Ok folks...... you're not gonna believe this one.
Been single over 3 years now.... Definately did my fair share of "experiencing" all the options out there. Been with my current g/f for 11 months.
My longest relationship in my life (excluding my miserable first marriage) was only 4 months.
I think I made this decision last week. I found out that I have "advanced degenerative arthritis" in my right hip, and at age 29, I have almost no cartillage left in my right hip. Anyway..... my g/f took care of me for over 2 days when I couldn't walk. She cried when my pain got bad, and basically stopped her life entirely to help me.
Oh yea.... and she LOVES the 914
Can't think of anyone I'd rather spend the rest of my life with. She graduates from college in a few weeks, and will be a high-school history teacher. I want to pop the question on her graduation day.
QUESTION: Anyone recommend a good place to find an engagement ring? I'll need to finance it, so it'll have to be a reputable store that has a credit program.
..... Shaking in anticipation of the comments about to come--LOL
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Someplace where they also give brain scans....
QUOTE |
she LOVES the 914 |
I just got one in Feb so look around for something you like together first. OR just buy something to give her that you can take back to surprise her when you ask the question.
Oh, try to be romantic and pick a good spot so you can both remember it fondly.
Don't spend a ton of money $$$$$, I spent $500. Don't believe those stupid ads, buy what you can afford. What's the point of going in debt big time???? Start off the relationship on good financial footing, later if she wants the big rock and you have lots of money buy it then.
QUOTE ("Z" @ Apr 22 2005, 05:59 AM) |
Someplace where they also give brain scans.... |
Ok, first off. Never post a picture of yourself and your good looking S/O on here. The vultures are circling.
And, they'll make stupid avitars of yourself. Just ask "Z"
I can't help you with financing a ring. When my wife and I were first talking about getting married and rings and such, she wanted something that was nice and didn't break the bank. She wanted us to save our money so we could buy a house before we were married. You can always get a better ring down the road (they make good anniversary presents).
But, get something that you both like... And of course, just picking out a ring together is the tip of the iceburg when it comes to decisions...
Anyways, congrats man! That is great news! You both look like a happy couple! Plus, if she likes the 914, she's a keeper!!
Later,
Tom
QUOTE (Bleyseng @ Apr 22 2005, 06:03 AM) |
I just got one in Feb so look around for something you like together first. OR just buy something to give her that you can take back to surprise her when you ask the question. Oh, try to be romantic and pick a good spot so you can both remember it fondly. Don't spend a ton of money $$$$$, I spent $500. Don't believe those stupid ads, buy what you can afford. What's the point of going in debt big time???? Start off the relationship on good financial footing, later if she wants the big rock and you have lots of money buy it then. |
QUOTE (ninefourteener @ Apr 22 2005, 09:08 AM) |
As for the location..... that's why I picked her graduation. |
QUOTE (Tom Perso @ Apr 22 2005, 06:06 AM) |
But, get something that you both like... And of course, just picking out a ring together is the tip of the iceburg when it comes to decisions... Anyways, congrats man! That is great news! You both look like a happy couple! Plus, if she likes the 914, she's a keeper!! Later, Tom |
Marry her! You'll be glad you did. Just remember marrige is all work. The more you work at it, the more money she takes from your wallet. Oopss., Rant!.
Diamonds?. Try to stay away from the department stores. I found a little place ran by two brothers who let me spend hours in their shop until I decided what I wanted. Oh, and try to negotiate. Just because it says 500.00$ dosent mean they wont let it go for less. All together I think I spent around one thou.
