need a temporary engagement ring

[j_savitskiy]

Ok, so here is the deal... I already have a 45K ring to give to my to be wife ( it is 3 carats and darn near flawless and perfect color ).

I DONT want to show/give her this ring yet until the day of our wedding is when she will receive it. I want to propose to her in a few weeks when I take her to Hawaii and I want to spend no more than 2K on another ring for now.. i want it to be roughly 1 carat, doesnt need to be perfect.

Does anybody have any suggestions? I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks!!!


Oh, and this is my first post...

-Jim

 

[elle_chris]

If you got a 3ct, perfect color, almost flawless stone for 45k- then you should be telling us where to get a 1ct for 2k

 

[JulieN]

2K gets you closer to .6 cts than 1.

 

[that_someone_special]

Yeah.... I''m just going to say that perhaps you should just give her the 3ct and save the 2k for something else like a diamond bracelet or something you could give her on the wedding day.

I think I would be weirded out (but happy) if my FI hid a ring from me... and for what purpose? (you don''t have to answer that.)

I dunno about this...

 

[kristie]

Why would you want to propose with a poor quality 1 ct ring when you have an amazing 3 ct ring??? Are you trying to see if she will say yes with a less than stellar ring?? Sorry.....that is just what your post sounds like. ITA that I would be creeped out if my fiance did that.......IDK.....

Also, where on earth did you find an almost flawless perfect color 3 ct for 45K???? That is an insanely low price....the ring you are referring to that you already have would be around $70K to over $100K

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Welcome. Do you mean to get 1 ctw (combo of smaller stones...)? How about a colored stone?

cheers--Sharon

 

[IceExplorer]

All of these are H&A diamonds.


Cheapest 1 carat I could find -
$4685.00


Closer to your price range:

james allen H-0.60 vs1
$1830

James Allen H-0.70 VS1
$2360

James Allen H-0.60 VVS2
$2090

NON - H&A
Solomon Brothers - G-0.80 Si1
$2202

You can ask the local experts for their opinions on each.

I think something is going to have to give - either your budget or the size you are looking for. Sorry, wish I could be more help.

Also, you might want to consider changing your nick name if it is something your GF would google or if you think she would come here looking for diamond info


Also, many 'presentation' settings can be had for 250.00 - 400.00.

 

[yssie]

..okay, that's just bizarre

why not just give her the lovely ring now?



and how on earth did you get said lovely ring for 45k anyway?



ETA: no way are you going to find something decent in the 1ct range (plus setting?) for 2k. clarity enhanced..? Still bizarre!


ETA: how about an eternity? You could get a lovely one in that budget, and she could wear it with her ring when she gets that

 

[IceExplorer]

Maybe it''s because I''m a guy but I don''t find his strategy strange in the least bit.

I think it''s sweet that he wants to make her eyes pop out of her head while they are standing at the alter. I think it is a genuine surprise that will elicit a beautiful response because her guard will be down. I also think it will make her very special day...that much more special.

I''m all for it j_ !!

 

[swingirl]

If you are serious with your plan consider getting 0.74 H I1 and it will be worthy of becoming a pendant or earring after the wedding. There isn't much you will want to do with a poorly cut 1 ct.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 2/16/2010 11:11:35 PM
Author: swingirl
If you are serious with your plan consider getting 0.74 H I1 and it will be worthy of becoming a pendant or earring after the wedding. There isn''t much you will want to do with a poorly cut 1 ct.

ditto

 

[pancake]

I don''t see why you need a diamond at all - why not just propose with a replica ring set with a CZ, then give her "the real thing" when you get home?

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 2/16/2010 7:45:03 PM
Author:j_savitskiy
Ok, so here is the deal... I already have a 45K ring to give to my to be wife ( it is 3 carats and darn near flawless and perfect color ).

I DONT want to show/give her this ring yet until the day of our wedding is when she will receive it. I want to propose to her in a few weeks when I take her to Hawaii and I want to spend no more than 2K on another ring for now.. i want it to be roughly 1 carat, doesnt need to be perfect.

Does anybody have any suggestions? I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks!!!


Oh, and this is my first post...

-Jim

Hi Jim and welcome!

Sounds like you did amazingly well to get a flawless, colourless 3 carater for 45k!! Does it have a GIA grading report?

As to finding a 1 carat for the budget, it is going to be difficult...Would you lower the size a bit to around .75 or a bit larger?

