Author Topic: Rare engagement ring research  (Read 5734 times)

Archipelago

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Rare engagement ring research
« on: December 13, 2020, 04:19:24 PM »
Hi, would you help me select a ring? She wants moissanite. Attached are pictures for general inspiration based on some styles she's interested in. I don't have a specific number in mind, but thinking under $1500 should be reasonable.

Other factors:
-Small hands
-Floral decorative taste
-Keen interest in astronomy

I've done a general forum search and looked through past topics, but I'm looking for more pointed suggestions based on specific styles/cuts and sources (specific Etsy or Ebay sellers, for example).

Thanks in advance!

Archipelago

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #1 on: December 13, 2020, 04:20:01 PM »
More pictures attached.


Adventine

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #3 on: December 13, 2020, 05:42:21 PM »
Some years ago, my hardliner Mustachian self would have said, "Why are you buying an engagement ring in the first place?!"

But now I understand that everyone has their own priorities, and that rings are important to some couples. Just the fact that you're looking for moissanite instead of diamond, and have already set a budget, indicate that you and your fiancée have put some thought into a responsible purchase.

@Archipelago  I also have some of those photos on my personal Pinterest board! They are very pretty.

Here are two Etsy shops I can recommend:

MinimalVS

Capucinne
« Last Edit: December 13, 2020, 05:43:52 PM by Adventine »


Archipelago

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #5 on: December 13, 2020, 06:59:12 PM »
Some years ago, my hardliner Mustachian self would have said, "Why are you buying an engagement ring in the first place?!"

But now I understand that everyone has their own priorities, and that rings are important to some couples. Just the fact that you're looking for moissanite instead of diamond, and have already set a budget, indicate that you and your fiancée have put some thought into a responsible purchase.

@Archipelago  I also have some of those photos on my personal Pinterest board! They are very pretty.

Here are two Etsy shops I can recommend:

MinimalVS

Capucinne

On the second link, I saw this one which seems vintage, slightly floral looking, and I bet if I wrote to the store they might be willing to swap out any diamonds with additional moissanites. No need for any diamonds.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/604919482/vintage-moissanite-and-diamond-ring?ref=shop_home_active_12&frs=1&crt=1
https://www.etsy.com/listing/555233046/round-moissanite-diamond-ring-vintage?ref=shop_home_active_16&frs=1

Adventine

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #6 on: December 13, 2020, 07:02:12 PM »
Hopefully they can, and that your proposal goes well!


iris lily

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #8 on: December 13, 2020, 07:15:59 PM »

I would not buy a pear shape unless she has expressed a distinct preference for a pear. They are classic but a lot of people don’t like them because they’re asymmetrical. That eliminates the first two rings you show, Even though I like that first one a lot.

Flower rings like the third one are controversial and a lot of people don’t like them. Personally I think the third one is pretty. Or, it’s kind of like a starburst. So maybe she would like it if she likes astronomy.But even though I like flowers and do a lot of work with flowers and grow flowers, I still would not choose that one as my engagement ring.

The one I think is stunning is the first one in your second set of photographs. It is an oval with halo that’s a new style. I’ve seen that style in the last year or so, very on trend and with a vintage feel

I say all of this from  hanging out on Wedding Bee and looking at the ring boards pretty often.
« Last Edit: December 25, 2020, 05:55:10 PM by iris lily »

Metalcat

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #9 on: December 13, 2020, 07:16:19 PM »
Just to confirm, you know for a fact that she wants a distinctive style engagement ring and doesn't want input as to what style it is?

A note about stone cuts:
The shape has an enormous effect on light reflection, pear shape (or tear drop as you referred to it) is always a terrible shape for light reflection. Because of its angles it has a "bowtie" shape of darkness in the middle where light sinks right through the stone instead of reflecting back.

The optic benefit of moissanite over diamond is that it reflects light more brilliantly than diamond, so picking a shape that's guaranteed to lose light kind of wastes that benefit.

The reason most people get a round cut is because it loses the least light, being round and symmetrical allows all facets to be optimally angled for light. Princess (square) is almost as good, but something like a traditional emerald cut will just let light sink through, making it look more like glass.

As for design, that's so going to depend on personal taste, so I really can't comment on the options you've posted. Any one of those could either be loved or hated depending on the recipient.

I personally have a pear shape stone in a very unique and ornate setting, but I knew I would be losing light in the center stone when I chose that shape. I didn't care because it's surrounded by small brilliant cut round stones, which compensate for the lost light.

My previous rings were round, princess, and oval, and the difference is very noticeable. Yes, I've had a lot of diamonds. 

If she doesn't care about any of this, then don't worry about it too much. However, if you want the most glitter, which is kind of the point of these expensive little rocks, then perhaps stick with the predictably brilliant cuts, especially when you can't see them in person and she's not the one picking it.

Archipelago

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #10 on: December 13, 2020, 07:23:47 PM »
Just to confirm, you know for a fact that she wants a distinctive style engagement ring and doesn't want input as to what style it is?

A note about stone cuts:
The shape has an enormous effect on light reflection, pear shape (or tear drop as you referred to it) is always a terrible shape for light reflection. Because of its angles it has a "bowtie" shape of darkness in the middle where light sinks right through the stone instead of reflecting back.

The optic benefit of moissanite over diamond is that it reflects light more brilliantly than diamond, so picking a shape that's guaranteed to lose light kind of wastes that benefit.

The reason most people get a round cut is because it loses the least light, being round and symmetrical allows all facets to be optimally angled for light. Princess (square) is almost as good, but something like a traditional emerald cut will just let light sink through, making it look more like glass.

