18 Kt Gold Wedding Ring, Frugal Engagement Ring ?
Q.Before I get started, I'd like to say that yes, I _know_ engagement rings are not exactly frugal. The boyfriend and I discussed more practical options (to the disgust of our friends, might I add. ;) ) such as a reliable used engagement car, a reliable used engagement computer, a engagement portfolio of stocks, etc. I think you will agree that the alternatives lack a certain romance and symbolism. ;) I know there is also a custom where wedding rings are used as both engagement and wedding rings, but that practice aside, does anyone have any tips for a frugal engagement ring? I have not decided on the style or the gemstone, etc. I just wondered if anyone had any stories or tips to share about where to buy, what to look for, how to get the most for your money, etc. Any help would be greatly appreciated. :)
A.Rule Number Two is to watch out for durability. Emeralds, while a popular stone, are easy to break. (My mom nearly smashed hers -- *did* ruin the setting, and when my dad took it in to get it reset they would *not* guarantee the work because the gem was so damaged. The emerald did survive, but I still think emeralds are not the world's greatest idea for a ring that will be worn a lot.) Sapphires are good and hard, and rubies are decent too. (Bias alert: I have a sapphire in my own engagement ring. Love it.) I think if you look around on the web you can find gem hardness info; try the soc.couples.wedding and alt.wedding web pages first. By the same token, take a good hard look at the setting to make sure it's going to last. This is especially important for channel-set stones, because the jeweler has some cheap setting methods here which can severely compromise the strength of the setting. (MHO: I don't *like* those tension settings. They scare me. YMMV.) Rule Number Three is that a great many, if not most, mall jewelry stores are horribly overpriced. I strongly recommend looking at independent, local jewelry stores. (Don't omit the mall places completely; while we were looking for wedding bands, we found that a mall store had the best prices on plain gold bands. The prices on fancier bands, however... *groan*) If you have big art shows around, stop by, especially if you like unusual sorts of jewelry. Rule Number Four is that pawnshops and other such places are your friend. You might well find something gorgeous there, for a fraction of its actual value. (Peek around at newspaper ads, too, especially if you're after a diamond. If you don't mind wearing something that was made for another relationship that probably hit the rocks somehow -- heck, go for it.) Rule Number Five is get that puppy appraised. Seriously. Do it. And if you have insurance, don't forget to add the value of the ring in. When my (now wife) and I were looking at getting engaged I was in a real quandary about what to do for an engagement ring. Being fresh out of college I just could not afford anything that did not look like junk. I also did not want to go into debt for a ring. I was surprised when my parents came forward with an incredible solution. My mom gave me her engagement ring with the understanding that it was now to be an heirloom/family ring. In other words when one of our children is ready to be married we would pass it on to them. My wife was able to flash the ring around for her friends to gawk at and she told them that it was a 'family ring'. That made people 'oooh' and 'ahhh' all the more.
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