The All New Ladies-In-Waiting Club!

[njc]

Croi - Does the b/f know that you are making all these plans and starting to get a little worried? I guess the first thing to do is sit down and talk with him. Explain that you dont mean to be pushy or anything, that you are just starting to get a little worried because youve made plans and friends have flights, etc. Maybe get an idea of where he is in his planning?

 

[i_like_tiffany_please_dont_hate_me]

DG: you seem to get things on the dot

just like you, he wanted IF. He is still looking to see if he can find one in budget.

tell him the ''IF'' diamonds are NOT internally flawless, but that they do have inclusions, but you just can''t see them without a 40x microscope! (I think I am right here... if I am not someone please tell me!) that made me realise that it is better to go with eye-clean VS2, spend the money on a better setting, larger ring, lower colour whatever.

Trading in to upgrade is out. BF wants e-ring to be ''the ONe''.

I agree 100%

We''re sentimental fools!

me too!

Are you sure you''re only 21?

I am indeed 21

 

[Erin]

Oh Croi, I don''t know sweetie - you''re in a pickle!

Worst case scenario you and all your friends have a great time in Ireland in May - even though the wedding is set for October - it could be your bachelorette party!

I understand the dilemma of waiting to pay debt, or buy a house or a car.....But I told my bf that I would be more willing and confident about buying a house or a car, or paying his debt as well as mine after we have agreed to be married - outwardly with a ring, not just because we both know that ''someday'' it will happen.

I have no second doubts that we will be married soon, but I just won''t make that assumption and start living a life where there is no division between now and later (married).

 

[i_like_tiffany_please_dont_hate_me]

About the wedding ring. My grandparents will have been married 60 years in June. They have LITERALLY never taken off their wedding bands. When they have had surgeries, wrist settings, they have somehow convinced the Drs to allow them to pull it up to the tip of their finger and tape it there.

that is so sweet!!!

 

[Croí]

njc
hi, and thanks. yes, he knows all about all of it. I have even found some decorative stuff I want to use and he''s seen it all and heard all my ideas. he''s totally onboard and even okay with the May 1st date and everything. his thing is '''' but I want to ASK you'''' and my best friend says that he must (she says ''knowing him'') have some specific plan already in mind and therefore doesn''t want to just pop the question simply because I want it to happen, now/now/yesterday !

it''s all going to be fine I know. I just feel like I stole his thunder and that we have different priorities. while I admit having these particular friends there is important (as they are our everyday rely-on-them, have-fun-with-them friends here) I now feel that the MOST important thing is that this day is about both of us .... and I guess I kind of lost sight of that and now feel kinda badly.
the only thing is that I haven''t told anyone else, anyone at home (because they don''t have to travel) so I''m hoping it all balances out and that we''ll still have plenty of happy announcing to do that will make up for my giving advance notice to these friends.

the other thing is I know we both are feeling those haunts of relationships-past and that they give us the heebi-geebies (though for each of us it''s different and different things that make the hairs rise up!) and that we both need to get past that hurdle and slap those haunts firmly back into the past where they belong.

I am sure it''s only human nature and natural to feel the ''once-bitten, twice-shy'' feeling when it finally sinks in that here you are, getting ready to commit your life to someone ..... oops, remember how this went last time !?

plenty of family tension with the holidays isn''t helping matters either ! roll on New Years !!!

 

[rfath]

::cheering::

I''m SO happy to see people getting crossed off the list! It''s very exciting to see these beautiful rings but even more cool to see the beautiful women getting them - and how excited *they* are!

I still haven''t started looking at dresses... my florist and function coordinator for the reception site got into an argument, and my mother has started inviting people for me (''oh, I just thought you''d want them to come too!''). But I''ve got my ring and every time I see it I remember that my fiance loves me. He loves me SO much that I''m SURE he''ll help me out with this planning stuff.

My fiance wasn''t scared of the committment of getting married - he''d asked after we''d been together for less than a year, but he was afraid that he wouldn''t be able to afford what he thought I wanted (again, that IF, 2+carat thing). He was so relieved when I started doing the research and showed him stones that were roughly what I was looking for that he kept offering to buy them right then and there. (we won''t talk about my own massive debt - it''s going to be YEARS before I can rummage myself out of this one!).

 

[allycat0303]

Dancinbaby,

DEBT, the damper on almost everything! I guess it must be hard for him to compromise on quality...but vvs???? Jeez. I''d take and si1 or v2. Did you talk to him on what kind of time frame it''s going to be? If it is six months, then I think it will go by really fast. One or two years might be a different matter completely. I''m sure things will turn out either way. Hang in there. The wait is always the hardest part.

