Help on engagement ring costs

74jax

Idiophreak wrote: »

Sorry, you said you agreed that you could get the same level of service elsewhere for cheaper, then went and proved my point.

You wanted a premium service, so went and wasted Beaverbrooks' time to get it, then ordered online so you didn't have to pay the premium for that service.

Different people's moral compasses are wired differently, I guess.

We got the same service in all the places we went. Regardless of cost. I was just mentioning Beaverbrooks and the coffee cups as I was so excited over this point. It was a fantastic touch :j.

I don't think you can say if you look at shopping somewhere and don't purchase from them you're wasting there time. As long as you are upfront from the start them most places are very welcoming. I think if there was a queue out of the door it wouldn't have been appropriate. however my DD spends a good half hour trying on jeans etc and doesn't end up buying them, this happens ALL the itme, I don't see it as we're wasting people's time.

As for morals? I'm failing to see how this sentance fit's in. Because we want to design our own ring, which Beaverbrooks, goldsmiths, ernest jones etc didn't allow us to do we have lower morals than other people?

ANyway, my ring is being ordered today :j:j and I can't sit still for the excitmement of it all. Just a long wait for it to be made......

Idiophreak

74jax wrote: »

As for morals? I'm failing to see how this sentance fit's in. Because we want to design our own ring, which Beaverbrooks, goldsmiths, ernest jones etc didn't allow us to do we have lower morals than other people?

So if Beaverbrooks *had* allowed you to design your own ring, you'd have bought it from them, would you? As they provided you excellent service, a nice store, a good range of things to try on etc?

Or would you still have gone and ordered it from a frontless online store to get the cheapest possible price?

I suspect it's the latter, otherwise your contribution to this thread is a little random.

Out of curiosity, when your DD is trying on jeans, does she have any intention whatsoever of buying them? Or does she head to ebay afterward to buy some knock-offs?

74jax

Idiophreak wrote: »

So if Beaverbrooks *had* allowed you to design your own ring, you'd have bought it from them, would you? As they provided you excellent service, a nice store, a good range of things to try on etc?

Or would you still have gone and ordered it from a frontless online store to get the cheapest possible price?

I suspect it's the latter, otherwise your contribution to this thread is a little random.

Out of curiosity, when your DD is trying on jeans, does she have any intention whatsoever of buying them? Or does she head to ebay afterward to buy some knock-offs?

I'm really confused by your posts?

The idea of this thread was we had designed our ring shank and I wanted to know if when I submitted this design I asked for a 'best price' to make up the ring or if we ask 'how much is it to make this ring'? My OH thought asking for the 'best price' wasn't the way to go.

We were very keen to have the ring designed near us, so that we could see the casting of it and the stages of it being made, hence why we went to all the jewellary stores and asked. Infact we landed at midnight from theholiday and were in the shops the next day :T Unfortunately, and I'm not sure why, no where near us provided this service. It doesn't sound right to say the 'cost wasn't important', however my OH was keen for me to have the ring I had designed. I would have loved him to have picked the ring himself but he wanted my input with his to design a ring together. So i'm not sure what you are meaning by we are trying to get the cheapest possible price. If this was the case I would have asked for a ring under x amount and just gone with that. As it stands I'm not involved in the costings whatsoever, whichever design he has gone for with a 1.5 or 0.9 or 0.3 diamond I don't know. My initial question was how to ask for a price for the design. incidentally though if he did pay next to knothing for it, I don't think that is any reflection on a couple or their morals?

My DD would buy every pair of jeans she could, but has very long legs and a thin tum, so she just has to try as many on as she can. Buying off ebay for her unfortunately just wouldn't work. I do envy those who can though, and to be honest, if I could get my DD's jeans off ebay I probably would. Again I don't see anything wrong with doing that?

I think you and I are aren't seeing eye to eye on my post for some reason. However it could be because I'm just high at the moment on engaged life I can't quite put feelings into threads. Apologies everyone if i'm jumping up and down with a huge smile on my face :j

johannalf88

Don't worry 74jax- your ring will be brilliant, and it will be even nicer knowin that u got a good deal! Don't let anyone get you down about it. It's your ring, your budget, your choice!

Idiophreak

74jax wrote: »

My DD would buy every pair of jeans she could, but has very long legs and a thin tum, so she just has to try as many on as she can. Buying off ebay for her unfortunately just wouldn't work. I do envy those who can though, and to be honest, if I could get my DD's jeans off ebay I probably would. Again I don't see anything wrong with doing that?