As for design, that's so going to depend on personal taste, so I really can't comment on the options you've posted. Any one of those could either be loved or hated depending on the recipient.

I personally have a pear shape stone in a very unique and ornate setting, but I knew I would be losing light in the center stone when I chose that shape. I didn't care because it's surrounded by small brilliant cut round stones, which compensate for the lost light.

My previous rings were round, princess, and oval, and the difference is very noticeable. Yes, I've had a lot of diamonds. 

If she doesn't care about any of this, then don't worry about it too much. However, if you want the most glitter, which is kind of the point of these expensive little rocks, then perhaps stick with the predictably brilliant cuts, especially when you can't see them in person and she's not the one picking it.

To confirm, those 6 photos are ones that she expressed interest in when looking through rings with my sister, some time ago. Fortunately, my sister saved a gallery of photos for my use. So I believe there's enough information and people I could collaborate with to make a well-informed decision.

Thanks for the note about cuts and general knowledge on light refraction.

Dicey

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #11 on: December 13, 2020, 07:34:14 PM »
Paging jewelry expert @lifejoy. She's a busy mom of two these days, but maybe talk of jewelry will draw her out.

Metalcat

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #12 on: December 13, 2020, 07:41:02 PM »

To confirm, those 6 photos are ones that she expressed interest in when looking through rings with my sister, some time ago. Fortunately, my sister saved a gallery of photos for my use. So I believe there's enough information and people I could collaborate with to make a well-informed decision.

Thanks for the note about cuts and general knowledge on light refraction.

Okay cool, so now that we know that the rings being shown are her style, we can give much better feedback. That's very, very important to know.

If that's the case, one option is taking her in person casual shopping at least to get a sense of how different shapes stones look in person.

Otherwise, you can't go wrong with a round, princess (square), or most ovals (depending on how the facets are cut). Unless of course she doesn't really care and is more about the setting.

My personal taste is that I don't like flower settings, they look childish to me. If she loves them, cool, but that's just my reaction to them.

I like the second ring of the second set of photos, but I wonder if that's one ring or if it's two rings, with the bottom part being a separate band? The one below it also looks to have a separate band.

SunnyDays

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #13 on: December 13, 2020, 09:34:51 PM »
My favourite is the second of the second set of pictures, but I also like the third picture in that set too.  Two very different styles.  I assume the wedding rings will both coordinate and physically fit with all of the engagement rings?  One thing I would beware of is pointy settings jabbing into her finger.  I have a sapphire and diamond ring with a sharp configuration of stones and it can sometimes poke into my skin, especially when wearing gloves.

Adventine

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #14 on: December 14, 2020, 02:36:43 AM »
This whole shop has really nice pieces at affordable prices.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/MollyjewelryUS?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=737473966&section_id=27251831

I just browsed this shop's gallery. You are right, they are gorgeous, are similar to the styles you say your fiancée likes, and relatively cheap.

Once you've made a decision and the proposal is finished, please do update us! I always like to hear about Mustachian proposals.

Freedom2016

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #15 on: December 14, 2020, 05:19:05 AM »
Some of those ring styles seem like occasional pieces of jewelry - delicate, beautiful, worn for special occasions. I could be wrong, but some seem almost too delicate for daily use?

I say this as someone who wears my engagement ring + wedding band at virtually all times and so they get banged around a fair amount with just daily living.

GoConfidently

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #16 on: December 14, 2020, 05:41:13 AM »


That first one is a lot like the first image I attached! Just slightly different shape (round instead of teardrop). It looks nice!

Second one looks maybe a little big and regal looking. Maybe something a little less busy?

Third and fourth ones I feel are too big! Cool designs though.

The shop offers it in a pear shape and with a wedding band
https://www.etsy.com/listing/763846643/pear-shaped-cut-moissanite-engagement?ref=shop_home_feat_3&pro=1&frs=1

iris lily

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #17 on: December 14, 2020, 07:15:03 AM »
I agree with opinion above about flower settings. The  last one is a pretty little ring, very attractive. But it does seem juvenile to me.

Based on this girl’s selections, it seems she’s about the settings and not about the shape of the stone. Oval stones are at the top of the trend for fancy shapes right now and there are several ovals in that group.

Do not buy a princess cut stone no how no matter how much light it reflects. That shape is dated.

Metalcat

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #18 on: December 14, 2020, 07:29:07 AM »
I agree with opinion above about flower settings. The  last one is a pretty little ring, very attractive. But it does seem juvenile to me.

Based on this girl’s selections, it seems she’s about the settings and not about the shape of the stone. Oval stones are at the top of the trend for fancy shapes right now and there are several ovals in that group.

Do not buy a princess cut stone no how no matter how much light it reflects. That shape is dated.

As pear will be shortly since it's been so trendy for a few years, and as oval will be after that when that trend passes. The same way halo settings are rapidly becoming dated.

An engagement ring is supposed to be worn forever, so trends do not matter, what the person wearing it likes matters.

Also, there are plenty of stunning princess rings out there, especially some of the more ornate art deco styles that benefit from the sharp angles of a square.

I peobably wouldn't go with a princess in this case because her esthetic obviously leans towards delicate, organic curvilinear designs.

Imma

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #19 on: December 14, 2020, 07:56:18 AM »
Some of those ring styles seem like occasional pieces of jewelry - delicate, beautiful, worn for special occasions. I could be wrong, but some seem almost too delicate for daily use?

I say this as someone who wears my engagement ring + wedding band at virtually all times and so they get banged around a fair amount with just daily living.

