Engagement Ring in NYC

aido_b

Hi All,

I know there's been loads of threads already on this, however, I haven't seen an answer to my question yet!

If buying an engagement ring in New York, what's the best method to pay for it?

For example, say the ring costs $6K, is it best to pay all by credit card, or cash, or a combination of both? Anybody else have any experience of doing this? I'm guessing that paying the full amount in cash would give you a bit more room for haggling?

Also, can anyone recommend any particular shops in NYC for getting an engagment ring?

Thanks

SoulTrader

Try Tiffany's! $6k will obviously not get you their centrepiece, but they have plenty within that range. I bought my wife's ring there. Not sure about cash vs credit, but I wouldn't want to carry $6k in notes around NYC with me.

If you want a bigger carat, and are not too concerned with having a Tiffany's ring, try the Diamond District. A friend recently bought his wedding rings there, but beyond that, I don't have much info on it.

Try the other shops on 5th Avenue too, like Bvlgari, Van Cleef & Arpels etc. There are plenty of options within the $6k budget. Best wishes.

DingDong

Check out www.jamesallen.com .They have an office in NYC but it by appointment only. Never used them but prices look good

Theboinkmaster

I bought a ring for more than that in NYC about 7 weeks ago, the rate is much better now too.

I paid for the full amount via credit card - extra FX charge but worth it be added insurance IMO.

We looked at rings in Tiffany and then went to Hanikens in diamond district and bought the same quality ring but 30% larger carat. I'd recommend this place they were amazing.

Tiffany is great but really for the uninformed - if you know your stuff go to Hanikens.

IMO cut is everything - ask only to see diamonds which are GIA certified 'excellent' cut and if possible a triple x being 'excellent' polish/symmetry/cut and no forescence on the GIA cert. This will guarantee whatever the size it will sparkle like mad.

Best of luck, pm me if you need anything else

toby2111

I'm in exact same position as aido b,but will only have about $4k to spend when we go to New York at Christmas.I've read about Hannikens,Salvatores,Fortunoffs,Peter Germano and loads others in Diamond District but am still afraid that I'll buy a poor quality ring..or be tricked into thinking its a stunner!I hear its a good idea to get it independently valued over there?I aint got a clue about rings so gonna need as much help as possible so I dont make a balls of it!!Also my credit card limit is only €1500 so I'll prob have to pay half cash and half on CC??Also have Debit card but dont think the limit is much more than €1500 either
boinkmaster-you've been there done this so I'll PM you for hints/tips etc.Cheers

hamstercrusher

Id have to give a +1 to Hanikens, I was over there with the other half in August and on a recommendation of my Mum we went in to them and herself couldnt be happier. They were very helpful in whatever way we needed, they could see the two of us were a bit lost on the whole thing and calmed us down and talked us through it, explained it all in detail and awnsered any questions we had. We were able to pay with a combination of cash and credit card. It worked out well for us being able to do it like this as they gave us a fair reduction in the price, also when your abroad there is a limit on how much you can withdraw from a bank machine daily, so it was either try and draw the limit everyday and keep stashing the money in the mattress of the hotel, or just use the credit card.

I would recommend them to anyone, they wont swindle or cheat you as far as I can make out as anyone I know who has used them have been overjoyed with their service. They give you all the documentation as well for the ring when your leaving. Herself chose an unusual style ring that she was thrilled with as you dont normally see that style (from what I know, I dont go checking wimmins hands, not after being slapped a few times). You can also haggle with them a bit as they are easy going enough I found. So, short awnser Hanikens FTW!!

toby2111

Cheers hamstercrusher-Hannikens seem to be getting good reviews on boards and other forums.Good to hear that they look after you and dont try rip you off.Mate of mine got engaged in dublin a few weeks ago and they both were disgusted at the lack of interest/attention/manners given to them.Eventually they found one friendly jeweller and bought ring there!
I think I'll pre-load my credit card before going cos I dont fancy carrying around a lot of cash-although I might not be able to haggle as much without cash??Seems like it could be a good time to buy in NYC with the dollar weakening.

tinkerbell

toby2111 wrote: »

I'm in exact same position as aido b,but will only have about $4k to spend when we go to New York at Christmas.I've read about Hannikens,Salvatores,Fortunoffs,Peter Germano and loads others in Diamond District but am still afraid that I'll buy a poor quality ring..or be tricked into thinking its a stunner!I hear its a good idea to get it independently valued over there?I aint got a clue about rings so gonna need as much help as possible so I dont make a balls of it!!Also my credit card limit is only €1500 so I'll prob have to pay half cash and half on CC??Also have Debit card but dont think the limit is much more than €1500 either
boinkmaster-you've been there done this so I'll PM you for hints/tips etc.Cheers

Why don't you just load up your credit card so that you have money on you card? e.g. if you have a €1,500 limit - make sure you have a zero balance, then put a payment on it of €1,500 and you'll be able to spend €3,000 then. Problem sorted.

toby2111

tinkerbell wrote: »

Why don't you just load up your credit card so that you have money on you card

I did just say that in the post right above yours!Thanks anyhow.Wonder will I get charged extra fee's for using CC.I know theres a non euro conversion fee.

magneticimpulse

I bought a diamond ring in Tiffany's in Singapore and paid by credit card no problem. However im a girl (wasnt engagement ring) and I would say avoid Tiffany's for an actual diamond ring...unless you have $100,000 to spend on a Tiffany diamond ring for engagement i would avoid it.

