Why Isn’t There a Social Engagement Ring Shop?
So, here’s something that I’ve been think about lately…
Why isn’t there a social engagement ring shop? Why hasn’t social media “reached” engagement rings yet? Sure, you can Pin rings on Pinterest, Tweet about them, or post them on Facebook, but there is no social media site that is based around engagement rings. Well, that’s what I thought, at least, until I came across Engagement Ring Wall.
It’s a social engagement ring shop that posts engagement rings from popular retailers and allows people to view, comment, and rate rings. It’s one of those “Why didn’t I think of that?” ideas and I think it’s really cool. They just launched so it’s pretty early stage, but I can definitely see it going somewhere fast.
Also, the other cool thing about it (and, again, one of those “Why didn’t I think of that” things) is that it aggregates engagement rings from all sources. So, you can browse rings from many sites all in the same place, and the interface is pretty nifty.
Here’s what it looks like:
Check it out — it’s really cool.
Hope you find it useful and, as always, happy ring hunting!
New Feature! The Engagement Ring Finder
Here’s a new feature for you engagement ring seeking guys! This one helps narrow down your engagement ring search – it’s the “Engagement Ring Finder“.
With this tool, you can browse through different engagement ring styles until you find the one that you think will be the best. It’s great for looking at a variety of different styles and deciding which you like best.
Check it out!
Kim Kardashian Engagement Ring
UPDATE – May 26 – 20.5 carats!
Pictures and more details have arrived! Here they are (pictures first!):
Here are the details: It’s actually an emerald cut diamond in the center – not a cushion cut as previously reported – with two 2 carat trapezoid shaped diamonds on both sides of the center stone.
The emerald cut diamond in the center is a whopping 16.5 carats and the sidestones are 2 carats each, totaling 20.5 carats in all! The cost? Estimated at $2 million.
This is definitely the next great celebrity engagement ring – who would not be happy to receive a ring like this?
—End of update, old post below—
Slightly off-topic, but it’s been in the news recently (and I saw on the cover of Life and Style magazine) that Kim Kardashian has picked out her engagement ring. Now I don’t follow the Kardashians the way many people do, but I don’t think she’s even engaged yet…so I’m not completely sure why she’s already made her engagement ring, but I’m just going to assume she knows what she’s doing.
Anyway, on to the information about the actual ring. It’s apparently a 10-carat cushion cut ring, which is pretty amazing, and it’s supposed to be styled after Elizabeth Taylor’s engagement ring. One of Kim’s friends who is a jewelry designer is the one who will be putting the ring together. I’m not sure where they are going to find a 10-carat cushion cut diamond, but I’m sure they won’t have many to choose from. Actually, as of right now Blue Nile has a 10.41 carat cushion cut diamond in stock, so if you’re trying to out-do (or at least match) her, they have the diamond to do it!
The price? If the diamond that she uses has a cut grade of very good or better, is around G color or better, and is maybe VS1 or better clarity, the price for the diamond should cost at least $400,000. It should be safe to say that she will be wearing a half a million dollars on her finger when the ring is done!
Engagement Ring Budget
Most sources say that the average budget for an engagement ring today is around $3,000 to $5,000. I have actually seen up to $6,000, but for now I’ll just stay with $5,000 as the upper end of the average engagement ring.
I want to go through putting an engagement ring together with this budget of $3,000 to $5,000. What’s the best ring that you can get for this budget? Well, my goal is to show you how to get the best ring that you can possibly get in this budget range.
The Lower End: A Ring For $3,000
I’m going to start off with a ring that’s right at the lower end of this range. I will shoot for a ring that’s as close to $3,000 as I can get, while making sure it’s a great value for the money. To start with, I’m going to pick a setting that will leave me enough money for a good size diamond to put in it.
Here’s the setting that I’ll choose:
It’s a 2mm “Knife Edge” Solitaire setting, in 18K white gold, and it costs $360, which will still leave us $2,640 for the diamond.
Now for the diamond: I’m going to look through the diamonds for a diamond in the low .7 carat range. This is the largest size diamond that I’m going to be able to get for $2,640 while making sure that it’s a high-quality diamond.
