My guess would be:

Quote :

"http://www.verragio.com/"

2/15/2009 9:28:18 PM

^Yes, I saw an ad in the newest Elle and had to look at their website.

2/16/2009 1:11:48 AM

http://www.brilliantearth.com/

cool jewelry company

2/17/2009 5:21:45 AM

The now ex-lady changed her mind...

I now have a ring which can get me $4500 in credit at Baileys. If anyone knows someone who is thinking about buying a ring and would like to basically buy my credit at some sort of discount, then please let me know.

[Edited on April 18, 2009 at 12:23 PM. Reason : .]

4/18/2009 12:14:03 PM

ive got one to unload

4/18/2009 1:21:03 PM

I'm thinking of doing this. How do you get something nice without being loaded

4/18/2009 1:24:42 PM

cheat the system. most people only know or care about the "4 C's" and pay $$$ for them.

In fact, a diamond's performance has little to nothing to do with the 4 C's by themselves. You can save a lot of money and wind up with a far better looking diamond than otherwise if you look for a diamond with maximum light return but low-budget C's. Don't fall for the Heart's on Fire bullshit. Yes, it is important to have symmetry, but that's where the HoF diamonds stop. They don't pay attention to the vertical angles of the pavilion and other facets.

Go to http://www.pricescope.com and read up on diamonds. I wound up buying a diamond that had significantly degraded C's. It was SI2, I color, and just less than 1 carat (a magic trip point that adds tons of money to the price).

The thing is, because my diamond has so much light return, it looks 2-3 shades whiter, looks bigger, and its clarity seems better too. People constantly comment on it and I got it for thousands less than a comparable looking stone with "good C's".

Most people would have just passed it by, because all they care about are those stupid stats, so that's why it was available at such a cheaper price.

[Edited on April 18, 2009 at 1:35 PM. Reason : s]

4/18/2009 1:33:22 PM

^.

4/18/2009 2:16:35 PM

[Edited on April 18, 2009 at 2:29 PM. Reason : .]

4/18/2009 2:29:08 PM

You could also not get a diamond. The only reason diamonds have become the status quo is heavy DeBeers marketing back in the early 1900s. Me personally, I think it would be nice to have a ring with a nice aquamarine instead of a diamond. It's a nice muted color and my birthstone

4/18/2009 8:32:50 PM

lol guys be careful telling a girl to pick something besides a diamond

believe it or not.. there ARE more expensive gems out there.

just go with what fits the girl's personality and what you can afford.

a diamond is my birthstone but i'd still prefer one in an engagement ring. would i consider something else? sure.

4/18/2009 8:46:38 PM

happy birthday!

4/18/2009 8:47:31 PM

[Edited on April 18, 2009 at 10:19 PM. Reason : ]

4/18/2009 10:16:32 PM

what is to be expected as the "standard" now? 2 months salary? 10% of your salary? no more than $10,000 no matter what your income is? whatever you can do? Just trying to get a feel for what the current attitude is. thanks.

4/18/2009 10:49:46 PM

you have to propose when we play UNC, then State has to win

thats standard


but yeah i did 3 months

4/18/2009 10:52:56 PM

^^

Quote :

"whatever you can do"

4/18/2009 10:55:29 PM

If you're thinking about getting engaged you should've had some sort financials talk with your intended-to-be, and you'll know what your financial goals are (e.g. down payment on a house is more desirable than something expensive). She should know and respect your budget, and hopefully she'd know by your actions and not your spending how you feel about her.

And if you found something she loves would you not get it because it's half of what you think you ought to have paid for it? This is intensely personal! Decide for yourself.

If you really just need a number though, try $4,000.

4/18/2009 10:57:34 PM

$4,000 is a lot for a ring, I'd rather it go to the wedding and honeymoon. I'd feel so guilty wearing something that cost that much...

I thought 2k was pushing it even...

