Here’s a photo of my engagement ring. We bought it on Thursday, and picked it up last night after it was resized. We looked at all the major jewelry stores in the local mall, including Zales, and decided on Rodgers & Hollands for two main reasons – #1 Their diamonds looked the best and #2 They had the best warranty and trade-in value.
It’s amazing what you learn about diamonds in the short time you’re looking at rings. I never realized there were all these grades to describe the color of the diamond and whatnot. I guess that’s because until now, I didn’t give a crap.
I’m happy with what I got, which interestingly enough, looks better than the more expensive, higher-quality diamond we saw at Zales which also cost almost twice what my ring did. According to our salesperson, that’s because the cut of the diamond is more important than the grade. Had I not seen it with my own two eyes, I would have been skeptical, but it must be true. My diamond is a near-colorless, whereas the diamond I saw at Zales was colorless, yet it looked cloudy. And the near-colorless at Zales had a yellow tint to it, whereas mine does not. And boy does it sparkle! This photo doesn’t do it justice. I took so many photos, but it’s just not the same as in person. :p
Anyway, here’s the details in case anyone is curious (along with a few of my own comments):
Shape/Cut: Round Brilliant Cut
Interestingly enough, I had thought I wanted the princess (ie square) cut, but after seeing it, I preferred the round shape.
Weight: 0.38 Carat
I looked at diamonds in sizes ranging from 0.25 carat to half a carat, and this size just seemed perfect to me. Believe it or not, but the ½ carat just looked too big to me. I guess I’m strange for not wanting the biggest diamond we could afford, huh? ;)
Color: Near Colorless(I)
Looks colorless to me, honestly.
Band: 14KT White Gold
I debated whether to get platinum, but didn’t want the added cost. I can easily upgrade to the platinum at any time, so to me it’s not a big deal.
Now I just have to get used to wearing a ring all the time. I am so not a jewelry person!