 

[clgwli]

Date: 2/16/2010 11:01:41 PM
Author: IceExplorer
Maybe it''s because I''m a guy but I don''t find his strategy strange in the least bit.

I think it''s sweet that he wants to make her eyes pop out of her head while they are standing at the alter. I think it is a genuine surprise that will elicit a beautiful response because her guard will be down. I also think it will make her very special day...that much more special.

I''m all for it j_ !!

In my opinion that mentality is absolutely wrong for a wedding ceremony. The reception would be fine to do it since that is a part of the "big show" but not during a serious event like the ceremony itself. So as a woman who takes the vows seriously I do find this mentality to be very odd. Not saying this is what the OP is wanting to do, but just saying in general that is a bad thing to do for anyone considering it.

OP is this a family ring or something? Personally I would give it to her now and let her be wowed by it. I see no point in waiting on a ring. I would suggest getting her a CZ but if she finds out it isn''t real and you let her think it is, then you are in for a world of trouble. Kind of why I don''t think you should wait to give her the one at the wedding. It really could put in a string of doubt straight off the bat with her. She could easily wonder why she wasn''t "worthy" of the ring until the ceremony.

I would probably go for a beautiful gemstone ring instead of a diamond. At least she could continue to wear it on her right hand after the fact.

 

[luckynumber]

i don''t get why anyone would do such a thing.

waste of money to buy a poorly cut ring, and highly manipulative behaviour.

poor girl wont get to enjoy her engagement ring until her engagement is over!

i don''t understand it AT ALL

 

[IceExplorer]

Date: 2/17/2010 7:43:29 AM
Author: clgwli

Date: 2/16/2010 11:01:41 PM

Author: IceExplorer

Maybe it''s because I''m a guy but I don''t find his strategy strange in the least bit.


I think it''s sweet that he wants to make her eyes pop out of her head while they are standing at the alter. I think it is a genuine surprise that will elicit a beautiful response because her guard will be down. I also think it will make her very special day...that much more special.


I''m all for it j_ !!

In my opinion that mentality is absolutely wrong for a wedding ceremony. The reception would be fine to do it since that is a part of the ''big show'' but not during a serious event like the ceremony itself. So as a woman who takes the vows seriously I do find this mentality to be very odd. Not saying this is what the OP is wanting to do, but just saying in general that is a bad thing to do for anyone considering it.


OP is this a family ring or something? Personally I would give it to her now and let her be wowed by it. I see no point in waiting on a ring. I would suggest getting her a CZ but if she finds out it isn''t real and you let her think it is, then you are in for a world of trouble. Kind of why I don''t think you should wait to give her the one at the wedding. It really could put in a string of doubt straight off the bat with her. She could easily wonder why she wasn''t ''worthy'' of the ring until the ceremony.


I would probably go for a beautiful gemstone ring instead of a diamond. At least she could continue to wear it on her right hand after the fact.

Yet another argument proving just how very little I know about women and their wishes. I would suspect the ceremony of marriage would make "worthiness" a moot point. Again, that is just a suspicion, I really have NO IDEA.

Now I''m really curious to get some more detail from OP. It sounds like there could be a great story/plot here.

 

[tyty333]

Not that its any of my business, but I can easily see this idea to "shock and awe" at the cermony backfiring in general.

I hope it all goes as expected.

 

[neatfreak]

Personally I see this backfiring. It seems like some sort of test to me-will she marry me with only a 1 ct ring??? Then SURPRISE! You passed the test so you get a 3 ct!!!

I think this is very different than being able to afford a 1 ct when getting engaged and then surprising her with a 3 ct later down the line when you can afford it. Since you have it now OP I would give it to her now or else this could backfire...

 

[soocool]

I would be happy to test drive the 3 ct ring until you say your I do's!

But seriously, why don't you get her an eternity band or some ring that she can later wear either stacked with her ering or on her right hand.

 

[Natylad]

If my fiance'' did that to me at our wedding ceremony, i''d be very upset and i''d think that he was just testing me to see if i want him or the big diamond. Then i''d think that if after all the time that we spent together he hasn''t realized what kind of a person i am and how much he can trust my character and my feelings for him, then he''s not the man i''d really want to marry. Then...given the fact that i''m a very dignified person with much self respect...i might even throw my bouquet to his face and ask my dad to take me home...

