# Need help with engagement ring for female cyclist!



## orlin03 (Dec 11, 2007)

It's time for me to get a ring for my girlfriend  , but as if a guy doesn't already have a hard time picking out something for his girl, I have the added burden of picking out a ring that she can wear to bike and run with (she's already said she doesn't want to have to take it off). She's not a swimmer, but is already hooked on duathlon and wants to start bike racing as well. I know she doesn't want anything extravagent- solitaire setting with one round diamond is the most likely choice- but I really don't know how big is too big when it comes to the diamond for an active lady. I have a really nice .74 carrot stone picked out already (okay, I kinda bought it a while back, but will sell it if it's not the right stone for her), but I know she is thinking anything over .5 will be too much. I'd really like to know what the women cyclists here wear, and if you take it off or not when riding and/or racing.


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## Becky (Jun 15, 2004)

What does she want?

Personally, I don't ride with my ring on. I could, as it's not large or obtrusive, but I don't like the way that it feels under gloves. It's a low-profile 6-prong setting done in platinum, and very sturdy. Our jeweler was wonderful when it came to suggesting rings for our outdoor lifestyles.


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## orlin03 (Dec 11, 2007)

Thanks Becky. She and I have pretty much the exact same taste in rings. She's set on white gold (or titanium, but it's nearly impossible to find a jeweler who works with them; they seem to be an order-only item). I think the question with the size really stems from two things: she doesn't want me "spending too much" on her (and doesn't know I've been saving for this for a long time), and she wonders if it will be obtrusive. I'm sure she wouldn't be happy with anything larger than 3/4 carat; she thinks stones well over a full carat are gawdy. I've also been thinking about a low-profile setting like you've mentioned, rather than one that lifts the stone up high from the finger.


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## coachstevo (Sep 11, 2009)

My wife and i have Ti rings...there is a jeweler in Seattle that works with the stuff...we ended up with bands of ti (pre-order), and her engagement ring has the stone set real low pro in the a very similar band.

About two years ago my wife starting getting an allergic reaction to the Ti- so her rings are now white gold toned to match the Ti fairly closely.

If you go with the Ti band-- make sure you get them big enough to always be able to slip off (they'll feel loose), cause should anything happen they are a bear to cut off


Oh, and CONGRATULATIONS


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## zoikz (Sep 5, 2003)

Whoo hoo. Congrats.
After my wife fell and dislocated her ring finger, we had to use a ring cutter to remove her engagement ring. Not fun, cutting up a piece of platinum that took quite awhile to pay off on a medical students stipend.
I think for many the idea of a ring to use for sport and exercise often drifts to the idea of using materials like titanium or tungsten. The titanium used for jewelry should be made with a different type of alloy that is easier to cut. Tungsten cannot be cut. Your only hope is to get it into some sort of vise and to crack it.
If you've ever seen a ring cutter, or used one they are not very strong or impressive. The cutting wheel wears out after a few times and often is pretty dull. They can work with the correct titanium alloy, but it can be pretty challenging particularly if you don't have a new cutting wheel.
Even with a minor amount of trauma, the ring will quickly work as a torniquet and rapidly swells. Literally the finger balloons to 2-3 times its normal size and even a loosely fitted ring can compromise the finger. 
My vote would be to stick with more traditional metals like gold, silver or white gold. They are pretty soft, easily cut and can also be repaired (which we did with my wife's ring.)
Here's an idea;
http://www.versani.com/Tension-Silver-Ring-p388.html
It's not offered with a diamond but I'm sure you can have them do it custom.


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

pm me with specific questions.......I am a jeweler by trade.....over 30 years at the bench...I will not get involved with public forums on jewelry any more.


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## TomH (Oct 6, 2008)

Get her a ring and a total loss warranty/insurance policy if she doesnt want to take it off.


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## orlin03 (Dec 11, 2007)

Thanks everyone for the tips! This is very exciting! The more I think of it, the more an insurance policy makes sense, too.


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## RUFUSPHOTO (Oct 14, 2010)

This one looks pretty good...hint...hint. 
http://denver.craigslist.org/jwl/2296324186.html


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## macski (Mar 25, 2011)

I think a setting without claws would be the most practical - something like this:

http://www.jewelrycentral.com/product.asp?pID=3793&cID=112


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## heathb (Nov 1, 2008)

How about no rings. I would never personally wear a ring after I saw a guy I was working with fall of a roof we were putting shingles on and get his ring stuck on a nail head on the way down. It ripped his finger off and left a long string of nerves hanging off the edge of the roof. 

No thank you to ever wearing anything that could damage may hands.

Besides these are modern times. People don't need rings these days.


