Is there something magic about 2 cts?

[oldminer]

You can see it is more a matter of geography and who you associate with than something magical. I see huge rocks, over 10 carats, with some degree of frequency and many more 4 carat and larger diamonds. They are not all newly purchased, but many come from "old money". Diamonds have great historical significance when it came to escaping tyranny in Europe in WWII and in many other places around the world for hundreds of years. They were the compact wealth and the old version of the AMEX card back when you could go to a new place in the world and completely start life over again on the diamonds you managed to escape with. It just isn''t the way things are today. You can transmit funds anywhere and take your credit card and spend away in any land you go to. The world is smaller today and there is no escaping. Thankfully, there are fewer reasons to need to escape, too.

People whose families survived based on diamonds secreted across borders have reasons to continue to want some of their money "invested" in diamonds. Others who have no history with diamonds are amused by the strange way others believe in diamonds. Big diamonds are a storehouse of wealth, but a last resort investment. You want to wear and own diamonds which are appropriate for your age, your geographic location, your circle of friends and your personal imagination of how you see yourself.

You only go around one time, so make it a great trip!

 

[Imdanny]

Date: 3/18/2009 10:56:58 AM
Author: oldminer
You want to wear and own diamonds which are appropriate for your age, your geographic location, your circle of friends and your personal imagination of how you see yourself.

Yes.

 

[tberube]

I think the 2ct. mark is the point at which a lot of people see that a diamond is "really big." I dunno, I''d love a 2ct. diamond myself, but my 1ct. is plenty big enough for me.

 

[tberube]

Date: 3/17/2009 10:04:41 PM
Author: Chrono

Date: 3/17/2009 9:29:49 AM

Author: neatfreak

2 carats is now the new 1 carat...

I was about to type this myself. Gee, in today''s economy, many should be happy to even get a ring. Any ring.

Excellent point, Chrono.

 

[SYC]

Date: 3/18/2009 10:56:58 AM
Author: oldminer
Diamonds have great historical significance when it came to escaping tyranny in Europe in WWII and in many other places around the world for hundreds of years. They were the compact wealth and the old version of the AMEX card back when you could go to a new place in the world and completely start life over again on the diamonds you managed to escape with. It just isn''t the way things are today. You can transmit funds anywhere and take your credit card and spend away in any land you go to. The world is smaller today and there is no escaping. Thankfully, there are fewer reasons to need to escape, too.

So interesting -- thanks for sharing this! People that have such diamonds probably cherish them for their significance to their family history.

 

[Moh 10]

I'd like to add that even if your social circle is the 1-carat crowd or even the half-carat crowd don't be afraid to buy that 2 carat rock.
If you have the money, why not!?!
What's wrong with more of a good thing?

We often hear the advice here: Don't be ashamed of having a smaller diamond than your peers.
I suggest that applies to a larger rock too.

IMHO it is tacky to think someone's diamond is too small OR too large, and it is even more rude to mention it to anyone.
It is just more of that problematic perspective of "Others should be like meeeeeee!".
Whatever happened to respecting diversity?

Worrying too much about what others think of you is a sad way to live.
Buy what you like.
If others think your diamond is too small (or too large) that's their problem.

 

[geckodani]

Date: 3/18/2009 10:52:54 AM
Author: Mariposa
My mom upgraded to a 2.16 ct after her bout with breast cancer. I was only 11 when she and my dad did this and I was so angry. I loved her original set - it was a simple 0.66ct diamond in white gold with baguettes on either side. Her new diamond looks like a dirty baby tooth and the sentiment (to me anyway) is completely lost.

I''m so glad I''m from Michigan where my 0.58 ACA is just perfect!

Mariposa

Amen lady!

 

[Maisie]

I would never have thought about getting anything bigger than half a carat if I hadn''t found Pricescope. I think its too easy to want bigger diamonds when you see all the honkin stones on here!

I always said I would never upgrade my 1ct stone. Now I am waiting for my 1.5ct to arrive. Who knows if I will ever reach 2cts. Its a big price jump so I probably won''t get there.

