Engagement ring in New York in 2 weeks time!!!!!!!!!!!!!

quinn05

Hi All,


The time is almost here for me- i have been planning this with almost a year. I will be proposing to my better half in unbder 2 weeks time and whisking her off to New York to pick out the ring. I have posted on boards in different threads and have come to conclusion that both Salvatore and Co and Hanikens seem to be the two most popular places with Irish people getting rings.
Before i go i just want to make sure that these 2 are really top class- the reason im asking as one person sent a message to me saying the shops in the diamond distirk are rip off merchants etc and that he has been living there 20 yrs but to be honest i think from the amount of peopl telling me so many good things about the places that they must be top class and genuine- i guess im just looking for final reassurance before spending my money.

I would really welcome some final pieces of advice from people on engagement rings in New York and especially these 2 shops mentioned above. Thanks to all of ye for yer advice and help.

princessdippy

me and my new fiance are just back from new york! we did the same looked on here for advice and we went to salvadores and he had arranged hanikans... it is far better over there i got an amazing 1.25 carat platinum diamond with diamond band and its amazing got all the certificates and they took 2500 dollars off it aswell! salvadores were the same if you say you going out the door they bring down price... now personally we were more happier with hanikans you should email before you go and we dealt with marilyn and she was lovely... just word of advice post back all your certificates and the ring box etc when you are there!
but enjoy!! my fiance proposed to me in central park it was up on a big rock in front of the ice rink and the lake it was just honestly the most perfect moment in the whole wide world... so enjoy!!!!!!

Beffy

I'm just back from New York, we got engaged over there (in central park by ice rink as well as it happens!).
We went round the corner to Tiffany's and I picked out the ring. Was quite the experience!

Theboinkmaster

i can 100% recommend hanikens - just make sure you get a GIA cert with it and know your 4Cs and research before you go and you'll love it.

don't let the "counter" and setup put you off, they are fantastic and massive saving on what you'd pay here.

Mainistir

Hi folks,

Im also starting to look into popping the question in NY later this year, from what little research ive done it seems the diamond district in NY is the place to go....? Is there any particular jeweller there people would recommend? Also, is there much point looking at Tiffany's, i have a feeling they could be a bit out of my league...!!

Any advice much appreciated....

Homer

another vote for hanikens from me. Fantastic to deal with from start to finish (dealt with Michael and Marilyn) and they even send Christmas cards in the post. Small details I know but I think it shows their commitment to looking after and valuing their customers.

Mainistir

Great, thanks for that Homer

Sand Wedge

Hi, we got our enagement ring in Hanikens and cannot recommend them enough. My proposal was a surprise to my Fiance and she did not really have a clue what type of ring she wanted. I had seen recomendations on here for Hanikens befoere we went out. The staff could not have been more friendly and patient with my fiance. Within a couple of hours my fiance went from not knowing what she wanted to falling in love with her now engagement ring. There was no hard sell. They asked for what range of clarity and budget i had and then they brought my fiance through trays of rings for her to whittle down the ones she liked. We were down to final 3 and they just told me that they were all within budget. The ring chosen out of the final 3 was about $500 dollars cheaper than the other 2 rings.

One of my fiances friends has also got their engagement ring since we got theirs and they too were delighted with the service and value that they received.

techdiver

We got ours in hanikens and like everyone else here says, they were excellent.

DiamondGuy

If price is your primary concern for buying abroad, there are jewellers in Ireland who guarantee to beat New York/Antwerp prices so long as you compare "like with like" They operate by appointment and do not have the overheads of a typical jewellery shop.

When buying a diamond engagement ring, take the following factors into consideration:

Who certifies? GIA, HRD, IGI, EGL etc - there are price differences between all these certification bodies.

What is on the Certificate is very important - Cut, polish, symmetry grades, fluorescence grade? Where are the inclusions located on the stone?

Is the stone eye clean? If you look very closely, can you see the inclusions?

What is the quality of the ring? Is is light weight or more substantial? What is the quality of the setting work?

What about after sales service? What if one of the tiny diamonds falls out or the centre stone becomes loose?

As I mentioned, there are suppliers in Dublin who will beat New York but you need to take all the above factors into consideration?