These are the reasons why:

Most of their lower end diamond rings are silver and they go very dull.
You will pay alot more just for white gold. Even if you went for white gold, this goes off every 4 years and apparently the ring needs to be constantly repainted or polished etc to get it back to "white gold" as it goes yellow over time.

The diamonds are quite small at lower end and i notice they are not consistently the same, as in 4 of my diamonds under UV light are ok, but 2 on the ring show up yellow under UV light which is not a great sign...i think it means 2 of them are cheaper type of diamond.

I never got a certificate of valuation for the diamond ring, therefore no proof as to how much it costs for insurance purposes. If you try to go around Dublin to get it valued, the jewellers wont do it??

I think you can get better looking and nicer rings elsewhere.

I think you need 7 days to get the ring made?? So give yourself time. Im not sure on that one, as my friend recently got engaged, the guy had the diamond and they had to get it made up and it took 7 days??

Theboinkmaster

magneticimpulse wrote: »

I bought a diamond ring in Tiffany's in Singapore and paid by credit card no problem. However im a girl (wasnt engagement ring) and I would say avoid Tiffany's for an actual diamond ring...unless you have $100,000 to spend on a Tiffany diamond ring for engagement i would avoid it.

These are the reasons why:

Most of their lower end diamond rings are silver and they go very dull.
You will pay alot more just for white gold. Even if you went for white gold, this goes off every 4 years and apparently the ring needs to be constantly repainted or polished etc to get it back to "white gold" as it goes yellow over time.

The diamonds are quite small at lower end and i notice they are not consistently the same, as in 4 of my diamonds under UV light are ok, but 2 on the ring show up yellow under UV light which is not a great sign...i think it means 2 of them are cheaper type of diamond.

I never got a certificate of valuation for the diamond ring, therefore no proof as to how much it costs for insurance purposes. If you try to go around Dublin to get it valued, the jewellers wont do it??

I think you can get better looking and nicer rings elsewhere.

I think you need 7 days to get the ring made?? So give yourself time. Im not sure on that one, as my friend recently got engaged, the guy had the diamond and they had to get it made up and it took 7 days??

Whilst i don't recommend Tiffanys there's some misinformation there:

- all their engagment rings are either platinum or yellow gold
- when you say "cheaper" type of diamond i think you're referring to the colour grade. Tiffany grade their diamonds as ther 4Cs like any other jeweller
- if it's a band with no side diamonds they can size it in 24hours (assuming you're going to Tiffany 5th ave NY). If it has side diamonds they do it in 2-3 working days. Also the quality of their settings is excellent and noticably better quality than some other jewellers.

All Tiffany diamonds are graded as excellent cut and are graded stricter than other labs like GIA. I'd only suggest Tiffany if you didn't have time to do the research and money wasn't an issue. Their diamonds are perfect the problem is you're paying a 30% premium.

So my point is don't avoid Tiffanys due to any quality issues - avoid it because of the premium.

Ask for a triple x GIA certified diamond in Hanikens and the quality will be as good as Tiffany, but 30% cheaper or 30% larger carat for same colour, clarity etc.

seamus

I'm not sure if there would be a huge difference between paying in cash and paying on card, in terms of haggling. A $6k ring might represent 10-20% of a smaller shop's sales for the month, they're unlikely to pocket it and risk pissing off the IRS.

If you are going to pay by card, ring your credit card provider in advance, let them know that you're going to New York and may be making a large purchase, they can put a notice on your account for that period to allow the transaction through. My brother had exactly that problem when he bought his wife's ring in NYC - the bank blocked the transaction and they had to use a combination of other cards and cash from the bank to pay for it. Not very slick!

mlekelly

Not wanting to hijack thread but what are you likely to save in percentage terms by going to NYC??
P.S. I would also advocate loading up the credit card. I have been in states a good few times and almost without fail they need to ring the bank to verify who you are before letting the transaction go through. This can be very tedious so you are best advised to tell the bank credit card dept that you are going to the US and they can expect to see a large spend on the card. This will make it pass through a lot easier.

Theboinkmaster

mlekelly wrote: »

Not wanting to hijack thread but what are you likely to save in percentage terms by going to NYC??
P.S. I would also advocate loading up the credit card. I have been in states a good few times and almost without fail they need to ring the bank to verify who you are before letting the transaction go through. This can be very tedious so you are best advised to tell the bank credit card dept that you are going to the US and they can expect to see a large spend on the card. This will make it pass through a lot easier.

