Moissanite and Asha (manmade) diamond vs real diamonds

[gktops]

And there aren't any cold feet etc, I am not proposing for another 9-12 months anyways so I have time to decide... In no rush! I'm most likely just sticking with the ACA 3-stone... I also like the fact that we can upgrade the stones a few years from now if we want.

 

[recordaras]

And there aren't any cold feet etc, I am not proposing for another 9-12 months anyways so I have time to decide... In no rush! I'm most likely just sticking with the ACA 3-stone... I also like the fact that we can upgrade the stones a few years from now if we want.

In that case I personally would return the 3-stone (call me superstitious, but just too many negative thoughts and emotions associated with it that you probably don't want to bring into the relationship/engagement) and take a break for 6 months or so and then revisit the whole thing with a better understanding of your budget and priorities, as well as a clearer idea of what your gf would prefer.

 

[Sparklelu]

Can I be so bold as to ask this question? I have seen this on a number of LIW posts. Guy and girl talk about marriage, guy buys ring, girl knows he has ring, they continue their relationship, guy waits days, weeks, months in your case it might be a year! To give her the darn thing. Please enlighten me as to why in the world wait?

Btw if you really are going to put this off for 9-12 months... Return that ring and keep on looking. You have lots of time to find the perfect ring, and save up so you are comfortable spending the money

 

[gktops]

I wait for two reasons. I still have to ask (tell) her dad, and she is currently going to school on the other side of the US, so there are reasons behind it. I just figured I would buy the ring so I am ready whenever I decide to do it.

 

[arkieb1]

And there aren't any cold feet etc, I am not proposing for another 9-12 months anyways so I have time to decide... In no rush! I'm most likely just sticking with the ACA 3-stone... I also like the fact that we can upgrade the stones a few years from now if we want.

I think that is a GREAT idea, you have a beautiful ring why mess with it to get something lower specked with awful looking diamonds. Now you should save up to replenish the bank balance, put it away somewhere safe for now and not mention it to her again. When you are both married upgrading to a larger centre is a wonderful way to celebrate a major anniversary, birth of a child or other significant occasion.

 

[Dreamer_D]

And there aren't any cold feet etc, I am not proposing for another 9-12 months anyways so I have time to decide... In no rush! I'm most likely just sticking with the ACA 3-stone... I also like the fact that we can upgrade the stones a few years from now if we want.

In that case I personally would return the 3-stone (call me superstitious, but just too many negative thoughts and emotions associated with it that you probably don't want to bring into the relationship/engagement) and take a break for 6 months or so and then revisit the whole thing with a better understanding of your budget and priorities, as well as a clearer idea of what your gf would prefer.

I agree with this completely.

 

[Laila619]

The problem with buying a ring so far out from the proposal is that if she doesn't like it or wants to change something, there's no way to return it.

 

[motownmama]

Call or visit the dad, I don't know your geography and when you see her next propose with this gorgeous ring you have. Then start replenishing your acct bc with school and distance it sounds like the wedding won't be super soon. Stop second guessing g yourself. You've got an amazing ring; get it on her amazing finger! I'm just reading between the lines of your post, but that's my opinion.

 

[Gypsy]

I would return it as well. Save up over the next year. Lots of things can change. Her tastes for one.

 

[hearts-arrows_girl]

And there aren't any cold feet etc, I am not proposing for another 9-12 months anyways so I have time to decide... In no rush! I'm most likely just sticking with the ACA 3-stone... I also like the fact that we can upgrade the stones a few years from now if we want.

In that case I personally would return the 3-stone (call me superstitious, but just too many negative thoughts and emotions associated with it that you probably don't want to bring into the relationship/engagement) and take a break for 6 months or so and then revisit the whole thing with a better understanding of your budget and priorities, as well as a clearer idea of what your gf would prefer.

I agree with this completely.

I also agree. Return the 3-stone ring.

 

[ooo~Shiney!]

