Having a life coach can help us maximize our potential and live a more rewarding life. There are so many milestones in our life. We grow up and move out. We get married to the love of our life and buy a house. We have children and may want to go back to school or launch a business. We have so many ideas or maybe we don’t have enough ideas and need inspiration! Life coaching can help you achieve financial security, can help you through an important life transition or getting out a rut. You can FINALLY live your ideal life!
Two of my favorite people in the world, Sal & Alissa Vazquez are a team of certified professional Life Coaches, and Founders of FingerPrints Coaching Group, specializing in Life Purpose and Entrepreneurial Development. They help people discover their passions & strengths. They offer complimentary sessions for clients. All sessions take place over the phone so location is a non-essential. If in-person connections are requested it’s ideal if you’re living in the greater NYC area. Contact Alissa at alissa@fingerprintscoaching.com.
Tips for Buying a Diamond
General Information: Its important to obtain a GIA or EGL certificate when buying the stone. DO NOT buy a stone without this. This is a certified report of the diamond specifications. Diamonds have increased in value over the years. Some stones are less common and there may be lower inventory available (but dont worry, keep looking). As a result, the inventory “may possibly” be smaller, meaning you have fewer options to choose from. You “may” want to consider shopping at other stores to find more options or allow more time (3-8 weeks) to get more options. Diamond inventory changes often for a jeweler in the diamond district.
Budget: Determine your personal budget. Do not tell your budget to the jeweler yet because you have the ability to negotiate. You tell him that you’re not sure of the budget and describe the type of ring you are looking for. Let him price the stone/ring for you. Then compare his price against the prices I will list here. I have tried to determine price ranges to help in your search.
Diamond Specifications: There are five specs which are very important when buying your actual diamond: Carat (size), Clarity, Color, Cut (Depth) and Fluorescence. The larger the Carat, the more expensive the stone (i.e. 1 carat is less money than 2 carats). The lower the clarity and color (on the spectrum in the lower section of this page), the more expensive the stone. Depth on a stone is important. If the depth is too shallow or too deep light doesn’t reflect properly. And fluorescence should “not” exist in a stone. It should not state blue, not light, not medium – NONE. No fluorescence.
“Estimated” 2009 Diamond Prices
I’ve attempted to put together possible prices for diamonds “stone” based on various specifications. Please note, I am not a jeweler and I’m not a certified appraiser. These are my best guesstimates for diamonds to aide future couples in their diamond search. Option 1 is the higher clarity stone, it gets lower in clarity through option 12. The stone price is separate from the “band” price. The band could cost $500 + depending on whether its white gold or platinum. Whether three are small or larger diamonds. Round stone prices below are listed in decreasing price and clarify/color. *I’m assuming all good cut stones without fluorescence.
Options Diamond Specs Price (Low) Price (High Range)
OPTION 1 2.0 VS1 F 19,000 23,000
OPTION 2 2.0 VS1 G 17,500 22,500
OPTION 3 2.0 VS1 H 16,000 22,000
OPTION 4 2.0 VS2 F 19,500 23,500
OPTION 5 2.0 VS2 G 16,500 23,000
OPTION 6 2.0 VS2 H 14,750 22,000
OPTION 7 2.0 SI1 F 15,500 22,500
OPTION 8 2.0 SI1 G 15,000 20,500
OPTION 9 2.0 SI1 H 14,500 20,500
OPTION 10 2.0 SI2 F 12,500 16,500
OPTION 11 2.0 SI2 G 10,500 16,000
OPTION 12 2.0 SI2 H 10,000 15,500
Perfect Stone 1.9 IF D 45,000 55,000
Diamond Specifications Explained…
Below I’ve included detailed information to understand the rational in picking the diamond with specifications listed above. As noted above, there are five specs which “I consider” very important when buying your actual diamond: Carat (size), Clarity, Color, Cut (Depth) and Fluorescence.
1. Carat: The size depends on your personal budget and personal taste.
2. Clarity: Keep in mind the clarity of the stone is something “only” seen with a 10x loupe magnification. You can not see anything with the naked eye unless its “included: I1, I2, I2”. If you want a higher clarity stone (Vs1-2), the price could increase. Excellent clarity below (VVS1-2) could price significantly higher. A sample list of prices was estimated above.