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## CHL (Jun 24, 2005)

Look at Blue Nile. It's inexpensive for the quality the company provides. How about platinum with an Emerald or Asscher cut? Do get something of quality (Cut, Clarity, Color, Carat). A diamond of pure clarity and no color is wonderful to look at. 

C.


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## vladvm (May 4, 2010)

steel is real!


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## orlin03 (Dec 11, 2007)

Thanks for all the thoughts, experiences, and well-wishes. I went and picked one out on Sunday. Dani knew I was going to be going soon and asked me to let her come too; the funny thing was, without my interuption, she picked out the same one I was going to get her! Must be a good sign, right? It's a 14k white gold ring, solitaire, with a kind-of blended bezel/cathedral/4-prong design that holds the stone nice and low. It looks really great and can't wait to see it with the stone set in place! I'll post a pic after she gets it (not before because I wouldn't want her to stumble across this and see it before I give it to her; I have to maintain some sort of secrecy here!)


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

Congrats! I actually don't wear my wedding band when I'm riding either of my bikes or doing yard work actually. I do have a plain gold wedding band, no stones. My engagement ring I actually rarely wore do to the type of work I was doing at the time. Now I work as a merchandiser so I do wear my wedding band. My husband does not wear his wedding band when he's working. He's a mechanic (works on a military base fixing all kinds of radio type equipment), so wearing anything that way is a very bad idea.


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## litespeedchick (Sep 9, 2003)

Congrats! The ring sounds beautiful. 

To set your mind at ease somewhat, I've been riding in my wedding/engagement ring since 1993...and that's mostly mountain biking, so lots of mud/blood/crashes, etc. I got my current "upgraded" diamond in 1999, it's a 1 1/2 carat solitare in a traditional 4 platinum prong setting. I never take it off, because i think the risk of loosing/misplacing/theft is greater than the risk of something happening to it on the bike.

I have once landed on the hand and had the finger swell enough that i worried it might need to be cut off (although it didn't) but that makes me want to take the "no ti" advice. 

She should have the jeweler check the setting periodically, or if she notices any play. I was going to get mine insured, but the cost was prohibitive.

happy engagement!


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## Keeping up with Junior (Feb 27, 2003)

*Snip Snip*



litespeedchick said:


> I have once landed on the hand and had the finger swell enough that i worried it might need to be cut off...


Pretty brave lady, I would never consider having someone cut my finger off just because it swelled up. Would you have submitted the claim for getting your finger cut off on your homeowners policy or your health insurance policy?



litespeedchick said:


> She should have the jeweler check the setting periodically, or if she notices any play. I was going to get mine insured, but the cost was prohibitive.


Check your regular homeowners insurance coverage and any specific limits for jewelry, you/she may already have an appropriate amount of insurance. Seeing as the ring will probably be closely guarded (always on finger) the risk of loss and theft may be nominal. Often times from an economic sense the insurance premiums simply do not make sense and from an emotional standpoint if she lost the ring and had to replace it the new ring will never be the same as the old ring.


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## litespeedchick (Sep 9, 2003)

haha...if you're an english teacher, please feel free to use my unfortunate sentence as a cautionary example ;-)


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## Christine (Jul 23, 2005)

Agreed, she should get used to not wearing it during races/training. Yeah, it's sentimental, but not worth the risk, and even if insurance could replace it if lost, there's nothing like the original for sentimental reasons. 

My husband wears his band on a cord around his neck when he's working with his hands. But that can be risky, too.


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## orlin03 (Dec 11, 2007)

*She said YES!*










The ring has lived in my pocket for quite some time now. I kept trying to imagine some romantic way to ask her, but for us, the ideas just seemed hokie. Yesterday, I was running the 10 mile Broad Street run in Philly, and she was watching from mile 7, waiting for me to pass before riding down to the end to meet me. Once I past, I started getting cramps and felt like stopping, when I realized passing by in good form was my only real goal for the race... then I thought about how important she thought it was for her to meet me at the end, and I was determined to keep going. Then the ring wouldn't get out of my mind. I pushed through the cramps, running a fast final mile, "raced" a guy for the final quarter mile, and finished with my best final kick ever (I took him in the final few meters! Time was 1:01:10).
Dani couldn't get down into the finish with her bike, so (after recovering and somehow not puking), I ran another mile back, ran through the now crowded street of runners, walked up to her, and fell to one knee. She thought I was collapsing, and then I asked her. She started crying, kissing, fell onto my knee (I cleanced my jaw but didn't let her know how tired that knee was), and said *YES*! It was great, and she said I couldn't have done it a better way. 
She did have to work last night, so we'll be celebrating tonight


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

Yay! Congratulations.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

Congrats!


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## tdietz87 (Apr 19, 2011)

Congratulations!


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## daybreakbds (Jul 19, 2011)

congrats!!!


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