ExiledInIllinois Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 So, you want to start off your marriage on a lie, or are you going to tell your girl that her ring is recycled? You do realize that you have no idea who wore the ring previously, or where that ring has been in its former life; don't you? It's not like you can go to Ringfacts and pull up the history on the darn thing. So what... The two of you can just make up a story. Really. What is with this "I gotta have a new ring thing." You can ask any jewler to see their collection of "estate" or antique pieces... Stuff from years past is often stunning and unqiue... Not "cookie cutter." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 So what... The two of you can just make up a story. Really. What is with this "I gotta have a new ring thing." You can ask any jewler to see their collection of "estate" or antique pieces... Stuff from years past is often stunning and unqiue... Not "cookie cutter." You do realize that you are taking a crayonz thread seriously? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booster4324 Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 You do realize that you are taking a crayonz thread seriously? Hey, crayonz has the right to marry his hamster. It is a bit disturbing, but I support his rights. She is smarter than him afterall. On the upside, she should be terribly impressed by any ring. "It is a quarter carot." That's huge to a hamster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 You do realize that you are taking a crayonz thread seriously? Yes. That is the greatest thing... Almost makes him irrelevant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMadCap Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 I just bought one. Spend what you can afford, not what any BS diamond industry "rule" says you should spend. THere are lots of family owned places out there that will treat you right. Remember, most of those places get customers through word of mouth, so ripping you off is not in thier long-term best interest. In my search, I met MANY pushy salesmen, until I finally found someone who I felt was genuine and honest. Another word of advice: DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Do some research and learn about the four "c's" and what they mean to prices and appearance. Don't go for the biggest caret size and sacrifice the cut or you will have a big ring that looks like sh--. You should also take into account the finger size of the lady for which the ring is intended. My wife's hands are very, very tiny, so getting a 2caret ring would look gaudy and Fred Flinstone ridiculous. Sacrifice the size and get a high quality cut. I also do not put great stock in the clarity value. Most people are not going to bust out a 10x glass to look at the flaws in a ring. If you stay at VVS included, then you should save $$$ and cannot really tell between that and a flawless stone. My wife is highly allergic to metals, so we had to bite the bullet for platinum band, which was expensive, but worth it. It was unique and pretty, and kept it simple. She LOVED it, so that's what counts. Get it added to your homeowner's insurance policy immediately after purchase. If you do some footwork you can get something you will love at a fair price. Good luck... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 And if they say 2 month's salary... You picked the wrong person. I suppose that all depends on your salary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Assquatch Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 ... That's huge to a hamster. a signature worthy quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Big Cat Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 I would go with CZ until your 5 year anniversary. Then if it looks like things will last, swap it out at a jewelry store for a real diamond. If she has it appraised or calls you on it, just get mad and say that the guy you bought it from must have ripped you off for the $5k that you paid for it. Love your name. Read it once, thought about it. Read it again, and then said, "aaaaaaaah!" Props to a fellow Wire fan!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimBob2232 Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 2 months salary is a halfway decent rule if you dont make alot of money...but if you make 120k/year, that ring is going to cost you 20k! Not only is that ridiculous, it will be gaudy as hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 I suppose that all depends on your salary. That is what alwys got me about the business. Especially diamonds... Aren't they very abundant? Mix in the history and the Hollywood thing in the 1930's and you have a very crappy industry that I shake my head why anyone would over-patronize! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HBSS151 Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Isn't the unofficial rule 2 months salary? Took her to a pawnshop on Washington St. across from the "new" Erie Co. Library - let her pick it out - done in 30 minutes - two week's salary (1977) She has nevered considered a replacement (FYI - the 10 year and 25 year models are a little pricier) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetbaboo Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 how about not getting a diamond...it's not tradition...just marketing http://media.www.thebatt.com/media/storage...g-3228187.shtml A diamond is forever; or, at least, it has been for the previous 70 years. The exchange of diamond rings does not come from some ancient tradition, but rather became widely popular because of brilliant advertising by De Beers. click the link to read more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 how about not getting a diamond...it's not tradition...just marketing http://media.www.thebatt.com/media/storage...g-3228187.shtml A diamond is forever; or, at least, it has been for the previous 