Search Results for: blog shopping for engagement rings go with or be surprised

To Replace an Engagement Ring or Not, That is the Question

Recently I wrote about how I broke my engagement ring. I dreaded telling Wayne what had happened, and if he hadn’t been home when I came home after making the discovery I might have held off on telling him. However, tears were streaming down my face as I brought the bags in from Target and Publix. I couldn’t contain them. It was pretty obvious something was wrong. I had no choice but to spill the beans then and there. Predictable Reaction As I knew he would be, he was pissed. “Can’t you ever take care of anything? Is it really … Continue reading →

Rings: What Matters More to You? Quality or Quantity?

I think it was Friday morning when I was watching either Today or the Early Show and the one or the other did a segment about rings. They started out by covering the 4 Cs (cut, carat, clarity, and cost) and then gave the results of an informal poll. Quantity For women, they said, it’s all about the cut. Not necessarily the shape, but the bigger the ring the better. Didn’t matter if it was flawed. If their guy could afford a honkin’ two-carat, that’s what they wanted. Even though for the same price they could still get a very … Continue reading →

Engagement Break Ups

In my last article I began a discussion on etiquette after divorce. In this article I want to back up a step from marriage. In this article, I am looking for opinions on etiquette after engagement break-ups. Some couples rush into engagement and then discover that perhaps they are not ready to get married. Some couples are engaged and then have irreconcilable differences and break up. Just like in marriage, some partners have affairs or cheat on their fiancé. For whatever reason that it is, some couples end their engagements. While these couples are lucky that the marriage ended before … Continue reading →

Did You Break Up Before You Got Married?

More specifically, did you break up before you got engaged, which led to your engagement and eventual nuptials? Wayne and I did. I used to think that was bizarre, but I’ve since met others who traveled the same road. It certainly confounded a lot of people at the time. When we did tie the knot they sure didn’t think we’d make it to 12 years and counting, that’s for sure. And why would they? We’d had differences that had caused us to split, so why get back together in such a dramatic fashion as immediately getting engaged? What had changed … Continue reading →

Shopping the Catalogs: More Romantic Rings

Yesterday I listed a few romantic rings that have caught my eye as I’ve been shopping the catalogs this holiday season. The list was getting a bit long, so I broke it up. Here’s the rest of my picks: From The Danbury Mint Diamond Rapture Ring: Yep, rapture’s an apt name to describe the response someone might give when receiving this ring. Royal Sapphire Ring: With a kind of a crown design to it, it certainly is royally regal. Diamond Swirl Ring: Simple, elegant, and stately. Diamond Promise Ring: Both the name and the design caught my attention. (And made … Continue reading →

Shopping the Catalogs: Romantic Rings

I’m not a big jewelry wearer, but I’d like to be. (My problem is I’m not the most graceful person. I usually break or lose it. It’s amazing that, other than one bent prong, in the 12 plus years I’ve had my diamond ring I haven’t managed to destroy it yet.) However, while I’ve been shopping the catalogs for gifts to give, I’ve also been admiring some things my alter ego (the one who knows how to wear jewelry without abusing it) would like. In particular, rings. Below is a list of the ones that caught my eye and stole … Continue reading →

Should an Engagement Ring be a Christmas Gift?

Marriage proposals are special anytime of the year and whenever they occur. Receiving a diamond engagement ring from the love of her life is a very exciting and wonderful experience for a woman. Men choose many different times and ways to purpose to their mate. However, should the gift be given as an occasion all in itself or is it okay for the ring to coincide with another special event or holiday? For example, should men give engagement rings as birthday or Christmas gifts? Should these gifts be given when a special occasion already exists? I think the answer to … Continue reading →

Engagement Rings: Size Doesn’t Matter

The other day a neighbor invited me to a jewelry party she was having. I appreciate a stunning piece of jewelry but I don’t wear very much of it. I decided to go, however, because this neighbor is pretty nice and since we’re not moving back to Jacksonville I’m free to open myself up to making friends again. (I hadn’t been letting myself do that because it’s hard on me having to say goodbye.) So I go to the party, don’t know anyone except the neighbor, and immediately realize I’m under-dressed. My outfit was fine, but my accessories were dearly … Continue reading →

The Search for the Perfect Engagement Ring

I’ll never forget going to pick out my engagement ring with Wayne. Neither of us really knew what we were doing, but I have to give Wayne credit. He actually researched what the “Four C’s” was all about so he could talk the diamond lingo. I, on the other hand, was clueless. Carats? Clarity? Color? What the heck was that all about? Just pick a pretty ring and be done with it. The saleslady brought out all kinds of settings for us to choose from. I picked all the modest diamonds. Basically they weren’t much more than chips. Wayne kept … Continue reading →

Shopping for Engagement Rings: Go With or Be Surprised?

Admit it, if you’re a woman at some point in your life you’ve had the fantasy: the dream of how your knight in shining armor was going to propose. How did you envision it? Let me share a tale of two proposals. One that really happened and another that never came to pass… The Proposal That Never Was I never imagined all the details, like the where, how, or when. Not down to specifics. I didn’t even include a down-on-one-knee vision. I did sort of expect food to somehow factor into play, but that’s just me. I always associate any … Continue reading →