Creditneter's I need your help. I'm about to buy an Engagement Ring and I need some "insider information". I've read a ton of info on the Four C's. I understand that and all. I'm aware of the GEM certifying firms and I only seek to buy a diamond that comes with one of those certificates. I've been visiting diamond brokers and independant Jewelers and of course not the mall. I'm barely employed at this time but I have a budget of about 2.5K. 3/4 Savings and credit. What other important infomation should I know? Any help would be greatly appreciated!! She comming out the shower gotta post this now. Thanks in advanced!!!
Congrats to you & the lucky girl! DH purchased mine from a private jeweller/designer, so I can't recommend a particular store. Whatever you do, don't go into debt to purchase it.
We had ALL the money in the bank for them...but they gave us 0.00% FINANCING for 6 months...so we took it...
If you don't wish to be disapointed in your fiancee's reaction to your purchase, you might want to find out what SHE would like. She might like a cigar band and a house downpayment instead of a diamond!
We went together... If she had bought me a DIAMOND RING...I WOULD HAVE CROAKED!!! It was torture to have just a plain gold one...
I know what styles/type she likes. We casually browsed rings awhile back and I know whats she likes. Believe you me she'd like to have a NICE ring, and I'd like for her to have one too. I'm more focused on things like house downpayments (Grin). I can proudly say one thing.. I'm marrying a "saver" that has good financial practices. Yahooo!!! Due to the fact I'm not "really" working right now, the ring purchase is comming from the money I saved to get a new computer (2.2 gig) (which I dont need). I'm a full time student and I'll return to the work world pretty soon.
The ring wont bang me up too bad, I do have some of the money saved. I would love to buy the $6000 ring which is more commensurate to the salery I walked away from. For now she'll get something nice though. Looking around I'm noticing there can be a substantial difference in price depending on where you buy from! I've seen identical certified diamonds for double and triple the price from different sources. Thanks for the congrats. I think I am the lucky one!
SS went to Jared's for mine. He got a pretty decent deal. Don't give in to the pressure of the salesperson. You know what you can afford. Also, most Jewelers have an upgrade thing. Like My ring, if I ever want to change or upgrade, they will do it for like $1 or something rediculous. So don't worry about not getting her something YOU want her to have. You'll have the rest of your lives to upgrade.
Hey Sam yeah right.. unless your buying.. We live in the same state so we can make it happen. Hahaha!
Thanks Erica. I only hope our pictures look as good as yours did. I bought the ring on Tuesday from an independant jewlwer 90 miles away that a freind recommended. I bought twice the diamond I could have bought anywhere else and it's certified EGL. So I know I'm comparing apples to apples. The jeweler talked me out of my first selection because they said it wasn't as brilliant as the smaller diamonds thats is set in the ring. I'm thinking... they're trying to sell something I can't afford now which was basically everything else in that shape (round) and caret weight.. I wound up chooseing a different shape (princess) and a diamond that was 2 points smaller and cost less than the first diamond. I still went over my budget, but I know how it's important for a woman to have a SERIOUS Ring and it may be a lifetime before I spend a few thousand on something thats not for me!!! The setting is really really nice. It's platinum with a gothic style engraved pattern, set with 8 small diamonds totally enclosed within the band. Four on each side of the center stone. The matching bands are just as beautiful but cost about 1K each. They are nice though.. I'm thinking we will get plain bands for now.
Jake- Did you already propose? A princess cut....oh how I wished for a princess cut....daydreaming outloaud again..... Congrats!!!!!!
Thanks!!! No I haven't actually proposed yet.. although we are doing wedding planning for next year now. I bought her a solitare a while back and we did the promise thing. She loved that little ring so I think's she going to freak out when she see's this one. The trend now is for the princess cut to be less diserable than the round yielding better prices. I'm going to propose at the ATM yes, Automatic Teller Machine that we met at. LOL!! Oh yeah and she has "good credit" LOL!!!
