Just needed a little help from anyone who has shopped/purchased an engagement ring. Where did you buy it from? How much did you spend? How/Where did you propose?
There's a store in Clear Lake called the World's Biggest Engagment Ring Store. It's a very classy place...very professional people. I probably spent too much, but I am not much of a bargain shopper. I got a 1 ct. solitaire on 14k white gold band. Spent about $3400.
Try to get a stone that is GIA certified.. here is some reading you might want to do.. http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=98325&highlight=ring I'm still looking at stones I have the setting I want.. I found that one at "The Gold Exchange" on Westheimer and Dairy Ashford (I think) The stone is still up in the air, I cant make up my mind on the cut so I'll be shopping for a few more months.. Keep in mind just about any cracker jack jeweler can make you "a custom ring", but make sure you like the work their designers do before you put the money down.. Good Luck
Bought mine about a year ago at Karat 22 on Hilcroft, very nice guys. 1.1 ct. Princess cut diamond. Took a picture of a setting that my fiance liked with channel dimaond setting (.6 ct.), white gold. The diamond grade was F. Paid 6k
www.whiteflash.com My wife works for a very well-respected diamond company. The CEO of the company is extremely well-known in the diamond business. If you check it out and see something you like, call and ask for Renee. You will not be disappointed.
I'll be selling one soon, it belonged to my mother, I'll post it in the classifieds this weekend. It is a really unique one of a kind custom ring, so i'm not sure how much she is going to want for it, probably won't be too cheap.
Get educated! Go to the library and check out some books on buying diamonds. Read about the 4Cs. Do NOT buy a diamond ring from a mall jewelry store chain. Go with a smaller place, preferably owned by an individual. That 2-month salary rule is 100% marketing. You don't have to spend that much on a nice ring. With recent advances in lab-grown diamonds, I think the market for diamonds will collapse soon. These things are so good that many diamond experts can't tell the difference. It's a good thing since a huge majority (90% I think) of the diamond stock is controlled by the DeBeers family, and they limit the flow of diamonds, creating a high demand. I'll be glad when these guys are out of a job.
This article published in 1982 Feb issue of Atlantic Monthly tells you how the myth of diamonds was created. I found this article after I bought diamond ring for my wife. http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/198202/diamond
I would suggest going to Rick Cantone from Diamond Cutters international. He has great prices and when you walk into his office you jaw will drop at all the athletes he knows. Plus he is just a class act. Really nice guy. When we walked in the door for the first time he handed my wife a jewelry cleaner system and all these cleaning things just as a token of thanks for coming in. He prices on our wedding bands were better than the cheapest internet sites. Tell him Shervin Joseph recommended you.
