on there. some of them are TO DIE FOR! good luck!
Buying new diamonds turns my stomach, considering many of them are mined with slave labor... And certified ethical diamonds are even more expensive!!
This may sound silly, but don't laugh - a friend of mine bought a STAINLESS STEEL AND CZ bridal set on eBay for $50!! It is beautiful (the cz is the size of a carat-plus) and everyone raves about how gorgeous it is, etc etc... No one knows that it isn't a real diamond.
This solution isn't for everyone, but I loved it! (I personally inherited my bridal set so mine was "free." Score!)
I recommend looking into moissanite. Their rings are beautiful. Ms. Tattoo has a stunning moissanite, hopefully she will post here.
If you are uncomfortable with purchasing a ring/ gemstone online I recommend going to a locally owned jewlery store. Stay away from chain stores because they charge wayyyy more than mom and pop shops. My FI bought my ring at a locally owned jewelry store and he paid literally half what he would have paid at a chain store.
My ring was $875, he paid $250 for it.. Its white gold & 1/2 CTW. 
What about vintage or antique rings? www.rubylane.com is the best! I've bought 3 diamond bands from them and one diamond and sapphire band that I'm using now as my wedding band. Everything I have bought and taken to my jeweler has been valued at much higher than what I paid.
I would try Craig's List. I have posted that a million times, I think. If you're cool with a used ring and you want a diamond, you may want to try Craig's List, eBay (individual sellers, not jewelry stores) and possibly pawn shops.
If you're not completely set on having a diamond, there are TONS of affordable options, from moissanite (for the diamond look), to having another type of stone (Aquamarine, Morganite, Sapphire, Tourmaline) and you can even get the other stone set in a diamond setting.
If you have an idea of the type of stone you want, that may give you a better idea of where to start looking.
I am a big fan of Craigslist. The diamond market is in terrible shape right now so folks who are trying to get rid of them are having a hard time selling to pawn shops. You should have some luck there.
My diamond is a 2nd hand diamond purchased as a loose stone from a broker.
My FI got my ring from Ashadiamonds.com, and I love it. The great thing is that you can get palladium for the metal, and the rings are very well made. We got a 1ct. Asha center stone and the ring for $800. They have solitaire rings that are Tiffany-inspired for around$500.
There is always the gemstone route!
Good luck!
=) I am pretty sure my FI got my ring from Zales and from the Clearance section, but it was EXACTLY my requests, so he not only got my dream ring, but he got a STEAL!
Original sticker price was over $3K, he walked out with it for $700! Only know those details because of the budgeting! I love love love my ring. So I suggest always glancing at the "clearance" section before leaving a jeweler, you never know what you might find!
And a friend of mine found her DREAM ring at a pawn shop, you seriously never know! We also were looking at Overstock.com if you havent checked that one out yet!
Best of Luck!
Forgot to post a picture :)
Another vote for moissanite!! Check moissaniteco.com and there's also a lot of information on WeddingBee if you go to search and just type in moissanite :)
You should also consider going to a pawn shop. We found a .33 carat pear cut ring for $170 because it didn't have very much gold with it, which is the real budget killer right now. You could always buy it for the stone and set it in a different metal.
Try checking local flea and antique markets, we found my ring at a flea market in my city and we only paid $400 for it. The appraisal value is around $2200.
We're on a low budget, too (both grad students), so I second a couple of the previous posters who have mentioned gemstone rings. You can find some really beautiful gemstone rings with diamond accents online (especially on eBay). Luckily, I've wanted a gemstone engagement ring since I was a teenager, so that's pretty much perfect for me 
Try eBay... but tread carefully.
FI and I are a true e-ring eBay success story :) We found my ring (.5 carat aquamarine in .25 ctw diamond halo and pave band) there for $175. It appraised for $1000!
If you do want to buy from eBay, colored gems are the way to go - and make sure you buy from a seller with lots of feedback, who will provide you with a certificate of authenticity or appraisal for the jewelry.
I'm not sure what your style is but I got my promise ring from Zales for $400 on sale. It is a three stone with side accents, with a total carat weight of 1/2c. It's not big, and it's not perfect, but it's very sparkly and I have gotten a lot of compliments on it.
I will say there are some things I don't like about it - ie: the diamonds do have imperfections and don't touch in the setting. However, it's put up with all the hell I put it through since I hardly ever take it off.
Here's the link - http://www.zales.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11026618&kpc=1
Wow you guys!! Thanks for all the awesome input!
Luckily for us, my parents recently let us know that they have been planning on paying for a large majority of our wedding...so ring budget is now a lot higher! But, I still don't want to spend ALL our money on a ring, so your opinions and advice will be put to good use!
I vote for moissanite! That is what I have. It is a 1ct round solitaire that we paid I think, $645 for. Moissaniteco has lots of options in a variety of sizes and prices! 
DSCF2450.JPG (2163.2 KB, 163 downloads) 1 year old 
Craigslist. No joke! People are trying to get rid of their rings on there every day! And I have seen some gorgeous ones. I would take it to get appraised first so that you know you aren't getting ripped off but still. Another idea is what my FI did. He used is great grandmothers diamond and just bought the setting. It saved him HUNDREDS! If you have a diamond somewhere in the family (or heck, any stone you like!) it could save him a ton. Another idea is to get a really simple ring now and then upgrade later when you DO have the money. I have seen that done alot and I totaly get it!
GEMSTONE engagement ring! Mine was $200 and i LOVE it! We are obviously on a very tight budget too. One day when we can afford it my darlin' plans to get me some kind of sparkly right hand ring. But i don't think i ever want to replace my beautiful little ruby for my left hand!! (:
s
ps. I also love moissanite - we looked into them and they're gorg but still out of our price range haha!
