The Engagement 101 team interviewing Joseph Hacmon from Lady Heart

You can still get a big engagement ring without compromising value and style.

On Friday we headed to the Wynn Hotel to cover the Couture Show. We all met there at 9 a.m.; after grabbing a much needed cup of coffee we headed into the massive conference hall where hundreds of designers were ready to show off their latest collections.

We decided our goal today would be to find ways to still get a decent size ring without compromising value and style. After combing through all that we learnt through our interviews,  we came up with four tips to find your BIG dream ring even if your budget is smaller than expected.

Go simple
An overly complicated and intricate design too easily adds up in cost. Janice DeBell from Kwiat Diamonds told us classic solitaires have become high in demand within the past six months. Couples can later get the stone reset to celebrate an anniversary or an addition to the family with more diamonds and a more sophisticated setting.

Inside the Couture Show

Think in color
Although purchasing a sapphire engagement ring in the past would have seemed faux pas, today it’s becoming more and more trendy. Brian Hakimian from Imagine Designs says those who want a large ring but can’t afford a large diamond should try buying a colored stone instead. A large sapphire ring can look just as stunning as a large diamond ring and cost much less. Sapphires come in all shades of blue and even pink. You can also venture into the rainbow array of semi-precious stones and still have diamonds included in the ring setting.

Create an illusion
For those who want to sport a large ring, this is a good tip on how to
create the illusion of a large center-stone without actually having to buya large diamond. You can play up, say, a .5 carat center stone by setting it within a circle of micro-pave diamonds. French micro-pave will have an even stronger affect as we saw when we reviewed the Stardust Diamond collection.

Combine small diamonds into one
Joseph Hacmon from Lady Heart creates stunning heart-shaped diamonds that are inexpensive. His secret? Instead of cutting one large diamond into the shape of a heart, he combines three small diamonds (one princess cut and two half moons) to create the shape of a heart. This results in a much more affordable ring and nobody will ever notice. Jerry Gottlieb from Gottlieb & Sons does something similar with their Magic collection by combining several small princess cuts to create the look of a large diamond.

At the Damiani showcase

This detective work was hard but we were pampered when we headed to Damiani’s showcase where we eyed their new bridal collection and their Angels and Demons themed crosses. We were then invited to have lunch on their terrace, which was served by their personal chef! The food was scrumptious, as was the view of the pool. You have to give it to Italians, they know how to make a business experience pleasurable. Oh, and Stephanie Taylor, air jordan spizike our news editor, almost fainted as she modeled on camera a million dollar necklace from Hearts on Fire.

We are excited about tomorrow as JCK Las Vegas opens, which will be filled with even more exhibitor booths and, of course, more jewelry. Check in to hear all about it.