 |
| Sign in or Register Home |
|
|
|
| Buy | Sell | Education | Forum | Directory | Blog | |||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
| HOME : FORUM : COMMUNITY : Greet New Members : Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please. |
|
|
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
Post#1 @
02-11-06
, 08:56 PM
Hello all, I entered this forum to see if any of you can help me with the engagement ring I am planning on getting my girlfriend. Now please don't hate me but I am going to say something that might shock some of you. Neither my girlfriend or I like diamonds. Is it acceptable to get another type of stone as an engagement ring? I wouldn't even mind a colored stone with small diamond surround. Admittedly, we are non-traditionalists and I just want to get something rather unique and interesting but not flashy. A big diamond is something I know she wouldn't feel comfortable wearing. having spent the last couple of days in local jewelrey stores, I am realizing that what I want is next to impossible to find but there has to be other people like us with more simple tastes. By the way, I live in the Washington, DC area. Any help on some "different" jewelry stores is appreciated. Thanks, Bill |
|
|
|
|
engagement ring question
Post#2 @
02-11-06
, 11:59 PM
Bill, Although your opinion is depressing to us in this business, you are not the only one who thinks this way. That is why there are plenty of rings to be found without a center diamond. All of the rings pictured below are beautiful and might be what you want, but if you like, you can browse our website for engagement ring mountings. Any ring we make for a diamond in the center can have a colored stone in the center. I just sold an engagement ring with a Tanzanite in the center. It will certainly make the price very reasonalble. if you know what color stone you like and shape, please let me know and maybe I can send you some ideas. Steven |
|
|
|
|
Re: difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
Post#3 @
02-12-06
, 03:45 PM
There are plenty of lovely engagement rings without a diamond center stone on www.myjewelrysource.com. |
|
|
Re: Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
Post#4 @
02-12-06
, 05:24 PM
Thanks, That is just what I am looking for! Have you had experience with this web sight? |
|
|
Re: Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
Post#5 @
02-13-06
, 01:28 AM
That Emerald Webgal posted was being seriously considered (by me at least) for my ering......I say get a non-diamond and be happy, if that is what you want. I think there are some hardness/softness issues with non-diamonds - Emeralds are a bit softer for instance than diamonds. I was worried I wouldn't care for a gemstone properly. |
|
|
Re: Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
Post#6 @
02-16-06
, 03:27 PM
Bill, my fiance and I felt the same way. I like diamonds, but they're not the be-all, end-all to me. I felt like I wanted to be traditional with the diamond, but we also both adored color... especially sapphires. We went out hunting, and then as we talked about it (and the diamond jewelers here might want to cover their ears!) we decided that we thought diamonds were just overpriced anyway, and not the look we wanted. So our initial requirement, which was a setting with both sapphires and diamonds to fulfill my sidestone obsession, turned into 'Well, let's find a diamond setting and just put a sapphire in the center.' End result? We went to a jeweler and found a very traditional engagement ring setting that we liked. We then asked them to order us in some oval sapphires (have I mentioned that I also hate round stones except in very special settings?) My fiance picked the center stone out when they came in two weeks later, and the ring I have on my hand now is white gold, with channel set diamonds on the side and a center sapphire that's about 7/8ths of a carat. It's gorgeous, and very unique. We may have paid a bit too much for it, but the service where we went was so good we didn't care. The only regret I have is that they weren't able to get us any sapphires but blue. I actually really wanted a violet one. I'm currently obsessed with http://www.thenaturalsapphirecom pany.com, who has many gorgeous sapphires in multiple colors and will also make rings. If we ever upgrade the center stone I might buy from there. Sapphires and rubies are plenty hard enough for an engagement ring, for what it's worth. |
|
|
Re: Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
Post#7 @
02-17-06
, 02:46 PM
Is there a jeweler in your area who specializes in sapphires or specifically in colored stones by any chance? It may be worthwhile to call your local jewelers and ask if they deal with high quality colored stones or mainly just diamonds. In Austin there was a jewelry store called Sheftalls and they had a colored stones broker that worked for them. Essentially we enlisted the jeweler to find the best quality sapphires within our budget and found a setting for it on our own on the web which we purchased from: www.engagement-ring-mountings.com We ended up picking a bi-colored sapphire from the lot. Here's the end result for my anniversary ring:  Click the image to view the full version.  Another website I recommend is: http://www.jewelryexpert.com/catalo...ing-Gallery.htm Anyhow, I'm rambling, but the short answer is that many others go the colored stone option as well for various reason. In fact, my own engagement ring was a blue sapphire:  and we did consider at one point, using white sapphire side stones instead. |
|
|
Re: Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
Post#8 @
02-17-06
, 11:45 PM
If you live in Washington D.C. I would recommend Protea Diamonds in Arlington, VA. He carries beautiful colored stones as well as diamonds. Check out their website at www.proteadiamonds.com. |
|
|
Sapphire Engagement Rings
Post#9 @
02-26-06
, 08:00 PM
If you go to the library and look for pics of Princess Grace in her Wedding Dress, You'll see that shes wearing a Sapphire ring with a diamond surround. Now that should make you feel better. Everyone thought she was the cats meow of style and fashion. |
|
|
Re: Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
Post#10 @
02-26-06
, 11:15 PM
Grace Kelly was given a ruby and diamond Cartier band to start and when Prince Rainier saw all the big diamonds on the stars in Hollywood he upgraded her (before their marriage) to a large emerald cut diamond. I think 11 carats, if memory serves. Princess Diana, of course, had a large oval sapphire in her engagement ring. I have a cushion cut ceylon blue sapphire in my engagement ring and love it. |
|
|
Re: Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
Post#11 @
02-27-06
, 12:18 AM
I think DeBeers started the 'diamond conspiracy' in 1939 or thereabouts  I've been pondering a non diamond myself at bit more in the last few days....just can't get that emerald out of my mind.
