<p>Also you may want to try some rings on in person so that you can see how big 1/4 carat is and how it looks on your hand, prior to ordering something on-line.</p>
<p>Also consider looking for estate jewlery in antique shops or online. Some of that, especially art deco, can be really interesting. I second Overstock as well. There are also the police auction sites that have GREAT prices on jewelery.</p>
<p>And Congratulations!</p>
<p>Congrats to you both and I’m just happy to know a ring can be had for $500 or less! After watching so many of the wedding dress shows I was worried that rings had also gone the way of $$thousands$$!!!</p>
<p>Best wishes for both of you. I would suggest Ross-Simons as a place to look. They have both new and estate jewelry. Their sales are great. They have a wide variety of styles of rings at many price points. Have fun shopping.</p>
<p>Ask this question in some other website, probably a match making website, if you want good answers</p>
<p>Thanks for the continued suggestions!</p>
<p>Gourmetmom - Those aren’t really my aesthetic, but thanks. 
</p>
<p>I definitely am interested in checking out second-hand stores and pawn shops. I like the idea of owning a pretty ring, but aside from that I’m not at all concerned about the origin, and the quality only matters as much as it won’t fall apart, tarnish, or turn my finger green. (Though I’d like to do as well as I can with the money I have, which I think means not shopping based on a name brand.) </p>
<p>It also makes sense to go try on some similar styles and see how they look on my hand. I have very small hands so I think anything big at all would look pretty ridiculous. It also wouldn’t hurt to get my size double-checked in person too. </p>
<p>I think those wedding shows cause a lot of undeserved hype. I don’t need a huge rock to prove that my relationship will last. If anything, hinging my satisfaction in a relationship on the size of a diamond is a pretty good indicator that I lack the maturity to be in a long-term relationship. But that’s an entirely different thread!</p>
<p>“I don’t need a huge rock to prove that my relationship will last.” I felt the same way, couldnt find a style that I was in love with and we decided to forgo the customary engagement ring, for an inexpensive antique ring we found at a jeweler. Ten years later, I found a beautiful diamond at a local jewelers and left a picture of it in H’s car----noting that I had FINALLY found the perfect diamond. He “surprised” me at our tenth anniversary dinner. Glad I waited until we could afford to indulge my taste for a larger diamond.
PS --we are 28 years married and counting.</p>
<p>Congrats!! No old rings/jewelry in the family that can be reset?
Can’t beat that price!</p>
<p>Musica - That’s a really sweet story. Thankfully my tastes do not run toward large, so hopefully I’ll be able to find some unique and petite to suit my tastes with my current budget. Though I have considered looking at some onyx rings and having it later reset with black diamond when I have more money. </p>
<p>Jym - Nope! All either still married or with divorces so bad even I’m superstitious enough to want to avoid that bad juju. 
Not to mention if anything of the sort had become available I’m fairly certain its been long-since sold. I do not come from a family of means. Plus one thing I keep running into with older rings is my one deal-breaker: I just don’t like yellow gold.</p>
<p>You don’t have the taste for larger diamonds…YET. ;)</p>
<p>Give it time.</p>
<p>hyperjulie,</p>
<p>Stones can be sold/traded/reset, and yelow gold is worth a lot these days! Easy to sell.</p>
<p>I just (as in 4 days ago) decided on the anniversary of my my mother’s death, to wear her rings. Took them out of the vault. Stunning. They put mine to shame. Listen to musicamusica. Sage comment :)</p>
<p>Best wishes - that is exciting news!</p>
<p>Like gourmetmom, I’d rather get something that is good quality for what it is or wait as opposed to spending good money on a poor quality diamond. Before convincing yourself this will never bother you, get an education and do some comparison shopping. Of course, you can find many gemstones, gemstones surrounded by diamond or pave diamond rings of good quality in your price range. Have you checked out designers like David Yurman or John Hardy or are these too similar to the kind of style you don’t like? </p>
<p>Here’s one in onyx, since you mention that stone, but at the upper end of your range:</p>
<p>[David</a> Yurman | Women | Rings: 10x8mm Noblesse Ring](<a href=“http://www.davidyurman.com/shoponline/suite.aspx?itemid=-2WLU&folderid=/women/rings]David”>http://www.davidyurman.com/shoponline/suite.aspx?itemid=-2WLU&folderid=/women/rings)</p>
<p>Pave:</p>
