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Hey, guys! The boy and I have been recently browsing rings and I wanted some advice! First of all, I had no idea how expensive rings are. OUCH! I know I will be wearing it my whole life blahblahblah but the ring isn't really what it's about. (Can I get an amen?)
SO all of this 2 carat this, 4 carat that just won't do. I'm talking $2,000 budget- which I'm totally cool with. There are better things to spend money on. (IKEA for the new apartment, etc.) With that being said, I do like rings that appear to be bigger but are made of smaller diamonds. I also prefer sets so I can make sure the two rings match. And less is more on my tiny finger, so I'm not too worried!
I have been looking at cluster styles and diamond-framed cushion cut as well as half carat solitaires. But I do like the larger look with the smaller diamond, so my favorite has been diamond framed. Any tips/ideas? I found a set for $999 at zales that is 1/2 c.t.w. diamond framed and I love it but I would like a bit larger look. The center diamond is only 1/5 c.
Pictures or advice? Anyone with a diamond-framed ring under 1 carat?
Thanks!
Have you considered moissanite? I love big stones, but when I realized how expensive diamonds are I realized there had to be a better way lol! Moissanite sprakles even more than diamonds do, but costs a lot less. For me, moissy was a dream come true! Let me know if you would like to see pictures/videos of mine. :)
Also, you could check out second hand diamonds, you may be able to get a deal that way!
@DeathByDesign: I just learned what a moissy was yesterday! I would love to see pics! Also have looked at previously owned-no luck yet on the style I like though. Thanks for posting!
Ok I'm biased (my dad owns one) but go to a pawn shop. My ring orginaly was from a huge engament ring store in SoCal the stone alone was about $6,000 (i have the GIA cert with the price tag) my dad sold it to my FI for a little over $3,000. I know i got it at his cost but still they have deals and you can get more bang for ur buck.
@TankIsCute: Nice! You got quite the deal and I'm sure the ring is beautiful. I will have to check out some pawn shops!
The moissy rings people post on here are stunning. I wish I had researched more about it, although I love my diamond.
For that kind of budget, I think it's very reasonable to look in the 5/8 carat or less range, depending on your preferences on the diamond's shape, cut, color, and clarity. For example, round brilliants are more expensive than square cuts because more of the diamond is lost in the shaping.
Have you tried rings on your hand? Has a store taken you through cut/clarity/color for different stones? Don't buy anywhere that won't do this for you. When we did that, I learned that color didn't matter to me, clarity/cut (ie, sparkle) did, and that a 5/8c looked (to me) huge on my hand.
@reedch: Here is a pic and a bunch of HD videos. My stone is a 1.5ct enhanced moissy (not Amora). The setting is from Excel Diamonds. The whole ring cost approx $2500, but my setting was really expensive (like more than double the cost of the stone lol!), plus we had to ship it in from the states (we're in Canada).
Before it was set: http://youtu.be/QCCpnAOO530?hd=1
Recent video: http://youtu.be/oIaesFfN3V8?hd=1
Under my office's lights: http://youtu.be/GvkWmiXtZDE?hd=1
Outside on a cloudy day: http://youtu.be/lRN5pkC1AZk?hd=1
Fire: http://youtu.be/vkTVL2ddA0M?hd=1
In very bright sunlight: http://youtu.be/9VIErsmWVe0?hd=1
Hope this helps!
@DeathByDesign: VERY helpful and gorgeous ring! What size are you? I feel like that ring would weigh me down lol size intimidates me
@reedch: this is my ring http://shop.erstwhilejewelry.com/product/vintage-diamond-solitaire-engagement-ring . FI paid a little over 2k for it. Highly recommend the site.
Unfortunately I can only take a crappy iphone picture right now, but here it is on my finger (size 4.5):
@atalante: I have tried rings on my hand and have researched the C's. Here is the link to the ring I like, but would like something that looked a bit bigger maybe. Watch the video to see the shine!
Look at Craigslist. My Fiance found my beauty, worth $3000 for a third of the price!
@li612: That is SOOOOO pretty! And helpful because we are the same size. What is the t.c.w?
@reedch: lol I'm a size 4.5 finger. :) I often get compliments that the ring looks perfect on my hand, but yeah size is totally a personal preference!
@DeathByDesign: It is a beautiful ring, no doubt. So shiny! Do people ever ask you if it's real? And what do you say? That's kind of a weird question, sorry!