I think this is an important consideration. I wear a ring with an oval stone (sapphire) in a bezel setting in a band set with tiny diamonds in a prong setting. I have lost one of those diamonds in the past. This is a vintage ring so maybe settings are more sturdy now, but I'm glad I don't have to worry about losing my stone every time I put my hand in my pocket. My choice probably not the best choice for bling bling,  but it's the best choice for every day wear.

iris lily

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #20 on: December 14, 2020, 08:01:40 AM »
I agree with opinion above about flower settings. The  last one is a pretty little ring, very attractive. But it does seem juvenile to me.

Based on this girl’s selections, it seems she’s about the settings and not about the shape of the stone. Oval stones are at the top of the trend for fancy shapes right now and there are several ovals in that group.

Do not buy a princess cut stone no how no matter how much light it reflects. That shape is dated.

As pear will be shortly since it's been so trendy for a few years, and as oval will be after that when that trend passes. The same way halo settings are rapidly becoming dated.

An engagement ring is supposed to be worn forever, so trends do not matter, what the person wearing it likes matters.

Also, there are plenty of stunning princess rings out there, especially some of the more ornate art deco styles that benefit from the sharp angles of a square.

I peobably wouldn't go with a princess in this case because her esthetic obviously leans towards delicate, organic curvilinear designs.

I think pears are more classic in that there never is/was really a high trend for them.

Marquise cut stones, super outdated because they were big in the 1980’s.  Yet, so out of fashion that are circling back around again, but just barely.

Any setting is a product of its time tho, so all will be outdated at some point.

This is one reason I like vintage rings.mThat, and workmanship.

Metalcat

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #21 on: December 14, 2020, 08:38:33 AM »
I agree with opinion above about flower settings. The  last one is a pretty little ring, very attractive. But it does seem juvenile to me.

Based on this girl’s selections, it seems she’s about the settings and not about the shape of the stone. Oval stones are at the top of the trend for fancy shapes right now and there are several ovals in that group.

Do not buy a princess cut stone no how no matter how much light it reflects. That shape is dated.

As pear will be shortly since it's been so trendy for a few years, and as oval will be after that when that trend passes. The same way halo settings are rapidly becoming dated.

An engagement ring is supposed to be worn forever, so trends do not matter, what the person wearing it likes matters.

Also, there are plenty of stunning princess rings out there, especially some of the more ornate art deco styles that benefit from the sharp angles of a square.

I peobably wouldn't go with a princess in this case because her esthetic obviously leans towards delicate, organic curvilinear designs.

I think pears are more classic in that there never is/was really a high trend for them.

Marquise cut stones, super outdated because they were big in the 1980’s.  Yet, so out of fashion that are circling back around again, but just barely.

Any setting is a product of its time tho, so all will be outdated at some point.

This is one reason I like vintage rings.mThat, and workmanship.

Pear cut was the height of tacky in the late 90s, but have been enormously trendy for the past few years. I wouldn't call them timeless.

As for craftsmanship, some vintage rings are beautifully well crafted and some are crap. You just don't tend to see a lot of the crap ones because they fall apart over time, or get melted down because they're not worth trying to resell.

Even vintage styles cycle through trends too. Art deco had a huge resurgence, when in the late 90s/early 2000s they were very much out of style.

Then after Will proposed with Diana's ring, vintage halo settings were en vogue again after years of the reign of the 3 stone.

Everything cycles, even the ubiquitous single round solitaire cycles up and down in terms of relative popularity.

Archipelago

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #22 on: December 14, 2020, 11:37:12 AM »

To confirm, those 6 photos are ones that she expressed interest in when looking through rings with my sister, some time ago. Fortunately, my sister saved a gallery of photos for my use. So I believe there's enough information and people I could collaborate with to make a well-informed decision.

Thanks for the note about cuts and general knowledge on light refraction.

Okay cool, so now that we know that the rings being shown are her style, we can give much better feedback. That's very, very important to know.

If that's the case, one option is taking her in person casual shopping at least to get a sense of how different shapes stones look in person.

Otherwise, you can't go wrong with a round, princess (square), or most ovals (depending on how the facets are cut). Unless of course she doesn't really care and is more about the setting.

My personal taste is that I don't like flower settings, they look childish to me. If she loves them, cool, but that's just my reaction to them.

I like the second ring of the second set of photos, but I wonder if that's one ring or if it's two rings, with the bottom part being a separate band? The one below it also looks to have a separate band.

I tend to agree with your sentiment about flower settings. They're pretty and would look great on her hand. She looks fairly young for her age - 20, 30, 40 years from now could that same ring look "too young"?

Yes, the 2nd set 2nd photo is 2 rings. Anything I would want to know about 2 piece sets? The first thing that comes to mind is practicality and daily use.
« Last Edit: December 14, 2020, 11:38:52 AM by Archipelago »

Archipelago

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #23 on: December 14, 2020, 11:41:05 AM »
Some of those ring styles seem like occasional pieces of jewelry - delicate, beautiful, worn for special occasions. I could be wrong, but some seem almost too delicate for daily use?

I say this as someone who wears my engagement ring + wedding band at virtually all times and so they get banged around a fair amount with just daily living.

I think this is an important consideration. I wear a ring with an oval stone (sapphire) in a bezel setting in a band set with tiny diamonds in a prong setting. I have lost one of those diamonds in the past. This is a vintage ring so maybe settings are more sturdy now, but I'm glad I don't have to worry about losing my stone every time I put my hand in my pocket. My choice probably not the best choice for bling bling,  but it's the best choice for every day wear.

I follow what you're both saying, but how does one gauge the "delicacy" of a ring? Will it come down to the set material which determines how well a ring will hold up?