I agree - the week before i went to NY i rang AIB and told them of the pending transaction, and then it went through grand on the day.

As regards saving. I bought in hanikens and had it valued over here for about double what we paid. Which means nothing really except the valuer told us the insurance company would realisitcally pay about 80% of the valuation ie the replacement cost. So that would represent about a 30% saving. This was in line with my expectations as I'd been to several jewellers in Dublin and got the absolute lowest price for the same spec. For example:

GIA certified

Polish - excellent
Symmetry -excellent
Cut - excellent
Flurescence - none
Colour - G
Clarity - VS1
Weight - 1.2c

on platiunum round brilliant solitaire. That would be about €8k in Hanikens but in Dublin it would be about €12k. Plus you'd be hard pressed to find a triple x certified. Also in haikens you pick the diamond separate to the setting and then pick the setting, then the make it for you. You won't get that in Ireland.

So you do save alot, especially with the dollar rate at present. Also they have a much better selection in NY - you talk about polish & symmetry to someone off Grafton St and they look at you like you're a pest. You can't beat the American customer service, esepcially with such a large purchase.

toby2111

mlekelly wrote: »

Not wanting to hijack thread but what are you likely to save in percentage terms by going to NYC??

My family are all going out to NYC anyhow to spend Xmas with my brother so I just thought I might propose while I'm there!I've read that rings in Diamond District can be much better value than here in Ireland.

With regards credit card,it looks like I'll get charged 1.75% as a non euro transaction fee.So,say I spend equivalent of €3000,that would mean an extra charge of €52.50!!!:eek: Thats a hefty charge.

mlekelly

toby, you're getting way better value in NYC so I wouldn't be too concerned about the cr card fee.

Thanks for the info boink master, out of interest did you consider going to Antwerp for the same??

Theboinkmaster

mlekelly wrote: »

toby, you're getting way better value in NYC so I wouldn't be too concerned about the cr card fee.

Thanks for the info boink master, out of interest did you consider going to Antwerp for the same??

Hiya no i didnt as we actually met in NY 6 years ago so that's where i wanted to propose. Engagement rings being good value over there was just a lucky coincidence

saz1mccourt

I actually bought a platinum wedding set engagement and wedding band on jamesallen.com delited with the rings they exceeded my expectations!!! the choice on the site was incredible you choose your setting, shape and size of diamond all seperate. We paid the company through wire transfer so handy. We had to pay customs and excise here but all added up we reckon we defo saved over 2000 euro or more delited. I would defo recommend you look into buying ur ring online it will save u so much!!!

magneticimpulse

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

Whilst i don't recommend Tiffanys there's some misinformation there:

- all their engagment rings are either platinum or yellow gold
- when you say "cheaper" type of diamond i think you're referring to the colour grade. Tiffany grade their diamonds as ther 4Cs like any other jeweller
- if it's a band with no side diamonds they can size it in 24hours (assuming you're going to Tiffany 5th ave NY). If it has side diamonds they do it in 2-3 working days. Also the quality of their settings is excellent and noticably better quality than some other jewellers.

All Tiffany diamonds are graded as excellent cut and are graded stricter than other labs like GIA. I'd only suggest Tiffany if you didn't have time to do the research and money wasn't an issue. Their diamonds are perfect the problem is you're paying a 30% premium.

So my point is don't avoid Tiffanys due to any quality issues - avoid it because of the premium.

Ask for a triple x GIA certified diamond in Hanikens and the quality will be as good as Tiffany, but 30% cheaper or 30% larger carat for same colour, clarity etc.

I disagree...I think Tiffany's are totally overpriced for what you get.

Yeah sure im happy with my diamond ring because i bought it myself. But I think $6,000 is alot to pay for what is at the end of a day a ring, which you could leave on a sink or lose it quite easily. Especially if your going to be doing sport etc i would never wear a ring that cost that much for fear of losing it, so it would just end up in the back of a draw somewhere.

magneticimpulse

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

I agree - the week before i went to NY i rang AIB and told them of the pending transaction, and then it went through grand on the day.

As regards saving. I bought in hanikens and had it valued over here for about double what we paid. Which means nothing really except the valuer told us the insurance company would realisitcally pay about 80% of the valuation ie the replacement cost. So that would represent about a 30% saving. This was in line with my expectations as I'd been to several jewellers in Dublin and got the absolute lowest price for the same spec. For example:

GIA certified

Polish - excellent
Symmetry -excellent
Cut - excellent
Flurescence - none
Colour - G
Clarity - VS1
Weight - 1.2c

on platiunum round brilliant solitaire. That would be about €8k in Hanikens but in Dublin it would be about €12k. Plus you'd be hard pressed to find a triple x certified. Also in haikens you pick the diamond separate to the setting and then pick the setting, then the make it for you. You won't get that in Ireland.

