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Engagement ring shopping/valuation
Posted on 4/21/16 at 2:23 pm
Posted on 4/21/16 at 2:23 pm
First of all, frick all you dudes paying several thousand dollars for engagement rings. If guys wouldn't pay it, the price wouldn't be so completely unreasonable.
Here's my breakdown of what should be the actual price of a decent engagement ring:
14k gold band (about 5 grams) = $120 scrap value. Add on $200 for time/cost/profit of making it into a nice setting.
Decent 1/2 carat diamond = $750 wholesale price
Jeweler time spent selling and putting together ring = ~4 hours @ $50/hr (guessing what their time is worth).
$320 band + $750 diamond + $200 labor = $1,270
Add in a reasonable profit of $750, and that brings the total price to $2,020. I'm not even going to get into the whole debate about a diamond's actual value, I'm basing this off the going diamond wholesale rate. If we want to be super real about this, a 1 carat cubic zirconia probably wholesales for $25 and those serve the same purpose as diamonds do with minimal difference.
I went to one shop today, and to get a ring with these specs would cost me ~$3,500. That's ridiculous! I'm not spending a dollar over $2,000.
Anyone have any advice on how not to get fricked in the arse when buying an engagement ring?
Here's my breakdown of what should be the actual price of a decent engagement ring:
14k gold band (about 5 grams) = $120 scrap value. Add on $200 for time/cost/profit of making it into a nice setting.
Decent 1/2 carat diamond = $750 wholesale price
Jeweler time spent selling and putting together ring = ~4 hours @ $50/hr (guessing what their time is worth).
$320 band + $750 diamond + $200 labor = $1,270
Add in a reasonable profit of $750, and that brings the total price to $2,020. I'm not even going to get into the whole debate about a diamond's actual value, I'm basing this off the going diamond wholesale rate. If we want to be super real about this, a 1 carat cubic zirconia probably wholesales for $25 and those serve the same purpose as diamonds do with minimal difference.
I went to one shop today, and to get a ring with these specs would cost me ~$3,500. That's ridiculous! I'm not spending a dollar over $2,000.
Anyone have any advice on how not to get fricked in the arse when buying an engagement ring?
This post was edited on 4/21/16 at 3:44 pm
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Posted on 4/21/16 at 2:24 pm to Jon Ham
Don't get married
Posted on 4/21/16 at 2:27 pm to Jon Ham
quote:
First of all, frick you all dudes paying several thousand dollars for engagement rings. If guys wouldn't pay it, the price wouldn't be so completely unreasonable.
You will end up doing the same
quote:
I'm not even going to get into the whole debate about a diamond's actual value
A diamonds actual value is what people will pay for it. There is no debate.
Posted on 4/21/16 at 2:35 pm to Jon Ham
You just went through the process of estimating reasonable values to piecemeal a ring together and got $2,020, then said you aren't paying a dollar over $2K...
Posted on 4/21/16 at 2:44 pm to Jon Ham
Be friends with one of my best friends mom's who made an LLC with her sisters just so they could go to the World Trade Center in Dallas and buy diamonds on the cheap.
Posted on 4/21/16 at 2:45 pm to Jon Ham
I got what you described for about $1,800. They appraised it for $2,200. 0.52 carat diamond H color (near colorless), VSI1 clarity, and "excellent" cut (one below ideal). Set in 14k yellow gold.
Posted on 4/21/16 at 2:46 pm to Jon Ham
Find a jeweler who will make the ring to your specs. Acquire the gold and diamond at your best cost and supply them to said jeweler, paying him a fair rate for his artistry and labor.
Posted on 4/21/16 at 2:52 pm to Jon Ham
quote:
Anyone have any advice on how not to get fricked in the arse when buying an engagement ring?
Get with a chick that's not as hung up on a high-cost one.
Posted on 4/21/16 at 4:14 pm to Jon Ham
Just saw an ad at the top of this thread for Sylvie diamonds. ;) Gotta love modern day marketing. (Was on my phone, i got adblock to block em on my lappy.)
Posted on 4/21/16 at 4:31 pm to Jon Ham
First off, congrats!
I'll echo what a few others have already said. Find a local jeweler and work with them on making something custom. That's what I did and I ended up with a .75 carat diamond, 14k gold band, for ~$1,500. M'lady loves it.
