I have been having quite the dilema. My fiance and I have a small budget for my engagement/wedding ring. I currently have a CZ ring that he proposed with, and we are planning on upgrading before our wedding next summer. Ideally, I would like a diamond, but I just don't like the look of smaller ones. I have a small diamond promise ring, and I can't picture myself being happy with that as my wedding ring. So I have a few options... I can either go for something completely non-traditional such as a gemstone. I am leaning towards Morganite. Or I can go with something that resembles a diamond... Moissy, Asha, White Saphire, etc. Or I can just suck it up and have a smaller diamond. Either way, we will most likely upgrade it in the next five years or so when we are no longer students and have the funds to do so. I am having a really hard time deciding which way to go. Opinions?!!
If I were you I would get something resembling a diamond in the size that you want so that there doesn't need to be that much done to the setting once you do get the upgrade you want with a diamond.
@SweetartMD: That's a good point. I hadn't thought of that. Thanks for your response. :)
If you're already talking about upgrading in the future, I'd get a gemstone ring that you can later on wear as a right hand ring and save up for the bigger diamond you want.
I LOVE white sapphires- I think they have a way better sparkle than a CZ. Or you could get a colored sapphire- the yellow ones are really pretty!
@starla: That was my thinking exactly. I eventually want a gemstone ring anyway! I love the look of Morganite. :)
@bkrocks13: That's what I am leaning toward for a diamond alternative. They are so pretty and reasonably priced.
an asha is the best diamond sim, and u can upgrade down the road
@jadealexaellis: your options are limitless. if you are going to be wearing this for quite a few years before an upgrade to a diamond, would you be happier with something that looks like a diamond or a coloured gem stone?
go to the jewellery store and try on all of your options. hopefully it will narrow down the type of stone you want. i personally have a diamond but i have some amazing rh rings with gemstones that i would totally wear as an ering.
can't wait to see what you choose.
@mypinkshoes: Thanks for your reply. I have seen an emerald on my hand, but not a Morganite. It's tricky there because not many places have them! I didn't really like the emerald, only because I think I would feel like it clashed too much if I was wearing color or was too bold. But I like how the morganite is a little more subtle. :)
@Missus_LLC: I really like a lot of asha rings, but I wasn't sure what it is on the MOHs scale? Does anyone know?
I vote white sapphire! I LOVE them and they are so much cheaper but you can get them huge and still be way under budget. Granted, I am totally partial towards gemstones as I really am not a diamond girl.
@jadealexaellis: i agree about the deeper coloured stones. definitely pick one that will go with your style and will look good every day. i have a padparadscha sapphire that is pinky orange. the colour is a bit deep but the colour kind of changes in different light and with what is around it. so i can wear it with all of the warm hues orange, red, pink, etc and then will compliment any of the cold hues. i love it.
I believe moissanite is second to diamond on the hardness scale. It's very durable, and beautiful. I love mine!
How big of a diamond do you mean by a smaller diamond? That's what it would come down to for me. I would almost always choose a diamond, I find smaller ones beautiful in their own right, but if it's melee sized (under .2), that's now too small for my personal taste, so I would rather choose another, non-white, natural gemstone.
Gemstone! I love white sapphire, and I've recently become obsessed with pale green amethyst as well.. some stunning rings out there! I definitely favour the more soft/pale coloured stones in engagement rings.
I have a moissanite and love it, but I don't necessarily think it is the best option for people who truly want a diamond. I don't know that they can ever really feel fully happy with moiss, even though it is an awesome stone.
I voted gemstone for you based on your description.
I personally LOVE moissanite, but as PPs have said it doesn't sound like that would make you happy. You should go for the morganite ring and when you save up for your diamond, you can wear it as a RHR and keep the sentimentality of it. Morganite is gorgeous by the way!
Voting for what I would do, I'd go with a gemstone (of color), because I haven't been able to get on the moissy train. It's just personal preference.
I like the idea of going for a gemstone ring and then turning it into a right hand ring. I would also recommend moissanite though, I have one and I really like I that I can have one ring and it will last generations and I won't ever have to change my ring. The thing I don't like about gemstone rings (that is the route most of my friends have gone) is that they don't last, they are too soft and chip too easily. This is also the reason I went with palladium as opposed to white gold, just because I wanted something that would last and be durable. Also personally I don't think I'll ever be interested in a diamond since there is moissanite, I just would feel like I was getting riped off because the prices just seem silly. Although I totally understand that most people think of diamonds as the standard and that is what they want.
@jadealexaellis: I say get a stone resembling a diamond in the exact size you want your real diamond to be (when you get it). This way changing out the stone will take minimal effort (and minimal cost), and you won't get questions about why you have a new stone/ring because most people won't notice. It'll just make your upgrade more seamless overall.
go Moissy!! everyone loves them who have them that I have read. I get mine next weekend so I can let you know how i like it! I have only seen diamonds (not moissy) so i can give you a diamond perspective of it if you want.