So you do save alot, especially with the dollar rate at present. Also they have a much better selection in NY - you talk about polish & symmetry to someone off Grafton St and they look at you like you're a pest. You can't beat the American customer service, esepcially with such a large purchase.

€12,000 on a ring...hehe thats absolutely crazy money...i better get back to ireland and find these rich foolish men hehe hopefully with a ticky heart

artyeva

tinkerbell wrote: »

Why don't you just load up your credit card so that you have money on you card? e.g. if you have a €1,500 limit - make sure you have a zero balance, then put a payment on it of €1,500 and you'll be able to spend €3,000 then. Problem sorted.

be warned though - if you do this more than likely your card will be flagged in your bank's security department and there's a possibility it may be blocked temporarily as a security/anti fraud measure. it's in the terms and conditions of most banks that you don't do this, so be prepared if you decide to.

op if you have your heart set on going to NY anyway then fair play. but if it's to save money versus what you think you can get in a high street jewellers here, then i's suggest talking to voltaire in dublin first. don't forget, once you add in flight/accomodation/expenses over there then you mightn't end up saving as much as you think you are. i've seen a couple's experience in NY - they purchased in debeers, and sure, they have the social cachet of bragging that they spent x amount in new york and it's from debeers, blah blah blah... but tbh we spent a lot less than they did and my diamond is better quality, bigger, and my ring is nicer :D

magneticimpulse

yeah true, if paying with credit card, you should ring your bank first to inform them, as they will otherwise cancel your credit card if they see an "unusual" large sum of money in another country being taken out on your card.

Toto Wolfcastle

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

Also in haikens you pick the diamond separate to the setting and then pick the setting, then the make it for you. You won't get that in Ireland.

Yeah you do. Voltaire do it. So do Blue Nile if you're willing to buy online. If you are planning on going to NY anyway then it's worth getting a ring there for the savings you make, but being able to choose a setting and diamond separately isn't an advantage over what you can get here.

Theboinkmaster

janeybabe wrote: »

Yeah you do. Voltaire do it. So do Blue Nile if you're willing to buy online. If you are planning on going to NY anyway then it's worth getting a ring there for the savings you make, but being able to choose a setting and diamond separately isn't an advantage over what you can get here.

Didn't know about Voltaire but i was generalising, with reference to the high street stores in Dublin such as Weirs, Applebys etc.

Hanikens wouldn't be the only jeweller in NY who make the ring, many of them do.

OP think advice stands - get the ring in NY for value, and better selection.

magneticimpulse

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

Didn't know about Voltaire but i was generalising, with reference to the high street stores in Dublin such as Weirs, Applebys etc.

Hanikens wouldn't be the only jeweller in NY who make the ring, many of them do.

OP think advice stands - get the ring in NY for value, and better selection.

Better selection? Well it depends, his girl might already have a ring in mind from something she might have seen here in Ireland and they might not have that exact on in New York. How do blokes know what she wants anyway?

I agree that you would save money. But if i was going on holidays to New York and guy proposed there and then in New York, sure it would be great. But if i then had to decide on what ring to pick, it might or could put a downer on the trip...who knows. It just seems like it could be a rush choice to make...but i dont know the girl or how much info she knows.

If she knows before hand that she is going to get a ring there, sure she can have time to do research before hand, which of course you would be more informed as to what places to check out.

toby2111

magneticimpulse wrote: »

If she knows before hand that she is going to get a ring there,

Thats the thing,she doesn't know!!!Its going to be a surprise,but in fairness,she's not overly fussy when it comes to rings.Dont think she'll be going for the big,shiny rock type ring.Maybe something a little more refined and classier.But we may have to visit a few places to find one that she really likes.

Theboinkmaster

magneticimpulse wrote: »

Better selection? Well it depends, his girl might already have a ring in mind from something she might have seen here in Ireland and they might not have that exact on in New York. How do blokes know what she wants anyway?

I agree that you would save money. But if i was going on holidays to New York and guy proposed there and then in New York, sure it would be great. But if i then had to decide on what ring to pick, it might or could put a downer on the trip...who knows. It just seems like it could be a rush choice to make...but i dont know the girl or how much info she knows.

If she knows before hand that she is going to get a ring there, sure she can have time to do research before hand, which of course you would be more informed as to what places to check out.

I'm just going on personal experience from a few weeks ago. My GF had no idea but id spent 3 months e-mailing hanikens and tiffany and also going into places in Dublin to check out prices and styles.

It worked out amazing for us, but may not for others. We were there a week - i proposed Wednesday night and at 10am Thursday morning had appointment in Tiffany where the sales assistant was brilliant narrowing down the choice of styles etc for my GF. Then we had lunch and went to Hanikens, by which time she had narrowed it down to 3 styles. And by 5pm had it picked out. Then just collected it the next morning and happy days.

And the quality and choice in Tiffanys 5th ave, and places like Hanikens and Salvatore was far and beyong the places i went to in Dublin (Tiffany BT, applebys, paul shearans, weirs, places in powerscout etc).

