Hello there!

I love that ring. One of our members here, BigRed has a similar ring as her upgraded engagement ring, and it's one of my favourites. It's a stunning setting and I think it would make a beautiful engagement ring.

However, it really depends on what your girlfriend has her heart set on. If she's dreaming of a round brilliant solitaire, this is very different. Can you do a little digging and see if you can find out what sort of thing she would want as her engagement ring? Even lovers of very modern design can be surprisingly old fashioned when it comes to their engagement ring. If you can find out without spoiling a surprise, come back and let us know - we can help you if you want! There's going to be something perfect here that she will love!

It isn't flashy and gaudy to my eye and I'm a lover of fairly simple stuff, but this one has always appealed to me.  It would make a stunning engagement ring.

Looking forward to hearing more!
Jen

That is a great ring!  It IS nice to see a man who wants something different. 




I have to now ask you if you have a brother.  

which all sort of  brings me back to my original point!   What does your girlfriend prefer? A little detective work is called for if it's a surprise, and a joint effort if it isn't!

Jen

DUDE!!!
It's awesome to have you aboard!!!
I see you've already gotten some great advice.

We actually have made this type of ring for many many engagements.
As OMC pointed out, it might not be for everyone- but I believe that is a big part of it's attraction to those who love it.

We have also had a lot of folks buy this type of ring and wear it every day, leading active lifestyles.
Not to say a small stone never falls out- on ANY microset ring ( no matter who made it) there is a possibility of a small stone popping.
Our experience is that it's rare for a stone to pop- but if any of our rings ever suffer a popped stone we replace it free.

As far as the question of surprise, or including your fiance in the decision...that's a very good- and often discussed question.
We want to make SUPER sure that she loves the ring.

How about a trip to the mall?
As you pass by a jewelry store, walk in - maybe pretend you want to look for a watch or something-
I can guarantee they won;t have a Pink Lemonade ring- but maybe  you can see how she reacts to the standard fare.
For example, maybe she'll say how she's always wanted a pear shape ( life should be so simple)

Might be worth a try!

OK, I am a little confused.  Are we talking about the already made pink lemonade ring with the intense yellow pear, or about purchasing a loose diamond to go into the semi-mount like Mikla's?  I think that semi- mount is a stunner, and there are endless options for color combos and shapes.  What shape are you thinking?

Oh wow! I can't believe all the responses I have received. Thank you so much to all of you. I appreciate all of your comments. This is really helping me out a lot.

Mrs. Mitchell - You are very right that I need to find out what my girlfriend is interested in. I have yet to figure out how to go about that. But Diamond By Lauren's suggestion is duly noted and I will need to make an undercover trip to the jewelry store with her. He he.

Webmistress - Thanks for reaffirming the way I’m going about this. I believe that it’s too easy to just pick a diamond and then a setting. Not much of an effort. I’m asking this girl to marry me and she should wear a piece of “me” on her finger. Just like she loves me for who I am, she should love the ring for what it represents…me!

Mikla - Your pictures are wonderful. The ring looks even more spectacular. How could anyone not like it? It is very beautiful and definitely stands out. Thanks for providing me with the link. It has given me an even better perspective of the ring. I like it even more.

Diamonds By Lauren - Absolutely spectacular work! Fortunately my girlfriend isn't the extremely active type. So I don't think I need to be overly concerned with the diamonds falling out. Especially since you cover such a loss and I can have the ring insured.

GIAGirl - I do have a brother but he is nothing like me. So unfortunate for his girlfriend. She has told me that she dated the wrong brother. Ha ha.

GracefulLion - Thanks for the the engagement wishes. Yes, I am thinking of a semi mount like Mikla's.

Oldmancoyote - I do like the pink diamonds with the yellow stone. There is just something about it that looks very nice. But the other color combinations do look just as stunning. I will need to decide on that as well. So many considerations. Ha ha.

Once again, thank you all for your input. I have one more issue though. I’ve been speaking with my Aunt who is helping me with this process. She is of the mindset that I should be more concerned with the major stone than the actual ring. Though I understand her reasoning that diamonds will only get more expensive as time passes and that you can always change the setting, I just don’t feel that this allows me to truly express myself. I am somewhat limited on how much I can spend (about $4,000 -$5,000 – give or take of course) and as such would rather have a spectacular looking ring with creativity than a ring based on a single stone with limited creativity. What are your thoughts? For this ring, I wasn’t planning on using a diamond as the center stone. Ideally would like to have another gemstone that still makes the ring pop. I’m more concerned with the look of the entire ring. I really love the small pink & white diamonds and that is what is calling me to the ring. You don’t see that very often. And I could always upgrade the center stone at a later time. What do you think?

