Hello,
Long time lurker, first time poster. It’s time for me to buy an engagement ring.
My gf knows that I prefer to shop online and she specifically stated her preference for a ring from a local merchant… due to concerns about service. So, I *tried* shopping locally but have been really disappointed so far with the cheesy, used-car-salesman schtick. So, I’m starting to look online again.
I have had good luck with past diamond purchases from BlueNile. They have a nice CashBack promotion with FatWallet.com right now. However, obviously, I would prefer to pictures of the actual diamond before purchase. More recently, I’ve been browsing the websites of the handful of preferred merchants that are frequently mentioned here and I’d be comfortable working with any of them.
I know that there are some members who love to help people who are shopping, so here are my thoughts. I’d appreciate any suggestions or feedback about my purchase criteria and also suggestions of actual diamonds or rings.
Budget thoughts:
I’m not necessarily cheap, but it’s important for me to find a ring that’s a good value. I do appreciate the value of good service, generous upgrade policies, and honest straight-forward communications. I do NOT find value in brand names just for bragging rights. I’d like to find a ring around $2000 - $2500 and would expect to spend 2/3 of the budget on the stone and 1/3 on the setting.
Size thoughts:
With my budget, I expect I’ll find something around 1/2 carat. I would not be comfortable with a stone under 1/3 carat. Are there “sweet spots” in value with certain diamond sizes? For example, is a 0.44 carat diamond more likely to be a better value that a .51 carat because it’s not quite close enough to be a nice “round-number-sounding” half-carat? If that’s the case, I’d tend to go with a smaller stone and spend the extra money on a fancier setting.
Cut/Quality thoughts:
I greatly prefer a high-quality diamond to a large diamond. When browsing BlueNile, I only considered their “Signature Ideal” cut. When looking at other vendors, I tend toward their equivalent signature cuts. Rounds seem like the best value.
Setting thoughts:
I prefer a setting with additional diamonds and still in the process of understanding what's commonly available. It’s important for the setting to be robust to withstand craft work, home projects, yard work and general clumsiness.
Well, thanks in advance for your assistance. I’ll gladly share photos of my selection.
Long time lurker, first time poster. It’s time for me to buy an engagement ring.
My gf knows that I prefer to shop online and she specifically stated her preference for a ring from a local merchant… due to concerns about service. So, I *tried* shopping locally but have been really disappointed so far with the cheesy, used-car-salesman schtick. So, I’m starting to look online again.
I have had good luck with past diamond purchases from BlueNile. They have a nice CashBack promotion with FatWallet.com right now. However, obviously, I would prefer to pictures of the actual diamond before purchase. More recently, I’ve been browsing the websites of the handful of preferred merchants that are frequently mentioned here and I’d be comfortable working with any of them.
I know that there are some members who love to help people who are shopping, so here are my thoughts. I’d appreciate any suggestions or feedback about my purchase criteria and also suggestions of actual diamonds or rings.
Budget thoughts:
I’m not necessarily cheap, but it’s important for me to find a ring that’s a good value. I do appreciate the value of good service, generous upgrade policies, and honest straight-forward communications. I do NOT find value in brand names just for bragging rights. I’d like to find a ring around $2000 - $2500 and would expect to spend 2/3 of the budget on the stone and 1/3 on the setting.
Size thoughts:
With my budget, I expect I’ll find something around 1/2 carat. I would not be comfortable with a stone under 1/3 carat. Are there “sweet spots” in value with certain diamond sizes? For example, is a 0.44 carat diamond more likely to be a better value that a .51 carat because it’s not quite close enough to be a nice “round-number-sounding” half-carat? If that’s the case, I’d tend to go with a smaller stone and spend the extra money on a fancier setting.
Cut/Quality thoughts:
I greatly prefer a high-quality diamond to a large diamond. When browsing BlueNile, I only considered their “Signature Ideal” cut. When looking at other vendors, I tend toward their equivalent signature cuts. Rounds seem like the best value.
Setting thoughts:
I prefer a setting with additional diamonds and still in the process of understanding what's commonly available. It’s important for the setting to be robust to withstand craft work, home projects, yard work and general clumsiness.
Well, thanks in advance for your assistance. I’ll gladly share photos of my selection.
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