I second moissy (they have amora moissanite now, which is supposedly pretty awesome, as well as colored moissanite) and also gemstones.
I have a morganite ring now, and I'll be getting a btd amora gem ring when they come out sometime this year or next.
Here's mine (and I'm a size 4.25 for reference):
@reedch: That's not a weird question at all! Not one person has ever asked if it was a diamond or not, but we're pretty well off, so it's believable I guess. We could have afforded a diamond this size if we had really wanted, but we prefered to put the money in to our mortgage instead, and I still got the ring of my dreams! :)
Lots of Bees have moissanite rings (just do a search, you'll find a TON of posts about it), and many bees are open about the fact they have moissanite, others tend to just let people assume it's a diamond. I'm on the latter end of the scale.
@moonadea: WOW. I really like the style of yours! Is it framed in diamonds? Where do I find such a thing?
@DeathByDesign: Glad you didn't take offense! Yeah, I have a family with a pretty crazy sense of humor, so I would be keeping it secret for sure! haha I can't get over the fire in a moissy. They're definitely growing on me.
Just wanted to chime in with another vote for moissanite! I originally wanted lab created diamonds, but they were above our price range (and also too small). Since finding out about moissanite I am a total convert, I never want to own diamonds because I think the moissanite is so much better lol. This video was helpful for me when I first started researching: http://vimeo.com/24371182
It might be just what you need. (:
I, too, recommend Moissanite! Mine is from Moissaniteco and I love it. It's 1.25 carat and was under $800!
Hmm, would you like something like this? I think it's a gorgeous ring for the price!
@Mrs. Fireworks: Yes! That's a great ring/size/price. I'm specifically looking for sets, though, so the cost of both rings needs to be under 2000. But thanks for the idea!
@reedch: Gotcha! That was the first one I found that I loved so I posted it, but you should do some searching on Etsy - they have some gorgeous rings and a lot of the jewelers on there work with moissanite too, if you decide to go that route!
Here is my 1.8 ct unenhanced moissanite. My ring size is 5.5. We were in a similar situation--I did not want to spend over $2500 on a ring and there was no way we could afford a decent diamond that we both liked that was also an ethical purchase.
So I came on here and discovered moissanite and I am in love. My ring was a bit under $2500--the stone was something like $575 and the setting was designed and custom made for us by a local jeweler. He doesn't carry moissanite but was happy to order it for us. People call it a diamond all the time and I am quick to correct them most of the time (after a while it gets tiresome) because I am super proud of our choice. Since it's lab created--no ecosystems were destroyed by mining and I never have to look at my hand and wonder if a little kid got his hand cut off to bring me this diamond. The diamond industry is full of terrible. So we get all of those benefits and at a decent cost! Super win!
I'd recommend getting an idea of what you want and checking out a locally owned jeweler in your area. Avoid the big chains, they are rip offs. Tell them what you want, how much you can pay and see what they can do for you. Alternatively, browse around on moissaniteco.com and see if any sets there appeal to you and are available in your price range.
Sorry so big I wear a 4.5 but i was swelling in this picture (darn cokes) both my rings together cost 1200 i think. the solitare i looked at a 1/2 carat and and 1/3 the 1/2 had a black speck in it and it bothered me so i opted for this 1/3 (its a big 1/3 though) I like it, not to bulky but catches the light and sparkles 
If you want finger coverage, definitely look at moissy's! They have some beautiful settings.
After talking with the boyyyyy, he said he will not buy me a "fake." Yesyes I tried explaining what a moissy is, but he still says diamond. So I'm looking. I like round stone with a frame for sure. Makes a diamond really stand out, yet covers the finger. Thanks for all the moissy fans, but looks like I'm out of luck there! As for you diamond folk, BRING IT ON
have a look on ebay, lots of really great rings for sale at half the retail at least, mega bargains to be had, some people get too hung up over 'estate' or 'second hand'.
My ring size is either a 3.75 or 4.25, I can't remember. I have a .91 ct - DH got it for around 2200, not including GIA cert. We originally purchased a smaller certified stone, but the stone did not match the certification. I didn't realize until after the period to return the ring, so the manager let me choose one of the loose stones they had on site - it happened to be a larger carat.
Another vote for moissanite here. Men often respond with the "I'm not getting you a fake diamond" line when moissanite first comes up. If YOU think you'd still be interested in it, though, don't give up on talking him around. It sometimes takes a hell of a lot to get a man to shake the diamond = love/engagement ideology. After a lot of consideration, moissanite for my SO and me is the most ethical and affordable solution for getting a stone that is actually just as good as a diamond (http://diamondssuck.com is an interesting website, though I'm not knocking diamonds - I already have a lot of those pretty little suckers!). Good luck in your decision whatever you choose.
