rings

[mejake007]

Does anyone know much about buying an engagement ring? As in...how do I keep from getting ripped off?

[osuno1]

From a woman's perspective: The bigger the better:)

[frankeaton]

Does anyone know much about buying an engagement ring? As in...how do I keep from getting ripped off?

given the fact that 50% of the marriages end in deeevorce, don't spend much:food-smiley-004:

[OSUFan]

Does anyone know much about buying an engagement ring? As in...how do I keep from getting ripped off?

It's been about 33 years since I bought an engagement ring but the way I handled it was to find a respectable jewelry store (Zales, I believe is where I went), ask about engagement rings, price them and then clean your savings account out and buy one. When you are looking, you might ask about sets or engagement ring/wedding ring sets. The engagement ring I bought my wife fits into her wedding ring or vice versa. Oh, and make sure you know if your fiance' to be likes gold gold or white gold. It's a big deal!

Here's a new white gold engagement ring that I googled. I have no idea if that is the average price, if it is cheap or what but I would not buy your engagement ring off the internet or ebay.

http://www.bluenile.com/product_details.asp?oid=4845

Good luck!

[bumpas34]

Get a Zales card and shop online to get better deals!

[AnniePokely]

Tonight hearts are breaking all over the world..

[snuffy]

Does anyone know much about buying an engagement ring? As in...how do I keep from getting ripped off?

Lace up your Nike's and
RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!















Just kidding, congratulation's on finding someone who makes you want to ask that question.

[bleedorange]

Does anyone know much about buying an engagement ring? As in...how do I keep from getting ripped off?

Well THAT explains your lack of posts. :)

[Lewis the Pike]

Does anyone know much about buying an engagement ring? As in...how do I keep from getting ripped off?

Before you buy a ring; ask the lady to watch a documentry about how little African kids get their arms chopped off in the pursuit of diamonds...

http://www.amnestyusa.org/amnestynow/i/blood_diamonds.jpg
=
http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/files/VanessaB.jpg
Vanessa Bryant's ring


Trust me you wallet will thank you!!!!!:food-smiley-004::food-smiley-004:

[AnniePokely]

Here's a new white gold engagement ring that I googled. I have no idea if that is the average price, if it is cheap or what but I would not buy your engagement ring off the internet or ebay.

http://www.bluenile.com/product_details.asp?oid=4845

Good luck!


Man, that's SMALL!


*L*



1) You need to look at some of her jewelry, and see what kind of "style" she has when it comes to jewelry. Is she more into modern, vintage, antique, etc. That should also tell you the "cut" (solitaire, princess, etc)

2) Primarily gold or silver?

3) How does she typically dress? If she's dressed up alot, she might like a larger style ring. Jeans and tshirt gal, maybe something more simple.



Clarity of the diamond is important. Read up about the clarity of a stone before shopping for one. You are probably looking for a S1 or S2.



Zales wouldn't even be a option for me. They are overpriced, under quality, IMO. Like i told my son...Don't rip her on these rings. They might be the rings passed down to a daughter or grandaughter one day.

I like white gold. Princess or emerald cut, not solitaire.

[BobBarker]

I had a great experience buying from Blue Nile. Highly recommend.

[AnniePokely]

I have diamond earrings from Blue Nile. Nice things there. Very affordable.

I'd suggest custom.

[osuno1]

Tiffany!!!


Nothing less than a blue box will do.


(Just kidding) I think Annie made some great points. My cousin owns a jewelry store in Edmond and I will agree with the clarity issue. Clarity is probably one of the biggest issues with diamonds, next to the cut.

I also like the white gold!

The markup on diamonds is somewhere around 200%, so if you are a bargaining person, you can probably get most stores to come down on the price. Especially if you go with a small family owned business as opposed to commericialized one (like Zales).

Good luck.

[BigBadBen]

Make sure it is a certified diamond. There are specific types of diamond certification, but I dont remember what they are. Im sure you can google it.

Any reputable dealer wont deal with Blood Diamonds.
Referencing Lewis' post.