Pat
QUOTE (ninefourteener @ Apr 22 2005, 08:57 AM) |
Ok folks...... you're not gonna believe this one. I think I made this decision last week. I found out that I have "advanced degenerative arthritis" in my right hip... I want to pop the question on her graduation day. ...t'll have to be a reputable store that has a credit program. |
QUOTE (ninefourteener @ Apr 22 2005, 06:08 AM) |
As for the price.... I'd like to stay at around $1000. |
QUOTE (PatW @ Apr 22 2005, 06:16 AM) |
Marry her! You'll be glad you did. Just remember marrige is all work. The more you work at it, the more money she takes from your wallet. Oopss., Rant!. Diamonds?. Try to stay away from the department stores. I found a little place ran by two brothers who let me spend hours in their shop until I decided what I wanted. Oh, and try to negotiate. Just because it says 500.00$ dosent mean they wont let it go for less. All together I think I spent around one thou. Pat |
QUOTE (ArtechnikA @ Apr 22 2005, 06:16 AM) |
graduation day? ya think it won't be stressful enough? you're there and i'm not, but i wouldn't fixate on that date. with so many distractions, you might not get the answer you want. maybe let it scale down a day or two, and transition into the 'future plans' discussion. just MHO, you have to do what's going to be best in the situation. but you asked for my opinion, and that's mine. |
My thoughts, Start with something you can afford. Look at a good pawn shop that will give you in writing a description of what you are getting and a "retail" appraisal (insurnance backup). I am lucky as I have found a good shop here in sacramento. Shop around for something similiar in each store. I found a ring set that the wife loves for around $300-400. She is not into large stones so that helped.
Remember it is really not the ring, but it is what you are asking.
mike
I went through this just a couple of years ago...
first off, congrats, it really sounds like you have found somone special for yourself! glad she likes the teener!!
when my wife and I started looking at rings together, we looked at expensive places, cheap places, online and stores, antique rings and new... I knew what my wife wanted, so all I had do was get it...
I, like you, didn't have the money saved up for a ring, and my wife would have killed me if I spent the traditional "2 months salary" BS...
buy what you can afford, don't go in debt for a ring(the wedding will do that for you),
fact is, you'll find that *most* women don't care about the ring , they care about the person giving it to them, whether you get it at Sam's(costco, wal-mart), or Tiffany's(or wherever else is $$$) and you can always get them a bigger, better ring later, when you can!
learn about the diamonds, certifications and appraisals... the 2 sites below will teach you a lot... one thing I believe though: the CUT portion of the 4 Cs is the most important, a good cut can make a SI diamond look great or make a "flawless" diamond look bad
as for "where" to get it:
bluenile.com
mondera.com
both get you a lot for your $$. not that they are cheap, but you get a little more value...
if you don't care about certified diamond right now, places like costo, sam's, sears can actually get you a pretty decent looking diamond for a lot less... but it's no longer the same investment that will be worth more money later... but as I already said, it will be worth the same to her! but, if you can, get it from a place with a good warranty, in case the diamond falls out, or the band gets messed up...
and I agree, try to negotiate with smaller places first!!
I agree that the 1K price range can be challenging. Perhaps I could make a suggestion. There is a synthetic chemically and structurally identical stone called Moissonite. Search it on Google. A one carot stone with a good ring would be in the range of 1800 to 2000.
They do scratch glass, they are more perfect than real so by agreement with the diamond industry they have microingraving identifying them as Moissonite.
Do talk to her about it first. 10 years down the line when she is tired of your saggy butt sitting on the couch while she vacuums and she has the ring in for cleaning the jeweler might tell her it is Moissonite and it will be that last straw... Or not, she might be from another planet and just smile at your "economic ways".
Did that sound cynical???
Congratulations.... You will never be bored with a history teacher as a wife. As long as you know some history yourself...
Rob
QUOTE (chilli @ Apr 22 2005, 09:44 AM) |
My thoughts, Start with something you can afford. Look at a good pawn shop that will give you in writing a description of what you are getting and a "retail" appraisal (insurnance backup). I am lucky as I have found a good shop here in sacramento. Shop around for something similiar in each store. I found a ring set that the wife loves for around $300-400. She is not into large stones so that helped. Remember it is really not the ring, but it is what you are asking. mike |
QUOTE (tat2dphreak @ Apr 22 2005, 06:58 AM) |
buy what you can afford, don't go in debt for a ring(the wedding will do that for you), |
Both my wife and I have very simple plain wedding bands. I think both ran us $150 for white gold? Something like that. We spent $1k on her engagement ring she wears the band and ring together. We have only been married just over a year now, life is good, very good.
