In honor of my 6 year anniversary I've been pondering the topic of rings... diamonds, to be exact. I'll probably totally get ripped on for this post, but inquiring minds just have to know...
Awhile ago I did a TFT on diamonds and if you felt it was okay to change your band or diamond. To revisit, I posted about how I was quite frugal (to most women's standards) in choosing my engagement/wedding band (yes, I chose it... it was something I was going to have forever and I wanted it to be something I loved) and Ryan and I had agreed if we/I wanted to get a larger diamond (solitaire) in the future we would do that.
As I've aged, obviously my style has changed. My frugality, not so much. Anyone close enough to me knows that I'm quite frugal and I despise spending a ton of money on something if I could get it cheaper elsewhere. When we purchased my ring, we were careful to choose a diamond with an excellent cut, color and clarity (although, not large in the carat department). We picked out a Leo Diamond, whatever that means. We wanted "quality" but... so what?!
Looking back, I'm like... what the frick does it matter the cut and clarity? I mean, obviously you don't want a visibly yellow diamond. But... does anyone ever stare at a persons ring and say "OMG that is NOT a D grade diamond!" (or whatever...). Has anyone, other than the jeweler, stared at your diamond with a microscope to see any possible inclusions?
Ok, back on topic.... recently I've been browsing diamonds online, just pondering the idea of a possible upgrade to my solitaire. I love my setting, I just envy a bit larger solitaire in a princess cut. I wanted to get an idea of what a new diamond would cost. However, once I started browsing diamonds and checking out the prices.... my jaw has dropped to the ground. I won't even utter the cost of my engagement ring and wedding band because I'm very, very sure that you'd pee your pants. Maybe prices have inflated in the past 7 years.... but I can't believe the cost of a 1-2 carat princess cut ring. Can. Not. Believe. It. And, knowing that the "average" ring is 1 to 2 carats and the popular style is a princess cut... the range is between $10,000 and $25,000!!! And I can not ever fathom spending that much on a ring. A RING.
I've even... (prepare to shutter) wondered... why the hell not just get a CZ or a Moissanite... it'd be much cheaper and really, who would REALLY know? (I'll also say, I've never really looked at CZ's or Moissanites... so I can't say I've ever compared them with diamonds. Maybe there is a huge difference to the naked eye... but $10-$20,000 worth of difference? Not in my book...)
I know... I'm sure a ton of you are laughing your pants off and thinking... you cheap ass bitch. But... that's just my frugal thinking. And, well, I'll be sticking with my teensy weensy diamond ring, despite my dreams of one day having a larger solitaire. And if you ever see me sporting a large rock... you'll probably be right to assume its fake. HAHA!
Ok, so now that I've put my opinion out there... what is yours? Am I the lone ranger in my thinking?
I would gack at the price too! If I had my opinion about it..I would prefer a lesser priced stone, in the cut that I preferred, in a platinum setting. Like you said, who would be close enough to notice the stone? Not like I am going to cut glass for anyone, ha! I can also tell you that I have a ring that appraised for approx 4500.00 10 yrs ago & recently I couldn't give it away on ebay.
ReplyDeleteOoooh I love diamonds! I want more too! ha ha ha
ReplyDeleteI will most likely never upgrade my ring though. I adore my ring and I love that it is something that my husband completely picked on his own. I love the amount of time he put into learning about diamonds and finding the right one for ME. I love what it stands for and don't think I could ever part with it. However, I would love more. I would love a diamond eternity band some day. Or a bracelet or a necklace! ha ha ha I just LOVE diamonds! When we had our first baby, I was gifted with a pair of princess cut studs to match my ring which is also a princess cut diamond. Realistically, I most likely will not see another diamond for many many many more years! A girl can dream though, right?
Ben bought mine from the back room of a shoe store (supposedly as part of an estate sale) and it glows in black lights. We're *pretty* sure it's a real diamond (I think that's a quality of some diamonds), but I'm like you...who cares really? I'd actually be more interested in changing to white gold or platinum band instead of upping the size of my diamonds. Although I guess that would be okay too!