4/18/2009 11:10:56 PM

way more than that

[Edited on April 18, 2009 at 11:48 PM. Reason : s]

4/18/2009 11:48:01 PM

^^ I agree with you completely. I would feel terrible if my boyfriend spent that much on a ring. I'd much rather 4k go towards the down payment on a house or an awesome honeymoon

4/19/2009 1:56:02 AM

honeymoon is over in 2 weeks. that diamond on your hand will be there forever

4/19/2009 7:12:16 AM

Quote :

"honeymoon is over in 2 weeks. that diamond on your hand will be there until you take it off and lose it, or the stone falls out."

Fixed. Diamonds do NOT hold their value well, might as well both enjoy the money on the honeymoon. $4k is a lot of hookers and coke. You can get a pretty sparkly ring for under a grand if you want.

4/19/2009 9:59:30 AM

^^Why did you have to go and bait the moonbat?

4/19/2009 10:04:05 AM

^^they most certainly DO hold their value.


at least more so than hookers and blow.

[Edited on April 19, 2009 at 10:54 AM. Reason : ]

4/19/2009 10:48:56 AM

uh huh.

where exactly can an individual sell a diamond for "retail value?"

4/19/2009 10:54:37 AM

the down payment on a house thing doesnt apply if you already own 2 houses between you

just spend what you feel comfortable with

some people will be at $2000, others will be at $5000

someone i know spent $4000 on the setting ALONE... i nearly had a heart attack but thats what he wanted to do

4/19/2009 10:55:01 AM

A couple of people i know spent well over 10 grand on their rings.

4/19/2009 10:56:44 AM

My parents spent over $16k when they "re-bought" their wedding bands. They couldn't afford nice ones when they got married, so they waited until they could. Mine was closer to $3,500 and it's perfect for me. I have a friend that spent over $7k because that's what his fiance asked for. If the ring's important to her, that's what you need to find out, because it all depends on the couple. We'll add another band to mine 5 or so years down the road that'll add some accent diamonds, but it was perfect for our budget and I couldn't be happier with his choice.

4/19/2009 11:02:35 AM

Even if it "holds value" you're not gonna be able to talk the woman into selling it and getting a smaller one if money gets tight so it's really a moot point. You buy it hoping you'll never have to sell it, so why spend any more than you absolutely have to?

4/19/2009 11:16:08 AM

just kind of curious, not that i plan on needing to know anytime soon, but is their a "rule" for what to spend if you have family diamonds you are inheriting and only have to purchase the setting?

4/19/2009 12:01:45 PM

the only rule is to know what your SO wants/expects and what you feel comfortable with - regardless of what the societal expectation is

4/19/2009 12:05:47 PM

of course, i was just kind of curious if there was a societal expectation

4/19/2009 12:07:26 PM

i dont know of any "rules" when it comes to family diamonds

but here is a tip. if you end up proposing with a family diamond. make sure she signs something that says she has to give the diamond back if you get divorced

if you get engaged and it doesn't happen, the law says the girl has to give the ring back because the ring is a condition of marriage and it didnt happen so you dont get to keep it (unless the guy says its ok then whatever)

if you do get married, the girl is allowed to keep the ring, which is why i recommend the caveat that if you ever get divorced, she has to turn over the diamond back to the original family that owned it.

just my opinion

4/19/2009 1:34:05 PM

Quote :

"Even if it "holds value" you're not gonna be able to talk the woman into selling it and getting a smaller one if money gets tight so it's really a moot point. You buy it hoping you'll never have to sell it, so why spend any more than you absolutely have to?"

because it is attractive?


i personally didn't break the bank when i got my wife's engagement ring because it wasn't that important to her, but for some people it is. to each her own.

4/19/2009 2:11:18 PM

$10,000... $4,000 .... $2000

Wow, some of yall are pretty baller with your bling or paying some insane jeweler markups.

4/19/2009 2:40:47 PM

are you saying 2000 dollars is too much to pay for an engagement ring?

4/19/2009 2:52:10 PM

$2,000 may not be a lot of money when it comes to what a lot of people spend on an engagement ring but it is not an insignificant amount of money.

My wife's wedding ring and engagement ring plus my wedding band probably costed under that total. Then again, her hands are tiny. The money we saved eventually went towards paying off student loans and a down payment on a house.