I wouldn't overstretch your budget. We spent what we had the money for knowing there would be a wedding and honeymoon to follow.
QUOTE (tat2dphreak @ Apr 22 2005, 07:04 AM) |
if you want to do it around the same time as her graduation, fine, but keep it private, she will appreciate it more being a private, romantic moment |
Spend money on quality and not size. I think a 1/4 to under .5 carat really bright and clear diamond is prettier than a big yellow rock with flaws...
Three options...
1. Go to a small private and reputabile jeweler (financing might not let you negotiate)
2. Stay away from Zales and the other retail "jewelry" stores.
3. Here is my honest suggestion...
go to...
http://www.bluenile.com You can buy diamonds online. They are reputable and the prices are good. I know of 3 or 4 people that have purchased from them and have been exstatic. Prices are really good.
Once at the site, choose... Build your own engagement ring
Search for a diamond...
Round shape
Very good cut
Price from $700 to $900
Size range of .25 to .4 carat range
Color of F (nice bright color)
SI1 - no noticible flaws to the naked eye.
Finest quality and cost - end result is a very beautiful diamond.
It comes up with a bunch of AGSL and GIA certified diamonds that are $700 to $850 in price.
Choose one that is Si1, F, and has a EX or VG polish and symmetry.
There are some nice .4 carat diamonds with VG/VG polish and symmetry for $729 or so...
For example... here...
http://www.bluenile.com/diamonds_details.a...1&sortby=size-d
You can have them mount the ring too, in an 18k classic solitare setting for $250.00
As far as financing... they offer that too!
PM me if you need help.
I guess my link to a diamond doesn't work...
But you get the idea.
Also.. the http://www.pricescope.com link works well too (as previously suggested).
I built a ring on Diamonds.com using what I found from pricescope...
http://www.diamond.com/DYR3.asp?gen5=ODIA0900IMG2FRND&pf_id=131220&ring_id=4822&DYR=true
Although it doesn't show on the link... it's for a 0.4 carat, SI1, F stone....
Just some suggestions....
Educated yourself and make it special! That's what counts.
She'll be even more happy to know you did all the research yourself and found something really great for her.
Oh.. .and we want pictures of her ear to ear smile when she has the ring on!!!!!
Good luck!
Hey Qarl..
I appreciate the advice.... but I'm really against buying jewelry online. I've had 2 experiences buying online jewelry:
1. Bought the Armani Bracelet.. the clasp broke 3 weeks later, had to have it repaired.
2. Bought my mom a mother's ring a couple years ago, with several stones in it (kid's birthstones)...... the ring was a piece of crap.. you could see where they soldered it, and they got the "order" of the stones all messed up.
No disrespect, but I want to SEE and HOLD the ring I'm purchasing.... if for nothing else but "piece of mind".
Oh yea... don't worry..... I'm not headed to Zales or Kay or anything... I've heard a lot about those types of places.
No problem... It does take some of the personalization out of it...
However, it DOES give you some price points to compare against...
The other option is to take her with you and have her help in the process... but it takes the surprise factor out...
The most important part is to have fun!!!
I would personally avoid the diamonds....as was posted earlier, it's a dirty business; a sham all the way! Trying to re-coup money for a diamond will convince you real quick they are nearly worthless unless you're at the very high end.
Here in LA we have the International Jewelry Mart. Dozens of retailers clumped together in one large office building all competing for your business.....Replaced my wife's lost wedding ring with an exact copy for 1/4 the cost. The original lost ring was bought through your typical retailer with whom I spent many a session bargaining down the price (ha!).......I'll never do that again. If there's any sort of multi- retailer jewelry center in your area, I'd really suggest you start there. Oh, my gold/white gold wedding band cost $117 at the Int'l. Jewelry Mart.
