Carat Size - not sure anymore

[Circe]

>This is just a thought, but if you guys have had disagreements over the potential shallowness of the desire for a bigger stone ... perhaps she's saying they look the same because she doesn't want to rock the boat, hurt your feelings, or make you feel pressured?
>

I believe this is the reason, hence my guilty feelings =(

I think Im going to go up to a 1.2 and drop the color to I.
We're asian, so her yellow skin will help to hide the color!

My main concern with SI1 is...yesterday we saw a stone with SI1, and with the loupe I saw a big area of black. Now before I used the loupe it was eye clean, afterwards, I could see the black on the diamond without the loupe. (of course now I KNEW it was there).
....

I just did a quick search using the tool with these criterias:
carat - 1.2-1.5, color - I, Calrity - vs1/vs2, lab - GIA.

The top 10 results (I clicked in-house)
solomon brothers - 4, ID Jewelry - 1, BN - 5

....

I travel every week (sunday night-fri) for work, so we see each other on the weekends only, so I need some more buffer time for the return policy.
Thats one reason why we couldnt go look in the diamond district (even though she lives in NYC) because they all seem to be closed on Sat and Sun.

Thanks[/quote]

Judiciously cut so as to not give you one of those "endless quote" threads ....

I don't think you should feel guilty, per se: like IceExplorer says, getting married is a balancing act. That said, I do think it's possible to figure out what matters in advance - I know I didn't give a hoot about flowers or place settings, but the jewelry I'd be wearing every day for the rest of my life? Oh, yeah, that mattered. Figure out what your priorities are and plan accordingly. Your budget right now sounds fluid ... comparatively, how much do you figure the wedding will run you, and the honeymoon, and all the other good stuff Ice mentions? Once you have a rough idea there, I'd say set your budget at a hard figure, whether it's 2K or 8K or 10K, and just let go of the guilt and second-guessing on what's "appropriate." What's appropriate is totally what will make your wife-to-be grin a little grin every time she sees her hand glinting in the sunlight, and what will make you smile to see that look on her face (even if you don't have the faintest idea of why a tiny chunk of carbon would have that effect: my husband thinks I'm vaguely bonkers, but he's always happy to see how happy he made me, even 4 years in).

So, once the budget is set ... I've gotta say, there are SI1s, and there are SI1s. I bought my first SI stone sight unseen from Solomon Brothers: they have plots online, so you can get a vague idea of what you're in for, but I totally trusted my sales rep to tell me if my stone would be eye-clean (which is safe, with their return policy). I had a great experience with them: my stone was something like 30% less than comparable stones online, for no reason I've been able to figure out; the stone is GIA certed, the cut is great, and the strong blue fluor (which I wanted) isn't eye visible. I have the sneaking suspicion it was a pricing error (even the rep mentioned something about it before trailing off discreetly), but they stuck to what they'd advertised and provided great service, and I'd recommend them highly.

I'm currently in the process of buying earrings from ID Jewelry, and I'd recommend them with equal, if not greater enthusiasm: Yekutiel found me SI *2* stones which are completely eye-clean from inside of an inch. My husband travels during the week too, so I know what a hassle that is, but I'd recommend calling any vendors with goods you like to see if they can be flexible on their policies to accommodate your circumstances: you might be surprised at what they can do to help. Alternately, with the holidays coming up, perhaps you two could take one of the vacation days when the shops are still open and browse together? That should give you a much better sense of what you like on her hand than any abstract notions of big vs. not-so-big rocks, or even awesome pics on the 'net. Keep us updated!

 

[Dreamer_D]

I would not buy an SI1 diamond from a drop shipper like BN who does not see the stone in person before you get it.

Also, do not judge by the settings on some companies websites, most can get you whatever you want from their suppliers if you show a picture.

 

[Amys Bling]

agree with circe. pirority #1 is to set your hard budget of what you can afford and what you are will to pay in total.

Then try to get as close to 1.2 H VS2 Ideal cut as possible. You may find that you will have to either drop color and clarity to get there- or you have have to drop in carat. Bottom line- you need to know your comfortable spendable budget.