I would return it as well. Save up over the next year. Lots of things can change. Her tastes for one.

WARNING !!! HIJACK !!!!

GYPSY !!!!
WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR WHITE KITTY?
(Although Tuxedo cat is cute too

 

[UberClaire]

Sorry I'm late to this party, and I hope that asking this question is within the rules (and sorry OP if this is a hijack). On other forums, I see women talk about moissanite as a "forever stone," and many of them truly believe that moissanite is better than diamond. Does moissanite hold up well over the long term? I saw a previous poster on this thread imply that it does not.

 

[Laila619]

Sorry I'm late to this party, and I hope that asking this question is within the rules (and sorry OP if this is a hijack). On other forums, I see women talk about moissanite as a "forever stone," and many of them truly believe that moissanite is better than diamond. Does moissanite hold up well over the long term? I saw a previous poster on this thread imply that it does not.

Yes, moissanite holds up fine. It's not like CZ, it will not cloud over time. It can chip though if you don't treat it well, just like diamond or any stone can.

 

[RockOnReen]

My first engagement ring was .69 and even though it seemed small even then, I loved it because it was bright, well cut and clean and I knew my bf had spent a lot of time and attention to get the nicest ring he could afford. No way I would have traded it for a sim. I've since haloed it and wear it as RHR. The fact that it is real is more important to me than the size ever was. And I think the 3 stone from WF is lovely and has a lot of presence -- I'm guessing she'd be thrilled with it.

 

[Tiffanydreams]

I have been semi following this thread. There have been so many great ideas presented. My thoughts are that nothing is more beautiful than a classic solitaire with the absolute best stone you can afford. A diamond of around 3/4 carats is a huge size jump in appearance from a 1/2 carat diamond if you compare them on someone's hand. Nothing sparkles or has the appeal of a diamond in my opinion.
So my thoughts would be around 3/4 carat, one beautiful diamond.
If you are very careful, you can buy a pre - owned ring. I have purchased both a Tiffany and Cartier ring off EBay, both were verified authentic by the stores.
If you are not sure that you will get an authentic product from EBay, many reputable online stores sell pre - owned and they will guarantee authenticity.
Then always get an independent appraisal for any pre - owned ring that you may purchase.
I do not recommend a sim for an engagement ring that you want to last a lifetime and that you want to be happy with on your fiancé's/ wife's hand (just my thoughts). Also, as stated by others, certain gemstones also make lovely engagement rings.
I have owned sims and they just do not compare to a well cut diamond in my opinion.
Please do what you want and with all this advice, you should be able to propose with a stunning ring.

 

[Gypsy]

I would return it as well. Save up over the next year. Lots of things can change. Her tastes for one.

WARNING !!! HIJACK !!!!

GYPSY !!!!
WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR WHITE KITTY?
(Although Tuxedo cat is cute too

I have 6 cats. They all get a turn. And this particular picture given Hally's expression, I've been told, is the best match for my 'voice' and was requested by another member.



Thank you Shiney!

 

[AprilBaby]

I would keep what you got, diamond prices may go up a bit in a year. Use the upgrade policy to get a bigger center in a year.

 

[jstarfireb]

I wait for two reasons. I still have to ask (tell) her dad, and she is currently going to school on the other side of the US, so there are reasons behind it. I just figured I would buy the ring so I am ready whenever I decide to do it.

Thanks - that adds some insight! Before this, it just sounded to me like you were waffling on the proposal. Distance complicates things for sure. For what it's worth - and this is obviously unsolicited advice so feel free just to ignore me - if you're ready to propose soon, I wouldn't wait. First, it may not be necessary or preferable to ask/tell her dad. Depends on the woman. I would have been irate if my husband had basically gone over my head either to ask my dad's permission or tell him of his intentions (I see it as an outdated patriarchal tradition, and we're adults - my parents don't need to know before I do). Second, provided the relationship is stable and you've been together for long enough, I would find it sweet and romantic to have a guy propose during a long-distance period because it shows how devoted he is. Just my 2 cents' worth...if you're ready, why wait? Of course only you can decide what's right for your relationship, but I wanted to show you a different perspective.