I wonder, could you propose with a placeholder? Maybe a plain silver band  or even a toy ring? THat way, you'll surprise her with a wonderful proposal without fretting over will she like the ring? Tgen as Awestruck suggests, bring it to life together - a unique symbol of your relashiopnship.

Just a thought!
Jen

You could even propose with a collage of printed images, or in front of the computer with the DBL website open, etc.  Creativity is the key, and I cannot imagine her not loving your including her in the decision making. Please don't take this the wrong way, but I agree that while it is a piece of you, it is a big deal for her and she may be dreaming of something really, really particular.  She may even ADORE a good old RB solitaire, common as they are (they are common for a reason - they are beautiful!).  There will be so many occasions for you to share down the road where you can surprise her with something unique.

Like Jen said, it will be very tough to find a center stone down the road if you create a ring like this with a gemstone now.  You can upgrade the whole thing, but you have to feel comfortable with that possibility.  Some people never want to part with their actual engagement ring.  The pink diamond setting is sooooo beautiful (I have a split shank version myself), but you really need to carefully plan the whole piece so the gorgeous setting doesn't go to waste. 

Have you called David yet, BTW?  He is sooo good at working out these kinds of details, as he knows his own settings and what can and can't work with them best.

Awestruck, Mrs. Mitchell, Oldmancoyote & GracefulLion,

I'm so very happy that I have come across this site. Thanks very much to all of you and everyone else who have taken time out of there day to provide me with insight and opinions to my thoughts and concerns. This is a very exciting time in my life and naturally I want it to go as well as possible. My girlfriend means very much to me and her happiness is my priority.

I have already taken your advice and begun talking to her about what she likes. Hopefully in a nonchalant way, but she is a smart girl and probably knows what I am getting at. I did show her a picture of the ring I like, under the guise that a friend of mine, whom she has yet to meet, wanted female opinions as to the ring he planned to propose with. If she actually bought that, who knows. She'll tell me someday. Ha ha. She did like it but thought it was too big and could be difficult to wear on a daily basis. Naturally, she felt that she needed to see it in person. The interesting thing is that when we were at the the mall tonight, she saw a ring that was somewhat similar and she liked it. I thought it was bigger than the one I am looking at. So, I think we are heading in the right direction.

Once again, I cannot thank you enough! Since you have all been so kind, I will definitely share how it goes.

Hi Dude! Awww, this is a great thread. I'm bummed because I was out of town for a couple of days and I missed all the fun here. Anyway, thanks for joining the site... it sounds like you are starting an exciting adventure and it is an honor to be a part of your journey.

But, now I'm back... and you can not escape my CLUTCHES!  Muuuuuuuuuhahahahahahahahhahahaha!   
 
It sounds like you are well on your way to making a decision, and, as usual around here, you've gotten some great advice. However, you specifically mentioned a budget earlier and you asked for input. I'm not sure we covered that issue yet. Because it is more of a "personal" issue, I try not to "go there," but, since you did ask, I'll just make a couple of points.

First of all, if you have a limited budget, and want an unusual, quality piece, you've come to the right place. With careful choices, you can come away with a spectacular, one-of-a-kind piece that people WILL notice (and drool over).

Secondly, as has already been mentioned, quality colored gemstones can easily be as pricey, or much, much, MUCH more expensive than many diamonds. You may think you are saving by going with a gemstone, when, in actuality, you may end up with an inferior stone. However, if you do decide to go with a colored gemstone as a center for your ring, remember to stick with a stone that is hard and durable (some stones may be hard – good, but, also brittle – bad!) so that it can withstand daily wear - naturally, the "best" choice for this type of ring are often the priciest stones, like sapphire and ruby. Spinel, beryl (Morganite for pink) and garnet (maybe not pink, but, possibly, peachy pink) are a few other good choices, but, these are only a few examples.  Just try to be as finicky about the colored gemstone as you would a diamond... this is an important purchase. 

Of course, you could go with a diamond center and colored stones with accents, which MAY be less pricey than diamond accents... 

I happen to be a big fan of near-white diamonds, say in the I to L color range, as center stones. I save money by accepting the not-too-noticeable color, while I stay the course by giving up very little on cut and diamond "performance." I especially think that J to K color diamonds represent a wonderful value.

Also, I'm sure you know this already but, if you can find a diamond that weighs in at just under one carat, you will save quite a bit in cost while giving up very little in size. And, anything significantly smaller than one carat is saving even more. An under-one-carat diamond looks quite sizable with a halo of diamonds around it. Also, I'm sure you are aware that, generally, brown and yellow diamonds, even pinkish brown diamonds, will be less painful to your wallet than most pink diamonds.

