My SO and I discussed that engagement rings shouldn’t be expensive.

What should I look for in good value rings? Lab grown diamonds? Fake diamonds? gold? white gold? silver? platinum?

  • finley@lemm.ee
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    4 months ago

    avoid diamonds. there are prettier (and more humane) stones. not to mention: more affordable

    instead, choose a stone and metal that reflect your and your intended’s personalies.

      • themeatbridge@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Both are beautiful, and both are easily distinguishable from natural diamonds for being too perfect. The irony is that natural diamonds increase in value if they have fewer imperfections, but almost no natural diamonds have zero imperfections.

        Value-wise, in theory a natural diamond will hold its value over time, but in practice the value of natural diamonds is manipulated by the diamond conglomerates that control the market. We won’t “exhaust the supply” of diamonds in our lifetimes, so there’s not much sense in worrying about the value of the gem either way.

        Are any gems “worth it”? That’s between you and your wallet. It’s an entirely superficial item, serving no practical purpose. To paraphrase a modern American philosopher, you can get married with paper rings. The ring is a symbol of your commitment, and as long as your fiancee enjoys wearing it everyday, don’t stress about what other people will think.

        • XeroxCool@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          I wouldn’t concern myself about a lab diamond being too perfect. I have never met anyone that pulled out a loupe in the restaurant to check. That’s between me and the jeweler.

          • themeatbridge@lemmy.world
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            4 months ago

            You’re right, but moisannite can be distinguished without a loupe by a colorful flash. But also anyone knowledgeable enough to spot that at a distance probably does not have the same prejudices against lab-made diamonds. I mean, unless they work for Debeers.

      • Kit@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        4 months ago

        I went with moissanite and it was perfect. Just don’t go too big or it will be obvious that it’s not a diamond, because normal folks can’t afford huge diamonds.

        I went to a local jeweler and they ordered in the moissanite for me, then affixed it to one of their rings. The entire thing was around $350.

        • MajorHavoc@programming.dev
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          4 months ago

          Just don’t go too big or it will be obvious that it’s not a diamond, because normal folks can’t afford huge diamonds.

          Good point. But as someone who bought a diamond and still regrets it, I hope these younger wiser folks can embrace and normalize avoiding diamonds.

          Anytime I see a wedding ring that’s clearly not a diamond, my respect for that union raises immediately.

      • Seasm0ke@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        My wife loves moissanite, we went with etsy and even got her wedding band custom designed in CAD to fit her engagement ring. Manhattan box was the store we used for the band and a UK spot called shinyjungle for engagement ring where she liked a lab grown morganite. She gets a lot of compliments on them. Most cant tell the difference between them and traditional blood diamonds. Cubic zirconia or epoxy based stones are what you dont want.

      • zcd@lemmy.ca
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        4 months ago

        IMO moissanite is a better idea, looks nicer, fuck debeers. Check out your partners existing jewellery for ideas, see if they tend to prefer gold colour metal or silver coloured

      • AmidFuror@fedia.io
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        4 months ago

        Lab grown are produced under conditions that would get you animal cruelty charges if you subjected your pets to them. And they are separated from their siblings very early in the process and sold off to stores all across the country.

        • howrar@lemmy.ca
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          4 months ago

          I’m so confused by this comment. Are you trying to say that putting a live animal under extreme pressure and zapping them would constitute animal cruelty?

      • gever4ever@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        I got my wife a moissanite and it turned out beautiful.
        She likes big stones so I got her a 2ct oval one which she loved. Didn’t care much for the technicalities - it looks good, suits her style and that’s all that matters.
        And no way you could get a 2ct diamond for 700$.

        A person who won’t appreciate how you choose to express your love isn’t someone you’d want to marry, anyway.