GIA diamond clarity grading scale
| Category | Flawless | Internally Flawless | Very Very Slightly Included | Very Slightly Included | Slightly Included | Included | |||||
| Grade | FL | IF | VVS1 | VVS2 | VS1 | VS2 | SI1 | SI2 | I1 | I2 | I3 |
3. Color: Perfect colors are D, E, F. Great colors are: G, H. I might not consider colors: I, J, K, L through X. Colors G & H are beautiful…white and more affordable. Color F, E and D (D is best) each are increasingly more expensive because they are whiter. Beautiful and could cost considerably more.
4. Cut: Depth on a stone is important. If the depth is too shallow or too deep light doesn’t reflect properly. Trust me! You want ideal or fine cut. Good or Very good cut. The ideal depth varies from diamond to diamond and varies depending on the shape as well.
5. Fluorescence: There should never been any fluorescence. It is common to find that diamonds with colorless grades (D-E-F) or near colorless grades (G-H-I-J) are lower in price when they exhibit fluorescence and faint yellow grades. I would avoid fluorescence in a stone. Avoid, avoid avoid!
The diamond district in nyc offers tremendous options at competitive prices! Good luck with your engagement.
1. He’s extra helpful.
If your guy shows a sudden interest in doing dishes or picking out sheets at Bed, Bath & Beyond, he may be trying to prove he’s husband material. “Before he pops the question, he’ll subconsciously seek out ways to show off his domestic side,” says Tamsen Fadal, co-author of Why Hasn’t He Proposed? “He wants to make sure you see him as a partner who pulls his weight.”
Even though you have a career of your own and can take care of yourself, most men still want to be on solid financial footing (good job, decent salary, clear credit) before getting engaged. “It’s instinctual for men to want to provide for their partner,” says Les Parrott, PhD, clinical psychologist and author of Crazy Good Sex. “So they’ll frequently point out their ability to do so in the weeks leading up to an engagement.” That means he may brag a little about an accomplishment at work or casually hint that he’s receiving a larger than usual bonus
Think back to the past few weeks. Has your guy been unusually attentive? Maybe he’s brought you just-because flowers or taken you out on elaborate dates. “He’s pulling out all the stops to make sure that when the time comes, you say yes,” explains Fadal. Yeah, it’s a tad sneaky, but he’s also making those gestures because he’s genuinely excited about the possibility of marrying you. “Planning a proposal reignites that new love buzz for a lot of men,” says Parrott.
When it comes to the actual will-you-marry-me moment, most guys want it to be as personal and meaningful as possible. That may require digging up some little-known facts about you. If your boyfriend has been asking random questions about things like your favorite flower or a childhood memory, he may be gathering info that will help him plan the perfect proposal. “Not only does he want it to be special for you, but he knows all of your friends will ask, ‘How did he do it?’, and he wants you to have an amazing story to tell,” says Parrott.
On the big day, you can bet your guy will be ridiculously nervous. “Even if he’s certain you’ll say yes, he’s still anxious about whether or not he’ll be able to pull off whatever it is that he has planned,” says Parrott. If he’s typically laid-back but freaks out about being on time to dinner, or he’s borderline aggressive when he insists you order the chocolate cake for dessert, it’s possible he’s got something sparkly up his sleeve … or least in a little box in his pocket.
Griffin, Christie. “5 Signs He’s about to Propose.”Cosmopolitan Jun. 2009: <http://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/relationship-advice/signs-he-will-propose?link=rel&dom=yah_life&src=syn&con=blog_cosmo&mag=cos>.
ADDITIONAL signs he is going to propose. Written by Natalie Licini
6. You meet his entire family: If you havent already met his family, WHEN you finally do, its an indication things are getting very serious. If he arranges for you to meet out of town family and friends your relationship is heading in the right direction.
7. He talks about other friends getting engaged or married more often. Some men easily talk about friends/family getting engaged. Other men dont bring up this topic because they dont want to discuss it. If you notice he openly talks about people settling down, its an indication he is getting comfortable and possibly considering that NEXT STEP with you.
8. He includes you when decorating his home/apartment and asks your advice, often buying the recommendations you offer. This could be an indication that he trusts your taste and wants you to be comfortable in your “future” home with him.
9. He randomly walks you past a jewelry store and inside to gather information about your tastes and ring size. He may even ask a friend or family member for advice on your tastes and preferred ring shape and design.
10. His spending habits contract suddenly. Instead of planning your next vacation, he opts not to vacation or chooses a shorter, more affordable destination because he is SAVING for a ring.
There are many signs your boyfriend is going to propose. I hope when he does, you have a lifetime of happiness with your love!