Archipelago

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #24 on: December 14, 2020, 11:51:44 AM »
Thoughts on this ring? It can be customized in multiple colors and styles. I would request swapping out any diamonds for additional moissanites.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/604919482/vintage-moissanite-and-diamond-ring?ref=shop_home_active_12&frs=1&crt=1

It's a very pretty ring. It has some floral aspects but isn't completely flowery. It has a vintage, crown look (slightly princess-y) but that could be a good thing for her. She's a bit of a girly girl and I only say that in an effort to help describe her tastes.

One thing that could be improved would be the bottom band. If that triangle protruding around the stone could be smoothed out, it might help the ring look more symmetrical.

Bear with my descriptions of everything in this thread. I'm just writing down what comes to mind when I look at specific rings and styles. I'm not well versed in the subject.

Metalcat

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #25 on: December 14, 2020, 11:58:28 AM »

To confirm, those 6 photos are ones that she expressed interest in when looking through rings with my sister, some time ago. Fortunately, my sister saved a gallery of photos for my use. So I believe there's enough information and people I could collaborate with to make a well-informed decision.

Thanks for the note about cuts and general knowledge on light refraction.

Okay cool, so now that we know that the rings being shown are her style, we can give much better feedback. That's very, very important to know.

If that's the case, one option is taking her in person casual shopping at least to get a sense of how different shapes stones look in person.

Otherwise, you can't go wrong with a round, princess (square), or most ovals (depending on how the facets are cut). Unless of course she doesn't really care and is more about the setting.

My personal taste is that I don't like flower settings, they look childish to me. If she loves them, cool, but that's just my reaction to them.

I like the second ring of the second set of photos, but I wonder if that's one ring or if it's two rings, with the bottom part being a separate band? The one below it also looks to have a separate band.

I tend to agree with your sentiment about flower settings. They're pretty and would look great on her hand. She looks fairly young for her age - 20, 30, 40 years from now could that same ring look "too young"?

Yes, the 2nd set 2nd photo is 2 rings. Anything I would want to know about 2 piece sets? The first thing that comes to mind is practicality and daily use.

Usually the second ring is the wedding band and the two are worn together.

There's no reason she couldn't have both as an engagement ring though. I was just pointing out to you that it was two separate rings and not one really interesting ring. The main ring of the second photo in the second set is actually very simple. Nothing wrong with that, it all depends on what she wants.

I personally can't stand wearing two rings on one finger. Some people like it, but I find it feels annoying. That ornate second band could also be weird to wear alone, which would make it hard for her to just wear her wedding band if she doesn't want to wear her engagement ring.

Some people never take of their engagement rings and some do. It will depend on her habits. I'm a healthcare professional, so I didn't wear my engagement ring at work because that's gross. I always wore my plain gold band or nothing.

Some of my colleagues made sure to choose smooth settings to they could wear them easily under gloves. I prefer to just not wear mine to work.

Again, it comes down to personal preference and habits.

Basic rule of thumb though: the more pointy bits on a ring, the more likely she is to take it off regularly, because they can be truly annoying. All of your selections have pointy bits, so if she's someone who will always want to be wearing a ring, then she may want a smooth wedding band that she's comfortable keeping on when she doesn't feel like wearing her sweater snagger/baby scratcher.

Also find out if she expects to be wearing her wedding band and her engagement ring stacked. My engagement ring is very ornate, it doesn't go with any bands, and as I mentioned, I hate stacked rings. So when I wear it, I wear each ring on different hands, but I'm not fussy about that. Some women are, and *must* have both on the proper finger on the proper hand (whatever that is in her culture).

Metalcat

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #26 on: December 14, 2020, 12:02:59 PM »
Thoughts on this ring? It can be customized in multiple colors and styles. I would request swapping out any diamonds for additional moissanites.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/604919482/vintage-moissanite-and-diamond-ring?ref=shop_home_active_12&frs=1&crt=1

It's a very pretty ring. It has some floral aspects but isn't completely flowery. It has a vintage, crown look (slightly princess-y) but that could be a good thing for her. She's a bit of a girly girl and I only say that in an effort to help describe her tastes.

One thing that could be improved would be the bottom band. If that triangle protruding around the stone could be smoothed out, it might help the ring look more symmetrical.

Bear with my descriptions of everything in this thread. I'm just writing down what comes to mind when I look at specific rings and styles. I'm not well versed in the subject.

I personally like it exactly as it is.

See my previous post for practical considerations though.

chaskavitch

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #27 on: December 14, 2020, 12:43:01 PM »
Thoughts on this ring? It can be customized in multiple colors and styles. I would request swapping out any diamonds for additional moissanites.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/604919482/vintage-moissanite-and-diamond-ring?ref=shop_home_active_12&frs=1&crt=1

I think this one is beautiful.  It looks very much like a vine to me, if you're looking for plant-y things :)  The very first one you posted is pretty too, but I agree with other posters that some of those look kind of pointy and potentially uncomfortable.

As far as ease of wear - looking at the Etsy link, it has an additional wedding band you can add that I personally think would get caught on things, since it's so point and also has small settings in it.  Without the wedding band, it has a lot of nice round organic-looking edges and the stone itself is set low in the ring, so it won't get snagged on things so easily.

I honestly don't wear my original wedding ring very often, because it snags on and occasionally rips my nitrile gloves at work and gets caught on things sometimes.  The parts that stick out from the band get pushed into my skin when I'm wearing gloves too, and it's uncomfortable.  My husband bought me a band that matches his that I wear most of the time now.
« Last Edit: December 15, 2020, 06:38:30 AM by chaskavitch »

Archipelago

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #28 on: December 15, 2020, 04:53:28 AM »
Adding 2 more to the list. I don't know how, but that first one is priced at $390.
« Last Edit: December 15, 2020, 04:55:38 AM by Archipelago »

Metalcat

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #29 on: December 15, 2020, 06:33:53 AM »
With those very delicate little bands, there's very little gold to have to pay for. However, at that price, I would expect that the moissanites aren't cut very well, which will make them look more like glass or cubic zirconia. The bulk of what you are paying for with that ring is the gold.

