Engagement Advice

silencers

Looking for some advice, going to ask my girlfriend to marry me next month while we are away. I've read some posts about buying the ring together but I'm pretty sure she wants me to get the ring on my own, as she trusts my judgment.

I have the style of ring in mind and have read up a bit about the 4 C's, looking to buy in Dublin, is there any Jewelers you guys would recommend? Have a budget of around 4-6K.

Here is a idea of what I'm looking for:
Platinum Ring
1-2ct
Colour - Ideally F or G
Clarity VS1-2 to SI1-2

My question is do you think I could get this type of ring for this budget? and also where in Dublin?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Many Thanks

Thumpette

Heya,

Dunno if it would be there in time at this stage but have you thought about www.bluenile.com

Never used them myself (and wont be as Im a lady) but ive heard very positive things about them?...

Nice easy website too! Ive designed by dream ring a few times now!

daisyjane

a friend of mine used a guy from kildare somewhere. Was pretty good by all accounts. Not sure of his number but his website is [EMAIL="www.paulplummer.com"]www.paulplummer.com[/EMAIL] .

Phoenix_Rising

Just a thought but my fiance had a beautiful silver ring wrapped up for me when he proposed. It meant he had something to give to me when he actually popped the question and i had something to wear until we went shopping for the real ring.

He only spent €20 on the silver ring but i when he told the woman in ths shop what it was for she wrapped it up beautifully for it. The box she put it in was fancier than the one the "real" ring came in!!

I would be nervous spending so much money on a piece of jewellary without her being able to try it on. My ring doesnt look anything special at all in its box, but it is lovely on. Alot depends on the size of her fingers etc. I have very slender fingers so alot of rings i tried on made me look like a small child playing dress up. Likewise, dainty type rings look awful on women with bigger fingers.

tinkerbell

Are you absolutely 100000% sure that she wants you to buy it for her?

If there is any doubt in your mind, don't buy one beforehand by yourself. Nowadays, a lot of girls prefer to go shopping with their OH to buy the ring.

Anyway yes you could get a diamond between €4k and €6k on the specs you suggested, it would prob be less than 1.7 carats though.

How Strange

I hadn't a clue what type of ring I wanted or what would look nice on my finger so I could hardly expect my OH to know.

When we went ring shopping, the one's I was leaning towards didn't suit me at all and I chose one that I didn't even notice at first.

OP, if you're 100% sure then buy the ring beforehand. My bro knew what his OH would like so he got it before asking her but my OH wisely waited until he asked and we went shopping together.

silencers

Hey guys many thanks for your kind suggestions, the online thing Thumpette looks good, but would prefer to see it first hand. Good though to get an idea of what I'm after.

I'm pretty sure she wants the surprise, its always been hinted like that and shes kinda old fashioned that way. I can't exactly ask her (as would ruin the romance a little), so its my best guess.

I'm a designer by trade, and based on the style she usually goes for in terms of ring design and also seeing the types of rings she liked when window shopping I think I can hazard a guess as to what to look for.

tinkerbell 1.7ct is a good start, I think its a good idea to go into a jeweler with an idea of what you want so they know you've done your research, the question is where would you guys recommend.

In_tuition

Use something in the line of what Daisy said. There's a couple of guys around the Dublin area who do it and they are top of the pops. They will design what you wish and the last thing you will do is pay over the odds, be the opposite. I can get you a contact number if you wish.

silencers

Hi In tuition if you could PM me the number that'd be great, do you think 3 weeks is enough time to turn something like this around?

silencers

Thumpette, tried that site, very good indeed. I wasn't even thinking about buying online but that site gives very detailed information on the diamond, 4C's and ring type.

Anyone ever used them?