 

[Still_Waiting]

Date: 3/16/2009 10:31:38 PM
Author: mscushion

Date: 3/16/2009 10:28:21 PM
Author: vespergirl
1 ct is beautiful. Any girl would be happy with that.

Agreed.

I might actually stop breathing if my SO presented me with 1 ct. I''ll only let myself hope for as much as .75 LOL (and even that is pushing it)! 2 cts are only a figment of my PS imagination...I don''t think they really exist. LOL! Honestly, though, I just wouldn''t want something that big...just asking to be mugged IMO.

 

[SYC]

Date: 3/18/2009 2:26:17 PM
Author: Moh 10
I''d like to add that even if your social circle is the 1-carat crowd or even the half-carat crowd don''t be afraid to buy that 2 carat rock.
If you have the money, why not!?!
What''s wrong with more of a good thing?

We often hear the advice here: Don''t be ashamed of having a smaller diamond than your peers.
I suggest that applies to a larger rock too.

IMHO it is tacky to think someone''s diamond is too small OR too large, and it is even more rude to mention it to anyone.
It is just more of that problematic perspective of ''Others should be like meeeeeee!''.
Whatever happened to respecting diversity?

Worrying too much about what others think of you is a sad way to live.
Buy what you like.
If others think your diamond is too small (or too large) that''s their problem.

Ditto.

 

[Harriet]

Iamdanny,
I honestly had no expectations, probably because I grew up in modest circumstances. I was thrilled when I received a 0.41, which ''shrank'' only when we moved to NY. I then wanted a 1 ct. and was stunned when my then FI announced our budget.

Oldminer,
Great saying!

SYC,
I love your ring.

 

[SYC]

SYC,
I love your ring.

thank you Harriet!

 

[Kasey3]

Date: 3/17/2009 7:31:41 AM
Author: atroop711

Date: 3/17/2009 7:27:16 AM
Author: sba771

Date: 3/17/2009 7:23:54 AM

Author: atroop711

Date: 3/16/2009 10:28:20 PM


Author: decodelighted


Growing up in the South in the seventies/eighties ... I thought one carat was the ideal. Going to a private college in the Northeast ... I started hearing variations of the sentiment ''under two would never do''. Especially from the Long Island contingent.

Guess my DH & I split the dif @ 1.5

- though its an Asscher so it''s face up appearance is probably more along the lines of the one carat rounds I grew up with.

LOL...so true. My sis moved to Long Island (from Manhattan) for med school and the majority of her mommy friends have at LEAST 3ct

(including my sis)

My FI keeps warning me since we will be moving to LI when we get back- he is like we can''t keep up with the Jonses! Luckliy I think I will blend in since I grew up on the Main Line. It is so stupid, but sadly it is how it is in those parts

very true. My sis had a rude awakening moving from East Village of the city (where I''m at) to Muttontown when it came seeing how ppl had the need to keep up with the Joneses

Muttontown is not your typical LI community! Yes-there are very wealthy areas on LI, but the majority of LI is working middle class.

 

[Bliss]

I don''t hear girls saying they want 1 carat anymore. They all want 2+ and I think many of them get used to what they see on TV. So it becomes normal. I think in these financial times, maybe people are scaling back their expectations, however.

It''s funny reading all these stories about big included diamonds because I don''t see any! All the big ones I see are really really nice high color and clarity stones with great cuts. But then maybe that''s because it''s NY and they''re all about the details and stats? People have the eagle eye here - they seem to be able to guess pretty accurately on color and size... but not clarity without a loupe! If the diamonds are cloudy, they''re usually those small cluster type diamonds from the mall ads on TV. I think most people would be too self-conscious to wear a huge included rock with no sparkle.

It seems like such a waste.

 

[emeraldlover1]

Date: 3/18/2009 10:56:58 AM
Author: oldminer
You can see it is more a matter of geography and who you associate with than something magical. I see huge rocks, over 10 carats, with some degree of frequency and many more 4 carat and larger diamonds. They are not all newly purchased, but many come from ''old money''. Diamonds have great historical significance when it came to escaping tyranny in Europe in WWII and in many other places around the world for hundreds of years. They were the compact wealth and the old version of the AMEX card back when you could go to a new place in the world and completely start life over again on the diamonds you managed to escape with. It just isn''t the way things are today. You can transmit funds anywhere and take your credit card and spend away in any land you go to. The world is smaller today and there is no escaping. Thankfully, there are fewer reasons to need to escape, too.