Happy Shopping.

leeleebelle

My fiance popped the question in NYC, and had done his research here on Boards to find out where to shop for the ring. Hanikens in the Diamond District came highly recommended so we went to them. I have to say they were fantastic from start to finish.
I was quite picky about what I wanted (it had to be a yellow diamond!), and when I didnt see one I liked, they designed one for me, which took about 8 weeks. When I went back to pick it up, it wasnt quite the ring I had envisioned, and it wasnt quite made to my specifications (a mistake by their manufactory) and Marilyn and Michael in Hanikens went above and beyond to solve this problem for me.
In the end I picked a ring from one of their collections (Henri Daussi) and they gave it to me at the same value as the original ring as a courtesy for the mistake, even though this new ring cost significantly more. We got it valued at home for the insurance, and the ring is worth treble :eek: what we paid for it, and the valuer was very impressed with the quality of the stone and the price we paid.
Throughout the whole process Marilyn maintained constant contact by phone and email, and could not have been more helpful. We ended up buying our wedding bands from them aswell, and again got a fantastic price for beautiful craftsmanship.
The only downside to buying in New York is the issue of getting it back to Ireland. This was an issue we didnt quite consider at the time, and when we discovered roughly how much it would cost to get it into the country (VAT, import charges, duty, customs etc.:eek:) we figured it was cheaper to just fly back over, pick it up and wear it home. To be honest though, it was well worth it. I cant speak highly enough of this family jewelers - everything from their service to their collections is second to none. I couldnt be happier with my ring

Ronan|Raven

leeleebelle wrote: »

My fiance popped the question in NYC, and had done his research here on Boards to find out where to shop for the ring. Hanikens in the Diamond District came highly recommended so we went to them. I have to say they were fantastic from start to finish.
I was quite picky about what I wanted (it had to be a yellow diamond!), and when I didnt see one I liked, they designed one for me, which took about 8 weeks. When I went back to pick it up, it wasnt quite the ring I had envisioned, and it wasnt quite made to my specifications (a mistake by their manufactory) and Marilyn and Michael in Hanikens went above and beyond to solve this problem for me.
In the end I picked a ring from one of their collections (Henri Daussi) and they gave it to me at the same value as the original ring as a courtesy for the mistake, even though this new ring cost significantly more. We got it valued at home for the insurance, and the ring is worth treble :eek: what we paid for it, and the valuer was very impressed with the quality of the stone and the price we paid.
Throughout the whole process Marilyn maintained constant contact by phone and email, and could not have been more helpful. We ended up buying our wedding bands from them aswell, and again got a fantastic price for beautiful craftsmanship.
The only downside to buying in New York is the issue of getting it back to Ireland. This was an issue we didnt quite consider at the time, and when we discovered roughly how much it would cost to get it into the country (VAT, import charges, duty, customs etc.:eek:) we figured it was cheaper to just fly back over, pick it up and wear it home. To be honest though, it was well worth it. I cant speak highly enough of this family jewelers - everything from their service to their collections is second to none. I couldnt be happier with my ring

+1 on Hanikens

I proposed in NY and went there for the ring. They are fantastic to deal with.

premiercad

Hanikens all the way....great to deal with and got a bargain

friso59

+1 on hanikens. Got the ring there about a month ago and everything was spot on. Had it valued at twice the price when we got home

tatli_lokma

just a word of warning here folks - not to rain on your parades, but just a word to the wise...

my mate bought a ring in NY. Can't remember the name of the place, but it is listed in the Aer Lingus mag, and a lot of Aer Lingus staff buy there apparently. Anyway, she was told it was a sapphire and diamond ring. As others have mentioned, they knocked €1000 off the price. She paid €1300. Given it was 40 degree heat in NY my mate was aware that the ring might need to be resized and asked if it could be done, she was told yes. She got certificates and everything.