This is purely personal, but, if you want a diamond, I happen to agree with your aunt regarding the center stone because I believe that you CAN find a beautiful, quality center stone and be extremely creative while still staying within your budget. Obviously, when working within a budget, you must prioritize and figure out what characteristics are most important to you and your girlfriend and what you MUST have, and what you can live without (for me, I can give up high-color, but can't live without clarity and spectacular cut; for others, high color is most important, so a smaller size diamond may work best; still, others prefer colored diamonds – say yellow, for example – so a few inclusions or smaller size may work best)... see where you fit in – there are many "combinations" to work out.

Remember, if you are considering a yellow center stone, there are many shades of "yellow." Look carefully at the stone in different light, or look at many photos and ask questions. If a diamond is described as "light" or "faint" it is just that. Beautiful and subtle, but a different animal than its pricey Fancy VIVID yellow cousin. Know which type of hue you prefer, especially if you are thinking of combining colors.

Also, don't forget, shape is extremely important... sometimes what looks great off, does not flatter on the hand (I learned this lesson the hard way). And, everyone's hands are different. Do you, or your girlfriend have a preference for shape?  Have you seen it on her hand? Also remember, some shapes are less expensive on a per-carat basis than others. If you are looking for "unusual" this can really work in your favor because some of the less popular cuts will save you money while being atypical.

In the same vein as shape, some ring styles look incredible off – like a beautifully detailed and feminine micro-pave style, for example – but, don't look as "right" on the hand as say a basic three-stone combination with a smooth shank (or the other way around). It is about lifestyle AND aesthetics. I've learned that some of the sparkly eye candy that I enjoy looking at actually looks much better OFF my hand!

What is most important – Color? Shape? Size? Quality of stone? Ring style? Detail? Again, prioritize...

Remember, stuff like microset stones and detailed metal work cost more and cut in to your overall budget. I like a smooth feeling shank, so, I can happily give-up detailed pave and filigree on shanks, for example. But, I like a heavier feel to my rings, and that translates to more money spent on metal. However, a lot of women (maybe most?) prefer a lighter look and feel as well as microset diamonds and detailed metal work. Everyone's boat floats differently. What is your girlfriend's preference? Where is your money best spent?

Finally, in the very beginning of the thread you spoke about your preference for color. I don't know what you and your girlfriend are looking at now, but I'm curious... is it a ring with a combination of colors? Yellow and pink? I love the fact that you want to be creative and different. But, I do think OMC's point earlier regarding color combinations is worth consideration. As he said, color combinations are not for everyone, and they CAN become tiring over time... even something as classic as colorless and blue (ie, diamond and sapphire). I know because I wore it, and I DID tire of it at times. Also, if her ER is multicolored, what will her wedding band be? Will you wear a similar band? Don't forget, you need to plan a little ahead with colors...

Basically, if it is a ring to be worn 24/7, think timeless (however that translates for the two of you). You'll want her to LOVE it wherever she is, whatever she wears, however she feels, whatever her age. And, don't forget, if you REALLY love colored diamonds, you can ALWAYS come back for another multi-colored special occasion ring... (or two)!

Best of luck to you both, and have a wonderful time on your sparkly adventure!

Cool story Robin!!

I think most of the time when a man calls us about a ring, he's pretty sure about the answer before he asks the question.
Robin does make a really good point about being put on the spot.
It's such an important decision.
We do make a lot of rings with colored stones- either center stones, or sides.
I'll go out on a limb and offer my own personal opinion.....I think an engagement ring should have a  diamond. But of course it's up to you, and her.
One of the reasons we try so hard to find really nicely cut diamonds with a lot of life in the lower colors is precisely to allow people to get a diamond in budget.

In terms of the ring,Trinkette mentioned that micro-set  stones would add the the budget= but actually the opposite is true IF we are comparing a three stone ring to a micro-set type. Of course compared to a solitaire, the micro-setting adds to the cost,. but I don"t think you wanted a simple solitaire anyway.

I'd also like to thank everyone for giving such thoughtful and knowlegable  advice....you guys ROCK!!!

I'm sorry, David, I almost left that comment out, especially because I know that you offer several microset pieces that are often less expensive than other combinations. As you surmised, I meant that in general, adding stones and detail increase the price... as does something simple like making an uber-heavy band. And I KNOW that we all realize this, it's just necessary to put it into the "mix" when considering a budget. There are so many factors to consider; I'm afraid I may have I made it more confusing. *SIGH* You know me... always shaking the apple tree to see what falls out!

Now, WM, I am SURE that your DH knows the difference between a pipe cleaner and a beautiful ring! With your exquisite taste he's probably just worried about screwing-up...