Prelim reseach

[ella22]

I've started doing some of the preliminary research for my boyfriend - gathering enough info and pictures of my favorite things as possible to make this easy. Afraid he'll get totally ripped off otherwise. Hopefully he stumbles across this forum sooner or later, but in the meantime, I'm trying to compile a lot of options to leave laying around so he doesn't feel so overwhelmed. At first I was leaning toward a halo setting, but I have found and fallen in love with this

I absolutely adore the look this this setting. We are trying to keep a 10k budget, would love some recommendations on stones and designers to go with. I have been loving everything I've seen from ERD and I am able to travel to NYC very easily. Any other recommendations or suggestions are more than welcome!

 

[CharmyPoo]

I love it. With a 10K budget, I think ERD or DK would be good choices to make the setting. If you want to maximize your budget/size, I would also consider digging around for a "pre-loved" center stone.

A setting like this - usually the masters are LM, SK, VC but that will suck up any where from 4-5K.

 

[heididdl]

EVen ERD starts at $3,000

 

[CharmyPoo]

EVen ERD starts at $3,000

Perhaps ready made Gabriel & Co is the way to go?

 

[ella22]

I'm also not looking for a crazy big center stone. I have a very petite hand, so around a carat or so will do. I also like the look of a warmer ring, so I'm okay have a "lower" color which I hope will help with the price. I'm also not partial to a round stone versus a square cut...I've tried on both this weekend and flipflopped between both. Will one get you more bang for your buck than the other? Or does this setting really lend itself to the round stone? I've always thought I would want to have a halo to make the ring sparkle more at a lower carat size, but I've seen some halos recently that I really didn't like. I feel like it can detract if it is not done perfectly/beautifully and I don't know if that's isn our budget right now.

There is potential for room in the budget, but my boyfriend is the first of any of his group of friends/family to start researching rings so he the $$ is slightly overwhelming for him since he has no prior knowledge or exposure and I definitely don't want anything that makes him uncomfortable! I'm hoping I'll be able to show him some options that show him what's really doable before we're dating another 5 years while he saves up (we've been together for 5 going on six, while talking about marriage seriously for at least 3 of those years, which is why I'm trying to get this process moving!)

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[ella22]

EVen ERD starts at $3,000

Good to know! I haven't seen anything on his prices, though I did contact him with what I'm looking for and budget so I'm waiting to here what he has to say. Right now we're basically just shopping around for prices and what we can get for the money. I don't think either of us are the type to update a ring (I say that now, but who knows down the road), so I don't want to look into a temporary setting, either.

I've seen some great suggestions on the forum, so would love to know what you guys would recommend for a carat stone and setting of this type!

 

[CharmyPoo]

That setting will look great in a cushion or round cut .. heck even an asscher.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I'd strongly recommend leaving the pave off the little doughnut that is at the base beneath the stone because those diamonds will scratch your wedding band. Leave that smooth metal.

 

[ella22]

I think I would love the diamonds off the doughnut. It looks pretty, but I would like to eventually have two eternity bands on either side to side, so that would be useless at the end of the day. Any other well recommended designers to look at with settings similar to this? Is this something thats better hand done then ready made?

 

[Gypsy]

Can't you just be direct with your boyfriend?

If you don't you are going to quite frankly be disappointed. Just email him the link and tell him that you hope he doesn't mind but you decided to help him a bit so he knows what you like and where to get it.

I don't get this cutesy cloak and dagger stuff.