People whose families survived based on diamonds secreted across borders have reasons to continue to want some of their money ''invested'' in diamonds. Others who have no history with diamonds are amused by the strange way others believe in diamonds. Big diamonds are a storehouse of wealth, but a last resort investment. You want to wear and own diamonds which are appropriate for your age, your geographic location, your circle of friends and your personal imagination of how you see yourself.

You only go around one time, so make it a great trip!

This is so true and I actually have a personal experience with this. My fiance''s mother takes care of an older woman out in the hamptons. This woman was part of the Kip family as in Kip''s Bay in Manhattan. To make a long story short, right after we got engaged, this woman wanted to meet us for lunch one day when fiance''s mother was taking care of her. The first thing she did was ask to see my ring. I feel extreamly fortunate to have my 2.75 emerald cut which is way more than I could have ever expected growing up. Anyway, the woman looks at my ring and say''s...oooh...its so pretty it look just like mine! As she said this she opened her hand in which her 15ct+ flawless D emerald cut was sitting. It is the most amazing thing I have ever seen up close that someone actually owns. My fiance''s mother said she miss places it all the time. Of course I told her she could lend it to me for safe keeping

 

[Imdanny]

Date: 3/18/2009 2:26:17 PM
Author: Moh 10
I'd like to add that even if your social circle is the 1-carat crowd or even the half-carat crowd don't be afraid to buy that 2 carat rock.

If you have the money, why not!?!

What's wrong with more of a good thing?


We often hear the advice here: Don't be ashamed of having a smaller diamond than your peers.

I suggest that applies to a larger rock too.


IMHO it is tacky to think someone's diamond is too small OR too large, and it is even more rude to mention it to anyone.

It is just more of that problematic perspective of 'Others should be like meeeeeee!'.

Whatever happened to respecting diversity?


Worrying too much about what others think of you is a sad way to live.

Buy what you like.

If others think your diamond is too small (or too large) that's their problem.

Tacky to "think"? Well, I can't go along with that. People are free to think what they want. I totally agree with you that if someone SAID, "Oh, your diamond is huge, is it fake?" or whatever, it would be very rude.

Being like "me" (or "you") is knowing what you like. I'm still finding out what I like in terms of stones and jewels.

 

[Imdanny]

Date: 3/18/2009 7:00:02 PM
Author: Harriet
Iamdanny,

I honestly had no expectations, probably because I grew up in modest circumstances. I was thrilled when I received a 0.41, which ''shrank'' only when we moved to NY. I then wanted a 1 ct. and was stunned when my then FI announced our budget.

That must make your beautiful collection all the more enjoyable, Harriet.

 

[JSM]

Date: 3/18/2009 10:41:21 PM
Author: Bliss
I don''t hear girls saying they want 1 carat anymore. They all want 2+ and I think many of them get used to what they see on TV. So it becomes normal.

THIS girl would LOOOOOOOVE a 1 carat stone.

I do agree though that it seems a 1 carat stone is no longer impressive to anyone. My .5 carat stone (even though sparkly and white), I don''t think I''ve EVER gotten a compliment on, except for maybe my mother. Or the girl who kindly complimented mine after she showed me her 1.75.

Maybe with the times changing, expectations will drop?

 

[LaraOnline]

Date: 3/17/2009 10:04:41 PM
Author: Chrono

Date: 3/17/2009 9:29:49 AM

Author: neatfreak

2 carats is now the new 1 carat...

I was about to type this myself. Gee, in today''s economy, many should be happy to even get a ring. Any ring.

I agree, Neatfreak, it''s ''carat inflation''! This thread reminds me of the psychological studies that were published in the newspaper recently.

Apparently people are more likely to feel they are better off if they are doing comparatively better than their neighbours, rather than according to the objective value of their income.

eg: I am on $30,000, but all my friends and workmates earn $15,000. Therefore, I am awesome.

If I were to earn $100,000, but all my immediate peers and workmates were on $150,000, I''d be peeved...