ReplyDeleteI'm on the same page with about everything you said here... really, who knows that it's not a diamond unless you tell 'em??
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I personally really do like the smaller simpler styles. I think the biggest I'd ever like in a solitaire would be a carat. If that. I'm just not a fan of big rocks. I'd rather a really pretty, distinctive ring in general than the big diamond. I believe all the diamonds in my set (one center, five tiny ones) add up to around .5 carats together and I love it. It's pretty and simple and just sparkly enough.
Questions on your poll:
#1- I want to answer, but actually cringed at the options (being of the frugal mind like you!)... the range is just so big! For instance, 1000-2500, 2500-5000... the range in there is doubling the price! So if say we spent 1100 (for example) on my ring, it would make me cringe to have to pick 1000-2500 because that means it could be taken as I possibly spent over twice what I actually did! ha! Not that I'm using myself for an example or anything... :)
and
#2- are you answering your poll???
I am with Mary. I love my ring and I love that Kevin picked it out on his own. Sure, we had browsed rings together once, but he went back and did it himself. My ring has one diamond in the middle (honestly no idea what carat - not big, just average size) and 3 little diamonds on either side. Kevin also went for a better cut and clarity.
ReplyDeleteI love jewelry, but not fancy, expensive looking jewelry. Instead of a new diamond, I would rather buy new furniture or go on a trip or something. I like chunky bracelets and funky earrings. I'm really not even a ring person.
Okay...so I'm SO afraid of what you're gonna think about the cost of my diamond...mind you Don did it on his own & I didn't choose....though, I was very happy and impressed with his choice. Anywho, I want to upgrade my diamond in the near future...not something now, because I want good clarity & cut (the same kind mine is now)....and yes, I am SO one who looks at wedding bands/diamonds with envy! I'll admit it....I love me some diamonds! There's a few things in life when "bigger is better" and diamonds are one of those (imo), the other I won't say...hehe!
ReplyDeleteOh, this is too funny, because my diamond ring does not fit my chubby pregnancy hands anymore....and I just went to Target & purchased a fakey, to tide me over until the baby is born. It's bigger than my real wedding ring....and oh, so big, I love it! LOL!
I know, I know, I'm probably sounding like a materialistic biatch, but I'm just being truthful....mama loves her some Big-ol diamonds!:)
I love my ring, but I would have loved my ring no matter what size. Jade picked it out and that is what matters. Now, I would love another diamond band for the other side of my solitare, but I won't be upgrading the rest of my ring. It's what I was given.
ReplyDeletethat seems really crazy. I have a 1 carat princess cut solitare and I know without a doubt it was less than $5000... have prices really gone up that much in 6 years? my wedding ring is a wrap with probably .5 carats total, and I swear the whole thing was around 5k... I can guarantee you it was nowhere near 10k, my husband would have DIED before spending that much (he nearly died as it was). I know mine is near the top in cut and color and all that too. wow, I'm shocked. I actually want to redo my band someday, I don't love how my rings fit together. but I'd keep my diamond.
ReplyDeleteMy setting totally isn't what I would have picked out but my husband is STILL so proud of it that I could never change it. I can't believe diamonds are that expensive either, I have a one carat round and I think the diamond itself was about 5K like five years ago (and it's like an E with perfect cut). WEIRD. Not like I'll ever get another one! :) I personally think the quality of the diamond is worth it, I can spot a yellow diamond from a mile away!
ReplyDeleteI've upgraded my ring twice. The first was b/c Jeff and I were 24 and 20 when we got married, so I got a $50 fake ring from Penneys. Then when we seperated for almost a year, Jeff sold my ring b/c he felt it was bad luck to keep the same ring if did work things out. So when we got back together last year he bought me a new one. But the one I have now is still $1300. I think bigger is better too when it comes to diamonds but I'm definitely not willing to pay 10K or more for a beautiful ring. Mine looks like a 1c. princess cut but up close you can see it's actually 4 1/4c diamonds side by side.