4/19/2009 2:57:31 PM

Quote :

" if you get engaged and it doesn't happen, the law says the girl has to give the ring back because the ring is a condition of marriage and it didnt happen so you dont get to keep it (unless the guy says its ok then whatever) if you do get married, the girl is allowed to keep the ring, which is why i recommend the caveat that if you ever get divorced, she has to turn over the diamond back to the original family that owned it. "

I don't think this is correct. But it really depends on the court system if things turn bad enough that people are suing for the ring. Some courts take the view that it's an unconditional gift, and doesn't need to be returned. Others say it's a condition on marriage, but if the man breaks the engagement, then he doesn't get the ring back. Rings were originally introduced to show a woman you meant to carry through to the marriage. Because if something happens beforehand, the woman gets to keep the ring. If the marriage goes through, then all of her property belongs to the man anyways, so the value returns to him.

But, since you're talking about family heirlooms, it would be a good idea to put things in writing that you want it back if things go sour.

For anyone interested in the legal aspect, here's a pretty neat article on rings: http://writ.news.findlaw.com/grossman/20011023.html

[Edited on April 19, 2009 at 2:58 PM. Reason : ]

4/19/2009 2:57:34 PM

So after you propose does your lawyer show up with the documents, or do you slide the paperwork under her creme brulee..? I would love to see how this works in real life, because I'm having trouble imaging this happening smoothly without planting thoughts of breakup/divorce.

4/19/2009 5:30:51 PM

lots of couples sign prenuptial agreements, its not that out of the ordinary

4/19/2009 5:49:05 PM

probably works a lot better with people who've already been through one marriage before

4/19/2009 5:49:08 PM

^^ Yeah but the wedding date's not [supposed to be] a surprise. I have trouble imagining this not interfering with spontaneity or surprise.

4/19/2009 6:16:51 PM

if i was propsed to with a heirloom diamond, i wouldn't hesitate to sign documents saying i'd give the diamond back if it ended in divorce

wtf do i want with a family diamond anyway if im no longer part of the family??

now, if my purpose was to score a diamond no matter what went down, i'd refuse a family diamond and insist on a new one

and pooljobs is right, prenups are pretty common. personally, i'd have no problem signing one. if one party enters the marriage with more to offer than the other, then why should they be penalized if it ends? if it doesnt end, then you're in luck & its just paperwork. i do belive that assests acquired during the marriage (houses, boats, cash, etc) should be split if it ends in divorce.

its so much easier to decide who gets what when you're on good terms. its like an insurance policy. you do it in hopes of never needing it, but if shit does go down, you have something to protect yourself. most couples who do prenups forget about them anyway. its not like you wake up everyday and think about what you're not getting.

4/19/2009 7:46:12 PM

here's a question- what about common law marriages?



[Edited on April 19, 2009 at 7:57 PM. Reason : setdftgdf]

4/19/2009 7:56:00 PM

what about them?

4/19/2009 7:58:36 PM

do you get a "divorce" from the? they are recognized by the state as a marriage...so do you have to go through all the hooplah of a divorce?

4/19/2009 8:09:14 PM

Quote :

"Yeah but the wedding date's not [supposed to be] a surprise. I have trouble imagining this not interfering with spontaneity or surprise."

huh? how does a prenup have anything to do with this? i'm really confused.

^AFAIK north carolina has no common law marriages

[Edited on April 19, 2009 at 8:10 PM. Reason : .]

4/19/2009 8:09:25 PM

^oh didnt realize that

what about other states then? it just seems weird.

and i think she is referring to signing a document before the proposal stating that the diamond will be given back if things should go sour...

[Edited on April 19, 2009 at 8:12 PM. Reason : dgfgf]

4/19/2009 8:11:07 PM

Quote :

"So after you propose does your lawyer show up with the documents, or do you slide the paperwork under her creme brulee..? I would love to see how this works in real life, because I'm having trouble imaging this happening smoothly without planting thoughts of breakup/divorce."

intelligent people discuss things like this before the proposal

4/19/2009 8:13:16 PM

why would you need to sign it before the proposal, just needs to be done before the wedding

[Edited on April 19, 2009 at 8:14 PM. Reason : and ^]

4/19/2009 8:14:01 PM