Plus I saved about €5k and that was went the rate was 1.25, rate is way better now.

NY all the way IMO

Theboinkmaster

toby2111 wrote: »

Thats the thing,she doesn't know!!!Its going to be a surprise,but in fairness,she's not overly fussy when it comes to rings.Dont think she'll be going for the big,shiny rock type ring.Maybe something a little more refined and classier.But we may have to visit a few places to find one that she really likes.

I say go for it! email barbara.mcshane@tiffany.com and tell her your budget and have selection ready for you when you get there. She'll help your GF narrow down her choices to a few and then go to Hanikens and get it for 30% cheaper or else get a 30% larger diamond. Don't forget in Hanikens to insist on a GIA certified stone and look for "excellent" graded cut, to ensure it sparkles.

toby2111

Thanks boinkmaster-I've emailed Hanikens,Salvatores and a place called Peter Germano all in the Diamond District.They've all got back to me, but its hard to describe what type of ring I want when I dont exactly know!!But surely between all those places,we'll pick up something!I'll email that lady in Tiffanys,but reckon that place way outta my budget!

magneticimpulse

yeah from what you said your gf doesnt sound too fussy and tiffany's is way overpriced.

its like that trend about 4 to 2 years ago and all the women had the silver tiffany chains and bracelets which cost about €1500....but everyone had to have them. they became common as muck that you cringed that you spent that amount of money on jewellery that everyone has. why would you want to buy the basic tiffany engagement ring that everyone is going to have?

definitely better going to lesser known places and getting someone more simple.

to the guy who made a saving €5k....:eek: are you pat kenny or something? i be motified if my bloke was going around telling everyone he "saved" money on my engagement ring. id rather a 20 quid claddagh ring at that rate.

i think €1k is definitely maximum for an engagement ring. it doesnt matter how much it costs...what matters is that your engaged and in love.

also when i say they might not have rings. i do actually like claddagh rings and celtic jewellery and hence you wouldnt be able to get that in NYC or belgium. :mad:

Theboinkmaster

toby2111 wrote: »

Thanks boinkmaster-I've emailed Hanikens,Salvatores and a place called Peter Germano all in the Diamond District.They've all got back to me, but its hard to describe what type of ring I want when I dont exactly know!!But surely between all those places,we'll pick up something!I'll email that lady in Tiffanys,but reckon that place way outta my budget!

I'm not suggesting you buy it in Tiffanys - but use them to dertermine what style you'd like.

They cater for all budgets and are not snobby at all. Trust me - bring her into Tiffany just for the experience and to use their expertise and look at the styles.

Then take note of your favourites and head down to diamond district. So say for $4k you'd get a 0.4c in Tiffany - you'd probably get 0.7 or 0.8c in diamond district.

Theboinkmaster

magneticimpulse wrote: »

to the guy who made a saving €5k....:eek: are you pat kenny or something? i be motified if my bloke was going around telling everyone he "saved" money on my engagement ring. id rather a 20 quid claddagh ring at that rate.

i think €1k is definitely maximum for an engagement ring. it doesnt matter how much it costs...what matters is that your engaged and in love.

also when i say they might not have rings. i do actually like claddagh rings and celtic jewellery and hence you wouldnt be able to get that in NYC or belgium. :mad:

No I'm not pat kenny WTF?! :eek:

I'm not going around telling anyone how much i saved, I'm only stating it here to demonstrate to the OP what the price difference are. Fact is if i were to re-buy the ring i bought in NY here on grafton St it would be €5k more. Surely that's relevant information, especially given the times we're in.

And €1k maximum for a ring!? there is no maximum or minimum it completely depends on each couple. Someone earning €250k a year could spend €30k on a ring and best of luck to them, it's their money what business is it of yours?
Conversely you wouldn't look down on someone who spent €100 on a ring would you, it's really quite arrogant to suggest what someone should be spending on a ring when you don't know them.

toby2111

magneticimpulse-You're right,it is a lot of money to spend on a ring.I'd sooner go an an even better,cooler honeymoon but thats me!My girlfriend could quite easily pick out a ring thats not 3 or 4k but much less.At the end of the day,once she's happy.....and my credit card is not mangled!!!

toby2111

boink-I'll do what you say,the Tiffany experience will be good for us to gauge what she wants/likes.Hopefully it'll all work out.Gotta get a cheap ring/costume jewelery to propose with now!!

magneticimpulse

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

No I'm not pat kenny WTF?! :eek:

I'm not going around telling anyone how much i saved, I'm only stating it here to demonstrate to the OP what the price difference are. Fact is if i were to re-buy the ring i bought in NY here on grafton St it would be €5k more. Surely that's relevant information, especially given the times we're in.

