[Freehiker]

Buy her a lab grown (it’s the same thing), save thousands and move on.

It is indistinguishable from a “natural” diamond without the aid of specialized equipment.

[dewilson58]

Why do people get diamonds for engagement?

A diamond's purity and sparkle have now become symbols of the depth of two people's commitment to each other in practically all corners of the world.

What do fake diamonds represent??

Honey, I love you..................here is a fake diamond.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Dilligas

Remember.....appraisals are for insurance, not necessarily resale. The price you get, is the estimate if you wanted to buy it now.....not the price to sell it now.

Yes I know. My dad BOUGHT it in the New York Diamond District in the late 1950's for $800 of 1950's dollars. If he - or anyone else - were to BUY the same ring today, it'd set him/them back $12,500 of today's dollars. Point being, the statement "jewelry doesn't increase in value" is incorrect. It's an absolute statement, which isn't absolutely true.

As for the OP: I personally suggest not looking for a diamond at all. Try an emerald or garnet instead. They're prettier.

[Velvet]

Originally Posted by MandoMan

Get her ring size, then buy her a ring with a high quality zirconium stone and spend the rest of the money on a nice European river cruise. That’s a much better waste of money than an engagement ring.

Also, I hesitate to say this, but have you met her? I visited with an old friend yesterday, and she told me about scammers she has met on Match. One she researched and turned in was expelled from Match as a scammer even as we talked. I’ve heard that a lot of these fake people are handled from a shop in Ghana. If you are dating online in The Villages, bear in mind that those of us who are real people tend to look our age. The beautiful women and handsome men who claim to live here are in many cases fake. One tip off is a profile where English isn’t used correctly. Look in the mirror. Be honest. If the person is much better looking than you, and you send a message, and the person starts trying to develop a conversation with you or asks to switch to emails, you may be being scammed. If the person doesn’t respond, that might be because the person doesn’t think you are a good target for a scam.

My friend had been messaging and talking with a supposed businessman and philanthropist from Gainesville for two months! They hadn’t met yet. Then he sent her an ad for a charity he runs to make donations to UNICEF. He suggested she might want to make a donation. She knows a lot about fund-raising, and she actually called UNIFEF and confirmed that the supposed charity had never contributed anything at all. Then she researched the company that made the web site for this charity and discovered that making these fake web sites is what it does, all the time. There ARE lots of Villagers on these sites, but be careful.

Only if you expect a zirconium wife. Not a good idea. But I agree that you find out as much as possible about your lady. A person out of your league is very likely a user or a scam artist. If she passes all your checks etc talk to her and find out what she values and let that and your budget be your guide. I was lucky, my husband said he’d get me any ring I wanted any price from anywhere. But he was like that in everything not just rings, and even wore the ring I got for him (red enamel yellow gold with diamonds by Wellendorff) although he never wore any jewelry at all usually.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Comparing an insurance appraisal to resale value is apples and oranges. Some "appraisers" will guarantee to appraise for at least double the actual value. Resale value is what a buyer will actually pay. Also, a dollar in the 1950's has inflated to 12 dollars today.

It seems to me an appraisal is worthless if noone will pay that much for the item

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

Why do people get diamonds for engagement?

A diamond's purity and sparkle have now become symbols of the depth of two people's commitment to each other in practically all corners of the world.

What do fake diamonds represent??

Honey, I love you..................here is a fake diamond.

Because females have been brainwashed by the diamond industry that you must have a diamond nothing else is good enough.

Plenty of guys go into debt buying a ring they cannot afford. Than both suffer down the road.

Cant wait to see how I will be attacked for this.

[Velvet]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Because females have been brainwashed by the diamond industry that you must have a diamond nothing else is good enough.

Plenty of guys go into debt buying a ring they cannot afford. Than both suffer down the road.

Cant wait to see how I will be attacked for this.

Just wondering, if you can’t afford a diamond, how can you afford a wife? (And the same is true for the other gender.) At this time diamond rings represent a symbol of commitment - there are probably other ways of showing it too. This is just convenient and public and an easily recognizable way.

[AMB444]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

As for the OP: I personally suggest not looking for a diamond at all. Try an emerald or garnet instead. They're prettier.

Oh I agree completely!! But emeralds and garnets have inclusions which can make them more unstable than a diamond and may not be a good idea for everyday wear.

Sapphires might be a better idea for everyday wear. With fewer inclusions they can be more durable.

[AMB444]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Because females have been brainwashed by the diamond industry that you must have a diamond nothing else is good enough.

Plenty of guys go into debt buying a ring they cannot afford. Than both suffer down the road.

Cant wait to see how I will be attacked for this.

A diamond ring is the indication that a woman is married. So this is handy if a women likes it to be known how to be approached (or not) by a man who would like to know her relationship status.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by Velvet

Just wondering, if you can’t afford a diamond, how can you afford a wife? (And the same is true for the other gender.) At this time diamond rings represent a symbol of commitment - there are probably other ways of showing it too. This is just convenient and public and an easily recognizable way.

My son in law got engaged 15 years ago and was told by folks he new that it was proper to spend 3 months salary on diamond.

He could afford it but what about the guys who go deeply in debt and when married the wife gets to help pay for the ring.

Why is a diamond the ring of choice? Because Debeers said it was?

[Velvet]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

My son in law got engaged 15 years ago and was told by folks he new that it was proper to spend 3 months salary on diamond.

He could afford it but what about the guys who go deeply in debt and when married the wife gets to help pay for the ring.

Why is a diamond the ring of choice? Because Debeers said it was?

At the moment diamond is “traditional”. We used Wellendorff because it was traditional in my husband’s family for generations (and with European royalty).

And the wife gets the man and the ring and his debt and his kids and to look after the whole family by herself, if the need should arise.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Because females have been brainwashed by the diamond industry that you must have a diamond nothing else is good enough.

Plenty of guys go into debt buying a ring they cannot afford. Than both suffer down the road.

Cant wait to see how I will be attacked for this.

Brainwashed by the male-dominated diamond industry.

Meanwhile, I (a female) recommended an emerald or garnet to the OP, because I (a female) don't need the male-dominated diamond industry to dictate what I must and must not have.

Hubby bought me a diamond when we got engaged - because HE (a male) was brainwashed by the male-dominated diamond industry into believing that I must have a diamond. But I would've been happy with an emerald. Which I ended up getting anyway on our honeymoon.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by AMB444

A diamond ring is the indication that a woman is married. So this is handy if a women likes it to be known how to be approached (or not) by a man who would like to know her relationship status.

Er, no. A diamond solitaire on the left ring finger is an indication that a woman is engaged. Not all women wear them. And women who do physical labor as a job often don't even wear their wedding bands to work, because they don't want to damage the ring.

[AMB444]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Why is a diamond the ring of choice? Because Debeers said it was?

Most likely. Before diamonds were popular for engagement rings just a gold (or other metal) band would be exchanged. Originally just the bride would wear a band to signify that she was married.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Velvet

Just wondering, if you can’t afford a diamond, how can you afford a wife? (And the same is true for the other gender.) At this time diamond rings represent a symbol of commitment - there are probably other ways of showing it too. This is just convenient and public and an easily recognizable way.

Well - there are some people who can afford your choice: a diamond ring, or a downpayment on a house.