Cutting gems properly is a complicated and expensive process, so there's a whole range of quality out there when it comes to moissanite stones, hence why some are quite expensive. I actually noticed that one of the pear cut stones was really narrow, which is a giveaway that it's badly cut.

A poorly cut moissanite will still be pretty though. It all depends on how much she wants it to look like a diamond, how important the sparkle is to her.
« Last Edit: December 15, 2020, 06:36:34 AM by Malcat »

Archipelago

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #30 on: December 15, 2020, 10:51:35 AM »
With those very delicate little bands, there's very little gold to have to pay for. However, at that price, I would expect that the moissanites aren't cut very well, which will make them look more like glass or cubic zirconia. The bulk of what you are paying for with that ring is the gold.

Cutting gems properly is a complicated and expensive process, so there's a whole range of quality out there when it comes to moissanite stones, hence why some are quite expensive. I actually noticed that one of the pear cut stones was really narrow, which is a giveaway that it's badly cut.

A poorly cut moissanite will still be pretty though. It all depends on how much she wants it to look like a diamond, how important the sparkle is to her.

Thanks for the info!

iris lily

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #31 on: December 15, 2020, 11:27:42 AM »
Thoughts on this ring? It can be customized in multiple colors and styles. I would request swapping out any diamonds for additional moissanites.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/604919482/vintage-moissanite-and-diamond-ring?ref=shop_home_active_12&frs=1&crt=1

It's a very pretty ring. It has some floral aspects but isn't completely flowery. It has a vintage, crown look (slightly princess-y) but that could be a good thing for her. She's a bit of a girly girl and I only say that in an effort to help describe her tastes.

One thing that could be improved would be the bottom band. If that triangle protruding around the stone could be smoothed out, it might help the ring look more symmetrical.

Bear with my descriptions of everything in this thread. I'm just writing down what comes to mind when I look at specific rings and styles. I'm not well versed in the subject.

Oooooooo I likee!

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #32 on: December 15, 2020, 07:40:58 PM »
Thoughts on this ring? It can be customized in multiple colors and styles. I would request swapping out any diamonds for additional moissanites.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/604919482/vintage-moissanite-and-diamond-ring?ref=shop_home_active_12&frs=1&crt=1

It's a very pretty ring. It has some floral aspects but isn't completely flowery. It has a vintage, crown look (slightly princess-y) but that could be a good thing for her. She's a bit of a girly girl and I only say that in an effort to help describe her tastes.

One thing that could be improved would be the bottom band. If that triangle protruding around the stone could be smoothed out, it might help the ring look more symmetrical.

Bear with my descriptions of everything in this thread. I'm just writing down what comes to mind when I look at specific rings and styles. I'm not well versed in the subject.

Oooooooo I likee!

Mmmmm, I don’t.  It looks a bit old fashioned.  The first of the last 2 pictures is nice.  Kind of traditional but with a modern sensibility.

Are you trying to surprise her?  It might be better to look at rings together and let her choose her own.  She’ll be wearing it for the rest of her life (hopefully), so you want to make sure she really likes it.

Archipelago

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #33 on: December 16, 2020, 08:12:41 AM »
Thoughts on this ring? It can be customized in multiple colors and styles. I would request swapping out any diamonds for additional moissanites.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/604919482/vintage-moissanite-and-diamond-ring?ref=shop_home_active_12&frs=1&crt=1

It's a very pretty ring. It has some floral aspects but isn't completely flowery. It has a vintage, crown look (slightly princess-y) but that could be a good thing for her. She's a bit of a girly girl and I only say that in an effort to help describe her tastes.

One thing that could be improved would be the bottom band. If that triangle protruding around the stone could be smoothed out, it might help the ring look more symmetrical.

Bear with my descriptions of everything in this thread. I'm just writing down what comes to mind when I look at specific rings and styles. I'm not well versed in the subject.

Oooooooo I likee!

Mmmmm, I don’t.  It looks a bit old fashioned.  The first of the last 2 pictures is nice.  Kind of traditional but with a modern sensibility.

Are you trying to surprise her?  It might be better to look at rings together and let her choose her own.  She’ll be wearing it for the rest of her life (hopefully), so you want to make sure she really likes it.

Good point. This is whole process is harder than I thought it'd be. Already have my mother pushing back about getting moissanite (which my gf specifically said she wanted).

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #34 on: December 16, 2020, 08:52:07 AM »
Thoughts on this ring? It can be customized in multiple colors and styles. I would request swapping out any diamonds for additional moissanites.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/604919482/vintage-moissanite-and-diamond-ring?ref=shop_home_active_12&frs=1&crt=1

It's a very pretty ring. It has some floral aspects but isn't completely flowery. It has a vintage, crown look (slightly princess-y) but that could be a good thing for her. She's a bit of a girly girl and I only say that in an effort to help describe her tastes.

One thing that could be improved would be the bottom band. If that triangle protruding around the stone could be smoothed out, it might help the ring look more symmetrical.

Bear with my descriptions of everything in this thread. I'm just writing down what comes to mind when I look at specific rings and styles. I'm not well versed in the subject.

Oooooooo I likee!

Mmmmm, I don’t.  It looks a bit old fashioned.  The first of the last 2 pictures is nice.  Kind of traditional but with a modern sensibility.

