Engagement Ring...

stir_crazy

The sapphire one is lovely, and a bit more unusual. It doesnt have to look like a typical engagement ring as long as it is special to you.

Pollycat

spookalili wrote: »

It does come with all certificates and from what I read, it's a very nice diamond. I liked the fact it came with a certificate which told you a lot more about the diamond. The first one doesn't come with anything and is 0.33 carat total weight which with five stones...doesn't seem that much (although I'm unsure whether this means all the stones, or just the diamonds). Either way, it doesn't really matter as I don't plan to sell it on and I'm not going to bore people with the specifications of the stones in my ring (other than you guys, of course )

I'd quite like to be bored with the specification of the stones, actually - especially the solitaire.

What clarity is it?
What colour is it?

Did you look at the 4 'C's that I mentioned?
How does the certificated diamond compare to what the 4Cs class as a good diamond?

Money_maker

spookalili wrote: »

My biggest concern as I said earlier is that the first ring doesn't "look" like an engagement ring. As you said, it looks more like an eternity ring! It is under the "type" of engagement ring though and I've known of other people who have used it as such.



Another picture for you, this is from somebody who I know has purchased the ring and see it in the flesh.



And another one on. It is far more sparkly in real life, though!

If someone you know has purchased the ring then why would you want one too? Surely it has lost all its appeal as it is no longer one of a kind to you and your friends?

Who has one?

Pollycat

Looking at the photo of the sapphire & diamond one on someone's finger, I think if you have small hands/slim fingers it's going to be too big as the small stones (1st & 5th) will be too far round the side of your finger.

spookalili

Pollycat wrote: »

I'd quite like to be bored with the specification of the stones, actually - especially the solitaire.

What clarity is it?
What colour is it?

Did you look at the 4 'C's that I mentioned?
How does the certificated diamond compare to what the 4Cs class as a good diamond?

The first one is not certified at all, no details other than 0.33 carat tw. The second one is a 0.38 carat diamond, cannot remember the specifics but I did view the certificate and know it was graded F and was a "good/very good" cut. I wouldn't know the other details unless I viewed the cert again.

And to answer your question money maker, this is a photo from the Internet - none of my friends have this ring

Pollycat

spookalili wrote: »

The first one is not certified at all, no details other than 0.33 carat tw. The second one is a 0.38 carat diamond, cannot remember the specifics but I did view the certificate and know it was graded F and was a "good/very good" cut. I wouldn't know the other details unless I viewed the cert again.

'F' could be the colour.
If it is, it's pretty good as the best (colourless) is 'D'.

However, having looked at H Samuels' website, their 'forever' diamonds (that you mentioned in post #30) at .38 carat is colour 'I' which is towards the end of the spectrum of 'near colourless'.

Diamond clarity is 'P1'.
I'm not sure where this fits in the standard clarity spectrum as the very best is:
'F' = flawless (very rare and expensive)
'IF' = internally flawless
'VVS' = very, very slight inclusions
'VS' = very slight inclusions
'SI' = small inclusions
'I' = Inclusions (visible by the naked eye).

Even Ernest Jones (which is part of the Signet Group which includes H Samuels - remember Gerald Ratner?) don't show P1 in their clarity:
http://www.ernestjones.co.uk/webstore/static/diamond-buyers-guide/diamond-clarity.do

Here is a very good guide to diamonds:
http://www.diamondgeezer.com/diamond-buyers-guide/index.php

Don't be fooled into thinking a diamond is good quality just because it has a certificate.

spookalili

Pollycat wrote: »

'F' could be the colour.
If it is, it's pretty good as the best (colourless) is 'D'.

However, having looked at H Samuels' website, their 'forever' diamonds (that you mentioned in post #30) at .38 carat is colour 'I' which is towards the end of the spectrum of 'near colourless'.

Diamond clarity is 'P1'.
I'm not sure where this fits in the standard clarity spectrum as the very best is:
'F' = flawless (very rare and expensive)
'IF' = internally flawless
'VVS' = very, very slight inclusions
'VS' = very slight inclusions
'SI' = small inclusions
'I' = Inclusions (visible by the naked eye).

Even Ernest Jones (which is part of the Signet Group which includes H Samuels - remember Gerald Ratner?) don't show P1 in their clarity:
http://www.ernestjones.co.uk/webstore/static/diamond-buyers-guide/diamond-clarity.do

Here is a very good guide to diamonds:
http://www.diamondgeezer.com/diamond-buyers-guide/index.php

Don't be fooled into thinking a diamond is good quality just because it has a certificate.

Thank you so much for this, Pollycat. So far, we've only really been fed information from the stores we've been in to, who aren't as in depth as the website you've linked to. You've kind of confirmed my concerns...I'm not in the market for an expensive diamond as I don't really care for jewellery enough to appreciate it. However, I wouldn't want to pay £1000 for a ring thinking it was an amazing deal and finding out the diamond is as flawed as the one on the cheaper ring.

If the ring ends up costing £400 but looks beautiful and isn't trying to be anything, I wouldn't feel as though I'd been tricked by fancy high street marketing. I don't feel confident enough to go directly to independent jewellers anyway and as I said, don't think the diamond spec is that important to me. I just don't want to feel ripped off, which I think in all honesty, is what you'll get from the likes of H Samuel, Goldsmiths, etc.

CRANKY40

A wedding ring can be made to sit flush with any engagement ring by having the wedding ring made. My late OH made my engagement ring himself (qualified goldsmith) and then he made my wedding ring himself to fit the other ring. My engagement ring is a solitaire and my wedding ring has a dip in it where the diamond would usually touch the other band. They fit together perfectly.

Pollycat

spookalili wrote: »

If the ring ends up costing £400 but looks beautiful and isn't trying to be anything, I wouldn't feel as though I'd been tricked by fancy high street marketing. I don't feel confident enough to go directly to independent jewellers anyway and as I said, don't think the diamond spec is that important to me. I just don't want to feel ripped off, which I think in all honesty, is what you'll get from the likes of H Samuel, Goldsmiths, etc.

I think this is eminently sensible.

A very good friend of ours wanted to buy a diamond solitaire for his wife's birthday.
He thought 'a diamond is a diamond'.

He'd been looking in Warren James's Jewellers who had 2 carat rings in their window.
I pointed out to him that you could see the inclusions in the diamonds through the window!

I then took him to a small independent jeweller who showed him some really good quality diamonds - much smaller than 2 carat - and he realised the difference.

I then recommended a jewellery manufacturer who was pretty local and had repaired the shank of a diamond ring for me.
He chose his diamond and the design.

His wife was thrilled. I knew she would have hated the one he was originally looking at.

Incidentally, you do realise that white gold may need re-coating in the future if you are wearing it every day?

I have a .48 carat princess (square) cut ring set in white gold that I've had for 8 years and it's fine but I don't wear it every day.

LilElvis

I concur with what Pollycat has said about diamond quality. I've visited all of the major high street chains whilst looking for an eternity band and haven't found any that sell high quality stones - most were in the H/I colour range and VS at the best. My sister and I got our engagement rings 6 months apart, both 3 stone diamonds and nearly identical stone sizes. The only appreciable difference was in the setting - hers is in 18ct gold and mine is in a far thicker platinum band. Both rings have certified diamonds, but mine are of a better quality, so mine cost twice as much and has appreciated far more in terms of replacement value.

I wouldn't worry too much about replating a white gold ring as it only costs £20 - £30. I've got rings that have been regularly for years and still look fine.