And €1k maximum for a ring!? there is no maximum or minimum it completely depends on each couple. Someone earning €250k a year could spend €30k on a ring and best of luck to them, it's their money what business is it of yours?
Conversely you wouldn't look down on someone who spent €100 on a ring would you, it's really quite arrogant to suggest what someone should be spending on a ring when you don't know them.

it is relevent. personally i would far prefer a ring which cost €100.

it is relevent, because for insurance purposes on the house contents etc or whatever insurance you get for it...the price of insurance will depend on the price of the ring.

you seem to be pushing figures around and putting pressure on OP....as a woman myself, i would never wear a ring that cost more then €1000 on my finger unless your a celebrity and have body guards around you 24/7. I wouldnt carry 1000 quid cash in my pocket or any more for that matter so why would you want to do sport, go to work etc with 5000 dollars stuck on your hand which someone could easily grab off you.

OP's gf doesnt seem fussy. in all fairness to your advice, maybe your gf expected 5000 dollar ring, but it doesnt seem like OP's gf even wants a ring in that price bracket so no point putting him under that pressure or that impression that he has to spend that much. its a recession you know!!

magneticimpulse

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

I'm not suggesting you buy it in Tiffanys - but use them to dertermine what style you'd like.

They cater for all budgets and are not snobby at all. Trust me - bring her into Tiffany just for the experience and to use their expertise and look at the styles.

Then take note of your favourites and head down to diamond district. So say for $4k you'd get a 0.4c in Tiffany - you'd probably get 0.7 or 0.8c in diamond district.

well tiffany's, they dont really cater for all budgets...$9000 for their basic engagement ring is still mad amount of money for what at the end of the day is just a ring.

personally i think its all crazy. sure you could save money, but is a girl really going to have a hissy fit if you dont spend 4000 on a ring and if she does have a hissy fit is she really mature enough to get married to???

basically whats important is that a couple is engaged, not how much the ring costs and if someone has to go to great lengths to get a diamond???

Theboinkmaster

magneticimpulse wrote: »

it is relevent. personally i would far prefer a ring which cost €100.

it is relevent, because for insurance purposes on the house contents etc or whatever insurance you get for it...the price of insurance will depend on the price of the ring.

you seem to be pushing figures around and putting pressure on OP....as a woman myself, i would never wear a ring that cost more then €1000 on my finger unless your a celebrity and have body guards around you 24/7. I wouldnt carry 1000 quid cash in my pocket or any more for that matter so why would you want to do sport, go to work etc with 5000 dollars stuck on your hand which someone could easily grab off you.

OP's gf doesnt seem fussy. in all fairness to your advice, maybe your gf expected 5000 dollar ring, but it doesnt seem like OP's gf even wants a ring in that price bracket so no point putting him under that pressure or that impression that he has to spend that much. its a recession you know!!

woah woah are you reading my posts correctly?

You're talking about what YOU'd prefer - but everyone had different tastes and money. I am not pushing figures around I'm using figures to illustrate the savings which can be made. I think the OPs budget is $4k and he'll get an amazing ring for that, as you would if he spend $500 or $30k.

And don't talk about my GF expecting anything. I spent what i spent because i had the cash and could afford it. She would have been happy with a $5 ring and im lucky enough to be able to spoil her if i wish.

The OP mentioned $6k and the other poster said his budget was about $4k but his budget really is irrelevant. My posts are about the best way of buying in NY and getting the best value for money.

I mentioned some illustrative figures and you went off on a complete tangent and sound like you have a huge chip on your shoulder. Let the OP spend what he likes and can comfortably afford - we cannot offer advice in that regard.

Re-read my posts.

Theboinkmaster

magneticimpulse wrote: »

well tiffany's, they dont really cater for all budgets...$9000 for their basic engagement ring is still mad amount of money for what at the end of the day is just a ring.

personally i think its all crazy. sure you could save money, but is a girl really going to have a hissy fit if you dont spend 4000 on a ring and if she does have a hissy fit is she really mature enough to get married to???

basically whats important is that a couple is engaged, not how much the ring costs and if someone has to go to great lengths to get a diamond???

you're talking pure sh!te have you even been to Tiffany? I was in Tiffany NY only 6 weeks ago and they have platinum diamond engagement rings starting from $2,500.

what are you talking about hissy fits for who even suggested anyone would have one, are you even posting on the correct thread?!

Theboinkmaster

toby2111 wrote: »

boink-I'll do what you say,the Tiffany experience will be good for us to gauge what she wants/likes.Hopefully it'll all work out.Gotta get a cheap ring/costume jewelery to propose with now!!

Don't let anyone tell you what to spend - I'm sure you'll GF will love whatever ring you buy, it's the sentiment and fact you're engaged etc that's important.

I would personally recommend the Tiffany exeperience (not buying there though just browse and try on) and their sales associates are excellent in judging you're girlfriends tastes and narrowing down their selection to what she likes. Just make sure to give them your budget so they're not showing her diamonds for 2ct which you can never afford!

I thought about the costume ring thing but this is what i did - i went into Tiffany in BT Dublin and got their blue book catelogue. Then i wrapped this up and gave it to GF as i proposed. When she opened it i was on one knee etc and explained we had a 10am appointment the next morning.....