If your man's objection is that he doesn't like the idea that moissy is lab-created, another option you may want to consider is getting a different natural gemstone. A lot of ladies nowadays have sapphire engagement rings (if you still want a white stone, a white sapphire is an option, but a lot of people are getting blue sapphires because of Princess Diana and Kate Middleton). There are a lot of threads on here about other colored stone rings that often cost a lot less than a diamond yet are still very beautiful.
A lot of guys are afraid to agree to alternatives to diamonds because they think that all women actually want diamonds and that it's some kind of test if we say we don't. If you did want to try to convince your guy that it's ok not to get a diamond I would suggest having him read Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond?, an article that explains how the diamond market has been totally manipulated by DeBeers. Diamonds are not rare and have very little intrinsic value, but the market for them is totally out of whack so that retail prices are way higher than they need to be. If I were going to buy a diamond I would definitely buy it secondhand instead of from a retail store.
I would also suggest asking the people on http://www.pricescope.com to help you find diamonds that are a good value. The people there know a lot about diamonds and can tell you if a diamond is overpriced for what it is.
My own ring is moissanite with sapphire side stones. The entire ring cost $825. To get a loose diamond of a comparable cut, color, clarity, and size would have cost around $4,000.
I know there are a lot of advocates for Moissanite on this site, AND I think it is a great stone BUT I think it is only fair to reference the differences between a Moissanite and a Diamond from an owner of both. While Moissanite is "double refractive", claiming to have 2x as much sparkle as a diamond, the sparkle is different than a diamond. It sort of has more like little tiny bursts of colorful sparkle whereas a diamond has longer, whiter beams of sparkle. If you are trying to pass the moissanite off as a diamond to anybody who "knows" diamonds they should be able to tell the difference easily. Also, there are many lightings that moissanite will not sparkle and sort of just lay flat whereas a diamond won't. I prefer a diamond and recommend you look at the site idonowidont , that's where my bf bought my ring!
BTW, we will be selling the moissanite set we originally bought. It is a 1.5 carat round moissanite in a yellow gold 14kt band with wedding band for $600.
Thanks, guys! While I would like a moissanite, I think it's important for my man to feel important in making the decision, as it is his investment. Overall I love the rings he loves, so it seems like a win/win! Thanks for the help though!
Well they all turned out huge and I can't make em smaller! They are from Kay, Zales and Shane Co. And all under $2000
@HopefulInLove: Wow! Nice! Those all look great...and familiar! I've been looking at all of those sites like it's my job. And I probably won't be getting a ring for another year! haha. Thanks for the help! I found one on idonowidont.com for an amazing price .80 c.t.w. pave, etc. LOVE IT, but it isn't a set. I wonder how hard it would be to find a matching band.
I read this news story awhile ago about diamonds at Costco http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Moms/story?id=1197202#.TysTOMX-92A
Maybe going to some of these more alternative stores/ online would be a good place to shop
@reedch: A DIAMOND (or moissanite) RING IS NOT AN INVESTMENT. Seriously, get that out of your and your man's head RIGHT NOW. Buying an engagement ring is like buying a car--the moment it's yours and you leave the shop it will be worth 50% or less than what you paid for it 10 seconds ago. You want something made well that will last for the lowest price you can get. That was one big fat reason I was so adamant about not spending a lot. Spending a lot of money on a diamond (or moissanite) ring is a bad financial move, especially if you can't afford to take the loss.
I had to talk my dude into moissanite. I tried to talk him into CZ but he was not having it so we compromised with moissanite. Another thing to think about is getting a moissanite now and switching it out for a diamond when you can afford it if you still want to. I can tell the difference between a diamond and a moissanite if I'm comparing. But no one is going to be looking at it like that. They see clear stone, left hand and think diamond and don't even consider questioning it.
I personally don't thinly mossiys are a great option for people who want a diamond. It's not hard to figure out what two months salary would be (give or take) and that there is no way you could afford a 1.5 or 2 carat ring. That would imply your fiance makes $100k+. Even if people don't say something to your face, they probably guess that its not a diamond. If you are fine with that or are open that you are happy it isn't a diamond, it is great, but I know my friends would talk about it being a "fake ring" behind your back.
Here are some good options:
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