BTW, I did no engagement ring. I asked, then went shopping for the wedding ring together.
Andy
Congratulations. I agree with the others that have said you can get the BIG rock when you can afford it.
I have bought ALL of my rocks at COSTCO! You can check it out online, they have a very good deal and garauntee. Good luck and good health
My cousin was able to buy a diamond in San Francisco at the Diamond exchange where all the imported diamonds are graded/sorted and purchased wholesale.
It's underground in some unmarked location full of dozens of armed guards. There are rooms and rooms of diamonds being graded and sorted by Asian women.
He was able to go and "pick" a diamond from one of the rooms. It was then graded and priced out wholesale.
He said it was a truly unique experience.
For me. personally, I went to a private jeweler and found a nice loose diamond. The jeweler happend to be a neighbor of my future in-laws. I made a few phone calls and got the diamond at cost.
Look for those types of connections too!
I love helping people find diamonds...
It's also important to learn the 4 Cs.... she'll be excited to learn that you are so educated and informed on what she has on her hand...
QUOTE (ninefourteener @ Apr 22 2005, 07:33 AM) |
I appreciate the advice.... but I'm really against buying jewelry online. |
I purchased my stone at Blue Nile. . . no problems. . . came with AGI cert, and I checked the laser inscription w/ a microscope. . .
I had the titanium tension setting custom made by a guy in Georgia. . . he let me specify my own dimensions, and actually turned it around in 1 day. . . I overnighted the loose stone to him, he recieved by noon and overnighted it back to me. . . which was the only way I surprised my wife. . . http://www.boonerings.com/
Craftsmanship was great. There are some very reputable online sellers out there these days who have built their reputation on being upfront about their products, pricing things reasonably, and having good customer service. I bought my last 2 christmas presents from Blue Nile with no problems. . .. diamond earings and pearl necklace. I don't like the vibe in most jewelry stores, and don't get that from Blue Nile. . . just tells me exactly what I'm looking at in terms of the 4 C's and the price I'm looking at.
-'Chung
You knowww...
1K for a ring will get you some very nice stuff....fuck
My ex met me when I was making 4$ an hour, changing oil. our first trip to Mexico, I bought a 15$ silver ring, she wore it 24/7 for 15 years.
If you can't choose the ring you can afford, choose the place, she will remember this always.
If I had 1K for a ring back then she might of stayed around for another 15
My humble advise...take the cash and buy a weekend in Mexico, give her a 15$ ring on the beach. she sounds like a super girl, she will love whatever happens.
Congrats and Good luck with the ring
Later
Joe
Find a good local jewelry store, ask your friends etc, where they got there rings. As for financing.. get a credit card just for the purchase.. rates are low enough now. then cut up that card.!!
Here in NY Ii would go to the Diamond district where they fight for your business, and you can get great bargains on nice stones.. cash only though
QUOTE |
simple, plain white gold band w/ 1/2 to 3/4 Carat, single stone, square cut. |
First Off, ask permission. "they're kinda Old-Fashioned" second make sure you know what she dreams about, it sounds like you have a pretty good idea. and third, good luck.
Tried the local guys and they couldn't match the price when the "burgundy box" was having a big sale. take them up on the 0% for one year and pay it off. but i do have the local guys perform service .
Thanks for all the advice everyone!!!!
So........... today I spent a good 6 hours looking at engagements rings. I avoided the "Mall" stores, and went to a couple of reputable larger places.
If there's one thing I learned in this whole process, different stores DEFINATELY rate their diamonds differently.... guess it is a sham.
Anywhoo.... went to "The Shane Co" first. Found a great, white gold solitaire setting... modern design, yet relatively subtle.... very nice. took me over an hour looking through thousands of settings. Found a .61 Carat marquis that was virtually colorless (I compared it to about 9 other diamonds)... looked great... VERY minor flaw, but quite decent . Strangely enough, the diamond was rated pretty low on the scale. Not at the bottom..... but still I was paying more attention to color and size... it was nice.