My girlfriend actually got her ring from a pawnshop, simply for the diamond, and had it reset. She has a beautiful .50 Flawless diamond, excellent cut, for $600
We got my e-ring from overstock.com. I know its a bit unconventional, but the price was right, we paid about 1/2 what it is appraised for, and I get compliments on it all the time. I think FI paid about $700-800 for it. Sorry the pic is so big. It sparkles a LOT more in person.
@xxjessmicaxx that is genius!! you picked a smart lady! i am going to pass that idea along to my fiance for future gifts!
I personally wouldn't spend a lot of money on anything lol let alone my ring (My FI had budgeted 5k for my ring!!!) I almost choked when he told me he had intentions on spending that!!! He's a crazy person and every other woman in the world is disagreeing with me right now. ANYWAY I am cheap, so I was willing to allow a 1k budget for a ring and that's just because I believe you can't go too cheap or it will fall apart; and nothing is worse than losing a diamond you can't replace because you bought it from a private seller.
I have found that local jewelers have great sales and they are so hard up for money you can negotiate any price. OR go to a wholesaler which is what I did. I went to BJs and picked out my engagement ring its a 1carat beauty for $980 msrp $1780. I found the Bjs flyer in a bridal magazine and it came with a free membership so we just walked right in. Department stores sell real jewlery that is nice. Jc Penny's, Kmart, even Walmart has fine jewlery... if you think you'll be judged for getting a discount ring the solution to that is to LIE ABOUT WHERE YOU BOUGHT IT!! lol problem solved
Good luck with your ring search-- it is duable so don't get discouraged. I think if you're on a budget you should buy a fake diamond for now, and use the money for your wedding. Later on in life when its financially suiting you can get a real ring (that would make a nice anniversary present)
Mine was about $400. I won't be getting a separate wedding band (I'm clearly not a bling person). Mine is white gold.
$500 from moissaniteco.com! Everyone assumes FI had to sell his fancy car to afford it haha
@Shiner: I LOVE your ring! I like to admire it on overstock. . .it's JUST like the Tiffany Legacy!
I also wanted to offer a few tips for finding a quality diamond ring that fits your budget. Many people believe that mall jewelry stores or retail jewelers have the most affordable selection and that you would never be able to afford something from a local jeweler. This couldn't be more FALSE!
Many retail jewelers have high mark-ups which is why they can afford to "clearance" items. I went in to a local jeweler and said that I was looking for 1/2 carat solitaires. Of course I was directed to rings in the range of $1500-$2500. I then told the sales associate that I was really looking for something between $700 & $800, slightly less than 1/2 carat, that was preferably an eye-clean princess cut stone in a solitaire setting. She pulled out a box and showed me a loose diamond that was a .41ct, H color, SI2 clarity for $595.
I have to say that when it comes to diamonds, I AM PICKY! But this diamond is eye-clean and has no major flaws visible to the naked eye when it is set.
The story gets better because the sales associate offered to set the ring in a plain 14kt white gold solitaire setting free of charge. Ok. . .so $595 + tax for a .41ct solitaire ring. Sounds great, right?
Well, my SO called, worked his business magic and was able to get the ring for $525 out the door and sent overnight to his office (out-of-state), avoiding sales tax. The ring appraised for $900! Helzberg Diamonds sells a similar ring for $899 (pre-tax) but the one from there is 3/8ct, H/I color, I1 clarity. So yes, I got a better quality ring from a higher end store (they even carry Tacori!) and he paid a fraction of what it would have cost from a retail jewelry store. We couldn't even find a deal like that online (not for that quality, anyway).
Also, Walmart has some decent rings at reasonable prices. My friend and I were checking out a .2ct, I color, I1 clarity Marquis solitaire in a 10kt white gold setting ($198), and we actually found that because of the shape, the .2ct marquis looked almost as large as my .41 princess cut! There were no visible flaws in that diamond either, and I must say that it looked classic and beautiful. No one would ever have guessed it came from Walmart!
So please, don't give up. Do your research. Check out a few local jewelers, be honest with the sales person, and try to negotiate. My diamond probably would have been used as a sidestone in a larger ring or perhaps for a pendant or earring, but it's eye-clean and sparkles like mad.
We weren't on a budget per-se, but I fell in love with my e-ring, and it was only $200!
It was purchased from PSodhi on Etsy, who did a wonderful (and super-fast!) job creating this custom ring just for us!
http://www.etsy.com/listing/58656324/teal-blue-rose-cut-diamond-ring
She's got a collection of beautiful, completely unique designs mostly under $500. Etsy is a great resource for whatever you're looking for!
Mine is diamond. FI ordered it off Ebay from some jeweler in Israel for approximately $500. It's 0.41 carats total weight and 10k white gold. Sorry for the bad cell phone picture!
Seriously, try craig's list!!
here is an example of a gorgeous ring from jared's for $300!
If you're not opposed to a non-diamond ring, Natural Sapphire Company has some lovely rings in your budget. I really considered this one when our ring budget looked to be VERY tight. I'd still accept it with a colored stone as a right-hand ring, though. ;-)
Ok so my engagement ring is a 1/4 carat diamond ring was $232 at Zales.
My wedding band was $47 on ebay.
And his tungsten ring was $150 (from zales).
Our total budget for all rings = $429
Check out Zales online they have like 30 rings all different styles for under $500.
I know because that was our budget.
(You will have to excuse my ring looking crooked it was a size too big and I am getting it resized right now.
My fiance got my engagement ring at Macy's. Originally the ring was about $1300 and when he purchased it around christmas time he got it for just under $600. He got a great holiday discount and opened a Macy's credit card and got even more off!!! I thought it was an amazing deal and was very proud of him because I really didn't want him to spend a lot. It's perfect.
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