@Lalk2bee: That would be super helpful! Thank you!
Thanks everyone for your responses. This is such a hard decision! Haha.
@Reign14: That is a very good idea, and the most logical really. Definitely will have to take that into consideration!
I wouldn't recommend moissanite just because I think it's pretty expensive for a temporary stone. It's more appropriate for a "forever" ring, IMO.
If you love morganite, you're probably going to want one as a right hand ring at some point in the future anyway - why not get one now that will carry a lot of sentimental value? Also, by the time you are ready to buy the diamond you might find yourself wanting a new setting altogether. Or maybe you'll change your mind somewhere down the line about what size/shape diamond you prefer, thus requiring you to buy a new setting anyway (unless it's a simple ring with a head that's easily switched out). I think it's a bit limiting to buy a setting now with the intention of replacing the stone later down the line. JMHO.
Edit to add: If you already have a definite "dream" setting, stone shape, and stone size in mind and are confident you won't change your mind, I think getting something like an Asha and keeping the original setting is the perfect choice. If you're more indecisive like me, then I would choose a beautiful gemstone ring for now and start designing my dream diamond ring in my head :).
I can relate! My fiance proposed and we chose a ring together. We went to all the ring stores in Appleton, three in Neenah and two in Oshkosh, then back to Appleton! Check out the stores sales! We did! We got $400 a $1000 ring! I have a princess-cut diamond with smaller diamonds on the band! Its gorgeous, I love it. You can find something to fit your budget, just have to look. Also, you can buy a simple solitare and buy a band to build on to it? I almost did that!
With the solitaire, buy that for an engagement ring/wedding ring (some come as bridal sets!), and then maybe for an anniversary, buy a "wrap." It goes around your ring and is sodered (sp) on. That way you get what you want and don't break the bank :)
Do you want people to know you've upgraded (in the future?)
If not, get an Asha a similar size to the diamond you eventually want. For these purposes, I'd choose Asha over Moissanite because it's less expensive and more closely replicates the look of a diamond. (although Moiss does a good job too)
If you ultimately want a gemstone ring in addition, then go with that now and get the diamond ring in the future. For me, I'd want the setting to remain the same and just switch out the stone because I'd be sentimental that the original ring was my true engagement ring. If you don't feel that way, get a gemstone ring that will eventually be a RHR and then buy the diamong "engagement" ring of your choice later.
Morganite is lovely, I looked into getting a morganite ring but was nervous about some things I heard about the colour fading over time. I decided to get a peachy-pink moissanite instead, which is harder, more durable and sparkles much more but has the same body colour. :)
Thank you so much everyone for all the feedback. :) Lucky for me I didn't end up having to do too much compromising. I really wanted about a 1ct diamond. My fiance and I found a 3/4ct solitaire at Fred Meyer Jewlers for 999! He works there, so he gets a 20% discount. The band we chose is only 219. So it all works out to be about 1,000! I am so happy that we made the choice to look there. We also went to Zales, and I found a rose gold Morganite ring that I absolutely loved! But I think I will go that route for a ring hand ring in the future. I really appreciate everyone's comments. :) I am so happy with my ring! We are planning to put it on layaway and pay it off soon, so hopefully sometime soon I can post a better picture!
We chose this solitarire, with the same band that has only one row of diamonds. I love it!
@jadealexaellis: Here is my Forever Brilliant! (just in case you want one in the future)
I went to Kays today to look at wedding bands to go with it because I didn't know if i wanted a wedding band with the halo or not. i think i am going with 2 :) but the employee said i have a very nice ring :) not even a peep about it being fake or anything. Forever Brilliant is SOOO white too!!
@Lalk2bee: I don't even know what Forever Brilliant is! Do tell. :)
@jadealexaellis: It is an enhancement for a Moissanite (not a diamond). If you look here and look around a little, it will tell you about moissanite. The forever brilliant enhancement just makes it whiter. mine looks SO clear I would say its colorless to the human eye :)
@jadealexaellis: So what did you end up doing? I am a Moissanite bee all the way!!
You must log in to post.
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| pengoala | 54 |
| Rubbs | 32 |
| wandering_gypsy | 23 |
| Tyme4AWedNN2014 | 21 |
| kat2014 | 17 |
| AlwaysSunny | 16 |
| Chelwilly | 16 |
| Jrfischer54 | 16 |
| lawbride88 | 14 |
| HelloKitty615 | 14 |
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| orangecountylicious | 7 |
| Scintillante | 6 |
| ceebree | 6 |
| FutureMrsV2016 | 6 |
| abirdword | 5 |
| prettyinpink11 | 5 |
| feetwilltravel | 5 |
| GoldfishPie | 3 |
| Audrey2 | 3 |
| country chic | 3 |