 

[ChloeLe]

Blue Nile can tell you if the stone is eye clean or not and if the inclusion is black/white, position etc. I had them visual inspected my diamond before I buy. My stone is SI2, it has a black inclusion that can be covered under prong, you may consider that case as well if you want to go up in size. I also think you should take her 1.2ct if that what she wants and you can afford. Do you think she may even want to buy it herself a big diamond that she always wants if it is all about money? And being simple with jewelry doesn't mean you don't like big diamond, I don't wear any jewelry at all and I still want a 2ct on my 4.5 finger size. Btw, IceExplore, I don't see the 1.25ct look too big on your fiancee hand at all .

 

[yssie]

here's an idea, tell her what your budget is, show her what combinations it can buy (1ct H VS, 1.5ct J SI..), and ask her which SHE would choose. preferably without telling her she is shallow if she chooses the larger stone

you can have all the ideas and thoughts and wants in the world, but in the end *she*, not you, will be wearing this ring every day for the rest of her life. Within the given budget, it should be *all* about what she wants, IMO.

ETA BN has their signature stones in-house for potential inspection but much of the inventory is 'virtual', meaning that it could be anywhere at any given time, and any number of vendors/manufacturers have access to it. My stone stayed listed in BN's inventory for ~6mo after WF had brought it in, set it, and sent it back to me.

 

[antelope1]

Imma say: I'm Asian. I have a 1.5ct. I wear a 4.75, and it looks like a good size on me. It's not too big, and it's not too small, and I think even if I upgrade, it would still be a 1.5-1.7ct (but perhaps a much higher color). I have an I color diamond right now, FWIW.

If you can afford it (and you can), get her something that she will be proud to wear.

 

[SB621]

My thoughts on some of your comments. Sorry but a size 5 is not that small of a finger so that should not be a pro factor for getting a smaller diamond- I would consider anything above a size 5 to be average. If she had a size 3 I would consider that small. I also think that you are not looking at the long term affects of buying something smaller then what she wants. She might look at it and really wish you had gone bigger and then just eventually trade up. My DH got me a .76ct when we got married- he told me at the time we would upgrade to something larger when we both had jobs- we got engaged in college. We upgrade 2 years later to a 2.0ct. We lost money because we had a horrible upgrade policy but I really wanted something bigger-and sorry there is nothing shallow about that. some people like shoes, cars, houses, well I like big diamonds.

sorry I went off on a tangent there. ultimately i think you should follow yssie's advise and give her the choice. if you have a 10k budge you should be able to find something between 1.2-1.5ct with a simple setting. BGD is having a sale right now I believe. I understand you want to be on the cheaper side, but what is the point if she will just upgrade later on down the road to the size she actually wants. This is her forever ring....

 

[antelope1]

I would not buy an SI1 diamond from a drop shipper like BN who does not see the stone in person before you get it.

Also, do not judge by the settings on some companies websites, most can get you whatever you want from their suppliers if you show a picture.

+1 and +1.

And someone tell me how BN gets away with charging top dollar as a drop shipper?! Ridiculous. If they overcharge you but give you a 10% discount, then they're still making out like bandits...</rant>

 

[looking4d]

Wow, who know the thread would draw so much info/help.
I will quote some posts, but not put in the names (or else my post will be even HUGER)

While I was at the airport waiting for my flight I spoke to the gf and asked for "the truth" on the carat size (and other specs).
She said that .97 carat is fine, she thought the 1.2 will be big on her finger, especially since she is not used to wearing jewelry so she said .97 carat is fine. (she CLAIMS thats the truth now) I kept insisting on more, finally she said 1.1 is ok.
So her specs that she wants are: Ideal/excellent cut, 1.1 carat, VS2, H or I.


>Have you checked out Whiteflash as well?

It was on my initial list of vendors (list of 9), but then I got into paralysis by analysis.
So I just cut the list down to 4. Theres tons of vendors and if I looked into everyone, I'll never get anything done =(


>I understand your experience with the SI1 diamond you saw, however, there are definitely a lot of SI's with different types of inclusions and that truly are eye clean. So I wouldn't rule them out completely

Very true, but she said VS2, so Im going with that

AmysBling -
I like the 3rd Hearts & Arrow. (1344911) Now my understanding is that H&A show up under magnification and light...so at home (without tools) we cannot see it then?
I like the 3rd one (1333896), but (according to her!!) 1.2 is too big...
the 4th Ideal Cut (1335097) is nice, but Im a little worried, there seems to be something on the 12 oclock postion.


>Alternately, with the holidays coming up, perhaps you two could take one of the vacation days when the shops are still open and browse together?