Little out of my price range..but doable at just under$1500 total... with 100% full lifetime warrantee on the ring and the stone, lifetime polishing, lifetime everything.
THEN....... I went to "Jared's". I was rather impressed when they offered me a cappucino as I walked through the door, only to find out that they had a total of 8 (yes, only EIGHT) white gold solitaire rings. Whatever, I figure if the prices of the center stones are cheaper, then I can go with a more expensive setting that has other stones in it, right??
Nope..... As I looked through comparitively sized marquis diamonds... I discovered that Jareds diamonds were rated 2 to 3 scales higher than the Shane Co, and they looked like someone had ran them across a belt sander. To get the same brilliance, clariity, color and size as the $1200 diamond I found at the Shane Co......... I would have had to spend nearly $2300 at Jared's. Oh yea.. and the warrantee on the ring was extra $$$
Actually..... I was kind of pissed at the whole experience at Jared's. Oh yea..... and the sales woman at Jareds had too much makeup, and some cheap-ass hot pink Lee press-on nails.
Only been to 2 places so far, but the Shane co treated me awesome, spent nearly 3.5 hours with me, and offered a fantastic warrantee, and taught me quite a bit about diamond shopping. Not sure if its still a ripoff, but I feel pretty ok about it.
In the meantime... still looking..... NOT at Jareds
Shane and Jared are 2 of the stores I had my experiences with. I ended up with my setting from Shane. They have a really good selection of settings. Shane is where they dropped their stone price big time when I walked in with my own rock. Check your diamond for the similar specs online. I know you want that feeling of buying what you see, but I would encourage you to at least compare what they offer to what you can search for on pricescope. If you do bring your own stone into Shane, they will charge you more to set it. Definitely take your time and get educated. I got to a point where I knew more than some of the salespeople.
I can't emphasize enough, check out the pricescope forums, there is a ton of good advice from those people and that site.
Don't ask on her graduation day! That is her day to enjoy her hard work and accomplishments. Cherish that. Don't piggyback on her high that she earned.
For the ring I think the rule is 2 months salary. I would never go into debt for a wedding ring, there are so many expenses to come, starting out your lives in debt could be a problem.
If you can go to the local jewelry mart, wholesale, you can BS your way in, buy it with cash or your own credit, not the store credit. You will get a better diamond for a lot less money.
I spent $3000.00 16 years, three children, and two careers ago and it was the best thing I ever bought.
Good luck
Matt,
I bought my ring at the shane company here in california and I was very happy.I did do alot of comparison shopping prior to going to shane.I got salespersons cards from each store.When i picked the diamond that I liked I told them I found a stone that was the same size and rating for considerably cheaper and handed them the salespersons card from the store that I had the quote on the stone from .I was telling the truth since it was rated the same and was about the same size.They tried to come back that their gem rating was more honest which I silently agreed with them but told them if I had to I would purchase the stone at the other store and have it mounted in the setting I liked from them.I waited a considerable amount of time but they matched the price.They will clean the ring for free and as long as you bring to them to clean and inspect will replace the stone if it ever falls out.You will have to pay for any repairs to the setting if needed but I think it is a great service.They also will give you 100% on a trade up.
Good Luck!! and Congratulations!!
Paul
Thanks for all the advice everyone.... I truly do appreciate it. Some I took, others I didn't, but I do appreciate the help.
So whattaya think??
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Looks like Andy took the pic...
Nice!
I say you did a good job!
I think that it fits her beauty.
QUOTE (Toast @ Apr 26 2005, 09:47 AM) |
Nice! I say you did a good job! I think that it fits her beauty. |
QUOTE ("Z" @ Apr 26 2005, 12:37 PM) |
Looks like Andy took the pic... |
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