 

[njc]

Croi - Glad that he knows all the work youve done. And your friends theory that he already has something special plan does seem like a reasonable hold up. I would say as long as he hasnt put up any kind of protest to all your "pre-planning", you should be okay. And i think its great that you gave your really close friends the heads up so they could get flights. I hope he doesnt feel like you are stealing his thunder. If you have a place(s) picked out for the wedding/reception and any other MAJOR things, maybe you could try to restrain from doing too much more without him (like decorations, favors, invitations, etc)? I know its hard with such a tight timeline, but maybe that would help with the whole thunder, its our day thing?

 

[Croí]

njc
thanks for the support !
I think it will be fine. Guess I''m allowed moments of pure panic !?!?!

All I have done, besides give a heads-up to those friends, is sent out feelers (via e-mail and snail mail) to get feedback on prices and availability so we can plan from there. I don''t want to do it without him ! I''m hoping to get some chatting/planning done in the next few weeks so I can try to meet some people (photographer for instance) when I am home in January. I am going for my nephew''s first birthday and because I can''t afford the Christmas prices !

It will be ideal and perfect if he asks me before I go as then I can go all out-crazy-girlie with my sisters and my Mom while I''m there !!

That is what I have my fingers crossed for !

I love the idea of a marquee next to some pub in the middle of nowhere with views of the Atlantic and local farmers poking their heads into the ''tent'' to see what''s going on !! I think this would be perfect and so fun !

Peter (

that''s his name

) is so fantastic though because even though he''s only been home to Ireland twice he''s totally on for getting married there amongst my big old crazy family and odd superstitious traditions ! Is it any wonder I''m so in luurrve !!?!

btw, anyone like old style, not quite medieval but in that vein - dresses ??? anyone got any good links or sites ??

Croí

 

[AmantdeChat]

Hello! I love the "ladies in waiting" club! I have been one of those for quite some time now. In fact, I was getting so frustrated that I stopped coming to Pricescopt (and DT) because it was just making me crazy seeing all the great rings and reading about all the great proposals and not knowing if it was ever going to happen to me!

Well I can attest to the pain and agony that us ladies in waiting go through (okay, maybe it''s not that bad, but it''s close!

).
After 4 1/2 years my boyfriend finally decided it was time to take the next step! Believe me when I say I was literally speechless. I wasn''t sure if I had heard him right when he said he wanted to buy me a ring. Well, I heard right and we are in the process of getting a round center diamond from Good Old Gold (it will be here tomorrow!!) and having it put in a Verragio setting at a local jeweler whom we have worked with in the past. It has all been a blur and I am extremely excited to finally be taking that next step.
My boyfriend (fiance sp?) is planning on doing a more official proposal once we get the ring (4 weeks!!!

) so I am looking forward to that!!
Don''t give up girls, alot of guys are just stubborn and want to do it their way and in their own time! It drives you crazy, but I swear when I finally just stopped worrying about it and trying my best to let it go BOOM it happened! Good luck to everybody and may all your stockings be filled with sparklies!!!

 

[gingerBcookie]

lovey - how can you think you can get away with telling us you spoke with leon and not tell us what you decided?!?!?! spill it woman!

croi - your wedding sounds lovely! and like a whole lotta fun! can i come?

that''s so great that while your man still wants to surpise you and prob has this nice elaborate proposal planned, he is practical enough to not get sulky that you have to do some pre-planning.

alley and jcjd - thanks for the help/advice...i will definitely hit ya''ll up on that since turns out i have to have a poster ready by mid jan and i''m gone till jan 3

yikes...what''s up with thses crazy deadlines...is it always like this?!?!

speaking of deadlines, prompted by my financial musings yesterday, my bf and i discussed our/his (

) budget and figured that the earliest he can order the ring is end of Jan, since we wanna order both e-ring and w-band at the same time. so i have until then to completely makeup my mind on the EXACT ring I want. Woohoo....my first ring deadline....it feels good to have a goal set, but i''m afraid of these false ones you girls have been talking about...keep fingers crossed that this is legit!

 

[kanne]

gingerB - congratulations on your ring date!!!!!!!!!!! What is your dream ring?