Unfortunately not...my company has told us to actually work MORE hours before the end of the year. and she has only been able to take a week off this year (shes gets 3 a year).
I did tell her to TRY and get out of work tomorrow before 7 (Zales closes at 7) and try on a 1.2 to see if she still feels it will be too big. And to take a look at I color stones so see if its truely ok with her.


>here's an idea, tell her what your budget is, show her what combinations it can buy (1ct H VS, 1.5ct J SI..), and ask her which SHE would choose. preferably without telling her she is shallow if she chooses the larger stone

haha, Im still trying to learn some tact.
She told me 1.25-1.5 before she went to a store and tried on rings.
Now that we went to stores and tried on rings, she (CLAIMS) her view has changed and that .96 is fine.
I do know that when she tried on the 1.5 she said that she thought it was too big.
She said that she couldn't tell the difference between the 1.07 and 1.27. and that "they looked the same size, so why not get the 1.07 since its a lot cheaper"

Now she is telling me that if I got something too big, she'll be mad.

I liked the specs on this one (JA - 1344542), but looking through the virtual loupe, theres a lot of black specs around the 8pm mark.
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1344542.asp
Im surprised, this is supposed to be VS2, but theres a lot of marks.

Im also liking this one: (JA - 1335176)
http://www.jamesallen.com/diamonds/H-VS2-Ideal-Cut-Round-Diamond-1335176.asp

Im hoping she will be able to get out of work tomorrow and get a final decision on whether 1.2 is too big, and H or I.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Siamese Kitty]

Ok, I wrote all of this before your last post, but maybe there's still some helpful insight here?

Hi looking4d,

I don't think there is any denying a 1.25 is bigger than a 1ct, or that many women would want a ring that is similar in size (or bigger) to their friends' rings. And, fwiw, I think 5.25 is on the smaller side of finger sizes. You guys must know some tiny people! Even my super petite friends are in the 6's and 7's. I'm a 6 and I thought my 1.25 looked huge. I'm currently wearing a .9ct, and while smaller, it is nothing to sneeze at! I actually prefer it because the specs are better. (for point of reference, my circle is 1-1.5ct) I would imagine anything 1+ct would look great.

That said, I guess my question is: What are you comfortable spending? A house next year is more important than a ring. If this is a question of 10K is perfectly affordable to you, but you'd rather not spend that much, then yeah, I'd get your future fiance the size she is hoping for. If it won't break you, make her happy. Let's face it, spending thousands on a tiny rock seems insane to most men, but to us women (for the most part), the rings you guys put together for us are priceless.

Homes, weddings, vehicles, college educations, are also important though. If spending this amount of money is really going to set you back a bit, or make you uneasy in this economy, I think you are completely justified in buying a smaller ring and giving your fiance the opportunity to upgrade in a few years. I'm sure your ff loves you and a ring shouldn't make or break your commitment to her. I'm sure many of us would love bigger rings, but there is a thing called reality. If you are in this boat, you should not feel guilty in the least. You are thinking of her, and how you will help provide for your household in the future.

I think Yssie's suggestion is the best. Sit down, look at your balance sheet, and figure out what you can comfortably spend. Then give your ff the budget and discuss options with her. Compare vendor upgrade policies, and choose a vendor accordingly.

Good luck!

 

[Gypsy]

Okay well. Call me a radical but here's my suggestion.

You guys are getting engaged to be MARRIED. So look at this as an opportunity to practice what being married is like.


So sit down and have a talk, like most responsible married couples do about finances and expecations.

Talk about your incomes, and your expenditures and about what you envision your wedding to be like. What the timeline for the wedding is. What hte budget is going to be. And your expecations of timeline to buying a house-- deposit amounts. Having kids etc.

If you guys are planning on getting engaged, having a wedding, buying a house, and having a kid all within the next 18months. You do need to scrimp and save starting yesterday.

If you both agree to a timeline and a budget for these you will have more stability, which will make you more comfortable. And she will see that for you this isn't about a ring, this is about the whole package. And hopefully she will feel the same way.

The reason I think this is important is because, what you said about her expecations for a certain lifestyle choice (ring size) could be a flag that your expectations on other things (like the wedding budget!) need a level setting conversation. Life is about give and take. If she wants a bigger stone (and ring budget in general)... is she willing to limit her wedding budget? Willing to wait a while longer to buy a house? How about you.

