Engagement Ring Advice

lovecake

I would go for platinum or palladium too, as mentioned they are more hard wearing and you don't have to go through the bother of getting it replated all the time. Have you thought about going for a different stone instead of a diamond? My engagement ring is an opal centre stone with a small diamond either side - something a bit differnt might save you some money? If that would suit her style??

If you are confident that you know her style well enough to pick something then go for it. I picked my own because what I pictured for my engagement ring was so specific that mu OH would never have got it right and he knew this so he let me choose.

My proposal was also on xmas day! It's a really special way to do it! Good luck!

jojo2004

Alternative idea - buy the best (clearest, biggest, 'whitest') diamond you can afford, and let her pick the metal and setting after you propose - with the diamond?

That gives you both a choice, and longer to save up for the setting. Plus she gets to choose the setting and metal and gets to be sentimental about always wearing the diamond you picked.

Just a thought.

Having worked in a jewellers, I would say go platinum, as it's far less faffy (see Roz-V's post) - but if you can't afford, it, you can't!

Good luck! xx

ruby_eskimo

My OH designed my ring and had it made. The jeweller asked him his budget and then found a variety of stones within the budget to use. I ended up with an amazing diamond with platinum setting and 2 baguette diamonds for a lot cheaper than if he had been able to buy it in a high street jeweller. I don't know how much it cost, but I am assured it was very cost effective, even with the design fees added in.

Ralphy101

I was in the same dilemma !

I too am proposing on xmas day...

I just went to 77 diamonds - seriously they are the cheapest place ive found and ive been looking the best part of a year.

Ive gone for a 0.25 D colour, Excellent cut, polish and symmertery.

SI1 diamond ( i called and checked it was eye clean).

Platnium setting

£850 ( give or take a few quid).

MaggieBaking

White gold is a coating - so the ring will need redipping to keep it in good condition. I've heard of lots of brides getting their engagement ring re-dipped for their wedding day - to give you an idea of how much it wears. (But I think it's so the ring will look perfect on the day, rather than because it looks shabby if you know what I mean)

You shouldn't get 2 different metals - if you want platinum wedding bands so you don't have to re-dip your rings for life, then get a platinum engagement ring. If you think you will have a few years before you get married, you can always buy a white gold band with a big diamond, and then pay to swap the diamond into a platinum setting - but bear in mind finances always get tight around weddings.

Congratulations on finding the one - and good luck for the proposal! My friend was proposed to on Christmas Day, it does make for a wonderful story.

(Incidentally, her diamond was smaller than mine, which I could tell annoyed her - but she was able to brag saying it was a platinum ring as mine wasn't :rotfl: )

If I were you I'd go to an independant jewellers and ask for their advice, you could possibly get the ring made to your design and maximise the diamond to your budget

Spencer_Li

I was in the same situation this time last year. Once I received the ring, though, I couldn't wait until Christmas Day and proposed 15 days earlier!

Here's my 2 pennies worth:

Go for the most you can afford. Yes, you can upgrade later, but in reality - would you do this?
It's alot to spend on one item of jewellery, but you'll (hopefully) only buy one ever.

I can also recommend Samara James.
The website is very easy to use and the separate options make it easy to see how the price is affected.
Then choose what you want.
Decide on what your budget is and stick with it.
Personally, if you have anything "extra money" look at upgrading the clarity and colour - it really does make a difference.

If the choice is between white gold/platinum or diamond, then go for the white gold and better diamond combination.
But remember then that you should then get a white gold wedding band later.
I ended up going with platinum, but I ended up going slightly over my budget!

I did try to haggle a price with them over the phone, but it didn't work!

My fiancee was also not too happy with spending so much on an engagement ring, but she got over that very quickly!

Good luck with the proposal. Remember to have it all planned out (I was so nervous, I forgot to get down on bended knee - so that gets a mention sometimes!) and everything will go brilliantly.

Roz_V

Have a look on 77diamonds or bluenile. Both of them you can choose the setting and then play about with the spec of the diamond.

Mine was bought two years ago and was slightly above your new max budget. It's the Ballerina setting in Platinum from 77d, diamond is round cut 0.69 carat (I have "wide" fingers so needed a fairly thick band (3mm) and a bit of a rock - well that was my excuse to OH :rotfl: ), E colour, VS1. Recently I helped a friend pick out a 1477 Classic in Platinum, Princess Cut stone, H colour, VS1, 0.38 carat and that was under £1000 inc Vat. Both are absolutely stunning rings.

Palladium is a much cheaper metal that Platinum and although it is much lighter it has the same properties (strong, pure so doesn't need replating etc). It's relatively new to the jewellery market so not sure what engagement rings are out there, but it's certainly increasing in popularity for the wedding ring market.

As wanchai said, yes it's a lot of money and she'd be shocked if she knew how much you were spending, but nobody turns downs diamonds for being too big or sparkly!

wanchai_2

MaggieBaking wrote: »

White gold is a coating - so the ring will need redipping to keep it in good condition. I've heard of lots of brides getting their engagement ring re-dipped for their wedding day - to give you an idea of how much it wears. (But I think it's so the ring will look perfect on the day, rather than because it looks shabby if you know what I mean)

You shouldn't get 2 different metals - if you want platinum wedding bands so you don't have to re-dip your rings for life, then get a platinum engagement ring. If you think you will have a few years before you get married, you can always buy a white gold band with a big diamond, and then pay to swap the diamond into a platinum setting - but bear in mind finances always get tight around weddings.

Congratulations on finding the one - and good luck for the proposal! My friend was proposed to on Christmas Day, it does make for a wonderful story.

(Incidentally, her diamond was smaller than mine, which I could tell annoyed her - but she was able to brag saying it was a platinum ring as mine wasn't :rotfl: )

If I were you I'd go to an independant jewellers and ask for their advice, you could possibly get the ring made to your design and maximise the diamond to your budget

Definitely try the independent stores, OP! I also recommend platinum (or even palladium) so that you won't have to keep getting it redipped, if possible.

LOL at your friend Maggie!!! I have a b*tchy colleague who did the same to me. My diamond is D and about 0.6ct and hers was F and 0.5ct, I mean who gives a ****? But she obviously did. Her final question was 'is it white gold or platinum then?' Hers is platinum so she was DYING for me to say that mine was white gold so that she could get one up on me and feel a bit superior :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: What an idiot!!

Jewelleryfan

wanchai wrote: »

Definitely try the independent stores, OP! I also recommend platinum (or even palladium) so that you won't have to keep getting it redipped, if possible.

LOL at your friend Maggie!!! I have a b*tchy colleague who did the same to me. My diamond is D and about 0.6ct and hers was F and 0.5ct, I mean who gives a ****? But she obviously did. Her final question was 'is it white gold or platinum then?' Hers is platinum so she was DYING for me to say that mine was white gold so that she could get one up on me and feel a bit superior :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: What an idiot!!

This sounds exactly like me last week. A girl at work got engaged and started telling me about her ring, that it was 18ct white gold and 0.50ct.

The ring is lovely and suits her hand. She then started comparing it to mine and asking me loads of questions, mine is 1.01 ct and 18ct gold and as soon as I said that it seemed like she got in a mood. She then said she would be getting an eternity band and I said I was too and had been trying them on etc. No matter how much I agreed or complimented her she didn't like it :cool:
As if I care I have a bigger diamond than her, I was hoping for a 0.50ct ring so couldn't believe it when he gave me a 1.01 ct
Some people just love comparing to others