Women Only! Poll: Perfect Size for an Engagement Ring?

[chialea]

The perfect size really does vary by cut!

I voted .5-1.0... I have tiny hands, even though I'm tall, and a 1 carat RB looks a bit too much for me on an everyday basis. I could go quite a bit closer to a 1.5 in an Asscher cut, though, since they don't take up as much visual space as a round, both in sparkle and in area.

Basically, for my (left-handed and reasonably active) lifestyle, I don't want something that will ever get in my way, or that would look out of place working at a homeless shelter. Practicality is very high on my list in terms of wedding jewery. ("must be able to put hand in pocket" is one of my listed qualifications, and that includes my tight jeans)

For a fancy-dress ring, there's a whole different set of qualifications. I don't ever want to have to take my wedding jewelery off, so it has to be impervious and durable

 

[kaylagee]

My vote: For an engagement ring, I think a low-set 2-3ct. would be perfect & substantial. My ring size is 4.25-4.5 I was 31 when engaged.
I'm 29 now.

Besides the 'wow, golly gee' factor... I appreciate the shapes, light, and faceting on larger diamonds. On the smaller ones, I only see the play of sparkle, which is fab too, but less thrilling.

Maybe I'm just diamond crazed

but 'shrinkage' is so real! In a year and a half, I've already gone from 1.08 to getting a 1.54 center for a 'right hand set' with a .46 ring guard.

I'm keeping my original for sentimental reasons(it has been reset in another mounting & I do wear it everyday) but would have absolutely loved to receive a 2ct.

Hopefully, in a few years, we can trade my right-hand diamond up to a 3ct(I'd do a J, si1, Ideal cut in a heartbeat for the size, no problem).

I guess I'm with Mara on this one.

 

[Blueman33]

I am a guy.

I do not see 'view results'

The poll could use improvement so it is TOTALLY obvious how to get the results.

Results from other polls on other web pages are simply a vote which are displayed at the top.

.5-.9 c
1.-1.25c

or whatever, not a bunch of posts you have to sift through.

this could be improved.

Thanks

 

[fancyrock]

I vote for between 1ct-1.99ct. As we all know, after 2ct the price jumps quite a bit.

And besides, there is always room for upgrade later!

 

[reena]

if you actually vote (back in the very first post) you can view the results.




i know this is an old poll, but if we're talking no-holds-or-checkbooks-barred fantasy ring? 3-3.5c solitaire.

in real life that might look silly on my size 4.25 finger and mean we couldn't eat for a year, but in dream-land, i'm all for it.

 

[jenwill]

Weeeeell, in dreamland I guess 3 would be nice.

I think it also matters what shape of stone you are getting- my dream stone is an asscher cut- which is significantly smaller in maesurements for the same carat weight as a RB. So, unfortunately I have to go larger in carat size to start to achieve the gee whiz looks!

 

[reena]

well i would definitely lose control of various bodily functions if i saw you wearing a 3ct asscher, that's fo sho

 

[valeria101]

Couldn't hep it

(Name:Endless Horizon; Authors: Lawrence Stoller and Glen Lehrer; Specs: 36000cts topaz, bronze and jade; Photo: Harold&Erica Van Pelt of course).

 

[KBerly]

ana

great googley moogley!

 

[cflutist]

I think 2 - 3 cts would be nice. I tried on a 4 ct once and it was just way out of proportion for my size 3.75 finger.

 

[iceprincess]

I love my 1.28 RB, but if money was no object I'd go for the 2-2.5 c range. I work with my hands, but I wear a size 8 ring so I think it would look proportional and appropriate for daily wear.

 

[jodstr2]

I have a 1.03 but would love a 2! Anything bigger than a 2 looks too big on me.

 

[Morticia]

I voted for the 2-2.5. I have skinny little fingers, so anything more than that, looks silly on me, I think. I tried on a 3.31 RB once and did not like the way it looked at all.




So, a nice 2.5 cushion, D-F, IF would be my dream diamond.

 

[b52holly]

Hey sorry to ruin all the fun, but dont you think that the women of this board aren't exactly representative of all women...c'mon guys, everyone on this board (especially those of you who lurk around here all the time) are a little obsessed with diamonds? Obsessed not being a bad thing but you know what I mean. Also I dont think a guy should be getting the consensus of other women that he doesnt even know to see what his future fiance would want when we dont even know her...Honestly guys you should know more about your girlfriend than we do. And if you dont...just go ask her friends - they would know what she wants. I really don't understand that. I dunno- i feel like if you haven't ever had a convo with her about what she would want or dont already know then you dont know enough about her to be proposing. Sorry if people disagree but thats my opinion. I hope its not taken as being offensive.

 

[goldengirl]

holly--

Most girls, when their bf's bring up diamond rings, will have a general understanding of what their honey could afford and will throw out a size range within that budget, unless they don't care if they get a cloudy, milky diamond as long as it's big.

I think this poll might be more to show men what the average woman REALLY wants in a diamond.

Having said that, I will agree with you that the AVERAGE woman is not on this site!

However, it will give them an idea that their girlfriend really wouldn't mind a nice 1ct, despite their protestations that a 1/2, 1/3, or 1/4ct is plenty big enough.

Or maybe it will just plant the "upgrade" seeds in their minds, and that's okay too!!

I don't want a big rock for my first ring. Since it will be, by far, the most expensive piece of jewelry I own, I think it will take some getting used to wearing on a daily basis. When I can wear a 1/3ct without constant, heart-stopping paranoia (OMG! I banged it on the window! OMG! I took it off when I washed my hands! OMG! Is that a bent prong???) and when we're a little more stable, I'd love to upgrade. Final size, I dunno. We'll see how bad a case of diamond shrinkage I get.