If you think waiting is right for you, you have 2 options with the ring: keep it and propose with it when you're ready, or return it. If you keep it, you'll run the risk that she won't like it and you'll be beyond the return period. Or (I hate to bring this up!) she'll say no and you can't return it. If you return it now, you risk diamond prices increasing in the coming year and will have to go through the hassle of creating another ring, although you might also have more money to put toward it and could be within the return period when you propose. It it were me, I'd keep it and propose the next time you see her. But if you wait, I see pros and cons to both sides of the keep vs. return issue, so I can't help much there. I think I'd keep it since it's an awesome ring, and I'd rather not deal with getting a new one made, but I understand that the financially more sound advice is probably to return it.

 

[redwood66]

OP you have received much good advice here. Keeping the ring for that long, especially when you are not in love with it in the first place, might be the wrong thing to do. And $4500 is a lot of money if you have little or none. Knowing her TRUE expectations for a ring would be helpful and is very important.

When we got engaged 24+ years ago we picked out the ring together and like DS it was what he could afford - $1400. I did not want him to spend any more than that. Sure I would have loved a bigger diamond but I am practical for the most part. I still have that .30ct diamond and it has been reset into a gorgeous band along with all the side stones. It is very precious to me and I wear it all the time.

 

[rockhoundofficiando]

Moissanite will hold up fine.It's rather doubtful that anyone truly believes moissanite or Asha or any other diamond simulant are "better" than a diamond other than in price.

 

[gktops]

Thanks for all the advice peeps... Right now I'm leaning to sticking with the 3-stone. I'll be sure to post if anything changes!

 

[UberClaire]

Thanks for all the advice peeps... Right now I'm leaning to sticking with the 3-stone. I'll be sure to post if anything changes!

It's a great choice! It's a beautiful ring.

 

[sparklynurse]

I'm very late to this party and I've only ever lurked on PS but I just felt the need to post. When I got engaged in 1984 .25 to .5 ct diamonds were the norm. We were very naive and uninformed about diamonds, or jewellery in general for that matter, but fortunate that hubby's sister worked at a prestigious jewellers in Canada and was helping him pick a diamond and have the e-ring made. We simply trusted his sister to do the best she could for us given our limited $1200 budget.

I ended up with a .25ct D VVS1 RB cathedral set solitaire (did they have H&A cuts back then?) This is the prettiest stone I have ever seen - small but perfect! When it's clean it sparkles like no one's business and attracts attention despite it's diminutive size.

I also own a 1.5ct Amora enhanced moissanite solitaire ring and it too is very pretty in its own right but also very different than my diamond. The cut is different and it sparkles like a disco ball (which some might like, but it definitely is different than a diamond.) My little diamond attracts more admiring glances and compliments than the moissy (I'm not trying to disrespect moissanite, but that's been my experience.) No one can tell that the moissanite is not a diamond, but I do correct those who comment specifically on the stone. Had I known then what I know now, I probably would have made some compromises (particularly colour and clarity) in order to get a bigger diamond.

I've ordered an AG ring (still waiting to receive it) and, while I'm sure that it will be very pretty and I will like it, I expect that it too will fall short of looking like my diamond (or any other diamond for that matter.) At the risk of sounding trite - nothing compares to a diamond! For an engagement ring I would rather have a smaller diamond (lab created or estate if you are worried about the ethics of diamond mining) that falls within budget than any other stone!