That was just my thing though and to be honest it really doesn't matter how you do it! she will love it and say yes, just enjoy the experience and shopping for ring together.

Also the fact that we went to hanikens and bought there and not in Tiffany didnt bother us at all, as the rings were just as good but the price/size difference of about 30% was too massive to ignore. But when comparing remember all Tiffany diamonds are graded as "excellent" so when in hanikens ask to only see "excellent" cut GIA graded diamonds, otherwise you won't be comparing like with like.

Best of luck dude!

magneticimpulse

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

you're talking pure sh!te have you even been to Tiffany? I was in Tiffany NY only 6 weeks ago and they have platinum diamond engagement rings starting from $2,500.

what are you talking about hissy fits for who even suggested anyone would have one, are you even posting on the correct thread?!

haha if you re read my posts you would see i specifically said I BOUGHT MY OWN TIFFANY DIAMOND ring, so I know what im talking about.

Theres a thing called a website...a tiffany website and if you go on there the cheapest engagement ring starts at $9000.Sure they sell Diamond rings but they start at $700, but they are not engagement rings...i know because IVE A TIFFANY 6 stone DIAMOND RING...and im telling you that my own experience, i think its not what its all cracked up to be.

The OP has not proposed yet, and so how is he meant to know how much to spend. Im giving him a womans perspective.

Think logically, would you go around with 1000 quid in your pocket in cash?? Maybe you do, which by all means great for you. But not all of us can afford that. And the Pat Kenny reference, meant that the only people in Ireland on good salaries in Ireland are the likes of RTE employee's on 400,000 to 600,000K a year.

With the budget on December 7th, i doubt very many people will be able to afford that kind of money.

If so, where can i find this rich men with wad loads of cash?? With preference to older ones?

magneticimpulse

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

Don't let anyone tell you what to spend - I'm sure you'll GF will love whatever ring you buy, it's the sentiment and fact you're engaged etc that's important.

I would personally recommend the Tiffany exeperience (not buying there though just browse and try on) and their sales associates are excellent in judging you're girlfriends tastes and narrowing down their selection to what she likes. Just make sure to give them your budget so they're not showing her diamonds for 2ct which you can never afford!

I thought about the costume ring thing but this is what i did - i went into Tiffany in BT Dublin and got their blue book catelogue. Then i wrapped this up and gave it to GF as i proposed. When she opened it i was on one knee etc and explained we had a 10am appointment the next morning.....

That was just my thing though and to be honest it really doesn't matter how you do it! she will love it and say yes, just enjoy the experience and shopping for ring together.

Also the fact that we went to hanikens and bought there and not in Tiffany didnt bother us at all, as the rings were just as good but the price/size difference of about 30% was too massive to ignore. But when comparing remember all Tiffany diamonds are graded as "excellent" so when in hanikens ask to only see "excellent" cut GIA graded diamonds, otherwise you won't be comparing like with like.

Best of luck dude!

think id prefer the Costume jellewery to be honest then a catalogue...here have the Argos catalogue!!! not very romantic at all.

Toto Wolfcastle

I think the brochure idea is cute. I know a lot of people who would attach a lot of value to the ring that is used during the proposal and who wouldn't want one to be used if it wasn't the 'real thing'. The brochure is different, and in fairness, I think a Tiffany's brochure is different to an Argos catalogue. (And this is coming from someone who would never want anything from Tiffany's.)

magneticimpulse

janeybabe wrote: »

I think the brochure idea is cute. I know a lot of people who would attach a lot of value to the ring that is used during the proposal and who wouldn't want one to be used if it wasn't the 'real thing'. The brochure is different, and in fairness, I think a Tiffany's brochure is different to an Argos catalogue. (And this is coming from someone who would never want anything from Tiffany's.)

You can pick up engagement rings on Amazon for 20 quid to at least propose with. The brochure idea is really naff. Id rather a barn brack ring then a brochure. Seriously if your going to get down on 1 knee at least have a ring...not a brochure. Thats just very cringe. Imagine telling all your friends he proposed with a catalogue??

Theboinkmaster

magneticimpulse wrote: »

haha if you re read my posts you would see i specifically said I BOUGHT MY OWN TIFFANY DIAMOND ring, so I know what im talking about.

Theres a thing called a website...a tiffany website and if you go on there the cheapest engagement ring starts at $9000.Sure they sell Diamond rings but they start at $700, but they are not engagement rings...i know because IVE A TIFFANY 6 stone DIAMOND RING...and im telling you that my own experience, i think its not what its all cracked up to be.

The OP has not proposed yet, and so how is he meant to know how much to spend. Im giving him a womans perspective.

Think logically, would you go around with 1000 quid in your pocket in cash?? Maybe you do, which by all means great for you. But not all of us can afford that. And the Pat Kenny reference, meant that the only people in Ireland on good salaries in Ireland are the likes of RTE employee's on 400,000 to 600,000K a year.