Croi- I love the idea of getting married on May 1. Esp in Ireland (is that where you are?). All those leprechauns running around the maypole and then straight to the pub!

ok
(insert ear to ear grin here)
I haven't written about it because I can't believe I'm not dreaming. We met with Leon M who happens to be a very cool , very down to earth guy. We brought a bunch of photos, but really wanted Leon to get inspired by our asscher/se (probably hard for him to do since he has seen a LOT of to-die-4 stones). Oh just for you pricescopers, my diamond is a 1.52 (not a 1.6 as I originally thought), H color VS1 and very asscher-y looking. Does this make sense? So many SE's aren't cut correctly... It's so yummy and i can't wait to wear it!! anyway...

Hmm. It's so hard to explain the experience. I just KNOW that it will be beautiful. Leon "gets" it. Just the right amount of bling. The setting design is a combination of creative input from all 3 of us. Inspired by a daniel K but with a bunch of modifcations and inspirations. Sort of like the photo but pave only on the outside of the band (not all 3 sides) and around the diamond. Tapered shank. A few surprise diamonds and one inside the band for good luck. The pave around the stone will be in proportion so that it will not be overwhelming. More of a compliment to the diamond than to make it look bigger.

Is that a good description? I'm sorry, but it's hard to...concentrate. I'm in la la land. The finish date for the ring is Jan 20... I've waited 10 years, I guess I can wait a few more weeks for the precioussssss.

Of course I won't see it again until the actual proposal but I know my BF won't torture me too long.

-lovey

 

[yanekie25]

Lovey, it sounds just gorgeous. I am loving this asschers I have seen lately. Very nice.

 

[twinkletoes]

Well, we finally had an indepth talk about ...well, everything! It was so great! And on Saturday we even stopped by a B & M Jewelry store to try on rings for the first time! It was so exciting!

It looks like we''ll be getting engaged in early 2005 and hopefully will TRY to get married the same year. I''ve been telling him the past 2 years that I want AT LEAST a year to plan our wedding, but does he listen? LOL I told him that finding our dream venue (ceremony & reception same place, ocean view, outdoors ok) & for the date we want it & on short notice will be tough.

But I''m so happy that we finally seem to be on the same page regarding spending the rest of our lives together!

I have to admit though... none of the 5-6 rings I tried on excited me in the least bit. My inside reaction to them all were "eh." On the outside I was more tactful, but it worries me. Am I overly picky? Will I not find anything good enough?

I''m still trying to educate myself on diamonds, but at the point it''s hard because I haven''t figured out what shape I want/like. I''m thinking RB or cushion? I tried on an oval and pear and hated them both on my hand.

Also, is there a visible difference between Hearts & Arrows RB diamonds and regular Ideal Cut RB?

My coworker has a nice engagement ring, but I''ve noticed that it''s not really fire-y. My best friend''s diamond throws amazing sparks and rainbows of light, but hers isn''t like that. It''s very white and clean looking... just minus the sparks. Why is that? I''m thinking my coworker''s cut is not great? She''s mentioned before that her center stone is an antique diamond so maybe it has to do with the cut?

 

[JCJD]

twinkletoes - don''t worry!! Finding *your* ring is like searching for your H2b, or your wedding dress. You''ll probably go through a lot of "eh" rings before you find "The One"! So no, you are DEFINITELY NOT overly picky!! Absolutely normal!

Like I''m wanting my real ering to be like my fake one, but I want the basket setting changed to trellis or 4-prong Tiffany, I want an untapered shank instead, I want princess or radiant channel set sides, I want the band to be thinner, etc etc etc.... so I might be picky, but it''s what I like!!

 

[gingerBcookie]

lovey - your ring sounds DE-lish! i also have been loving all the asshers i've seen lately and I CAN"T wai to see yours!!! as i'm sure you are too

twinkletoes - i went through the same thing...a bunch of rings that i'm like pretty...but ok that's it, no wow factor. then one magical day, i slid on MY ring, (which honestly i tried on in a whim since it wasn't what i thought was in my taste) and boom, there it was, I couldn't get it out of my head. as for H&A vs non H&A ideal cut, i may get stoned

on ps for saying this, but i think its all a matter of taste. i have a non H&A AGS000 (ideal cut, polish, and symmetry), and when I went to WF to toalk to Brian, he showed me a bunch of ACA H&A. They were beautiful, but I preferred mine. I felt like mine had way more fire and life, vs the H&A which were very coldly beautiful, and I saw Fs, Gs, and Hs (mine is a G), and I could still clearly distinguish between even a G and H. My BF agreed with me. But keep in mind, that is our preference and prob the majority of PS will disagree with me...so moral of the story....just find out which you prefer!

