Stupid Questions June 2015

Gondolinian

This thread is for asking any questions that might seem obvious, tangential, silly or what-have-you. Don't be shy, everyone has holes in their knowledge, though the fewer and the smaller we can make them, the better.

Please be respectful of other people's admitting ignorance and don't mock them for it, as they're doing a noble thing.

To any future monthly posters of SQ threads, please remember to add the "stupid_questions" tag.

Please be respectful of other people's admitting ignorance and don't mock them for it, as they're doing a noble thing.

To any future monthly posters of SQ threads, please remember to add the "stupid_questions" tag.

I am a prominent LW poster; this is a through-away account because my girlfriend also uses LW.

I would like to propose to my girlfriend in the near future. For this I would like to use a diamond ring. I have never bought one before, so would appreciate any advice. The main things I would like help with:

Not paying extra due to ignorance
Ensuring she never has cause to regret the choice of stone/ring.
Anything else you think I should know.

Some background in case it helps:

I live in NYC, so have access to the diamond district.
I am leaning towards an artificial diamond, as it seems hard to guarantee conflict-free otherwise (which does not seem romantic!) and we are both pretty pro-science.
My price range is orgjrra bar naq gra gubhfnaq qbyynef, ohg V jbhyq cersre gbjneqf gur ybjre raq bs gur enatr
My girlfreind is neither unusually fat nor unusually skinny for an American of marriageable age. She is white.
She does not wear much jewelry. The stuff she has is mainly (fake?) yellow gold and silver, mainly gifts.
I am probably looking for a relatively simple design, round stone.

Let me give you some more immediately useful advice: a recommendation. The New York Diamond Center at 65 Broadway (ignore the big-sounding name, it's a small shop with an expert salesman) is where I bought both my engagement ring and our wedding bands. The salesman will provide useful and professional advice about the relationship between price, size, and quality. Importantly, he sells loose diamonds and orders the settings separately. You will get the GIA certificate from him for any diamond you buy. And then you also have your seller already picked ... (read more)

2westward11y

If you want to ensure she won't regret the choice, go shopping together! You will pay extra, as in you will pay more than the ring is worth. If you buy a diamond ring, turn around and try to sell it back, they'll give you something like 30% for it. Also, listen to this: http://freakonomics.com/2015/04/16/diamonds-are-a-marriage-counselors-best-friend-a-new-freakonomics-radio-podcast/

6Lumifer11y

Don't go to the diamond district. You'll just get a lot of high-pressure sales tactics and, likely, misleading information. [...] Cubic zirconia? The main thing to be sure of is whether your GF is fine with that. If she is, just order a huge one online, they'll be cheap. [...] Your price range for the complete ring or just for the stone? You can pick the stone and the design separately, that's common. Generally speaking, you need to figure out first if you want a natural diamond or a cubic zirconia stone -- that will greatly affect your budget, the stone size (and so the ring design), etc. Are you picking out the ring entirely on your own or you are consulting with your GF?

9

Stupid Questions June 2015

9

9

9

Stupid Questions June 2015

9

9