Are you trying to surprise her?  It might be better to look at rings together and let her choose her own.  She’ll be wearing it for the rest of her life (hopefully), so you want to make sure she really likes it.

Good point. This is whole process is harder than I thought it'd be. Already have my mother pushing back about getting moissanite (which my gf specifically said she wanted).

Moissanite is awesome. Definitely push back on that.

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #35 on: December 16, 2020, 09:13:50 AM »
Some of the semi-precious quartz stones are gorgeous too.  Of course they have colours as well as colourless rock quartz.

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #36 on: December 16, 2020, 09:47:23 AM »
Well, I ALWAYS advocate letting her pick the ring.

You can still surprise ask, if that is important. Do it with a temp ring she can wear while working a process to pick out a real ring. Use  a silly ring—like a soda can ring, or a huge gaudy faux ring of 5 carats. Or get a simple silver ring, not expensive.

I also support getting moissonite. Avoid Moissonite Company because they have tons of bad experiences detailed on Wedding Bee. Charles and Covid seems to have many happy customers.

That ring for $340 seems very low priced, I wouldn’t trust it. Something is off...maybe 10k gold instead of 14? Very cheap moissonite?
« Last Edit: December 16, 2020, 11:07:33 AM by iris lily »

Archipelago

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #37 on: December 16, 2020, 10:10:51 AM »
Well, I ALWAYS advocate letting her pick the ring.

You can still surprise ask, if that is important. Do it with a temp ring she can wear while working a process to pick out a real ring. Use  a silly ring—like a soda can ring, or a huge gaudy faux ring of 5 carats. Or get a simple silver ring, not expensive.

I also support getting moissonite. Avoid Moissonite Company because they have tons of bad experiences detailed on Wedding Bee. Charles and Covid seems to have many happy customers.

That ring for $340 seems very low priced, I wouldn’t trust it. Something is off...maybe 10k gold instead of 14? Very cheap moisture?

A temporary ring! That's a really good idea!

Metalcat

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #38 on: December 16, 2020, 10:26:13 AM »
Well, I ALWAYS advocate letting her pick the ring.

You can still surprise ask, if that is important. Do it with a temp ring she can wear while working a process to pick out a real ring. Use  a silly ring—like a soda can ring, or a huge gaudy faux ring of 5 carats. Or get a simple silver ring, not expensive.

I also support getting moissonite. Avoid Moissonite Company because they have tons of bad experiences detailed on Wedding Bee. Charles and Covid seems to have many happy customers.

That ring for $340 seems very low priced, I wouldn’t trust it. Something is off...maybe 10k gold instead of 14? Very cheap moisture?

A temporary ring! That's a really good idea!

As long as she things it is. Go back to my original reply talking about the meaning of rings. Some women wouldn't dare replace their engagement ring, others love the idea.

Whatever the case, definitely start engaging her more actively on this so that she can give way more input on what her priorities are.

Archipelago

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #39 on: December 25, 2020, 04:25:32 PM »
Posting to update in case anyone is following.

1. I thought more about the picking a ring vs. temporary ring thing. I’ll definitely be choosing a ring. She’s the type of person who will value me picking the ring than the look of the ring itself. She’s not materialistic. Never has been, never will. We’re very closely aligned on that piece of our relationship.

2. I tried visiting a number of local jewelers in the area. None of them sell moissanite nor even have it on display. Doing so would devalue their most profitable products when laypeople realize there is virtually no visible difference between diamond and moissanite.

3. For that reason in #2, and others below, I am definitely purchasing a moissanite. In addition, the natural origin of moissanite was a meteorite. Even if all commercially available moissanite is lab grown, she’s going to love the celestial origin story. She’s an Earth and space aficiando. She’s most definitely going to prefer the more environmentally/ethically friendly options.

4. That cost savings will allow us to go on vacation for an entire month. We’d both choose that over a more expensive ring.

So I’m getting closer on this whole thing. Thanks for the researching help so far :-)

iris lily

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #40 on: December 25, 2020, 05:44:24 PM »
Posting to update in case anyone is following.

1. I thought more about the picking a ring vs. temporary ring thing. I’ll definitely be choosing a ring. She’s the type of person who will value me picking the ring than the look of the ring itself. She’s not materialistic. Never has been, never will. We’re very closely aligned on that piece of our relationship.

2. I tried visiting a number of local jewelers in the area. None of them sell moissanite nor even have it on display. Doing so would devalue their most profitable products when laypeople realize there is virtually no visible difference between diamond and moissanite.

3. For that reason in #2, and others below, I am definitely purchasing a moissanite. In addition, the natural origin of moissanite was a meteorite. Even if all commercially available moissanite is lab grown, she’s going to love the celestial origin story. She’s an Earth and space aficiando. She’s most definitely going to prefer the more environmentally/ethically friendly options.

4. That cost savings will allow us to go on vacation for an entire month. We’d both choose that over a more expensive ring.

So I’m getting closer on this whole thing. Thanks for the researching help so far :-)

Good then, you have one decision point completed with the knowledge that you will be choosing the ring.

This is the old reliable website, been around for years, that the Wedding Bee ladies seem to like for moissonite, Charles and Colvard (I misnamed it above, sorry)

https://www.charlesandcolvard.com/featured/view-all?gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlef7kbTq7QIVEPHACh3AKw_AEAAYASAAEgI8ZPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds


Do not, I mean DO. NOT go to Moissonite Company Because too many people have had bad experiences there.

 But these days there are many  providers of moisseys. I even stopped in to a chain mall store,
Helzberg’s,  a few months ago to look at their moissonite rings tho  I would never advocate mall stores, they are overpriced.