|
|
|
Re: Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
Post#12 @
02-27-06
, 01:28 AM
Hi, I also wanted something different, that's why my fiance and I designed my own platinum e-ring with a 5ct blue sapphire center stone of excellent quality. It has small diamonds on the sides to compliment it. My boyfriend has not yet propsed so although I've seen the wax, I am going to be surprised soon with the finished product! I can't wait! I truly think there's something so elegant about sapphires. An excellent quality sapphire will still cost you plenty- I wouldn't choose it just to get something cheaper. I'd choose it for the fabulous stone it is- regal, deep and beautiful. My stone is a sqaured off oval, the cut is magnificent and as soon as I saw it, it took my breath away. I don't think I'll ever want a diamond to replace it. Good luck with the hunt. I'd recommend finding a jeweler you can trust and going through this in person. I think buying a colored stone over the Internet would be so difficult. Everything depends on the cut and the saturation of color and the color YOU personally prefer. It might be easier to do this in person with several choices set in front of you. (my opinion as someone who recently went through it) Good luck with your decision- I'll try to post you a picture when I get my ring and proposal!! :-) |
|
|
|
|
Re: Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
Post#13 @
02-27-06
, 01:29 AM
whoops that should've read "fiance-to-be"! Sorry- jumping the gun!! |
|
|
|
|
Re: Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
Post#14 @
02-27-06
, 09:22 AM
Trific, You are absolutely correct about the need to see the variety of blues that a sapphire can offer in person. From electric cobalt blue to soft cornflower blue, a wide range exists. Of course, sapphire offers many other hues as well, which one might want to consider. Your stone and soon to be ring sound lovely. |
|
|
Re: Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
Post#15 @
02-27-06
, 05:11 PM
We can get purple sapphires. Here is an example of a gorgeous 2.00 ct. size. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Re: Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
Post#16 @
02-27-06
, 06:01 PM
Wow Jan - that is very purple! Very cool. |
|
|
Re: Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
Post#17 @
02-28-06
, 01:20 PM
I could not be happier than I am with my 1 ct. purple sapphire e-ring. It has diamond baguettes on each side, and I've just ordered my wedding band from the same jeweler. As dazzled as I am by all the diamonds I see on this site, I have always wanted "something different" in a wedding set, and "something different" in a diamond (cut, color, etc.) would be waaay out of our price range. My investigations suggested that diamonds, sapphires, and rubies are appropriate for the everyday wear of a wedding set. Do the jewelers here think differently? |
|
|
Re: Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
Post#18 @
02-28-06
, 03:38 PM
Thanks to everyone for their replies. I purchased a 1.3 carat sapphire. It has some small diamonds along the band on either side. This was a complete suprise to my girlfriend so I was taking a chance but after 9 years I think I know her taste pretty well. My instinct was correct. She loved the ring! Others have since told her that they have or know others who have colored stones for an engagement ring. I didn't know there were so many. Thanks again to your help. Bill |
|
|
Re: Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
Post#19 @
02-28-06
, 03:49 PM
Can we see a picture, please? 
|
|
|
Re: Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
Post#20 @
02-28-06
, 05:24 PM
No sorry. No personal experience with My Jewelry Source. |
|
|
Re: Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
Post#21 @
02-28-06
, 05:50 PM
I can try taking a pic but my camera is actually a camcorder and the resolution isn't that great. If you go to http://www.myjewelrysource.com/sapp...gement-ring.htm and look at the 4th pic on the top row, that is the ring. I didn't get the periwinkle stone. The stone I got was darker in color and slightly smaller. It was a better quality and more desirable stone. And to add, I got great service at myjewelrysource.com. They were very helpful and sent me the ring overnight so I could have it for valentines day. |
|
|
|
|
Re: Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
Post#22 @
02-28-06
, 06:17 PM
That's really pretty! You did great. Congratulations. |
|
|
Re: Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
Post#23 @
03-01-06
, 05:26 PM
Worried about sapphire hardness a sapphire is 2nd in hardness on the Mohn scale only to a diamond. By all means use a colored stone use what ever you want. She is going to wear it and you are going to look at it for many years to come. You should pick something that you are going to be happy with. Over the years we have made many rings with colored center stones, yes even rings from a wax and mold. Most important find a jeweler that is willing to work with you, and stay away from the mall stores. Sorry, but in our area in a mall store every thing is a special order, and way over priced. |
|
|
Re: Difficult questions on engagement rings, help please.
I wish my memory worked that well, when you get to be my age all Princess look the same Quote:
Your absolutely right it was Diana. Merv |
||
| Read Messages in: | Greet New Members | All forums | ||||
| Newer: |
|
|
||||
| Older: |
|
|
| Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
|
| Contact Us - Guidelines - Privacy Policy - Refer a Friend - Top^ |
|
|