 

[denverappraiser]

Gosh, this answers a question I’ve had for a long time. My local rent-to-own center sells engagement rings and I’ve long wondered who in the world would want to rent an engagement ring and why? You've provided the first gentlemanly answer I've heard.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[HVVS]

Date: 2/17/2010 11:34:46 AM
Author: denverappraiser
Gosh, this answers a question I’ve had for a long time. My local rent-to-own center sells engagement rings and I’ve long wondered who in the world would want to rent an engagement ring and why? You''ve provided the first gentlemanly answer I''ve heard.

Neil Beaty

GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA

Professional Appraisals in Denver

 

[Cachette]

Carpe Diem j_savitskiy. Give her the ring now. Who knows what tomorrow will bring....

I`d certainly want it given to me sooner rather than later.

But that`s the diamond whore in me speaking (excuse the language).

Good luck.

Cachette

 

[cakegirl]

About 10 years ago, the guy I was dating bought a 2+ carat ring, proposed without a ring and said he would show me the ring after I said yes or no. The ring was great, the guy not so much.
His mother had told him to do this so I wouldn''t say yes because of the ring. Seriously.

 

[vespergirl]

Maybe the OP is afraid that if one of them breaks off the engagement he won''t get his expensive ring back - but then he shouldn''t propose if he''s that insecure about the relationship.

When Bobby Brown proposed to Whitney Houston, he did something slightly similar - he popped the question with a 1 ct ring, then after she said yes, he pulled out the huge 7 ct honker a few mintues later, and she said that she loved the proposal, and was blown away by the huge ring.

I honestly wouldn''t like that type of proposal, but if the OP insists on doing something like that, I would NOT present her with the bigger ring at the altar - maybe at the rehearsal dinner at the latest.

I agree with some previous posters though that say that if their fiance did that they would be offended & rethink the marriage. It''s one thing if you don''t have money when you get engaged & upgrade the ring later in the engagement when you can afford to do that, but it sounds like he''s planning to "test" the woman which is really stupid.

 

[Yimmers]

If you''re doing this to test her, I think this may backfire.

However, not knowing your intentions, why spend the money that way? Why not buy a pretty wedding band to go with the ring you intend to blow her away with?

 

[reggie]

Unfortunately I think it will be hard to find a 1ct 2k diamond ring that has a real diamond and that was dug from the ground legally.

Date: 2/17/2010 10:52:29 AM
Author: soocool
I would be happy to test drive the 3 ct ring until you say your I do's!

But seriously, why don't you get her an eternity band or some ring that she can later wear either stacked with her ering or on her right hand.

This is probably your best bet for finding something in your price range of 2k. I was thinking about suggesting the same thing until I read what soocool wrote.

If you do go this route please tell us your ideas of what type of colored gem ring or a wedding/eternity band that she might prefer . I think for 2k people on this forum will then be able to find something within your budget.

I also think denverappraiser's idea of renting an ering could fit your criteria if you originally intended to discard the temporary ering in the first place.


correction: I found a .99ct L VS2 for $2094 here if you bank wire it. No idea if it's good but now I'm thinking if you are willing to go into the .95-.99 range you will be able to buy something within your budget.

 

[kristie]

Well folks.....I think the OP has left the building.......

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 2/17/2010 6:05:38 PM
Author: vespergirl
Maybe the OP is afraid that if one of them breaks off the engagement he won''t get his expensive ring back - but then he shouldn''t propose if he''s that insecure about the relationship.

When Bobby Brown proposed to Whitney Houston, he did something slightly similar - he popped the question with a 1 ct ring, then after she said yes, he pulled out the huge 7 ct honker a few mintues later, and she said that she loved the proposal, and was blown away by the huge ring.

I honestly wouldn''t like that type of proposal, but if the OP insists on doing something like that, I would NOT present her with the bigger ring at the altar - maybe at the rehearsal dinner at the latest.

I agree with some previous posters though that say that if their fiance did that they would be offended & rethink the marriage. It''s one thing if you don''t have money when you get engaged & upgrade the ring later in the engagement when you can afford to do that, but it sounds like he''s planning to ''test'' the woman which is really stupid.

LOL! Well if this ain''t proof positive that it is a bad idea, I don''t know what is!

 

[marcy]

I would give her the ring up front; if she''s worth it then she''s worth it now.