 

[sba771]

I also think it has to do with the fact that people my age actually have no concept of how much a good 2 carat costs or even looks like. They just know they want big so 2+ carats it is! I had a former coworker who asked to see my ring and she was surprised to hear what it was and she sounded almost disapointed, like she thought it would look bigger (it looks big to me) and I could tell she just wanted big and had no idea what goes into a diamond. She actually just got engaged and since I am across the globe I have only seen pictures of her ring- I can''t tell what size it is but part of me is dying to know if she got >2.35 carats since apparently that was small to her.

 

[glitterata]

I''m in my 40s and live in NYC. Very few of my friends, even the married ones, wear diamonds. We''re mostly ivy league grads in the arts and professions.

One couple I know who are pretty well off wear silver wedding rings; she has no engagement ring. Another friend, a lawyer, was touched but a little horrified when her boyfriend proposed with a diamond ring, an OMC in maybe the .5-.75 carat range. She told me her brother told her that old cuts were less valuable than modern cuts and she answered, "Good! The less money he wasted on this thing, the better." Another couple, quite well off, told the man''s mother they were getting married. She said, "Then you need an engagement ring." She brought out her jewelry box and told them to pick something. Their first choice was a big cocktail ring--I forget what stone, maybe an amethyst or a smoky quartz--but she talked them into a lovely marquise aquamarine in a classic platinum setting with diamond baguette sidestones as being more practical for everyday wear. Another friend, also from a quite wealthy family, wears what looks like one carat. She told me she was embarrassed when he proposed with it; she thought engagement rings were something our parents had, not us. She had to force herself to wear it so she wouldn''t hurt his feelings. Another friend, an heiress married to a man with a very well-paying job, wears what looks to me like about a carat and a half from Tiffany''s. Definitely less than two carats. Another friend and her boyfriend got married with gold bands, no engagement ring. Later on he inherited a diamond ring, but instead of giving it to my friend, he sold it--with her complete support--and used the money to start a theater company. Another friend in the fashion industry wears a pair of heavy yellow gold bands, one set with a maybe half-carat stone from her husband''s family. They could certainly afford 2 carats if they wanted it.

When my grandmother gave me her diamond from her engagement ring, set in a necklace, as a graduation present, I thanked her and put it in a drawer for years--I thought it would be tacky to wear anything so flashy. After I got married in my late 30s and my mother gave me my other grandmother''s engagement ring, I took to be appraised. When I made the appointment, the appraiser''s assistant asked me how big the diamond was. I said, "I have no idea. How big are they usually?" She said, "Well, is it a carat? Two carats? Less? More?" I said, "Oh, it must be less than a carat--I can''t imagine Grandpa had much money to spend on diamonds when he proposed." I thought of a carat as a big diamond, but I had never paid the least attention and had no idea how big a carat actually looked. Both diamonds turned out to be in the 1.5 carat range (one is about 1.4 and the other about 1.65); I still can''t imagine how my grandfather''s could afford them.

When my mother--who never had an engagement ring from my father, just a gold band, and who doesn''t wear any ring from my stepfather--gave me my grandmother''s engagement ring, I said, "But don''t you want to keep it yourself? Something from your mother to keep close to you?" She said, "Oh, no, I could never wear anything so flashy. I''d rather see you wearing it."

This is all just to say that not everybody wants a big diamond, or even any diamond.

 

[Bliss]

Date: 3/19/2009 11:45:07 AM
Author: glitterata
I'm in my 40s and live in NYC. Very few of my friends, even the married ones, wear diamonds. We're mostly ivy league grads in the arts and professions.


