How to find the right deal on an engagement ring?

[MutherjuggZ]

FWIW, I'd hit it

[AdamLX]

You can go basically anywhere you want if you have you're ready to haggle. I pieced mine together (stone and setting) at a big box store and ended up paying what you would from a small/online retailer.

[Trick Pony]

don't deal with a big chain, all you're paying for is advertising and executive salaries...

also, MY opinion is don't go out for high end high grade diamonds... My wife's engagement ring has a certified center stone... That was before I had the formula down.

What I always tell my jewelry guy is give me the largest, whitest stone with the most fire and no visible flaws to the naked eye from 8-10" away. because THAT's how her jealous girlfriends are going to be viewing it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She loves her ring, and it's nice, but the studs and pendant she's got are WAY nicer for the money. Her pendant is a pretty flat .82 ct princess that looks as large as most 1ct princess cuts, and it's got tons of fire, etc.

I've got less in that stone than I do in her .72ct center stone on her ring!! And I dare say it's a better looking stone than her center stone!

my guy also gives 100% credit on diamonds that you purchase from him... so I paid like $1k for the .66 pendant I gave her, and I upgraded it later to the .81 and he gave me the $1k credit towards it.

his prices are right in line or better than any of the online wholesalers I've found.

deal with a small, family owned jeweler IMO

I went with Cooter's hookup and he was able to beat bluenile.com, Costco, Sam's, etc. which are already significantly cheaper than most retail jewelry stores.

[AdamLX]

Oh and I went through Robbins Brothers by the Galleria. I got the diamond cheaper than Blue Nile, fully insured (no extra cost) that if anything at all happens it will be fixed for free, free cleanings and if I chose to upgrade, the price I paid for the diamond is credited to my new purchase.

[BlackGT]

http://www.zales.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4458032

This is the one I got for my wife... My SIL works for Zales corporate so I got a hell of a discount...

[Snatch Napkin]

I like white sapphire over diamond. It is one point lower than a diamond in hardness, but most of the time shines better. It is also significantly cheaper.

However, this will only work if your girl isn't stuck on diamonds.

Having read the responses from above, I believe you certainly can't go wrong with their advice.

Another vote for a small, family owned jeweler.
If your girl would like, our local jeweler can cut a Texas star in the bottom of it. It looks incredibly sharp when looking down from the top of the stone.

[dville_gt]

this is what i went with, not sure if you are interested in a designer band or not, this is a simon g w/a 1 carat cushion cut. only bad thing was the 1 month it took for simon g to make the bands. since1910.com couldn't have had better customer service though and they were A LOT cheaper then any of the chains for these particular bands.

[SMKR]

So I've been looking at tons of places lately, started at the big chain stores, worked down to the larger local stores and then down to the small mom and pop stores. I have the 4 C's worked out and where I want to be with those, but all the different labs that grade the diamonds as well as the markup has me confused as hell. Anyone been through this and have some advice (other than the bitter divorcees telling me to get out now lol) or perhaps somewhere you might recommend I try? Its tough to find someone straight-forward in this business.

id buy one from someone that got burned, much better and you dont get ripped with that high retail mark up.

[Wicked98Snake]

Very nice, I'd say get her what she wants as long as you get what you want

[forbes]

i have to admit i lucked out with my wife. she never got an engagment ring and i told her to pick out a wedding ring. she went to overstock.com and bought a 18 dollar it was CZ but she said she rather have a house than a ring.

[dsrtuckteezy]

^^^ sensible girl...

[bottlerocket]

i have to admit i lucked out with my wife. she never got an engagment ring and i told her to pick out a wedding ring. she went to overstock.com and bought a 18 dollar it was CZ but she said she rather have a house than a ring.

^^^ sensible girl...

I guarantee my girl would be the same way, she would be perfectly happy with something from Sam Moon as long as it didn't turn her finger green lol. But she deserves the best, I'll do what I can

[Cobraman]

Sweet pun on gauge lol

[Cooter]

I guarantee my girl would be the same way, she would be perfectly happy with something from Sam Moon as long as it didn't turn her finger green lol. But she deserves the best, I'll do what I can

my wife is the same way... and BECAUSE she's that way, I wanted to floss her out (within reason)

[forbes]

Sweet pun on gauge lol

my wife loves gauge... o wait... i though you were talking about the mm actress