Diamond Dilemma

"We are all of us stars, and we deserve to twinkle." 
— Marilyn Monroe

Ugh. I'm sick. My dad warned me that he was fighting a cold over the past week. I went to bed last night feeling fine. I woke up and have tried to not separate myself from the couch. Anyhow, that's not why I'm blogging tonight (I guess I have to whine a little since Millie doesn't seem to care). There is something more cheerful on my mind.

As I mentioned before, Sky and I have been talking about buying new wedding bands. I'd also be getting a diamond engagement ring. We have spent the last several days wandering in and out of jewelry shops, trying to be noncommittal to the militant staff while inquiring about prices.The first ring I tried on at the first store was a Tiffany-mounted half carat solitaire ring. It was gorgeous, and we could afford it with our tax refund. 

But then, the evil saleslady ruined my glowing, happy bubble by placing a 1/3 carat ring next to it, showing me that this one was smaller but more expensive. "It's a higher quality ring," she explained. The half carat ring looked suddenly yellow...sunshiney yellow. The smaller, more expensive one seemed to glisten just to annoy me. I felt (although, did not technically see) the saleslady smirk. We tried on rings at a few more stores, and while I couldn't tell a yellow one from the clearest one in the case, Sky kept pointing them out. (I must not be cultured enough.)

What would you do? Should I get a slightly bigger ring that is more imperfect, or less sparkles but higher quality? There is the option to trade up the entire ring or just the diamond, so I could (in theory) get a bigger and/or clearer diamond down the road. I would love to have a whole carat sitting sweetly on my finger. What I wouldn't love is for Sky to turn up his nose at the thing every time he looks at it. Then again, what girl is ever going to take off her ring to compare it side by side to someone else's?

In the end, it won't matter which ring I get. I already have the husband- the ring is just proof for everyone else. Well...and because they're so pretty.