One couple I know who are pretty well off wear silver wedding rings; she has no engagement ring. Another friend, a lawyer, was touched but a little horrified when her boyfriend proposed with a diamond ring, an OMC in maybe the .5-.75 carat range. She told me her brother told her that old cuts were less valuable than modern cuts and she answered, 'Good! The less money he wasted on this thing, the better.' Another couple, quite well off, told the man's mother they were getting married. She said, 'Then you need an engagement ring.' She brought out her jewelry box and told them to pick something. Their first choice was a big cocktail ring--I forget what stone, maybe an amethyst or a smoky quartz--but she talked them into a lovely marquise aquamarine in a classic platinum setting with diamond baguette sidestones as being more practical for everyday wear. Another friend, also from a quite wealthy family, wears what looks like one carat. She told me she was embarrassed when he proposed with it; she thought engagement rings were something our parents had, not us. She had to force herself to wear it so she wouldn't hurt his feelings. Another friend, an heiress married to a man with a very well-paying job, wears what looks to me like about a carat and a half from Tiffany's. Definitely less than two carats. Another friend and her boyfriend got married with gold bands, no engagement ring. Later on he inherited a diamond ring, but instead of giving it to my friend, he sold it--with her complete support--and used the money to start a theater company. Another friend in the fashion industry wears a pair of heavy yellow gold bands, one set with a maybe half-carat stone from her husband's family. They could certainly afford 2 carats if they wanted it.


When my grandmother gave me her diamond from her engagement ring, set in a necklace, as a graduation present, I thanked her and put it in a drawer for years--I thought it would be tacky to wear anything so flashy. After I got married in my late 30s and my mother gave me my other grandmother's engagement ring, I took to be appraised. When I made the appointment, the appraiser's assistant asked me how big the diamond was. I said, 'I have no idea. How big are they usually?' She said, 'Well, is it a carat? Two carats? Less? More?' I said, 'Oh, it must be less than a carat--I can't imagine Grandpa had much money to spend on diamonds when he proposed.' I thought of a carat as a big diamond, but I had never paid the least attention and had no idea how big a carat actually looked. Both diamonds turned out to be in the 1.5 carat range (one is about 1.4 and the other about 1.65); I still can't imagine how my grandfather's could afford them.


When my mother--who never had an engagement ring from my father, just a gold band, and who doesn't wear any ring from my stepfather--gave me my grandmother's engagement ring, I said, 'But don't you want to keep it yourself? Something from your mother to keep close to you?' She said, 'Oh, no, I could never wear anything so flashy. I'd rather see you wearing it.'


This is all just to say that not everybody wants a big diamond, or even any diamond.

It's very fascinating and true! The arts community isn't so much into the big bling, no matter what the background or the wealth behind it. Most have no bling, just like glitterata said. I find that very cool. I'd also liken it to that free spirited mentality of not having to answer to anyone, bucking tradition and not being a slave to the status quo in general. Refreshing!

The people who support the arts and buy the pieces, however, do love the Texas size bling. LOL. We're probably neighbors! My circle's also composed of ivy leaguers (which I am finding as I get older can be inversely proportional to intelligence and that's from someone who got one, too)... 30s and they all have really nice bling. They're not in the arts, however. I think it all depends because the old moneyed crowd definitely does seem to have very very special pieces in the family and understand the importance of them. But the newer moneyed crowd in NY also likes the nice bling, too. If you're in the arts, all bets are off and you do whatever you like. I love that.

 

[Harriet]

Date: 3/18/2009 11:33:54 PM
Author: Imdanny

Date: 3/18/2009 7:00:02 PM
Author: Harriet
Iamdanny,

I honestly had no expectations, probably because I grew up in modest circumstances. I was thrilled when I received a 0.41, which ''shrank'' only when we moved to NY. I then wanted a 1 ct. and was stunned when my then FI announced our budget.

That must make your beautiful collection all the more enjoyable, Harriet.

Thanks, Danny. I''ve been very lucky and am thankful.

 

[rhbgirl24]

Date: 3/17/2009 10:04:41 PM
Author: Chrono

Date: 3/17/2009 9:29:49 AM
Author: neatfreak
2 carats is now the new 1 carat...

I was about to type this myself. Gee, in today''s economy, many should be happy to even get a ring. Any ring.

I completely agree. I have a 1 ct, w/ .5 side stones, so 1.5. I sometimes even feel bad wearing and knowing how much an excellent quality stone of that size costs, let alone more, when there are people who can''t feed their children because they were laid off..... and these numbers are growing by the thousands.

It always fun to look at sparklies. I''m a collector myself. Have much more jewelry than I need. However I think people need to have more of a global conscious right now - not just worried about how they adorn themselves.

Sorry! didn''t mean to go off there!