Here’s what I’m considering for the diamond:
- For the diamond’s color, I don’t want one that’s D or E color, because that’s not necessary and it will add a LOT of unnecessary cost to the diamond.
- For the clarity, I don’t want to look for IF clarity diamonds for the same reason. I will look for diamonds that have a lower clarity grade, but I will examine the picture to make sure it looks clean to the eye.
- I’m going to look for diamonds with a cut grade of Ideal. This will make sure that the diamond is a good quality.
Here are 3 diamonds that I found that meet the criteria above:
- Diamond 1: .70 carat, H Color, VS2 Clarity, Ideal Cut. The cost: $2,600. Final cost with the setting is $3,150.
- Diamond 2: .70 carat, H Color, VS2 Clarity, Ideal Cut. The cost: $2,920. Final cost with the setting is $3,280.
- Diamond 3: .64 carat, G Color, VS2 Clarity, Ideal Cut. The cost: $2,560. Final cost with the setting is $2,920.
And that’s how you put together a high-quality engagement ring for $3,000! Now, what about a ring for a $4,000 budget?
The Middle: A $4,000 Engagement Ring
What can I do with an extra $1,000? Well, to start with, I will pick a different setting. This time, I’ll pick a setting with pave sidestones to give it a little more flair than a simple solitaire setting. Here’s the setting that I’ll choose for this ring:
This is a French Cut Pave Diamond Engagement Ring setting, and it costs $780. That leaves me $3,220 for the diamond. I’m going to follow the same criteria as above for the diamond for this ring.
Here are some diamonds that will fit this criteria and the budget:
- Diamond 1: .8 carat, H Color, VS1 Clarity, Ideal cut. The cost: $3,310. Final cost with the setting: $4,090.
- Diamond 2: .78 carat, H Color, VS1 Clarity, TrueHearts cut. The cost: $3,110. Final cost with the setting: $3,890. Note: This is a TrueHearts diamond, which means that it has the best cut quality available. This means that it will have amazing sparkle and shine!
- Diamond 3: .84 carat, I Color, VS1 Clarity, Ideal cut. The cost: $3,280. Final cost with the setting: $4,060.
Now, I’ll do one more, this time for $5,000.
The Best Engagement Ring You Can Get For $5,000
Well, in my opinion this will be the best engagement ring you can get for $5,000, at least. Anyway, for this ring I will choose a 3 stone setting. Here’s the setting that I chose for this ring:
This is a 3 Stone Channel Set Princess Cut Engagement Ring and it costs $1,800. It is a very popular setting (not hard to see why!) and it has 2 princess cut sidestones and princess cut pave diamonds.
Anyway, I will follow the same criteria as I did for the first two rings when I choose some possible diamonds for this ring. Note that you must set this ring with a princess cut diamond.
- Diamond 1: .83 carat, D Color, VS2 Clarity, Ideal cut. The cost: $3,140. Final cost with the setting: $4,940.
- Diamond 2: .92 carat, I Color, VVS1 Clarity, Ideal cut. The cost: $3,130. Final cost with the setting: $4,930.
- Diamond 3: .79 carat, F Color, VVS1 Clarity, Ideal cut. The cost: $3,310. Final cost with the setting: $5,110.
And there you have it! That’s how you make the best engagement ring that you possibly can for these 3 different common budget ranges. Please comment if you have any questions or comments!
Guide to Engagement Ring Settings
At first, all the different engagement ring settings might be a little confusing. However, it’s not necessarily as hard as it might seem. I have prepared a guide to show you how to pick the right setting for your engagement ring.
First, I will run through the different types of setting styles and then I will show you how to pick out the right one for your needs. Here’s a quick video (not mine) explaining the most popular engagement ring setting styles. I will recap and review the video after and then expand on the information from the video. Then I will show you how to pick out the best setting for your individual needs. I’ll even include some example rings that fit into each category.
Here are the setting styles that he mentioned:
- Solitaire setting- the simplest setting. A single diamond in a simple shank.
- Three stone setting- 3 diamonds side by side.
- Pave/channel setting- A setting with diamonds embedded in the shank.
- Halo setting- 1 diamond in the center with diamonds it in a circle
- Antique style settings- Designer settings made to look like diamond rings of the past.