If you want more bang for your buck, check out overstock.com

Pay attention to all the ratings, certifications and customer reviews though. Do some reading before you buy.

I bought MrsBBB some princess cut (matches her ring) earrings on overstock, and they are awesome. Great Clarity, and near flawless. Good price too.

[bleedorange]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/160/349457610_049cea2550.jpg

[Lewis the Pike]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/160/349457610_049cea2550.jpg

Darn it bleed, why do you post something like that where I am forced to agree with you...:D

[JimBob]

Pre-nup agreement!

[rodbakeriii]

Pre-nup agreement!


Good God, that's no lie!

I don't care how much you're in love, you don't enter into ANY business agreement that has a 50%+ rate of failure without a document to mutually protect assets.

Sorry if this is hijacking, but this is important! :)

p.s. - Congrats on having someone worthy of asking this question. Very nice! :D

[BigBadBen]

Rod, you have been to dang quiet lately.

Are you that PW'd?????


:rollseyes:

[cactusjack]

From a woman's perspective: The bigger the better:)

Don't tell pistolpete2002, his wife told him size didn't matter.

[frankeaton]

Good God, that's no lie!

I don't care how much you're in love, you don't enter into ANY business agreement that has a 50%+ rate of failure without a document to mutually protect assets.

Sorry if this is hijacking, but this is important! :)

p.s. - Congrats on having someone worthy of asking this question. Very nice! :D


since I am an expert on this stuff, in texass what you had before the marriage is yours, only assets acquired during the marriage are dividable.
that is what po'd me, the ring was hers given to her before the marriage. It was >$2000 30 years ago and all I got was a gold band that I just sold for $80

[mejake007]

haha...ya'll are crazy! Thanks for the responses - except for Lewis'. Now I feel guilty about some lil guys in Africa that I have no control over.

bleed, my buddy - sorry I've been out of the loop...moved to Seattle about 1.5 months ago. I think I'm settled in now, you should see more of my completely uninformative, mostly non-sensical posts for here on out.

AP - those were really good ideas about the type of ring to get. She doesn't wear ANY jewelry of ANY kind except for the Tiffany's necklace/bracelet set I got her. (that's the bottom of the line Tiffany's sterling stuff BTW...lol) She's really a country girl by heart (just about have her brain orangewashed) - so anything big and fancy ain't her style. I know that she would appreciate something that is more low key but higher quality....which totally baffles me why she digs me but I ain't gonna question her!

I guess my main question was more of a WHERE do I go buy a ring? It would be difficult to buy one online for me - but it seems like just any random jewlery store I walk into will hose me. Anyone know any diamond smugglers?


PS for anyone that just HAPPENED to recently join the over the hill, 40 something club...AND just HAPPENS to talk to my sister frequently........you are responsible for a bombardement of text messages today! :rollseyes: Not that I wasn't going to surprise my sis or anything, ya know :furious3:


haha...just kidding - thanks to everyone for their posts. I really appreciate it.

oh...and about pre nups - what if she's worth more than me? :)

[JimBob]

oh...and about pre nups - what if she's worth more than me?

Get TF off this board and elope!:D

[mejake007]

haha - that's what I said!

[SeaOfOrange]

Honestly, nobody has even offered this.

An IDEA. If she's not into "Flashy Bling-Bling" go with a platinum setting and about a 3/4 carat princess cut solitaire. I'm telling you it will "Pop". Good diamond quality is a must.

My wife's wedding ring is made from her grandmother's wedding ring and 25th Anniversary ring. There's no way that her wedding ring would mean more to her. We took the diamonds and "White" gold rings, picked out a setting that we both liked and had it made. I know that may not be your predicament, but it means so much.

What you should know.

Being in the dental business, we use gold of all kinds. The gold market has exploded lately and is over $1000 an ounce. So, be expected to pay for something. Definitely go with platinum. Tell the jeweler that you know that "Gold is through the roof", but that you're not opposed to paying for something that will take her breath away.

