re: Engagement ring buyers guide?

Don’t go to a big box jeweler. Go to a bigger city with a wholesale market where they cut the middle man out.

Can get 2.5-3ct w decent clarity for 10k or so.

Go with a moissanite stone. Completely identical to a diamond and no one will be the wiser. I got a 1.5ct stone when I built my wife’s engagement ring several years back and it only cost me like $600-$700. Women still look at her ring and ask what I do for a living. And when I’m around and I hear that question I tell them it’s not a diamond just because I fricking hate chicks that push that “has to be a diamond” BS.

OP - I did a lot of research and here is where I netted out on the best “value”

Cut - Only Excellent grade. This is what drives the fire of the diamond.

Color - I think G and H are the ideal. Once you get to K, the yellow starts showing up. The price of a D-F color goes up dramatically and I don’t think there is enough difference to the visible eye.

Clarity - This is where research pays off. This is where you can save the cash in theory. An SI2 with the inclusions in the right spots that the prongs of the setting cover up the imperfections is your cheapest option. I generally found VS1 to be the ideal…cleaner diamonds (avoids a bunch of black marks that are visible) but no so clean that you are paying for the massive premium of Flawless or IF.

Carat - This is a personal choice. Target less than the next round number…..0.97 rather than 1.00, 1.46 versus 1.50, etc.

Shape - Round diamonds are the cheapest and the most widely available. Recommend you go that route unless you absolutely want a different cut.

One that can slightly impact price that people don’t talk about much is fluorescence. You pay a slight premium for diamonds without fluorescence and the diamond doesn’t glow under a black light.

Blue Nile and James Allen are both fantastic resources. I highly recommend both. I bought on JA and would do so again in a heartbeat.

Budget wise…lab grown are 30-40% cheaper so go that way if you want more bang for your buck.

Do some basic research and see what you can get for your money.

My wife wanted a nice ring and I could afford it so I spent much more than is typical. She’s very happy with it and I won’t ever need to “upgrade” it. It’s a personal choice and people are very vocal about their beliefs of what is right/wrong amount the spend.

Don’t forget to factor in the engagement ring setting and eventually the wedding band into your budget. This could range $200-$1500 each depending on a bunch of personal choices.

Absolute must have. It’s stupid affordable and inevitably something will go wrong in the next 30+ years.

An engagement ring is considered a gift if you follow through with the marriage. But if you get divorced you aren't getting back. Spend wisely.

100% don’t

There is zero about marriage that is in a mans favor.

Buy a reasonable ring. If she has an issue with that it's telling ya something.

My wife bought her own CZ off Amazon, rings are a complete scam and more or less worthless. It's a racket. Be smarter than that.

You'll get great advice here to buy a cheap small diamonds, CZs and replica watches.