 

[b52holly]

"Most girls, when their bf's bring up diamond rings, will have a general understanding of what their honey could afford and will throw out a size range within that budget, unless they don't care if they get a cloudy, milky diamond as long as it's big."

Why would you lie to your boyfriend...you mean to tell me when you and youre boyfriend have one of those hypothetical talks (you know "if we were gabillionaires would you...") you tell him what you think he can afford...gee fun conversation. Hes not your child hes your boyfriend...i dont understand that.

 

[z78gml]

MY DREAM - 5CARAT ROUND, D COLOR, VVS1 OR VVS2, HEART AND ARROW,IDEAL CUT. THE TOP OF THE LINE BABY.....

 

[reena]

----------------
On 10/14/2004 1:27:34 PM b52holly wrote:





'Most girls, when their bf's bring up diamond rings, will have a general understanding of what their honey could afford and will throw out a size range within that budget, unless they don't care if they get a cloudy, milky diamond as long as it's big.'

Why would you lie to your boyfriend...you mean to tell me when you and youre boyfriend have one of those hypothetical talks (you know 'if we were gabillionaires would you...') you tell him what you think he can afford...gee fun conversation. Hes not your child hes your boyfriend...i dont understand that.
----------------

why so hostile holly?

first, i don't think this poll was at all intended to be a resource for men wondering what size diamond to buy their own girlfriends. if you look at the initial post, it was clearly meant as just a fun exercise to see what women would want in a fantasy world where money is no object. nothing sinister about it.

and that's the point it seems to me that GG was trying to make. that is, some women may fantasize about a 5 carat D/IF, but know that in the real world that's not practical or reasonable (not only because of what their BF can afford, but also for any number of other reasons, such as "i'd rather we buy a house" or "i'd rather we save the money" or whatever). the poll was just a "forget about reality for a sec" for fun kind of thing.

 

[b52holly]

reena-
no one is being hostile....calm down

But actually if you go back to mara's first post she wrote this
"I said 'women only' because that way we can have a targeted test audience for the future men who float in and go...I'm confused..what size for my girl? They will have poll answers comprised of ONLY WOMEN responding, so that they can get a good idea of what X # of women think"

So...yeah this poll is kinda a guide for men looking for help. Otherwise I wouldn't have written anything. I love to dream and when my boyfriend and I play this dream question game (we do all the time...its fun to dream) I'm honest with him...i dont sugar coat it to match what we can afford in fear that he thinks i really expect that. I am just warning the men out there that I dont think the women on this board are representative of the general population of women. Calm down.

 

[oldminer]

Probably a lot of viewers wanted the results and couldn't figure out where they were hiding. The 1.00 to 1.50ct size seems most popular...





The bump up at 3 carat plus is the result of not having a 3-4ct range, 4-5ct range probably. I expected the 1.00 to 1.50ct size to have been the top one with a curve down on either side just as we have here. If this poll was run only in small town, mid-America, the results would have been more towards the somewhat less than 1ct size and probably if this was run only in the largest metro areas the high point would have moved more toward the 2 carat range.





Also, a couple more things to be mindful of: This is a "wish " poll and does not reflect the financial reality we all live in. Internet savvy shoppers are a small segment of the total market for diamonds. Less knowledgeable or less learned shoppers are forced to accept smaller diamonds to stay within a budget. Most people "adjust" their wish to fit their ability and just make the best of the compromise....

 

[reena]

i am perfectly calm. you sounded rather hostile in response to goldengirl's post.

 

[oldminer]

Here is a present image of the poll results.

 

[moremoremore]

I agree Dave. It is geographical indeed. A poll taken in NYC might be SLIGHTLY different than one taken in the suburbs of Wisconsin. And us pricescopers are certainly not typical by any means LOL

 

[b52holly]

reena i'm not hostile....really...i'm really not that kind of person. I am the kind of person who doesnt want a large diamond...but thats because I have teeny fingers...if they were bigger I'd probably want a different size ring for me. So i'm totally not being hostile towards anyone...if you dream of a 10 carat ring or even 20 good for you...if not...good for you. I was just making sure the guys looking at this know that this forum isn't representative of most girls. I'm making no judgements so I hope you aren't either.

 

[moremoremore]

LOL Ana....that was funny...is that the size of the rough before it's cut down to fit the setting?

I think a lot has to do with hand size also. I have large man hands/ bear paws and am a big girl at 5'10"+...so a 2 carat ring looks like a one carat on my hand...siiggghhhh...

 

[reena]

okay holly, let's just be friends.

(and clearly, i need to learn to read a little better the first time around.

)




i was really just trying to defend my dear goldengirl's honor.

 

[b52holly]

No biggie

Just didn't want those already uneasy guys out there getting scared off.

 

[canuk-gal]

----------------
On 10/14/2004 1:28:52 PM z78gml wrote:

MY DREAM - 5CARAT ROUND, D COLOR, VVS1 OR VVS2, HEART AND ARROW,IDEAL CUT. THE TOP OF THE LINE BABY.....

----------------

HI:

I'm with you sista--and I dare say my man hands could handle it!!!

cheers

Sharon

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

I know this is being nit-picky. But I see this quote attributed to the wrong person all the time. I love Nancy Reagan. But, "A WOMEN IS LIKE A TEA BAG ONLY IN HOT WATER WILL YOU KNOW HOW STRONG SHE IS" NANCY REAGAN

was not coined by her... It was coined by Eleanor Roosevelt.

 

[innerkitten]

We need a whats your favorite colored gemstone poll. has that been done yet?