Great big difference between White Gold and Platinum. White gold, compared to platinum looks yellow in comparison.

For our 5th year anniversary I bought her a "Past, Present, and Future" ring with 3 princess cut diamonds on a platinum setting and held it up to her wedding ring and the difference is "NIGHT AND FRIGGIN' DAY".

Definitely buy "cut your arm off kid African". Cheaper.


Okay, I'm kidding about that.

Seriously, look into Platinum settings and good clear diamond(s). Above was stated as bigger is better. Not neccessarily true, but it's always a good idea. Whatever you make now, multiply that by 3 and divide by 2. You should do okay.


If this is long-winded, skip on down to the next post. Don't listen to me. It's the beer talkin.

Either buy her a ring, or go buy her a poodle. I guess, either way you can't go wrong.

Now that you're "almost" settled in, we need more posts from you. You know-show.


Click on this to read about Platinum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platinum)

[cactusjack]

Hey mejake,

How close are you to downtown and the stadium? We might just stay at your house for the Washington state game.....just wanted to give you an fyi, since you don't know me.

[mejake007]

Hey mejake,

How close are you to downtown and the stadium? We might just stay at your house for the Washington state game.....just wanted to give you an fyi, since you don't know me.

LOL...I'm actually about 7 blks from the stadium. Only prob is that I'm in a 600 sq ft apartment that I'm already trying to figure out how to fit 10 people in. But you're more than welcome to join!

I have been talking a lot of smack to every Coug fan I come across. Funny thing is that it's not football smack, it's TAILGATING smack! I really hope some of ya'll make the trip so I don't come up on the short end of the stick. Vetmed and his crew making the road trip this year? It's only about 2400 miles drive (from Houston). :D

[rodbakeriii]

Rod, you have been to dang quiet lately.

Are you that PW'd?????


:rollseyes:

A little "PW'd", but not bad! :)

Just doing a TON of DJ work nowadays. I've had to really dig in since real estate has slowed down a bit. Now, both are extremely busy and it's crazy. Just filled up all that 'playtime' with 'worktime'. God forbid I should have any down time!

[osupride97]

PS for anyone that just HAPPENED to recently join the over the hill, 40 something club...AND just HAPPENS to talk to my sister frequently........you are responsible for a bombardement of text messages today! :rollseyes: Not that I wasn't going to surprise my sis or anything, ya know :furious3:


haha...just kidding - thanks to everyone for their posts. I really appreciate it.

oh...and about pre nups - what if she's worth more than me? :)


Well, I would have thought you had TOLD your sister FIRST before posting something like this on a message board where the whole world could read it! :)

I was with her when the text messages started rolling in. :food-smiley-004:

[Lewis the Pike]

Speaking of weddings, one of my icons, Vince Vaughn set it best in Old School....


Frank: I just wanna tell you guys thanks for being here. Best day ever.
Beanie: Frank, you need to walk away from this right now.
------
Beanie: Alright, let me be the first to say congratulations to then. You get one *part of anatomy unique to females* for the rest of your life. Real smart Frank. Way to work it through.
------
Beanie: I have a wife and kids. Do I seem like a happy guy to you, Frank?
http://i.imdb.com/Photos/Ss/0302886/CT-1117R.jpg

[osutuba]

Let me first give my congratulations :)

All I can say is that once you find a setting you think she will like (or she has hinted that she would like), jump on it. Erin and I went shopping for rings and found a setting she loved. We couldn't afford it then, so we filed it away for future reference. We have never been able to find that setting since, and that was almost 10 years ago :(

[bleedorange]

All I can say is that once you find a setting you think she will like (or she has hinted that she would like), jump on it.

Not to be confused with jump on her.

[osutuba]

<beavis>heh heh ... heh heh</beavis>

[mejake007]

Not to be confused with jump on her.


ooops...wish you would've cleared that up a little quicker...


:cowbell:

[osutuba]

ooops...wish you would've cleared that up a little quicker...


:cowbell:
TMI ...