70 years. The exchange of diamond rings does not come from some ancient tradition, but rather became widely popular because of brilliant advertising by De Beers. click the link to read more That is basically what I was alluding to. We choose a sapphire to compliment very small diamonds in a Pt setting. Didn't read the link... Didn't the whole marketing thing begin in Hollywood... The industry would let stars on the red carpet wear various pieces. I was reading/saw somewhere about (Harry?) Oppenhiemer in South Africa, all it would take is a worker with a tin can around their neck and kneeling while they swept various alluvial areas... The "tink" after "tink" of diamonds into the can is all one heard. Great thread Crayonz! Keep up the good work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Combine two pieces of advice already stated: 1. Go to a pawn shop, and buy a diamond at cut rate. Jewelry store markup is outrageous. 2. Go to a family owned local jeweler, one that does custom stuff, and have them use the gold and diamonds from the pawn shop to fashion something for you. or, 3. Come to NYC and go to the diamond district. Sure the tourists still may get ripped off, but if you've done your homework and make it clear you are willing to walk to the next seller (10 feet away), you can negotiate a very good price on some nice stones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 or, 3. Come to NYC and go to the diamond district. Sure the tourists still may get ripped off, but if you've done your homework and make it clear you are willing to walk to the next seller (10 feet away), you can negotiate a very good price on some nice stones. See that is the thing KD... Even with doing your "homework", how do you know that you still not getting ripped off? Unless you have a micorscopic eye or something. Quite a business these daimonds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 25 cents in the gumball machine . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Unless you have a micorscopic eye or something. ...or a microscope (which any gem dealer will be happy to provide). You know you are not getting ripped off by comparing across multiple vendors and online sources -- just like buying a car. And if all ten vendors give you a similar price, well, that's the market price. They ain't cheap. Plus, you should always get it independently appraised elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PastaJoe Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 The rule is it has to be a little bigger than the one her last friend to get engaged got. It's all about flashing the bling to her friends, and if her's has a smaller diamond than a friend who got engaged before her, it shows that you don't love her as much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bills_fan Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 or, 3. Come to NYC and go to the diamond district. Sure the tourists still may get ripped off, but if you've done your homework and make it clear you are willing to walk to the next seller (10 feet away), you can negotiate a very good price on some nice stones. I disagree with this. When I bought my wife's ring, I went to at least 75 stores, in various areas of the country (I traveled a lot for work back then), including many places in the District and the absolute BEST value was at Diamond Cutters in the Ellicott Square Building in Buffalo, seconded only by Bomi in Amherst. After learning, discussing and negotiating at several places, I was able to purchase a terrific diamond from Diamond Cutters with a nice setting. I ended up meeting with Diamond Cutters, told them what I wanted and how much I was willing to spend. They did not have it at the time, called me a few weeks later and told me they had a stone I may be interested in. It wasn't even cut yet. They called me and gave updates as to the cutting and what they found. I bought the stone sight unseen (I had already picked out the setting) and they sent it to me in NYC via insured mail. It really was even better than they had described. Trust me, it really is about the center stone...complementary stones are nice, but the center stone should steal the show. Everything else is secondary. Web sites... http://www.wnydiamonds.com/ http://bomigrelick.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordio Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 You can go the "etstate" jewlery and get something truly unique also... The can have any kind of stone match up... And have the "working band" built to match. For us, 14 years ago we went this route with a jewler down in Chicago and spent (if I remember correctly?) about 2k total for both of us. Prices shouldn't be that much more... Heck everything has fallen, they claim inflation is not a problem. What is up with precious metals? The engagement ring is an "estate" piece... Pt with fine interwoven "finial" work (if that is the word)... The main stone sapphire with 12 small diamonds (original to the setting, well at least I am told... ) around it. The built the band of Pt to nest against the ring. And mine? Heck, I got a solid Pt band and I think that was about 300 bucks. Of course precious metals do go up in price through time. It "works" for us. Funny, when I was getting enganged 8yrs ago, was not making real great money, but was doing alright for a 26yr old kid without many bills. We went to this jeweler & with the engagement ring & her wedding band I think I spent 6k. Then it came time for me to pick out my wedding band. The guy brings out this book as thick as a phone book & says they are listed from most expensive to least expensive. Well I flipped right to the back of the book & picked the cheapest ring the guy had. $59.99. Not a bad deal & it only turns my finger green when the mercury goes over 90 degrees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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