These are very adult discussions that IMO, need to take place when the first 'flag' is raised. Make sure you are proceeding united, instead of at odds NOW.

Then, come up with a budget TOGETHER for a ring. And then pick one together. Then... you get to surprise her with the proposal however you want. And you will both know what your financial short term and long term goals are.

In this way, when she looks down at her ring she won't see the carat weight. She will see all the talks and the promises that were made in picking the ring. And she will know that whether it is .9 carats or 1.5 carats you two are partners and that you made the decision TOGETHER. Just like you will be me for years to come.

A bunch of folks on a posting board can't make any of these decisions with you. ONLY SHE CAN. And we really can't say anything to make her accept a .9 ring or a 1.5 ring. She can.

So talk to her.

 

[gwhizz75]

I'm a woman, so maybe I should be on the side of "get her whatever she wants" but actually, I'm not. Yes, it is a piece of jewellery which she will wear everyday for the rest of her life but some things are more important than that. In particular, I'm talking about buying a house and even having an extra $5000 to put toward your future home can make a big difference when you are starting out.

I live in the UK and potentially my OH could have spent £20,000 + on my engagement ring - but that money is our savings for our future and yes I want a ring which I love and which I am proud of, but NOT at the expense of setting us back a couple of years in saving for a deposit for a house, and not at the expense of giving up holidays and great experiences for a few years.

I don't think your girlfriend is shallow for saying she wants a 1.2 carat ring, especially if she is willing to compromise with colour and clarity so you can get there within a reasonable budget. However, there do seem to be a lot of shallow women out there who demand a certain size of diamond and I just think, girls... this isn't what getting engaged is about!

We spent an amount which we were comfortable with. We could have went higher, and we could have went lower, but we chose a middle ground where I would get a ring which I felt was the perfect size for me (it's 0.91 by the way and with size 3.75 fingers, even that looks huge to me!). We went with a ring which wouldn't set us back too far in terms of saving for our future, but was still a substantial spend and will definitely be the most expensive thing I ever own (after my house and car).

I think that a lot of men have the attitude of wanting to achieve the best value for a ring, whereas us girls get a bit sentimental about it and factor in lots of things other than price. I think you really need to strike a balance between the two and if your girlfriend genuinely says she would be happy with a 1.1 then take her word for it! I don't know anybody who wouldn't be happy with a diamond that size, and realistically there is a VERY tiny difference between a 1.1 and a 1.2, especially if you get a well cut stone. I'm sure your girlfriend will be over the moon with whatever ring you choose for her because hey, you're getting engaged!!

Good luck with the hunt and don't feel bad for wanting to save money on this. Life is expensive and sometimes you have to work out what's most important to you before you start splashing the case.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

If her view has changed once, it may again. I would do the simple setting (as was suggested by another poster) and later on upgrade if you and her decide to. A halo will make the stone look bigger, but what happens when you upgrade? You will be left with a $$$ setting that won't accomodate the new stone. Just something to think about.

 

[Siamese Kitty]

Okay well. Call me a radical but here's my suggestion.

Gypsy, I actually really agree with your post. Great points made.

 

[Dreamer_D]

ETA BN has their signature stones in-house for potential inspection but much of the inventory is 'virtual', meaning that it could be anywhere at any given time, and any number of vendors/manufacturers have access to it. My stone stayed listed in BN's inventory for ~6mo after WF had brought it in, set it, and sent it back to me.

And there have been numerous stories on PS about incorrect "eye clean" information about stones from BN. This is not bashing them, it is the reality of dealing with a true drop shipper. If you buy an SI stones from them then you need to be prepared and have the time to potentially send it back if it is not as eye clean as you would like.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Okay well. Call me a radical but here's my suggestion.

Gypsy, I actually really agree with your post. Great points made.

Ditto.

 

[E B]

This may be an interesting choice, looking4d. Though it's a bit bigger than she (now) says she wants, it's priced nicely. It has strong blue fluor and BGD claims it's 'bright.' It may be a nice middle ground.

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=BLAGS-104047808006

 

[Amys Bling]

This may be an interesting choice, looking4d. Though it's a bit bigger than she (now) says she wants, it's priced nicely. It has strong blue fluor and BGD claims it's 'bright.' It may be a nice middle ground.

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=BLAGS-104047808006

nice find! the flouro will make the I appear whiter.... some people love the flouro others hate it. Might be something to consider....as long as the flouro is not affecting the sparkle of the stone. Nice price as well.

