Don't wear it. You will give a bad impression.

Nothing wrong with a 3 carat ring, especially one of high graded quality. Anyone who says otherwise probably says it because they can't comfortably get one.

The trade-offs are among the "four C's": carats vs. clarity vs. color vs. cut. When I was given the opportunity to design my engagement ring, I purposely chose an SI (slight inclusions) instead of one of the higher grades of clarity so that I could have a larger-size stone. Compared side-by-side with a flawless stone, you cannot with the naked eye see the difference. But I did not want to compromise on color grade, which is important to me, so I chose a E color (D being the highest). I also did not want to compromise on cut, which is crucial to brilliance, so I chose a stone cut to perfect proportions.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This ring screams "Princess".

There are so many CHEAP, flawed 3 carat diamonds out there. big, gaudy, and flawed

Trust me on that one.

Bigger AIN'T better in this case.

LOL

Please. This is such a bill of goods from the diamond industry. Even a 3-carat diamond is still not much bigger than a pencil eraser, and it's on SOMEONE ELSE's HAND. If you're not a jeweler, or even if you are but aren't examining it closely with a loupe, I guarantee you can't tell the difference between flawless, almost flawless, no quite flawless, and all the other bullshit distinctions that the diamond industry has invented to part you from your money. Obviously if it's all the way at the other end of the spectrum and has enormous flaws or is very yellow, that's different, but if it's in the middle quality-wise you'd never notice. You would, however, notice size.

Anonymous wrote:Until there are iPhones priced in the five figures, there will still be status watches.

I love my Patek Philippe and couldn't care less about diamonds (I only wear a simple platinum band).

Until there are iPhones priced in the five figures, there will still be status watches.

No, there are people who actually have dispensed with wearing watches now that they have their iPhone glued to hand all the time. These people see no need for a watch, but I still like having a watch on, as I am not tied to my iPhone. I have heard people other than pp express the opinion that they are so much more advanced than the wooly mammoths who still wear watches.

i think the pp was being sarcastic.

That's ridiculous, the idea that people don't or shouldn't wear watches anymore. People continued wearing eyeglasses after contact lenses came out. No employer should hire someone backward enough to wear eyeglasses to the interview?

are you serious? why would you worry about someone who wears a watch as an employer?

To sum it up:

Over tow carats= the clear and distinct impression the ring is fake, even if it is not. Wearer is looking to impress, perhaps desperately, even if it is real.

Depending on you profession, the employees/ers may not care at all, either way.

When the ring is big and you are young, employer will say she does no need the job and will likely not stay.

When the ring is big and you are not so young, employer will say she does not need the job, but wants a purpose, so will probably stay.

When the ring is small, candidate was married before the couple made money and candidate does/not need the job (depending on candidate age).

Rolex/Cartier/certain other watches: do people WEAR watches anymore? Does that have a correlation to intelligence?

As an employer, I would worry about someone that wears a watch these days.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You're right. I know tons of people with a lot of money: my family, all of my neighbors, many of my friends, fellow parents at our private school, and frankly, myself. None of the people I know would shop at Tiffany for serious jewelry. They shop at places like Boone & Sons, Pampillonia, Chas. Schwartz and with private jewelers here and in NY. I agree with the poster who equated Tiffany to Pottery Barn. Anyone who knows better would prefer a custom piece to something mass-produced and overpriced.

Back to the original question. I did not wear my 3 carat engagement ring when I was interviewing at law firms many moons ago. Mainly, I didn't want to draw attention to the fact that I was married and of child-bearing age. If I were to jump back in the law firm arena at this point in my life, post-kids, I wouldn't hesitate to wear it.

Just curious, when you reference "a lot of money" how much are you talking about?

"A lot of money" can range vastly. At a minimum, at least a million in the bank and a mid to high 7-figure HHI, then ranging up to the type of wealth where one's name is on a number of buildings throughout the country.