PRman

bring a girl with u silencer - I was lucky enuf that her sister knew the type of ring she was after and helped me along the way! I got it hand made by bridge jewellers in ballsbridge - They can make them to ur spec. Similar budget and excellent ervice. She was over the moon. I got a good spec diamond and a nice fancy cert to go with it, but don't get too caught up with the 4 c's as u can't really tell the differences with the naked eye...

silencers

Hey Guys, thanks for all the advice, did a bit of looking around today. Saw a ring I really liked, got quoted €6300 for the following:

1 Carat, F Colour, Si1 with Plain White Gold Soltaire Ring

What do you guys think of the price? To be honest I expected a little more for my money.

silencers

Anyone? Hoping to get this narrowed down this weekend. Thanks

Thumpette

I have to say (although maybe its just me) I would never want a ring for that much money. Id just be stressing about losing it all the time! And thinking how many weekends away and nice meals and stuff you could have with it.

Thants just me though- I know its horses for courses, and if you can afford it why not!

Best of luck with the proposal!

Turbulent Bill

silencers wrote: »

Hey Guys, thanks for all the advice, did a bit of looking around today. Saw a ring I really liked, got quoted €6300 for the following:

1 Carat, F Colour, Si1 with Plain White Gold Soltaire Ring

What do you guys think of the price? To be honest I expected a little more for my money.

From my limited experience that sounds a bit expensive, maybe some of the jewellers here will comment.

One of the things I didn't appreciate before buying an engagement ring was that you have to consider the ring as a whole - stone, ring and setting together. It's not just a case of buying the best diamond, though obviously that's a big part. My fiance liked a particular style of ring and setting, but wanted yellow rather than white gold, and a bigger diamond. We spotted a diamond that looked nice in another ring, so got it made up with the preferred ring and setting. The diamond now looks spectacular, miles better than it did in the original setting, and my OH is over the moon.

Best of luck .

How Strange

silencers wrote: »

Hey Guys, thanks for all the advice, did a bit of looking around today. Saw a ring I really liked, got quoted €6300 for the following:

1 Carat, F Colour, Si1 with Plain White Gold Soltaire Ring

What do you guys think of the price? To be honest I expected a little more for my money.

In my very limited experience (we only went to one jewellers which had two stores in town) that's very expensive. Is that the final price after negotiating with the store or is that the price on the tag?

Personally, I wouldn't want a ring that costs so much. I'd be terrified I'd lose it or something but horses for courses as they say.

partyguinness

Not sure if this helps you.

But I was actually discussing this with the OH last night.

She has a fair idea what she wants. She also has a friend who works in a jewellers and he will make a ring for her at half retail price. She will desgin it etc. when it is ready he will contact me, I will pick it up (and pay for it no doubt..:o) and then I can ask her properly in my own time and with the ring she is happy with.

BTW we already have our date set, place booked (it will be a civil ceremony) and honey moon planned. But not 'officially' engaged yet..:o..early next year I will ask.

monomer

Maybe you could buy the diamond and the let her choose the setting after you propose. You would have done all the ground work on the diamond and she can feel good that she picked the setting. That's what i did anyway. The company I bought the diamond from gave me a very nice ring to propose with. The next day we went and picked the setting together (well, she picked it).

I also wanted to buy in Dublin (though I did check the internet and spoke directly to the regularly mentioned antwerp dealers) and used Seamus from Voltaire Diamonds. Everything worked out well and she was chuffed to bits...

radharc

Just wondering what made you lean towards dublin monomer? Going to be asking fairly soon myself so not sure which road to go down.

monomer

radharc,

I was pretty busy at the time and I had things planned that didn't suit flying abroad or driving long distances. I also wanted her to have the real ring the next morning after the proposal and having somebody local to faciliate that, at a moments notice, helped.

I called and visited quite a few diamond dealers (Dublin/Belfast and Antwerp) and assuming you know what you want, you will get prices in around the same ballpark. Just do your homework on the diamond and find out exactly what you want. Then call them all and see what they say.

silencers

Just to follow up with everyone, thanks for all the help guys.

In the end I went with cooldiamonds.ie they were very helpful and friendly and would high recommend them.

This is the ring I choose in the end, my girlfriend adores the ring and of coarse said yes

How Strange

Silencers that is GORGEOUS

Congrats to both of you!