 

[tyty333]

This may be an interesting choice, looking4d. Though it's a bit bigger than she (now) says she wants, it's priced nicely. It has strong blue fluor and BGD claims it's 'bright.' It may be a nice middle ground.

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=BLAGS-104047808006

I second EB's pick. The strong blue fluor *usually* makes a lower color stone look whiter/brigther than a regular lower color
stone. Plus, dont forget about DSS...diamond shrinkage syndrom. It can set in as early as 6 months...sometimes earlier .

I just wanted to point out with the two stones you were talking about originally (1.01 and 1.27 I think)...were they well
cut stones? You should have looked at their dimensions. A shallow 1.01 can look bigger than a well cut 1.01 and a poorly
cut 1.27 that is deep can look smaller than a well-cut 1.27 so they could have looked close in size if they werent well
cut stones.

 

[motownmama]

.... keep in mind that diamonds shrink over time.

 

[jaysonsmom]

I may be too late in chiming in, but I'm a) Asian, b) have a size 5.25 ring size, and my centerstone stats are 1.81 H/SI1.

First of all, most Asians prize color over the the other C's and even if our yellow skintone can mask the color of the stone, it's a cultural or pride thing, but no one wants to stray very far below the colorless/near colorless category.

Even though my ring size is 5.25, my hands are pretty big. I have a big palms with slender long fingers. I don't think anything above a 1.25 looks big, in fact with my 5"7' frame, I'd probably be able to carry off a much larger stone than my current 1.81.

I have owned an F SI2, E VS2, H SI1, and H VVS2, and without bringing the stone within 3 inches of my face or using a loupe, I could not tell the difference. None of my SI stones had black carbon inclusions. My SI2 had a few of feathers on the pavillion, only one feather was visible after setting. My current SI1 stone has clouds and crystals which as not on the table, and not visible without close inspection.

I think H is the absolute lowest color I would go in a modern RB engagement ring. Antique stones for future collections are a totally different ball game.

 

[Amys Bling]

I may be too late in chiming in, but I'm a) Asian, b) have a size 5.25 ring size, and my centerstone stats are 1.81 H/SI1.

First of all, most Asians prize color over the the other C's and even if our yellow skintone can mask the color of the stone, it's a cultural or pride thing, but no one wants to stray very far below the colorless/near colorless category.

Even though my ring size is 5.25, my hands are pretty big. I have a big palms with slender long fingers. I don't think anything above a 1.25 looks big, in fact with my 5"7' frame, I'd probably be able to carry off a much larger stone than my current 1.81.

I have owned an F SI2, E VS2, H SI1, and H VVS2, and without bringing the stone within 3 inches of my face or using a loupe, I could not tell the difference. None of my SI stones had black carbon inclusions. My SI2 had a few of feathers on the pavillion, only one feather was visible after setting. My current SI1 stone has clouds and crystals which as not on the table, and not visible without close inspection.

I think H is the absolute lowest color I would go in a modern RB engagement ring. Antique stones for future collections are a totally different ball game.

others may disagree- BUT I also don't think my 1.55 on my size 5 finger looks big at all! I think I could wasily go to 2ct andnot think it's "big"

 

[looking4d]

shhhh....logging in from work...

Gypsy - Good post. makes a lot of good points, but when it comes to a ring, etc...its emotional and not always logical.


>This may be an interesting choice, looking4d. Though it's a bit bigger than she (now) says she wants, it's priced nicely. It has strong blue fluor and BGD claims it's 'bright.' It may be a nice middle ground.

I admit I initially wanted to get strong fluor, because I thought it would be cool to have a glow in the dark (well, under UV lights) ring. Plus it makes a lower color stone appear whiter...
But a clerk in a store said that strong flour lowers the value of the diamond (I know thats a hotly discussed topic) and it can appear cloudly.
So I probably dont want to go above a medium flour...just in case.


>I just wanted to point out with the two stones you were talking about originally (1.01 and 1.27 I think)...were they well
cut stones?

They were both from Tiffany. I dont remember the specs on them.

 

[E B]

I admit I initially wanted to get strong fluor, because I thought it would be cool to have a glow in the dark (well, under UV lights) ring. Plus it makes a lower color stone appear whiter...
But a clerk in a store said that strong flour lowers the value of the diamond (I know thats a hotly discussed topic) and it can appear cloudly.
So I probably dont want to go above a medium flour...just in case.