I'll echo what a few others have already said. Find a local jeweler and work with them on making something custom. That's what I did and I ended up with a .75 carat diamond, 14k gold band, for ~$1,500. M'lady loves it.
Posted on 4/21/16 at 5:03 pm to Jon Ham
14k gold? 
poors
poors
Posted on 4/21/16 at 7:17 pm to Jon Ham
quote:
Anyone have any advice on how not to get fricked in the arse
Just ask any Aggy
Posted on 4/21/16 at 7:50 pm to Jon Ham
Solution: find a girl who isnt superficial and doesn't expect an expensive diamond ring.
Posted on 4/21/16 at 8:20 pm to Jon Ham
See if any of the jewelers in your area are diamond wholesalers. They'll have a larger selection on-hand and better prices (and more negotiable in my experience). This way you'll get a better deal and actually get to hold/see the diamond before purchase.
If there isn't a local wholesaler, you can try a few online diamond wholesaler. Blue Nile is well known. My favorite was James Allen. They have higher standards on what diamonds they list. Ritani is also pretty good, and they also partner with local jewelers.If you put down a deposit on one of their diamonds, they'll ship it to a local jeweler so you can see it in person. Those 3 sites list 360 degree views of each diamond. Be careful with some other sites out there because they might just show you stock photos.
If you're going with .5 carat, try to get something in the DEF color range, vs-vvs clarity, and an excellent-ideal cut. It won't be a monstrous rock, but it'll shine like an LED
Good luck. I made the purchase a few months ago. It was painful to spend so much money on something thats essentially useless
If there isn't a local wholesaler, you can try a few online diamond wholesaler. Blue Nile is well known. My favorite was James Allen. They have higher standards on what diamonds they list. Ritani is also pretty good, and they also partner with local jewelers.If you put down a deposit on one of their diamonds, they'll ship it to a local jeweler so you can see it in person. Those 3 sites list 360 degree views of each diamond. Be careful with some other sites out there because they might just show you stock photos.
If you're going with .5 carat, try to get something in the DEF color range, vs-vvs clarity, and an excellent-ideal cut. It won't be a monstrous rock, but it'll shine like an LED
Good luck. I made the purchase a few months ago. It was painful to spend so much money on something thats essentially useless
Posted on 4/21/16 at 9:25 pm to Jon Ham
When I got engaged, I had my ring made. It was a 2 carat diamond, princess cut set in white gold band. The wedding band was another total of 2 carats of small diamonds that the engagement band sat in.
Remember on figuring your cost, you will also need to purchase a wedding band.
You do not want to spend what I did, according to your OP...but I saved a ton of money by using my hometown jeweler to make the ring for me instead of some bullshite large dealer.
Remember on figuring your cost, you will also need to purchase a wedding band.
You do not want to spend what I did, according to your OP...but I saved a ton of money by using my hometown jeweler to make the ring for me instead of some bullshite large dealer.
Posted on 4/21/16 at 9:42 pm to Jon Ham
My gf knows that I'll soon be in the engagement ring hunt myself so she sent me a link to an etsy page of this girl who makes (what she described) as really nice engagement rings for pretty cheap. I have no idea about cuts or carats or any of that stuff so I'm just taking her word for it. I'll try to find it and show you.
eta: Also, my sister who is a marketing exec for a fashion boutique said that girls are more and more beginning to embrace alternative gems that are generally cheaper than diamonds.
eta: Also, my sister who is a marketing exec for a fashion boutique said that girls are more and more beginning to embrace alternative gems that are generally cheaper than diamonds.
This post was edited on 4/21/16 at 9:45 pm
Posted on 4/22/16 at 8:33 am to Jon Ham
quote:
If guys wouldn't pay it, the price wouldn't be so completely unreasonable.
Same is true for real estate and a bunch of other things. Don't buy a diamond then.
Posted on 4/22/16 at 2:55 pm to Jon Ham
quote:
Jon Ham
I applaud you for finding a woman that doesn't put too much emphasis on such a trivial thing.
So many people treat the wedding as the accomplishment, the finish line. Any two people can have a wedding. Remaining married is the real accomplishment. Congrats!
This post was edited on 4/22/16 at 2:56 pm
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