Post # 1
Member
57 posts
Worker bee
Hi bees! I’m not engaged yet but the boyfriend has asked me seriously to start looking for rings, so I know it’ll be coming eventually 🙂
Anyway, I know that he wants to get me a diamond – both his brothers, his dad, and his sister’s husband all got their fiancees beautiful, traditional diamond rings for their engagement. He’s going to want to follow in their footsteps and that’s fine with me – I have hoped ever since I was little to have a four- or six-prong diamond solitare for my e-ring.
However, he and I are comfortable but not rich – with our student loans and regular expenses we can’t afford a $6,000 diamond AND a diamond wedding band AND a big fancy wedding.
My solution to the problem AND my own personal preference is to ask him to get me a solitaire that’s only between .30-.50ish carats. That way we can save money while still keeping up the tradition of having a beautiful, sparkly ring to show off to the family when we tell them we’re engaged 🙂
Thus, my question: is it okay to have a small diamond? I know so many women out there have these gorgeous, extravagant rings with 1+ carat diamonds in them… is it okay, normal, accepted, and pretty to have a diamond that’s on the small side?
I’d love to see your e-rings with diamonds in the 1/3 to 1/2 carat range!
Thanks so much for your input, and I’m sure I’ll be posting my e-ring in the next few months! 🙂
Post # 3
Member
1361 posts
Bumble bee
OF COURSE it’s okay to have ANY size diamond! My advice is to go to a jewelry store and try on rings so you can get a sense of the size diamond you like. Mine is just under a carat because I decided when trying on rings that 1.5 was too big for my taste. Don’t let anyone tell you that a “small” diamond is not okay!
Post # 4
Member
6391 posts
Bee Keeper
It’s definitely okay! I actually wish that I would’ve gone with a gemstone ring or a smaller diamond, even though I’m totally happy with my e-ring. It was $1,500 with the wedding band included, and is a .3 center stone.
Post # 5
Member
913 posts
Busy bee
It is very much OK!
IF you want a bigger diamond we can give you tips on finding one within your budget but personally I think the range you’re looking at, 1/3 to 1/2 carat, is a really great size.
Post # 6
Member
4346 posts
Honey bee
@isabellej18: There are a lot of bees on here with 1/2 carat and smaller (I think someone on here has 1/10ct?) and they all look beautiful. I’m sure some of them will post on this board, but just in case they don’t, enter .5 carat rings in the search bar and a ton will come up. Also, your ring size will affect how “big” your diamon appears. For example, 1/2 carat will look much larger on a size 4.5 than on a size 7. I would try some on in stores or look at people who have that size ring and have a similar ring size to you. Finally, consider the shape of the diamond, because some (emerald, marquise, oval) “face up” large and some (asscher) “face up” smaller, even though they are the same carat size, one shape will look bigger than another. Others, like cushions and radiants, face up very differently from stone to stone. So its good to look at any stone in person before you purchase it (or have you BF look in person if you’re not planning on shopping with him).
Post # 7
Member
2103 posts
Buzzing bee
.5 ct is “avg” size in my mind. None of my friends have huge solitares.
Post # 8
Member
1663 posts
Bumble bee
Definitely okay! I’ve seen so many beautiful rings on here that are .50 and smaller. Mine is .70, so not too far off… and I love it ! You don’t need a huge diamond as an engagement ring…I love daintier rings myself.
Post # 9
Member
1269 posts
Bumble bee
Sounds perfect! I like the .25-.50 size the best myself.
Post # 10
Member
1331 posts
Bumble bee
My diamond is a .36 ct diamond, and I love it!
Post # 11
Member
166 posts
Blushing bee
Big rings are beautiful and so are small ones, I have some big ones with gemstomes, but my e-ring is .5 ct and I love it so much because IT’S MY E-RING, lol. We couldn’t afford anything to large.
That’s my abstinence ring btw, I wish I had a pic w/o it.
Post # 12
Member
30 posts
Newbee
Small diamonds are absolutely OK, between my Fiance and I , we make over 100K a year, already own our home and have healthy savings, but my engagement ring is only .3 we could of gone bigger for the price he paid, but I wanted a polar bear diamond. (we met and live in the North where the diamonds are mined and we know my diamond was ethically mined) It’s really about the person who gave you the ring and your future together rather than the ring’s value or size. Sounds like you have your priorities straight.
Post # 13
Member
2892 posts
Sugar bee
Answer: everything is ok. There are no rules for e-rings and don’t let anyone make you think otherwise. Gold ring, 50 ct ring, .10 ct ring, cinder block with I love you carved in it…it all works. If you’re happy with it then that’s what you should get.
Post # 14
Member
7605 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
Get whatever you love! I tried on .5 carat diamond and 1 carat diamonds and I actually felt that the 1 carat rings were too big for me & didn’t look right so I chose the smaller diamond. I love it!
Post # 15
Member
71 posts
Worker bee
Of course it is okay! It will be beautiful no matter what.
Post # 16
Member
1024 posts
Bumble bee
Go for it. The average ct size for an e-ring in the states is 0.38 so your ring size would actualy be slightly larger than average, not small at all. I think this board skews the average for people a bit because of the demographic.