Take a look at this article on fluor:

https://www.pricescope.com/wiki/diamonds/diamond-flourescence

As for it causing cloudiness, I highly doubt that's the case with the BGD diamond, but you can always give them a call and ask about it.

 

[yssie]

extremely strong blue fluor *may* appear cloudy. GIA tried to do a paper on this some time ago and couldn't find enough samples for the study. Which tells you quite a bit about the likelihood of you running into a hazy strong blue

fluor does have a bad reputation now, and strongly fluorescent stones are worth less than nonfluor in the colourless grades - IMO mostly due to marketing: people getting a small piece of the pie re. the 'blue-white' mess and blaming it on the presence of fluor rather than on poor/evasive/untruthful marketing, where it belonged, and propagating it. A few decades ago fluor was "in" and I'm sure in a few decades it will be "in" again - everything cycles.

 

[ChloeLe]

This may be an interesting choice, looking4d. Though it's a bit bigger than she (now) says she wants, it's priced nicely. It has strong blue fluor and BGD claims it's 'bright.' It may be a nice middle ground.

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamond/diamond-detail/?product_id=BLAGS-104047808006

I want this diamond! I love strong or very strong fluor. Actually I asked BDG to find me a small diamond with strong or very strong flour to set in my bracelet but they don't have any at my requested size (<0.5ct).
I don't think it is cloudy at all if BDG says it is bright. And strong fluor in an I color diamond adds value to it, not lowers.

 

[Circe]

shhhh....logging in from work...

Gypsy - Good post. makes a lot of good points, but when it comes to a ring, etc...its emotional and not always logical.


>This may be an interesting choice, looking4d. Though it's a bit bigger than she (now) says she wants, it's priced nicely. It has strong blue fluor and BGD claims it's 'bright.' It may be a nice middle ground.

I admit I initially wanted to get strong fluor, because I thought it would be cool to have a glow in the dark (well, under UV lights) ring. Plus it makes a lower color stone appear whiter...
But a clerk in a store said that strong flour lowers the value of the diamond (I know thats a hotly discussed topic) and it can appear cloudly.
So I probably dont want to go above a medium flour...just in case.


>I just wanted to point out with the two stones you were talking about originally (1.01 and 1.27 I think)...were they well
cut stones?

They were both from Tiffany. I dont remember the specs on them.

Thirding EB's pick - I now own 3 strong blue stones, and none of them has any cloudiness or funkiness. They do, however, look exceptionally *crisp* and much whiter than comparable non-fluor stones. And, may I point out, a) if the clerk isn't selling SB, he has a vested interest in badmouthing it, and, b) lowering the value is a GOOD thing from your perspective! Diamonds don't have any real resale value (this is why it's important to go with a vendor with a good trade-in policy, just in case), but it it means you get a bigger stone for less money? WIN all around ...

 

[rosetta]

another voice piping up for buying what you can afford, and thinking about your future.

i want a 5 ct emerald but THAT'S not gonna happen!

 

[IceExplorer]

I'm going to throw out a less popular point of view here (I'm sure). Remember, Pricescope is filled with CRAZY FANATICAL diamond people!!! That is what makes the place so brilliant.
However, most people you meet after you get her diamond won't have any clue about the specs, angles, color, cut, clarity, lab.

It really depends on the relationship between you and your significant other.


I opted to go the whole process alone. In hindsight that was the best decision I made with the ring purchase.

Call me traditional, call me whatever you want. I was presenting her with a GIFT while asking for her hand in marriage. If she would have said no because of the ring or diamond...well, lets leave it at - she said: YES!

In *our* relationship, we'd rather a boat, travel, the house paid off and money in the bank and not go in debt for a wedding.

For you, it depends on the relationship with you and her.

(For what it's worth, the process was much easier without her opinions. I put A LOT of effort in to the ring and she appreciated that as much as (or possibly more) the ring itself.)


I just wanted to lay out a different (less popular) view that had a happy ending for everyone involved.

good luck!

 

[Amys Bling]

another voice piping up for buying what you can afford, and thinking about your future.

i want a 5 ct emerald but THAT'S not gonna happen!

Totally agree- my advice is set an affordable budget and try to get as close to the 1.0-1.2 with your I VS2 as possible.