 

[elty]

Just a few comment:

- I personally think you should NOT buy any stimulant unless your SO explicitly agree, just to avoid disappointment.
- However, the diamond you purchase should not affect the grand scheme of things. So don't tell her "I bought you this diamond so we can only afford going to a waterpark instead of Hawaii" or "we have to live in my parent's basement because I bought you a $10000 ring".
- Never put a diamond ring on credit card debt, ever. Those 2-3 months of salary thing is probably the biggest BS ever.
- I think white sapphire isn't a bad choice if diamond is not affordable, since it is a widely use gem stone.
- CZ and moisannite wouldn't be a bad choice for a everyday/substitute ring though - if you SO doesn't want to wear the engagement ring out of fear that she will lose the expensive and symbolic diamond.

My question is what do people feel about real lab made diamond (not CZ or other wannabe)? They aren't very cheap but they usually comes with IGI certificates.

 

[Dancing Fire]

I also own a 1.5ct Amora enhanced moissanite solitaire ring and it too is very pretty in its own right but also very different than my diamond. The cut is different and it sparkles like a disco ball (which some might like, but it definitely is different than a diamond.) My little diamond attracts more admiring glances and compliments than the moissy (I'm not trying to disrespect moissanite, but that's been my experience.) No one can tell that the moissanite is not a diamond, but I do correct those who comment specifically on the stone. Had I known then what I know now, I probably would have made some compromises (particularly colour and clarity) in order to get a bigger diamond.

Sure you can, b/c moissanite will show a green tint.

 

[Candygrl]

The WF 3 stone is gorgeous I wore a plain white gold band when we first got engaged and married so I would have been THRILLED with such a beautiful ring. And when she finds out how much thought you put into it, I believe she will love it even more

 

[sparklynurse]

I also own a 1.5ct Amora enhanced moissanite solitaire ring and it too is very pretty in its own right but also very different than my diamond. The cut is different and it sparkles like a disco ball (which some might like, but it definitely is different than a diamond.) My little diamond attracts more admiring glances and compliments than the moissy (I'm not trying to disrespect moissanite, but that's been my experience.) No one can tell that the moissanite is not a diamond, but I do correct those who comment specifically on the stone. Had I known then what I know now, I probably would have made some compromises (particularly colour and clarity) in order to get a bigger diamond.

Sure you can, b/c moissanite will show a green tint.

This particular stone is "comparable" to an H colour diamond and shows absolutely no green tint. What makes it different is the cut and the splintery and excessive sparkle. I will also add that the vast majority of people see a white sparkly stone and (sometimes incorrectly) assume it's a diamond. I also now have an Amora gem and while it too is very pretty, it definitely performs differently than a diamond.

 

[Winks_Elf]

While regular moissanites are much more scratch resistant than a lot of other non-diamond alternatives, it is a brittle stone and can chip without proper care. Years ago, I had a shared bar prong eternity band that wound with a broken stone and two internally shattered ones, just from dropping it in the sink while rinsing it during cleaning. It was only a distance of about 1.5-2 feet max, in a porcelain kitchen sink.

Sorry I'm late to this party, and I hope that asking this question is within the rules (and sorry OP if this is a hijack). On other forums, I see women talk about moissanite as a "forever stone," and many of them truly believe that moissanite is better than diamond. Does moissanite hold up well over the long term? I saw a previous poster on this thread imply that it does not.

 

[yasssss]

is a moissanite distinguishable from a diamond to an untrained eye?

I am just chiming in randomly but I am happy that my fiance proposed with a diamond because in our culture gold and diamonds are passed on from generation to generation and are definitely an investment. I'm happy to think that I can wear this same stone in 20 years or even pass it on, and that it will retain value.

 

[makeable]

I have a 2ct FC Moissanite ring and it does have an incredible sparkle. Someone mentioned "disco ball" appearance and I agree with that visual. However because of the warm body color typical to FC Moissanite it's like a sparkle coming from a heavily tinted disco ball. Sit under certain lighting and the stone gives off broad firework-like flashes of color which I find distracting because it's so undiamond-like. I understand there is Moissanite on the market now which are whiter in appearance so perhaps the tinted disco ball look has been eliminated. And I agree with what others have said, one does have to think of Moissanite as Moissanite and not a manmade diamond.