Many pretty rings on Etsy.
« Last Edit: December 25, 2020, 05:48:24 PM by iris lily »

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #41 on: December 25, 2020, 06:01:15 PM »
Well, I ALWAYS advocate letting her pick the ring.

You can still surprise ask, if that is important. Do it with a temp ring she can wear while working a process to pick out a real ring. Use  a silly ring—like a soda can ring, or a huge gaudy faux ring of 5 carats. Or get a simple silver ring, not expensive.

I also support getting moissonite. Avoid Moissonite Company because they have tons of bad experiences detailed on Wedding Bee. Charles and Covid seems to have many happy customers.

That ring for $340 seems very low priced, I wouldn’t trust it. Something is off...maybe 10k gold instead of 14? Very cheap moissonite?

Hello, would you point me towards the reviews for Moissanite Co? I couldn’t find much on the negative ones, even looking all around the web.

iris lily

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #42 on: December 25, 2020, 06:46:58 PM »
Well, I ALWAYS advocate letting her pick the ring.

You can still surprise ask, if that is important. Do it with a temp ring she can wear while working a process to pick out a real ring. Use  a silly ring—like a soda can ring, or a huge gaudy faux ring of 5 carats. Or get a simple silver ring, not expensive.

I also support getting moissonite. Avoid Moissonite Company because they have tons of bad experiences detailed on Wedding Bee. Charles and Covid seems to have many happy customers.

That ring for $340 seems very low priced, I wouldn’t trust it. Something is off...maybe 10k gold instead of 14? Very cheap moissonite?

Hello, would you point me towards the reviews for Moissanite Co? I couldn’t find much on the negative ones, even looking all around the web.

https://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/update-moissaniteco-review-my-diamonds-testing-as-moissanite/


This is one long, very long post, but if you search that company on Wedding bee you will find people reporting shady practices. I think many are happy enough, tho, with their products.

 Unless you want to spend hours and hours on the selection, I would choose one company, and work with them on the  ring.  There are so many styles of moissanite cuts such as Hearts and Fire,  crushed ice, etc. and  I’m barely aware of the correct terminology but I just know that there’s a wide variance.

You could spend your life choosing this ring and you probably don’t want to do that.

Metalcat

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #43 on: December 25, 2020, 07:52:32 PM »
Posting to update in case anyone is following.

1. I thought more about the picking a ring vs. temporary ring thing. I’ll definitely be choosing a ring. She’s the type of person who will value me picking the ring than the look of the ring itself. She’s not materialistic. Never has been, never will. We’re very closely aligned on that piece of our relationship.

2. I tried visiting a number of local jewelers in the area. None of them sell moissanite nor even have it on display. Doing so would devalue their most profitable products when laypeople realize there is virtually no visible difference between diamond and moissanite.

3. For that reason in #2, and others below, I am definitely purchasing a moissanite. In addition, the natural origin of moissanite was a meteorite. Even if all commercially available moissanite is lab grown, she’s going to love the celestial origin story. She’s an Earth and space aficiando. She’s most definitely going to prefer the more environmentally/ethically friendly options.

4. That cost savings will allow us to go on vacation for an entire month. We’d both choose that over a more expensive ring.

So I’m getting closer on this whole thing. Thanks for the researching help so far :-)

Then it's still just a matter of figuring out how important the quality of the stone is to her, and how sturdy she'll need the ring to be.

If she cares about what the stone looks like, ie wants it to look more like a diamond and less like cut glass, then you will need to do some research about moissanite stone quality. Both diamonds and moissanite can even look like plastic if cut badly enough.

Also, you will need to know if she intends the wear the ring daily, because as I mentioned above, some of those rings you posted are inexpensive largely because of how little gold mass there is in the settings, which leaves them very vulnerable to damage with daily wear. Bands can warp and stones can fall out, it's why I have to have my ring checked every 6 months for my guarantee to stay valid.

If you looked at the rings in those jewelry stores, you would have seen that most diamond settings are pretty solid, and for good reason, even though it's far more costly to make them that way.

If it's only something she'll wear out for special occasions, then it won't matter and you can pick as delicate a setting as you would like, which is nice because delicate settings are very pretty.

Archipelago

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #44 on: December 25, 2020, 08:12:13 PM »
Well, I ALWAYS advocate letting her pick the ring.

You can still surprise ask, if that is important. Do it with a temp ring she can wear while working a process to pick out a real ring. Use  a silly ring—like a soda can ring, or a huge gaudy faux ring of 5 carats. Or get a simple silver ring, not expensive.

I also support getting moissonite. Avoid Moissonite Company because they have tons of bad experiences detailed on Wedding Bee. Charles and Covid seems to have many happy customers.

That ring for $340 seems very low priced, I wouldn’t trust it. Something is off...maybe 10k gold instead of 14? Very cheap moissonite?

Hello, would you point me towards the reviews for Moissanite Co? I couldn’t find much on the negative ones, even looking all around the web.

https://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/update-moissaniteco-review-my-diamonds-testing-as-moissanite/


This is one long, very long post, but if you search that company on Wedding bee you will find people reporting shady practices. I think many are happy enough, tho, with their products.

 Unless you want to spend hours and hours on the selection, I would choose one company, and work with them on the  ring.  There are so many styles of moissanite cuts such as Hearts and Fire,  crushed ice, etc. and  I’m barely aware of the correct terminology but I just know that there’s a wide variance.

You could spend your life choosing this ring and you probably don’t want to do that.

I read through the review post. It looks like the company reached out directly to the poster and got resolution. And if the issue is with a company providing moissanites instead of diamonds, I'm okay with that. I prefer moisannites throughout the ring anyway.

iris lily

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #45 on: December 27, 2020, 08:19:51 PM »
Well, I ALWAYS advocate letting her pick the ring.

