Engagement rings

I've never asked how much my ring cost and I don't want to know. I know my husband spent a sizeable amount on it, it is a really nice quality ring but honestly all that has ever mattered to me is how pretty it is and the sentimental value of it. I have absolutely no idea how many carats it is either, don't care. I would care however if it wasn't a diamond. To me the diamond is just part of the tradition. Call me old fashioned but the white dress, the diamond ring, my father (and mother in my case!) walking me down the aisle is all important to me. I had a relatively small wedding, but it was still very traditional (sans church) and the diamond ring is part of that.

As far as style, color of band is easy. Buy the color that she wears. My husband's family kept telling him to buy me a platinum band but I wear gold so he insisted even though all the jewelers were trying to tell him platinum was better. Style I think is determined a lot by age. I was 19 when we were engaged so I liked a simple solitaire whereas someone older might prefer something more intricate. The cut really matters, make sure to get a cut the accentuates the sparkle. That is the thing I like most about my ring. It is set high and with the cut, there is a ton of sparkle.

Tuco_sl said:

Gentlemen, exhibit A: The result of good marketing.

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People who buy moissanite gems are just as susceptible to marketing than buyers of diamonds; they just have vastly less coin to buy nice things, so they rationalize buying inferior products.

Spent a total of like $850 on engagement ring (pearl) / wedding band for my wife and she loves both of them. Fuck diamonds, what a scam.

My wife picked out her own ring, I want to say at Sam's. She gets complimented on it regularly. She seems happy with it, and that's all I care about.

That said, we've been married almost 9 years, and she's mentioned several times about upgrading it. Fucking retarded.

Regardless of the effect of marketing, the diamond engagement ring is a tradition in our culture.

Are you opposed to a white wedding dress as well?

You have to start with the stone. Then go from there. My wife wanted an Aquamarine for a few reasons: 1) It's her birth stone 2) It made her ring different.

If you do a bit of googling you'll find that people (in the mainstream) don't always go with diamonds as the main stone. Once you get that down, there are tons of different styles you can go with. My wife really likes antique-y old-fashioned type of stuff. I had a friend of the family, who was a jeweler, help me find the perfect setting. Then you can combine the two.

Draegan_sl said:

You have to start with the stone. Then go from there. My wife wanted an Aquamarine for a few reasons: 1) It's her birth stone 2) It made her ring different.

If you do a bit of googling you'll find that people (in the mainstream) don't always go with diamonds as the main stone. Once you get that down, there are tons of different styles you can go with. My wife really likes antique-y old-fashioned type of stuff. I had a friend of the family, who was a jeweler, help me find the perfect setting. Then you can combine the two.

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That is a gorgeous ring. Well done!

everyone knows the best gem is the Peridot.


but seriously, if you insist on having a wife that demands a 10k+ Ring from you, don't get shared bank accounts.

lindz_sl said:

Regardless of the effect of marketing, the diamond engagement ring is a tradition in our culture.

Are you opposed to a white wedding dress as well?

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No, sorry, a diamond engagement ring is a tradition in our culture BECAUSE of marketing. Not regardless of it. Did you not read the article? Prior to the 1930's and 1940's diamond engagement rings were not overly common. Women were given engagementthimbles. I'm not saying that you're money grubbing for wanting a diamond engagement ring, don't get me wrong. But you have bought in to a cultural meme whose origins can pretty precisely be traced back to a marketing campaign undertaken by a pretty fucking awful company.

I'm not opposed to white wedding dresses, but I don't really give a shit what color a bride chooses to wear. Apparently that particular tradition was started by Queen Victoria in 1840:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_wedding

Prior to the Victorian era, brides wore pretty much any color other than black (mourning) or red (whores).

Quineloe_sl said:

everyone knows the best gem is the Peridot.

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Biggest sham in the history of EQ. I didn't know a single cleric that wasn't actually secretly rolling in plat.

I say stop at a few local "smaller" jewelry stores, some that have been in your town for a while and compare prices between those and a store like Jared's, Kay, etc... the local shop in my town is a lot cheaper than the big stores. Plus they answer questions, without trying to shove something down your throat. I've been in a few big stores and it was like walking into a shark tank.

Deathwing_sl said:

Only on the grounds that it's a silly to wear white JUST because it's tradition. My wife wore black to the wedding.

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Goth detected.

Cad_sl said:

The ring is good opportunity to test the woman; tell her straight up that you are buying a zircon/moissanite and that you're saving money by doing so, because nobody but a jeweler can tell the difference. If she wants the diamond just because of the money investment for you, then you know what you're getting into. If she wants to save money and realizes the end product is what matters... you might have a keeper.

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And as we all know, testing your significant other is the foundation of any healthy relationship