- Contemporary settings- New, edgy settings like tension settings where the diamond is held only by the pressure of the two sides of the shank where they come together at the top of the ring.
Here are some examples of each of these settings, along with links to view all the rings of each type in my #1 recommended engagement ring store, James Allen. Then after this I will show you how to choose the right type!
- Solitaire Settings
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Click here to view all of the solitaire settings at James Allen.
- Three Stone Settings
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Click here to see all of the 3 stone settings.
- Pave Settings
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Click here to see all of the pave settings.
- Halo Settings
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Click here to see all of the halo and designer settings.
- Antique Settings
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Click here to see all of the antique settings.
- Contemporary Settings
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Click here to see all of the contemporary settings.
So there you have it! That’s the types of settings that are available for engagement rings. Now, to answer the bigger question:
How do you choose your engagement ring setting?
The first thing that you can do is to look at the types of rings that your soon-to-be fiance already owns. On top of that, which ones does she prefer and wear more? These are a huge clue to the setting that you should choose for your engagement ring. Get a setting that matches the same style of the rings that she prefers. If you notice that she has mainly antique style rings, then get an antique setting. On the other hand, if she has more contemporary style rings, then go with a contemporary style setting.
Another thing that you should do is take note of her hints if she happens to drop any. She might give you ideas about what type of jewelry she likes. Make sure you remember these!
The other thing that you should do is try to figure out what size ring she wears. You can look at her rings that she already has and if they don’t say the size on them you can try to take them to a local jeweler and they can tell you the size of the ring.
Taking all of these things into consideration, you should be able to decide on a style of ring that would be best. From there, browse that category of rings and choose the one you like the best!
My top recommendation for a place to get your engagement ring is James Allen. Click here to look at their engagement ring settings!
Contemporary diamond/engagement rings
Here are some great looking contemporary diamond rings. Contemporary settings usually feature bold styles and unique designs. Tension settings are very common in these types of rings. I’ll feature a few different contemporary rings in this post.
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3 Stone Tension RingThis is a breathtaking, brand new ring. This setting is very different and modern looking, and it definitely brings something new to the table! |
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Diamond Accent Solitaire RingThis is a gorgeous ring with a diamond accent on the shank. It’s simple, but the accent adds additional style to it. This is a great ring if you like simple, traditional rings, but want something a little more decorated. |
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Spiral Tension Diamond RingThis dramatic ring showcases the diamond for all its worth. The combination of the spiral design with a tension setting makes for a beautiful ring! |
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Platinum Split Shank Diamond RingHere is a ring with a unique, modern design. |
That’s just a few of the modern styled diamond rings out there… click here to see more rings like these.
3-Stone Diamond Engagement Ring with Blue Sapphires
This attention getting ring features a diamond in the center with two blue sapphires on either side. For anyone who wants a little bit of color on their ring, the beautiful blue sapphires will add that colorful touch. This is a great, versatile setting that can be set with a round, princess, emerald, asscher, cushion, or radiant shaped diamond.
Here’s how to order this ring: click the link above, and then select the metal (18K white gold, 18K yellow gold, or platinum) and the ring size. Then, go to the “Select This Ring” button and choose “Add a Diamond.” Then, select your diamond. If you need help selecting an awesome diamond, check out our diamond ring buying guides.
Engraved Diamond Engagement Ring
Here’s a beautiful diamond ring with an antique style. This ring is absolutely stunning! This would make an outstanding engagement ring for a woman who loves antique style in her jewelry. Take a look at the jewelry she already wears… if she has some jewelry that have the same style as this one (pay attention to the engraving and the sidestones!), then you can be sure that this ring will be a winner!
Also, this is a very versatile ring. You can set it with pretty much any diamond shape… round, princess, emerald, asscher, cushion, heart, marquise, or more!
Click here to learn more about this ring
To order this ring, just click the link above and select your ring size. Then, click the “Select This Ring” button and choose “Add a Diamond.” Then, choose your diamond. If you need help selecting your diamond, check out our diamond ring buying guides.
Use Our Engagement Ring Finder!
Browse these engagement rings and find the perfect one!
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