 

[appletini]

twinkletoes: That is so excited that y''all looked at rings together! I think finding the right e-ring is like finding the right man...you go through all the wrong ones to find the right one, and when you find the right one you just know. Be patient. I fall in love with a new ring at least three times a day, just from all the pics I see on PS.

 

[goldengirl]

Hello, ladies! Whew, a lot goes on here when I''m away for a day! The boy and I went snowboarding with some friends today, and I feel like I''m just going to fall over... it''s even hard to lift my arms to the keyboard and type. I''m just so DEAD!!!

We had a GREAT time though, it''s the first time I''ve been on my board in three years and I missed the baby. Took some reaquainting but we connected again.

Anyway I just wanted to pop in and say hello, check in on everybody, make sure I didn''t miss anything TOO important...!

lovey, your ring will be just beautiful! I love that Daniel K. and if it''s based on that but made by Leon it''s like a guaranteed pass to droolsville!!

Oh, and JCJD...paint the Wal-mart ring band with clear nail polish. It will stop it from getting any ickier or turning your finger green.

 

[gingerBcookie]

Date: 12/14/2004 10:34:29 PM
Author: goldengirl

Oh, and JCJD...paint the Wal-mart ring band with clear nail polish. It will stop it from getting any ickier or turning your finger green.

lol...goldengirl that is such great advice...and given only as an expert anxious lady-in-wiating can! i love it!

 

[NoonersMom]

Hi Ladies (and gentleman),

I happened upon this site this afternoon as I was searching for the Ritani Endless Love collection. Needless to say, I didn''t get any work done at the office today. hehe. What a great resource this board is! As it turns out, I am a lady in waiting as well. My BF & I have been together for almost two years. When we started dating I stated that I would not date for more than two years. If he didn''t know if he wanted to spend his life with me after two years, then it isn''t meant to be. It will be two years January 17th.

Fast forward to the last month....we''ve traveled out of the country to meet his parents & get their approval & we''ve gone to Bailey, Banks & Biddle to check out the Ritani Ring. The ring is a BR 1.1 center stone with bezel set around the main, micro pave on the band. Center stone is an H, SI1. After hearing about Leon, I can''t help but wonder if this is something he can design for a lower cost, but with better craftsmanship (I loved the way he did Rena''s ring - congrats Rena! That is stunning). While we live in WI, I am willing to shop the diamond district & pay a visit to Leon as it sounds well worth the effort!

For those of you who have worked with Leon, did you enjoy working with him? Was the cost reasonable, etc. Thoughts?

Thanks for any assistance you can provide. I greatly appreciate it. There are some stunning rings on here. Not to mention a great support group while one waits...LOL.

~Nooner''s Mom

 

[blueroses]

Ladies!!! I am home in CA with my parents now--flew in yesterday and haven't had a second online until now--and still haven't been able to catch up on everyone's posts, but I WILL!! My dad is doing muchmuch better. He's weak and not very comfortable, but he's ok and more importantly is going to be OK. He had a good check-up today and my job now is just to support my mom and help get the house ready for Christmas. (BF is being VERY helpful btw....I do wish a proposal were happening, but he's just reminding me why I want one in the first place by being so great.)

Anyway....I have missed you girls (and guy, DG!!) and will write more very soon....njc, GORGEOUS ring and story!!!! SuziQ, can't wait for yours too.

All of you grad students, GOOD LUCK!!! I have almost 2 masters under my belt (one is just the coursework and I still have to write the thesis) so I feel your pain. The end of the semester is here and relief is coming!

OK. I am literally being called to dinner. Have to share (will write more later) that my diamond obsession has gotten absurd. I made my mom take off her rings and then bring me her other ones that she doesn't wear so I could CLEAN them all--I was going nuts with this diamond I've seen my whole life as if I'd never seen it before. "Nice arrows, mom!!" "M, you're sick. You should work in a jewelry store."

p.s. Lovey, as your fellow asscher-lover, I am so thrilled that your Leon meeting went well, and your future ring sounds absolutely drool-worthy. I am still thinking we should use him perhaps...I do live in NY, after all!!

 

[kasih]

Hi Ladies. I have really enjoyed reading all y''alls posts for the past couple weeks. I finally think it''s high time that I join in on the fun. My BF really surprised me by taking me to look at rings a few weeks ago. I was really floored and caught off guard, but overjoyed at the same time. I had no idea what I liked, so I tried on every shape and decided I like the princess cut the best. Here is a pic of the setting I picked out but I want it with a princess cut. However, seeing all the beautiful rings you guys have described, I may be having second thoughts!