 

[John NC]

Hi there- John here, I have a discussion going on right now asking advice about a couple of two+ carat diamonds... so I thought I should comment.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/any-opinions-on-these-two-2-carat-round-stones-ags-000-gia-ex-vg-ex.110234/
What happened in my case is I took Amanda to the mall and a couple local jewelers, and we looked at LOTS of diamonds, and immediately she decided she liked the look of a solitaire. So we were looking in the 1 carat range, and saw a couple of KILLER stones, one in particular had us both mesmerized. THEN she saw a 2 carat and looked at me like we were breaking the law, but I could tell she wanted to check it out, so I asked if we could see it. Well, Amanda actually got tears in her eyes, so I knew we were onto something. In fact that night (Friday) over a glass of wine and some music we got to talking about it and it happened to her again, tear in her eye and all that. I''m not trying to be corny or dramatic, it''s true. Of course she said she''d be totally happy with a .75 or 1 carat or even less, and she would be, but now I''m hot and heavy looking at these 2 round damonds, one AGS triple ideal 2.058 and one GIA ex, ex, vg 2.27- we''ll see which one wins out! By the way I''m 35, never married, she''s 33 never married, I''m not rich but I''ve done OK... so why not right? Plus she''s the bomb so it''s worth it to me.
Anyways, that''s my $.02.
Thanks! John

 

[Kelli]

Date: 3/19/2009 3:22:45 PM
Author: John NC
Hi there- John here, I have a discussion going on right now asking advice about a couple of two+ carat diamonds... so I thought I should comment.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/any-opinions-on-these-two-2-carat-round-stones-ags-000-gia-ex-vg-ex.110234/
What happened in my case is I took Amanda to the mall and a couple local jewelers, and we looked at LOTS of diamonds, and immediately she decided she liked the look of a solitaire. So we were looking in the 1 carat range, and saw a couple of KILLER stones, one in particular had us both mesmerized. THEN she saw a 2 carat and looked at me like we were breaking the law, but I could tell she wanted to check it out, so I asked if we could see it. Well, Amanda actually got tears in her eyes, so I knew we were onto something. In fact that night (Friday) over a glass of wine and some music we got to talking about it and it happened to her again, tear in her eye and all that. I''m not trying to be corny or dramatic, it''s true. Of course she said she''d be totally happy with a .75 or 1 carat or even less, and she would be, but now I''m hot and heavy looking at these 2 round damonds, one AGS triple ideal 2.058 and one GIA ex, ex, vg 2.27- we''ll see which one wins out! By the way I''m 35, never married, she''s 33 never married, I''m not rich but I''ve done OK... so why not right? Plus she''s the bomb so it''s worth it to me.
Anyways, that''s my $.02.
Thanks! John

How sweet is that???

 

[waxing lyrical]

One would be hard-pressed to find diamonds in the 2 ct range where I live and the circles we roam in. Most aren't sporting big bling in the military community. Those that do are usually those in the officer ranks. I scope out rings everywhere I go and I generally see sets from the likes of Zales or Kay Jewelers or solitaire settings in the .50-.75 ct range. I would bet some 99% of them aren't of good quality.

Now, when I was in Atlanta, more specifically, Buckhead/Sandy Springs, I saw good size rocks all the time. Anywhere from 2-4 ct. I don't think I paid all that much attention to diamond rings other women wore when we lived in San Diego. I'm sure depending on the location they were in the 1-3 ct range, at least in the places we lived.

My set is certainly not the norm at all. My three stone ring is 2.11 ct and I wear a diamond band that's .47 ct (temporary). I'm sure when I upgrade the band to a 2 ct five stone I will certainly not be in the norm. It would be pretty out of place.

 

[RollingRock]

I don''t know about using the word "magical", but I think a 2 carat is a size that won''t look small even on larger sized fingers. For example, I have a 6 size finger and a 1 carat RB looks kinda small me which is why I decided to go larger. One of my friends has a size 3.5 finger and her 1 carat RB looks HUGE on her tiny finger.