When she came home she did need the ring resized so brought it to a reputable jeweller in Dublin. And that is where her bubble burts.
First off it is not a sapphire and diamond ring - it is another gemstone (can't remember which) but not sapphire. There are diamonds, but they are the small ones, not the large stone. It cannot be resized due to the setting. When my mate told the guy that the american jeweller swore it could be but would take a few weeks, he explained that actually they probably won't resize it, just make you a new one, that is why it takes a few weeks. The certs whilst they are all genuine, they are not for the ring she was sold.
The jeweller here said he would value the ring at about €500-600. She paid €1300.

Now I know you can get shafted in Dublin just the same as anywhere, but at least at home you have a method of recourse. also ask yourself, if they can knock off €1000/€2000 or more off the price, then it must have been waaaaaay overpriced to start with. No one sells a ring worth €5k for €2.5k.

If you can find a jeweller that does like for like prices with the US, then go there. As I say, my mate used a so called reputable jeweller which was recommended by several people and still got stung. When they know you are on holiday it makes it easier to do the quick scam, because you will be long gone before you realise it.
Her cousin who works for Aer Lingus will bring the ring back next month when she is in NY. She had to get a report from the jeweller in Dublin to back up her claims - this cost her €150. She has a ring she can't wear, spent €800 too much for and which she has no guarantee she can get refunded for.

So just be sensible - if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. If they knock thousands off the price it was overpriced to begin with or not what they say it is. A lovely romantic trip to pick out a ring could be soured if you discover you were had.

techdiver

Little Ted wrote: »

Now I know you can get shafted in Dublin just the same as anywhere, but at least at home you have a method of recourse. also ask yourself, if they can knock off €1000/€2000 or more off the price, then it must have been waaaaaay overpriced to start with. No one sells a ring worth €5k for €2.5k.

I'm sure your story is the exception rather than the rule, but when we got ours we didn't just rely on a valuation from the jewellers we purchased the ring from, instead we got it independently valued in Macey's and then by a professional when we returned to Ireland (which was required for insurance) and in each case the ring was worth at least twice what we paid.

Jame Gumb

People also need to be aware that it's the VAT/Customs fraud that they're committing that's creating the majority of the saving...

tatli_lokma

techdiver wrote: »

I'm sure your story is the exception rather than the rule, but when we got ours we didn't just rely on a valuation from the jewellers we purchased the ring from, instead we got it independently valued in Macey's and then by a professional when we returned to Ireland (which was required for insurance) and in each case the ring was worth at least twice what we paid.

Well our local jeweller who is a family friend says that on average each week he gets 5 or 6 people into him who bought a ring abroad, desperately wanting to be told that their ring is worth more than they paid. Most of the time he disappoints them. He is not Weirs or Applebys. Perhaps in there they would be able to say the ring is worth double, but not from him, because his shop does not have that branding attached. Generally they are disappointed to find that their ring is worth the same, or only a few hundred more than they paid for it. He said the amount of people who also get told they can resize the ring when it can't be done due to the setting is quite high. And a lot of rings he sees are factory set, not handmade, which his rings are. So if you compare a factory set solitare to a hand set ring he produces then although the gold and gems will be of equal quality, the handcrafted ring will be worth more. Its not all down to the gold and diamonds.

So rather than the exception to the rule, I would say its about 50/50 as to wheter you get a bargain or not, and as Jame Gumb points out, much of your savings is on undeclared taxes.

Look, each to their own and I don't knock anyone who buys abroad. I was living abroad when I got engaged so technically I am one of those people who bought a ring abroad, so I'm not saying don't do it. I'm just saying be cautious. Often people believe everything they are told, and on holiday are less descerning than they would be at home. And this is the time an opportunistic con man takes advantage of, because by the time you realise you were had, its too late. If you buy abroad, be very careful, don't rush it, and as you did, look for a second valuation before you leave the country. Don't just assume because the shop looks all swanky that they are above pulling the wool over your eyes!

Arbiter of Good Taste

Yep. I got mine last year and it was valued here at double - and that was at a rate of $1.24. Wish I was shopping now at current rates. Marilyn helped me out and she was great. Hoping to be back over this year and will look at anniversary rings.

Typer Monkey

Yep big thumbs up for hannikens. Got my ring there in feb. It was a thousand cheaper than we would've paid here. We dealt with George, he's very conscious of his reputation with the Irish customer so does a good deal;)

Toots

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