...when it comes to buying an engagement ring ?

Given a fixed amount/upper limit of dosh to choose a ring would you go for, say a flawless colour D 0.7-1.0 carat sparkly , or trade up in size for 1.5 carat internally flawed rock ?


Would you want to choose it yourself or not ?
Just out of interest...

Less is more - its quality not quantity....

Size depends on the taste of the soon to be owner of the ring.

Personally I would want to choose myself and would go for quality (instead of quantity)

Flawless 0.7-1.0 is what I'd personally go for.
Also, IMO, taller and/or more voluptuous ladies look better with large jewelry and smaller ladies look better with finer jewelry.

Oh, and I told my husband what I wanted before he bought it

So I let the lady choose and not surprise her ?

Skip the ring. Buy me a Mini Cooper!

So you'd turn down the 4.0 from Tiffany that a friend of mine in the US just got his fiancee?

Tom

Maybe just a mini ? Hmmm...

A white mini as a wedding dress...!!!

A very good German custom is to buy a gold ring and the fiancée wears this on her left hand. When she marries the ring is transfered to the right hand. The husband also receives a wedding ring, I think, on the right hand.

The money saved goes on a decent honeymoon!

It depends I'm afraid - different people have different tastes and also it depends on your hands. I have very thin long fingers and a giant rock (and believe me I tried some on!!) looked absolutely ridiculous on my finger. One thing I personally don't like is rings where the stone sticks out because they catch on everything (jumpers, towels when you wash your hands etc.)

I did choose my engagement ring, and I think to be honest a lot of women love the whole trying on thing - I mean, when else do you get to go into a jewellery shop and try on really expensive things? But then the element of surprise is also lovely too.

So my answer:
- smaller rock, better quality, but style (shape, setting) is as important also.
- I'd go the boring choose it myself route

Of course there is! It has to look right on your hand, be in keeping with other jewelry you wear, etc.

As for quality - I would look at the stones (or equally, let my fiancé look at them - we went together but I'd have trusted him to do it alone) under good light but without a magnifying glass. You're not going to haul out a magnifying glass every time you look at the ring for the next 30 years so why use one now?

Ask to see a selection of diamonds of similar quality to those you are considering, already set in rings. Differences that I thought I could see in loose diamonds (did I? was I imagining it? who knows?) were simply undetectable between the same grades when set in a ring.

In the end we spent well under budget, because I didn't want a bigger ring and found that I couldn't spot the difference in quality across several grades of diamonds (don't ask me which grades they were, haven't the foggiest any more!) so plumped for one of the cheaper ones. If you can't see a difference why pay for the difference? My two cents anyway.

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I wish it were so for me. I spent up on a casual ring for CJ in Gibraltar a few years back. Went for the best heart shaped diamond I could afford. It has a fire and sparkle I have not seen previously in lesser diamonds I have bought over the years. I still grab her hand and move it in the sunlight...It's fascinating.

Agree with meisie. But surely you know what type of jewellery she prefers to wear? (i.e. chunky vs fine)

I personally prefer finer things and hate the ostentatious look. My parents bought me a necklace for my 18th and gave it to me saying "We know it's not what you asked for, but we got this because it looks more expensive". And now I have an expensive looking necklace that I've worn twice (I asked for silver, they got me a yellow gold, which I never ever wear).

I didn't choose my engagement ring, but husband had very good taste Just a thought, I don't know if you're actually planning to get married but will she want to wear it as well as a wedding ring? I can't wear my engagement ring and my wedding ring as they don't really go with each other. My friend's husband got her a wedding ring that was designed to interlock with her engagement ring. Me = jealous!

You can surprise her with a jeweler visiting afternoon

When you have seen some shops her taste will be clear.

And I'm sure she will let you know what she likes.

On a personal note: sometimes you have something on your mind and walk out the shop with something completely different, just because it fits you or the current mood better. Tastes in jewels can change during time.

I would strike a deal with the Jewellers and surprise her. Come on, where is romance nowadays (BUT if she does not like it - make sure you have an arrangement with the jeweller so that you can exchange [although it is unlikely the jeweller will agree to a full refund, only an exchange].
You should know the sort of thing she likes - or ask her best friend or sister?
I think a simple diamond solitaire (does she wear white gold or yellow??) - not too small, but not too big, is always so tasteful. Tell us how you get on.

Sigh, apparently this is for "General Off Topic" and not "Family Matters" -->

"Birth, death, marriage, divorce, school, doctors and medical advice, dentists, etc."

Sorry , can't "Thank button" anyone now.

Yes, there is too big that it is tacky...

I have two engagement rings.... actually, no I have three....

The one my husband proposed with is a 3 stones. It was so big that I asked our jeweller for a smaller size. I didn't feel safe to walk in the street with it. I think the jeweller almost got a heart attack (he never saw a woman asking for smaller.... )

The money my then hubby to be saved on that ring was invested in a Solitaire diamond ring that I could wear on a daily basis.

And the third one is our engagement set.

I wasn't involve in the choice of the first one but after I changed it, I got to have a second one.... For the third one, we did shop them together to find the perfect set!

My husband took me to my favourite jewellery designer and let me create my own ring. We set a budget and worked within it. I got exactly what I wanted. We ended up buying my husbands engagement watch within the same budget

Hrupmph.... Not a mini dress.... One of these. Much more practical than jewelry....



And if size doesn't matter then one of these:



But seriously, if she wants jewelry and it's expensive, best to ask her if she wants to be surprised or not.