With the budget on December 7th, i doubt very many people will be able to afford that kind of money.

If so, where can i find this rich men with wad loads of cash?? With preference to older ones?

Listen you're talking nonsense i was only there 6 weeks ago - sure here's one for $1,520:

http://www.tiffany.com/Engagement/item.aspx?GroupSku=GRP10001&selectedSku=23932474#f+0/0/0/0/0/0

Anyway i don't think the OP is actually going to buy there - just try on.

Theboinkmaster

magneticimpulse wrote: »

You can pick up engagement rings on Amazon for 20 quid to at least propose with. The brochure idea is really naff. Id rather a barn brack ring then a brochure. Seriously if your going to get down on 1 knee at least have a ring...not a brochure. Thats just very cringe. Imagine telling all your friends he proposed with a catalogue??

I give up :cool:

magneticimpulse

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

Listen you're talking nonsense i was only there 6 weeks ago - sure here's one for $1,520:

http://www.tiffany.com/Engagement/item.aspx?GroupSku=GRP10001&selectedSku=23932474#f+0/0/0/0/0/0

Anyway i don't think the OP is actually going to buy there - just try on.

Sure sure your telling me i didnt buy a Tiffany Diamond ring. Look i know what im talking about, its a ring...sure it was great buying it in Tiffany's...3 years later...i look at it and think...god could have flow to Australia 1st class for the price of that ring (oh wait i did do that). Anyhow you get the picture...at the end of a day its just a ring, it aint going to make anybody happy.

Look you might find it hard to believe that a woman can go into Tiffany's by herself and by a diamond ring by herself! But I did and im saying i had trouble getting it insured in Ireland etc (not that i live there, I actually love on a vineyard in France)...but I just checked it out as I was being curious. IMO its a waste of money. You be better off spending it on a nice holiday.

Theboinkmaster

magneticimpulse wrote: »

Sure sure your telling me i didnt buy a Tiffany Diamond ring. Look i know what im talking about, its a ring...sure it was great buying it in Tiffany's...3 years later...i look at it and think...god could have flow to Australia 1st class for the price of that ring (oh wait i did do that). Anyhow you get the picture...at the end of a day its just a ring, it aint going to make anybody happy.

where exactly did i say you didn't buy a Tiffany ring?! im sure you did, good for you.

you said "the cheapest engagement ring starts at $9000"

you were wrong, they start at $1,500.

Anyway it's beside the point - nobody is suggesting the OP buy a Tiffany ring, just have a look then go down to the diamond district and buy a cheaper or bigger one IMO

magneticimpulse

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

where exactly did i say you didn't buy a Tiffany ring?! im sure you did, good for you.

you said "the cheapest engagement ring starts at $9000"

you were wrong, they start at $1,500.

Anyway it's beside the point - nobody is suggesting the OP buy a Tiffany ring, just have a look y'know

well if their website wasnt so bloody hard to look at, im not getting engaged, so why would i troll along 44 engagement rings.

you sound so stuck up...good luck with your wedding, one less annoying guy to worry about meeting in the world

toby2111

Folks relax!!There's a bit too much aggression flying around.Both of you have made good suggestions and I appreciate them.I will go to Tiffanys for a look and for the experience.I know what I can/can't afford and so will my girlfriend so I'm sure for my budget we'll get something lovely.As for the costume jewelery vs brochure thing..both are good and I'll consider them both.One final question boinkmaster,were did u propose in NYC?Think I might do it top of Rockefeller Centre.

Theboinkmaster

toby2111 wrote: »

Folks relax!!There's a bit too much aggression flying around.Both of you have made good suggestions and I appreciate them.I will go to Tiffanys for a look and for the experience.I know what I can/can't afford and so will my girlfriend so I'm sure for my budget we'll get something lovely.As for the costume jewelery vs brochure thing..both are good and I'll consider them both.One final question boinkmaster,were did u propose in NYC?Think I might do it top of Rockefeller Centre.

Like the costume ring, brochure and all that - it's really down to personal taste. I took my GF to the rivercafe for dinner about 8pm but then just proposed back in the hotel room afterwards, with candles, champagne etc.

This was just my preference, as there aren't many private places in NYC and both myself and GF would be embarassed to do it in public, so i wanted to do it in private.

Some ideas i did toy with though:

- top of rockefeller centre (though i was there during my trip and glad i didn't as it was very very busy, so not very romantic IMO -> unless you chose a time of day where it was extremely quiet)

- boat house in central park, renting a boat and rowing around the lake

- anywhere in central park

- brooklyn promenade (as i was over that way to rivercafe)

- in rivercafe or another restaurant itself

TBH NY IMO is one of the best cities in the world - wherever you choose will be great. If you do a search on google there are actuall loads of sites with the top places to propose in NY etc.

magneticimpulse

Paris would be better thou!! the most romantic city in the world