ReplyDeleteI love diamonds but I would be fine with just a simple band. I personally don't think anyone should upgrade until at least the 15th anniversary. I think the whole "bling bling" has gotten out of control in this society. Our mothers and grandmothers didn't need rings that big! PS I did a TFT on this a few years back http://www.sweetsauer.com/kristis_bliggitty_blog/2008/07/thoughts-for-thursday.html
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE to upgrade my whole ring/set everything. It's totally not my style and wasn't even when we got married but he picked it out, which I love. One day I hope to upgrade, but for now, even if I did have the money I would rather have a bigger house, no debt, go back to school or a million other things than a ring. I've considered looking at CZ too, but haven't looked into it close enough to have a real opinion on it.
ReplyDeleteOk...I just want to know who was the one person that voted their ring cost between $15K -$20K!!! Where does their hubby work andare they hiring...LOL...just sayin...
ReplyDeleteOK Mrs. Frugal...
ReplyDeletemy 1st wedding band was about $80 from JCPenney, no diamonds or anything - and my engagement ring was a teensy hand-me-down.
When Jas & I separated I got a new ring for myself. And it was a WHOPPING grand total of $150 on clearance at Elder Beerman (when they were getting rid of their jewelry counter).
Feel better? LOL
*Er.... when Jason & I got back together AFTER we separated, that is.
ReplyDeleteI would love to upgrade my ring. Mainly to a different setting, and probably a larger center diamond. I think my center diamond is a 1/2 carat and then there are multiple smaller diamonds in the setting and band that I believe make up another 1/4 carat. So it total it is 3/4c. And in 2002, that was $999. I wouldn't mind getting another one, because I did pick this one out at the time. And would probably pick out the next one too. As honestly, I dont see Tony going out and surprising me with a new one. But I think I might wait until maybe the 10 year anniversary for something like that. But I could think of other things to spend money on right now, rather than a ring. I can't even wear my ring anymore anyhow. Which reminds me.. I need to take it in to be resized. :)
ReplyDeleteScott and I have often talked of "upgrading" my ring. In our opinion, it was what "we" could afford when we got it. He didn't pick it out for me... we went together to get it, so it doesn't hold that sentimental value in the same way that it does for others. It actually bothers him when he thinks back on that... so maybe I should encourage him to go pick a new one out! :-) I definitely want to change the setting as it's gold and I NEVER wear gold. Much prefer silver. So, I would like it platinum now. The diamond size is okay, about a carat, but I could always use a bigger one... that's just me!
ReplyDeleteNicole, Just watch the movie "Blood Diamond" with Leonardo DiCaprio and that will do away with your diamond lust. After seeing that, I will never buy another one. It is so sad that people are enslaved to dig the diamonds.
ReplyDeleteAhhh... I cannot wait to get engaged one day! Unfortunately, it's not very important for my bf... so we'll see :)
ReplyDeleteMy engagement ring is very important for me. S knows what I like. I'll be wearing it forever, I have to like it! I'm like you tho, I wouldn't want to spend an arm and a leg on it though! I'm assuming somewhere between 3000$ and 5000$ would be the max he would pay for it. Plus, I'd probably get something around a 0.50ct solitaire with sidestones.
I would love to upgrade the main diamond on my engagement ring. Ben picked out the ring and I love it. It has the round center diamond, and then 2 rows of tiny diamonds on each side of it. It's really pretty. When he gave it to me, he said that he had a choice of a simple band with a large diamond, or a really pretty band with a smaller diamond. He went with the latter, and told me that we could get me a bigger diamond someday. My main diamond is about 1/3 carat, but it is really good quality and just sparkles (when it's clean, LOL). If/when I get a bigger diamond, I wouldn't get rid of my current one. I'd want to save it for the sentimental value. I'd probably have it set in a necklace.
ReplyDeleteAll that said, I totally drool at the Becky Beauchine Kulka commercials...
Lovely stuff dear Full Diamond Set & Princess diamond rings
ReplyDelete