<p>[John</a> Hardy Petite Pave Ring, Diamond - Neiman Marcus](<a href=“http://www.neimanmarcus.com/product.jsp?isEditorial=false&index=17&masterId=&itemId=prod146980168&cmCat=cat000000cat4870731cat42120742cat000160cat000161cat36710742cat36710744&parentId=cat36710744]John”>http://www.neimanmarcus.com/product.jsp?isEditorial=false&index=17&masterId=&itemId=prod146980168&cmCat=cat000000cat4870731cat42120742cat000160cat000161cat36710742cat36710744&parentId=cat36710744)</p>
<p>[John</a> Hardy Diamond Band Ring - Neiman Marcus](<a href=“http://www.neimanmarcus.com/product.jsp?isEditorial=false&index=6&masterId=&itemId=prod145420028&cmCat=cat000000cat4870731cat42120742cat000160cat000161cat36710742cat36710744&parentId=cat36710744]John”>http://www.neimanmarcus.com/product.jsp?isEditorial=false&index=6&masterId=&itemId=prod145420028&cmCat=cat000000cat4870731cat42120742cat000160cat000161cat36710742cat36710744&parentId=cat36710744)</p>
<p>If you like some alternate stones, there are some interesting things at Gemvara. I’ve always been partial to peridot. Here’s an example:</p>
<p>[Acadia</a> Ring - Emerald-Cut Peridot 14K Yellow Gold Ring | Gemvara](<a href=“http://www.gemvara.com/Emerald-Cut-Peridot-Yellow-Gold-Ring-by-Jessica-Behzad/jewelry/v/953605/]Acadia”>http://www.gemvara.com/Emerald-Cut-Peridot-Yellow-Gold-Ring-by-Jessica-Behzad/jewelry/v/953605/)</p>
<p>roshke - Those also aren’t really to my taste, but thanks. </p>
<p>Consolation - I am absolutely in love with the rings at Gemvara. I was looking at the green tourmaline myself, which I didn’t even know was an option for my birthstone because I’ve only ever seen the pink variety (which I hate). If I had an extra $500-700 lying around, no doubt my ring would be coming from that site. So if anyone is looking for an indication of what I do like, Gemvara would be what I would go on.</p>
<p>Try diamondring.com. They have forums and information on diamond and gemstone jewelry.</p>
<p>I agree with some people on here that your tastes might change. My mother is an absolute minimalist when it comes to jewelry. She didn’t even wear her wedding band for the first 10-15 years of my parents’ marriage. However, a few years ago she fell in love with a ring. It was a uniquely designed ring and it’s beautiful, but definitely not something she would have wanted a decade or so ago. </p>
<p>It seems more and more common that women are rejecting the premise that a ring is forever. If you don’t mind changing at some point in the future (if you’re one of those people who doesn’t get overly attached to something or extremely sentimental about it), then I would get something that you really enjoy right now and change it in the future if your tastes change. It would take off some of the pressure of finding that special “forever” ring. </p>
<p>Again though, best of luck :D</p>
<p>Take a look at these. Unique and beautiful (though I know we all have different tastes) and within your budget.</p>
<p>[Handmade</a> Modern And Classically Styled Jewelry by CHenry on Etsy](<a href=“http://www.■■■■■■■■/shop/CHenry]Handmade”>CHenry - Etsy)</p>
<p>[Sterling</a> silver combined yellow gold inlaid onyx by artisanlook](<a href=“Silver Gold Ring Sterling Silver Ring Onyx Ring Gemstone - Etsy”>Silver Gold Ring Sterling Silver Ring Onyx Ring Gemstone - Etsy)</p>
<p>[Janish</a> Jewels Handmade Contemporary Classic by JanishJewels](<a href=“http://www.■■■■■■■■/shop/JanishJewels]Janish”>JanishJewels - Etsy)</p>
<p>PS: I also agree with romanygypsyeyes that you should get a ring you like NOW.</p>
<p>I would suggest looking at jewelry shops that have estate jewelry. You could probably find a nicer quality ring in your price range if you are willing to look at an older diamond. Mine cut diamonds ( pre-1930s era ) are not as precise but really lovely and then you can be sure that your diamond didn’t get mined with the cash flow going to support unsavory organizations</p>
<p>hyperJulie, the Janish Jewels rings posted by katliamom are really striking, IMHO. And there is green tourmaline! And in your price range! :)</p>
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<p>In nursing school we were told we could not wear jewelry of any kind to our clinical sites (studies have shown definitively that bacteria can accumulate in the crevices of rings/settings and can be transferred from patient to patient). After 2 years of difficult pre-requisites, stress, and competing with other students with GPA’s of 3.7 and up, one student nurse declared “This ring NEVER comes off my finger!” She proceeded to withdraw from nursing school rather than go without her ring for a couple of days per week. Her prerogative, but rather inflexible in my opinion under the circumstances.</p>
<p>Regardless of the stone you choose, I would go for the best quality you can afford, particularly as relates to the setting. I have a gold setting for my engagement ring, and I wish I had gone with platinum. Platinum is higher quality, and more timeless in my opinion. DH has offered several times to have it re-set, but I can always come up with a more prudent way to spend discretionary funds. Maybe someday.</p>