So your DD is hard to fit for jeans...she goes to a jean shop...she spends her half hour trying on jeans and finds just the right jeans that she likes...but they're quite expensive. Fortunately, someone on ebay can offer them for cheaper, because they've not got the overheads the jean company have, they can work out of their spare bedroom so pay no high street rent. They don't need to keep stock in all shapes and sizes. They don't need staff, electricity, security etc. They've found a bloke in china who can provide knock-off jeans at half price.

So, having used the jean company for her convenience, your DD heads off to ebay and orders the same thing, in the same size, for less cash. I wasn't having a go before, I was being quite straightforward when I said people's moral compasses are wired differently. Personally, I just couldn't do it...if someone's provided me with a good service and I've used it (when I get fitted for trainers is a good example), I feel it's only fair that I purchase the product through them, even if you pay a premium for it. I know plenty of people on these boards, however, that wouldn't think twice about writing down the make and model of runner they like and finding the cheapest place online to buy them. Some call it savvy shopping, I call it one of the reasons my town centre has nothing but pound and charity shops...It's a very individual thing.

Anyway, that's all rather off topic. I'm glad that you're getting your ring ordered and sure it will be lovely. Based on my experience, I'd maintain that you get better service in jewellers the more you're prepared to pay, but I'm glad you've found otherwise.

RainbowDrops

74jax said she DOESN'T buy jeans of ebay though?

Idiophreak

RainbowDrops wrote: »

74jax said she DOESN'T buy jeans of ebay though?

...but she she also said she wouldn't have a problem if she DID....

RainbowDrops

Right........

murie

I agree that the abundance of online offers have led to a decline in high end retailers, as the majority of consumers nowadays consider all avenues when making expensive purchases- and who can blame them? However, Idiophreak, please consider that any savings that are made by the Op (and everyone else) is undoubtably going to be ploughed back into the UK economy in one way or another- be it in the form of other wedding services, the ailing travel industry or even allowing a larger deposit on a mortgage (long term). I agree that our high streets have become rather desolate places, but there is more needed for the economy than an abundance of expensive shops that people bankrupt themselves buying from. (Dont know how old you are but look back to the consumersim of the 80's).

I am just about to celebrate my silver wedding anniversary, my original engagement ring was a cubic zirconium ring from my mom's catalogue! My point being here that we didnt stretch ourselves financially (or fret about what others thought!), and 25 years down the line we are in a position where we can afford a beautiful diamond ring (which I have).But- do you know what? I still have my original cubic zirconium becasue it was given with love! It is more precious to me than my diamonds! (Its almost an antique now-lol!)

LEJC

I really dont want to take this discussion onto another tangent...but I did want to make an observation after reading it...
It seems to me that the OP has employed good moneysaving tatics...research and then purchase hopefully the same or similar product online or from another source...

Ive nothing against Tiffany or any other high end jeweller...ive nothing against the high street for a diamond purchase..you get more for your money elsewhere...but then thats why there is choice in the world...I'm actually a great believer in the independant small maufacturing jeweller...and would recommend them 99.9% of the time..along with the antique/preloved market because thats where my knowledge is firmly based....but I do appreciate the "Tiffany factor"

I own a Tiffany and quite a few other diamonds and gosh yes and ebay purchased diamonds too...Tiffany was a far superior buying experience to ebay but yes so was their price...but it was that for me that drove me to want a Tiffany ring...the experience...and I guess from the posts that Idio has made he too wanted the experience of buying THE ring from Tiffany...what I have noted though is that he went to that other fantastic source of jewellery namely BJQ to buy his wedding ring and employed the tactic of haggling through several shops in order to secure the wedding ring of choice (Not Tiffany) ....and at a pretty fantastic price too! so whilst he thinks it wrong to research on the high street and buy from the internet thus saving himself £20...hes not adverse to employing the same tactic albeit between independant shops to save money...what was it £120 between the 6 jewellers you played off eachother?

There are many types styles and prices for diamonds....its individual choice where you buy and for how much but the engagement ring is the total commitment of love and as Ive said many times before thats priceless...

Idio...I'm not picking you out specifically...just trying to show its all about securing the best product for the best price and clearly you didnt return to Tiffanys to purchase your ring if that makes sense...but if I can inject a little humour here... look at it this way that you have had the Tiffany customer service experiennce when you chose the ring...let you wife experience it too when you both return for the anniversary earrings or the eternity ring!!