You can still surprise ask, if that is important. Do it with a temp ring she can wear while working a process to pick out a real ring. Use  a silly ring—like a soda can ring, or a huge gaudy faux ring of 5 carats. Or get a simple silver ring, not expensive.

I also support getting moissonite. Avoid Moissonite Company because they have tons of bad experiences detailed on Wedding Bee. Charles and Covid seems to have many happy customers.

That ring for $340 seems very low priced, I wouldn’t trust it. Something is off...maybe 10k gold instead of 14? Very cheap moissonite?

Hello, would you point me towards the reviews for Moissanite Co? I couldn’t find much on the negative ones, even looking all around the web.

https://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/update-moissaniteco-review-my-diamonds-testing-as-moissanite/


This is one long, very long post, but if you search that company on Wedding bee you will find people reporting shady practices. I think many are happy enough, tho, with their products.

 Unless you want to spend hours and hours on the selection, I would choose one company, and work with them on the  ring.  There are so many styles of moissanite cuts such as Hearts and Fire,  crushed ice, etc. and  I’m barely aware of the correct terminology but I just know that there’s a wide variance.

You could spend your life choosing this ring and you probably don’t want to do that.

I read through the review post. It looks like the company reached out directly to the poster and got resolution. And if the issue is with a company providing moissanites instead of diamonds, I'm okay with that. I prefer moisannites throughout the ring anyway.

Brilliant Earth, online vendor, has a good reputation. The reason why you want a good reputation is because unless you want to have gems shipped to you so you can examine them,  you want to  have confidence that the one you’re buying is decent quality. This is the reason people go to Tiffany, because they know the quality of the diamonds will be decent.

With a diamond I would never buy sight unseen, but with Moissy I might Because it’s hard to see them in person Because stores do not carry them.I’m looking at Brilliant Earth for myself for moissanite so I think they have a nice selection and they have a good Online tool that lets you choose the stone and the setting and the color of metal, put it all together and see how it looks.

But keep in mind that Brilliant Earth may mail things to you for examination.  I’m not sure, but many of the moissonite dealers do that. Also if you live in a big enough city with a local jeweler who handles with moissonite, they might bring in some for you to look at in the store.
« Last Edit: December 28, 2020, 08:38:33 AM by iris lily »

Archipelago

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #46 on: December 28, 2020, 03:55:36 PM »
Well, I ALWAYS advocate letting her pick the ring.

You can still surprise ask, if that is important. Do it with a temp ring she can wear while working a process to pick out a real ring. Use  a silly ring—like a soda can ring, or a huge gaudy faux ring of 5 carats. Or get a simple silver ring, not expensive.

I also support getting moissonite. Avoid Moissonite Company because they have tons of bad experiences detailed on Wedding Bee. Charles and Covid seems to have many happy customers.

That ring for $340 seems very low priced, I wouldn’t trust it. Something is off...maybe 10k gold instead of 14? Very cheap moissonite?

Hello, would you point me towards the reviews for Moissanite Co? I couldn’t find much on the negative ones, even looking all around the web.

https://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/update-moissaniteco-review-my-diamonds-testing-as-moissanite/


This is one long, very long post, but if you search that company on Wedding bee you will find people reporting shady practices. I think many are happy enough, tho, with their products.

 Unless you want to spend hours and hours on the selection, I would choose one company, and work with them on the  ring.  There are so many styles of moissanite cuts such as Hearts and Fire,  crushed ice, etc. and  I’m barely aware of the correct terminology but I just know that there’s a wide variance.

You could spend your life choosing this ring and you probably don’t want to do that.

I read through the review post. It looks like the company reached out directly to the poster and got resolution. And if the issue is with a company providing moissanites instead of diamonds, I'm okay with that. I prefer moisannites throughout the ring anyway.

Brilliant Earth, online vendor, has a good reputation. The reason why you want a good reputation is because unless you want to have gems shipped to you so you can examine them,  you want to  have confidence that the one you’re buying is decent quality. This is the reason people go to Tiffany, because they know the quality of the diamonds will be decent.

With a diamond I would never buy sight unseen, but with Moissy I might Because it’s hard to see them in person Because stores do not carry them.I’m looking at Brilliant Earth for myself for moissanite so I think they have a nice selection and they have a good Online tool that lets you choose the stone and the setting and the color of metal, put it all together and see how it looks.

But keep in mind that Brilliant Earth may mail things to you for examination.  I’m not sure, but many of the moissonite dealers do that. Also if you live in a big enough city with a local jeweler who handles with moissonite, they might bring in some for you to look at in the store.

Interesting. I found it a significantly easier to find negative reviews on Brilliant Earth than MoissaniteCo. I did find some very nice rings on BE, however.

Archipelago

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #47 on: March 15, 2021, 01:44:59 AM »
Following up on this topic. The proposal went really well! The image attached is very close to the final ring I ended up purchasing. It's a 1 ct Charles & Colvard F1 moissanite with synthetic diamond side stones. The cost was $1800 and I purchased it from MoissaniteCo. They handled everything very well and the customer service was top notch. Wouldn't hesitate to use the company again.

We're over the moon!

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #48 on: March 15, 2021, 04:04:47 AM »
Congratulations on your engagement! I hope she loved the ring.

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Re: Rare engagement ring research
« Reply #49 on: March 15, 2021, 07:08:14 AM »
Just posting to say 1) congratulations! and 2) that is a beautiful ring!  And I say that as someone who couldn't care less about jewelry.  Very nice!

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!