So hopefully Santa is bringing me something nice and sparkely this year!

 

[persistent]

Ladies-
I have been lurking, and absolutely had to post after I felt the pain of all those grad students! I just finished on 20 Nov, and the thought of the experiment or thesis writing, revising, revising, revising still makes me cringe! Hang in there! It will be over someday and it is the most bizarre feeling...to be free again.

I too am ''waiting'', although we''ve picked a diamond and setting out with the help of Mark at Engagement Rings Direct. It should be here this week...anyday! I''m so excited, although I expect to be kept waiting for a proposal because he likes the leverage.

-j

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

My coworker has a nice engagement ring, but I''ve noticed that it''s not really fire-y. My best friend''s diamond throws amazing sparks and rainbows of light, but hers isn''t like that. It''s very white and clean looking... just minus the sparks. Why is that? I''m thinking my coworker''s cut is not great? She''s mentioned before that her center stone is an antique diamond so maybe it has to do with the cut?

Twinkletoes:

You will find "the one" like JCJD said, it will take time....and then you''ll probably agonize over making a decision anyway!! LOL!!

As for your coworkers-vs-friends ring. There are two factors that may be at play here. 1. cut 2. lighting. Diamonds, even the best ones, perform differently under different lighting. Sometimes my ring shoots arrows of dark reds, oranges, sometimes it shoots all the colors of the rainbow, sometimes it is just icy white. It really depends where you are and what kind of lighting it is in. Observe rings in all kinds of lighting before you make a decision!!

 

[i_like_tiffany_please_dont_hate_me]

Observe rings in all kinds of lighting before you make a decision!!

but how can one do that when buying online???

I think I remember reading in the education that the HCA score can tell you whether a stone will have more fire or more brilliance, something like below 1 more brilliance, above 1 more fire... I could be wrong, it was a while ago that I read it...

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

Date: 12/15/2004 10

5:55 AM
Author: diamondgeezer

Observe rings in all kinds of lighting before you make a decision!!

but how can one do that when buying online???

I think I remember reading in the education that the HCA score can tell you whether a stone will have more fire or more brilliance, something like below 1 more brilliance, above 1 more fire... I could be wrong, it was a while ago that I read it...

You are right, it is difficult...but that is what return-windows are for. I would not buy from someone that had a hefty return window for this purpose. First thing I did when I got my ring was 1. observe it in all kinds of light and 2. bring it to an appraiser to have evaluated, which then confirmed what a performer it was...

I am not sure about the HCA thing???

 

[i_like_tiffany_please_dont_hate_me]

found what I was talking about in the education

"three categories: Brilliant Ideal Cuts (BIC), Tolkowsky Ideal Cuts (TIC) and Firey Ideal Cuts (FIC). Brilliant Ideal Cuts return the most light and ''spread'' or measure more for the same weight. Firey Ideal Cuts have more flashes of color and appear to have more facets or scintillation."

"Diamond experts have known for a long time that steep crown angles and small tables (like ''old cut'' diamonds) produce more fire. But this combination also produces less light return. Less light return makes it easier to see firey flashes that might otherwise be swamped by bright white sparkles; that one reason is why old cut diamonds and some fancy cuts appear to have a lot of fire"

there is a pic, http://diamonds.pricescope.com/ideal.asp , seems to me that it means that a stone with a higher crown angle and lower pavillion angle leads to a more fiery diamond and a stone with a higher pavillion angle and lower crown angle is more brilliant

 

[susiQ]

hey guys-

I''m trying to post pics but just can''t get it to work.

Can anyone help??

Susi

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

Suzi: Make sure that you name your file something other than "ring.jpg" name is SuziQBlingBling.jpg b/c the server doesn''t accept duplicate name files!

 

[susiQ]

So here is the story (condensed version)

After lunch overlooking the beach, Reese and I went to check out the erosion on the beach from the hurricanes..... As we were walking I made a comment about how we should pick up some sea shells and started walking ahead and looking around. I hear Reese say "Hey, look" and I turn around to find Reese down on one knee. I thought at first he had found something, but when I looked at what was in his hand I realized what was happening! It was a total surprise because (as you all know) all signs pointed towards graduation.

The picture is blurry, I am working on a better one..... (How do I post more than one pic??)