 

[vespergirl]

Date: 3/19/2009 7:06:44 AM
Author: sba771
I also think it has to do with the fact that people my age actually have no concept of how much a good 2 carat costs or even looks like. They just know they want big so 2+ carats it is! I had a former coworker who asked to see my ring and she was surprised to hear what it was and she sounded almost disapointed, like she thought it would look bigger (it looks big to me) and I could tell she just wanted big and had no idea what goes into a diamond. She actually just got engaged and since I am across the globe I have only seen pictures of her ring- I can''t tell what size it is but part of me is dying to know if she got >2.35 carats since apparently that was small to her.

Ditto. I was the first one of my groups of friends to get engaged, and when I showed off my 2 ct diamond, two of my friends said they thought a 2 ct stone would look bigger, and wanted something bigger when they got engaged. They also couldn''t believe how much something as "small" as my stone cost ...

One of them is still not engaged, but the other one who is now married got a 4 ct - CZ! Even though her husband makes a great salary, she really didn''t want something smaller than 4 ct size, so she opted for a CZ, since he wouldn''t spend above the price of a 2 ct diamond. To each his own ... I would personally take a .5 ct real diamond (still absolutely lovely) over a huge fake, but that''s just me ...

 

[vespergirl]

Date: 3/19/2009 11:45:07 AM
Author: glitterata
I''m in my 40s and live in NYC. Very few of my friends, even the married ones, wear diamonds. We''re mostly ivy league grads in the arts and professions.

One couple I know who are pretty well off wear silver wedding rings; she has no engagement ring. Another friend, a lawyer, was touched but a little horrified when her boyfriend proposed with a diamond ring, an OMC in maybe the .5-.75 carat range. She told me her brother told her that old cuts were less valuable than modern cuts and she answered, ''Good! The less money he wasted on this thing, the better.'' Another couple, quite well off, told the man''s mother they were getting married. She said, ''Then you need an engagement ring.'' She brought out her jewelry box and told them to pick something. Their first choice was a big cocktail ring--I forget what stone, maybe an amethyst or a smoky quartz--but she talked them into a lovely marquise aquamarine in a classic platinum setting with diamond baguette sidestones as being more practical for everyday wear. Another friend, also from a quite wealthy family, wears what looks like one carat. She told me she was embarrassed when he proposed with it; she thought engagement rings were something our parents had, not us. She had to force herself to wear it so she wouldn''t hurt his feelings. Another friend, an heiress married to a man with a very well-paying job, wears what looks to me like about a carat and a half from Tiffany''s. Definitely less than two carats. Another friend and her boyfriend got married with gold bands, no engagement ring. Later on he inherited a diamond ring, but instead of giving it to my friend, he sold it--with her complete support--and used the money to start a theater company. Another friend in the fashion industry wears a pair of heavy yellow gold bands, one set with a maybe half-carat stone from her husband''s family. They could certainly afford 2 carats if they wanted it.

When my grandmother gave me her diamond from her engagement ring, set in a necklace, as a graduation present, I thanked her and put it in a drawer for years--I thought it would be tacky to wear anything so flashy. After I got married in my late 30s and my mother gave me my other grandmother''s engagement ring, I took to be appraised. When I made the appointment, the appraiser''s assistant asked me how big the diamond was. I said, ''I have no idea. How big are they usually?'' She said, ''Well, is it a carat? Two carats? Less? More?'' I said, ''Oh, it must be less than a carat--I can''t imagine Grandpa had much money to spend on diamonds when he proposed.'' I thought of a carat as a big diamond, but I had never paid the least attention and had no idea how big a carat actually looked. Both diamonds turned out to be in the 1.5 carat range (one is about 1.4 and the other about 1.65); I still can''t imagine how my grandfather''s could afford them.

When my mother--who never had an engagement ring from my father, just a gold band, and who doesn''t wear any ring from my stepfather--gave me my grandmother''s engagement ring, I said, ''But don''t you want to keep it yourself? Something from your mother to keep close to you?'' She said, ''Oh, no, I could never wear anything so flashy. I''d rather see you wearing it.''

This is all just to say that not everybody wants a big diamond, or even any diamond.

This is true - I have two aunts who are artists (and also New Yorkers) and they both got married with plain gold bands. They could have afforded diamonds, but weren''t interested.