Author Topic: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on  (Read 22247 times)

jprince7827

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Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« on: June 16, 2014, 12:03:37 PM »
Hey guys,

Back when Chase was doing that Sapphire deal where you do 3k in the first 3 months, get 400$ back, I got on that and made 400$. I'm about to drop 6,000$ for an engagement ring, and I was wondering if you guys had any recommendations for another card I should open so I can use this huge 6,000$ purchase to reap some rewards.

And, don't worry, I have the cash handy. Would never deign to finance a ring. :)

Thanks in advance!

Zoot Allures

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2014, 01:31:26 PM »
I recommend the Chase "Diamonds are for Suckers" card. Every time you make an exorbitant jewelry purchase, someone from Chase punches you in the face.

I kid. Kind of. :)

The Points Guy (among other sites) has a list of cards with various sign-up bonuses.

Cromacster

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2014, 02:00:53 PM »
Buy her a $1,000 ring and a certificate saying in 20 yrs the other 5,000 I would have spent on a ring will be worth 20,000?

nawhite

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2014, 02:52:21 PM »
1) Interesting bands make cheap diamonds look great. The metal in interesting bands holds resale value much better than the diamond stone itself. Simple bands with big rocks make a woman look superficial (IMHO). Lesson: If your girlfriend would be ok with it, get an interesting band and a smaller/cheaper diamond.

2) I like the card listing at http://millionmilesecrets.com/hot-deals/ because it is sorted by signup reward value.

3) The current best deal may be 2 Southwest cards (personal and business) for 50k points each when you spend $2000 per card. At 110,000 points, you get a "companion pass" which allows your new fiancee to fly free whenever you fly. So for $6000 in spending on the ring and $150 in fees, and $150 in flowers from 1800Flowers to get the last 4,000 points you need for the companion pass, you get 4 round trip flights for you and your spouse (total value of free flights: about $3650)

Seems like a good deal in your situation. Your fiance gets a ring, 4 bouquets of flowers and 4 rounds trip flights and you only have to spend $300 out of pocket more than you already were spending on the ring.

I just got back from a flight to Puerto Rico with this setup and it would make for a pretty awesome honeymoon. :-)

boarder42

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #4 on: June 16, 2014, 03:20:12 PM »
those southwest points will go much farther than what you just threw out there.  110k points should get you 5 RTs easily.. plus the 5 free RTs for your companion bringing it up to 10 RTs if used properly.  and booked at the right times.  hands down the winner

jprince7827

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #5 on: June 16, 2014, 03:36:21 PM »
1) Interesting bands make cheap diamonds look great. The metal in interesting bands holds resale value much better than the diamond stone itself. Simple bands with big rocks make a woman look superficial (IMHO). Lesson: If your girlfriend would be ok with it, get an interesting band and a smaller/cheaper diamond.

2) I like the card listing at http://millionmilesecrets.com/hot-deals/ because it is sorted by signup reward value.

3) The current best deal may be 2 Southwest cards (personal and business) for 50k points each when you spend $2000 per card. At 110,000 points, you get a "companion pass" which allows your new fiancee to fly free whenever you fly. So for $6000 in spending on the ring and $150 in fees, and $150 in flowers from 1800Flowers to get the last 4,000 points you need for the companion pass, you get 4 round trip flights for you and your spouse (total value of free flights: about $3650)

Seems like a good deal in your situation. Your fiance gets a ring, 4 bouquets of flowers and 4 rounds trip flights and you only have to spend $300 out of pocket more than you already were spending on the ring.

I just got back from a flight to Puerto Rico with this setup and it would make for a pretty awesome honeymoon. :-)

Dang that's awesome! I will look into this.

As for the cheaper ring and more interesting band - we'll see. I'm asking her friends what she likes.

ohyonghao

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #6 on: June 16, 2014, 04:26:06 PM »
For my wife's ring I went to a antique/jewelry shop.  I got a ring that was last made probably in the 1940's or so for probably 1/10 the price of what you would pay for a brand new loaded with shop fees and commissions ring.  Being made in the1940's nobody is going to have one like my wife's unless they are as old as my grandmother.

The truth about rings is that the metal is likely coming from people selling their old jewelry to shops or online ads where they take them apart, remove the precious jewels, and then melt the metal and form new rings.  The metal is older than the Earth, and all new jewelry is made from old jewelry.  Once you understand this then buying a second hand ring makes sense.  The same shop sold me my wedding band by dropping it on a scale and looking at the current price of gold.

jprince7827

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #7 on: June 16, 2014, 04:34:34 PM »
How do you guarantee that the diamond is authentic? My GF is certainly going to go and verify the ring is what I say it is, what if I get hoodwinked at a pawn dealer?

NeighborGuy

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #8 on: June 16, 2014, 04:42:38 PM »
Quote from: jprince7827
I'm about to drop 6,000$ for an engagement ring
...
My GF is certainly going to go and verify the ring is what I say it is
Are you sure you're on the right forum?

theglobetrotter

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #9 on: June 16, 2014, 04:51:42 PM »
Since my then BF proposed without a ring, I bought a diamond, designed and picked my own jeweler for my ring. My husband just paid for it :D

This was years ago but I'm sure the forum still exist. But look for a diamond forum and ask for recommendations on a diamond seller. I bought mine from a place these people recommended and bought a really nice diamond for $2000 and change. My kind of local shop, very reputable and was still hand making rings, thought I got myself a deal. The same diamond would be more there. I suppose it's like buying a book full price at Borders and discounted from Amazon.

I used gold that my parents gave me and random jewelry I didn't care for. I think it cost me $300 to make it and it appraised for around $5,500.

I do hope your GF will care more on the meaning of the engagement ring than verifying what the ring is suppose to be. She should at least trust that you've verified that you haven't been hoodwinked yourself :)

savedough

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #10 on: June 16, 2014, 05:02:36 PM »
i second the SW deal if they fly out of your local airport.  If not, look for an airline card that does.

I also say get the ring she wants.   I don't wear any jewelry except my wedding and engagement rings.  I got what I wanted and it wasn't cheap, but I love it.   The ring cost more than my wedding and honeymoon combined.  And we had an awesome backpacking, river rafting, fly fishing honeymoon.   Not every purchase you make has to the cheapest thing you can get away with.    It's the only jewelry my husband will ever have to buy me.  For anniversaries, he gets me a box of Nerds and I'm happy. 

That being said, the antique ring idea is excellent if she would enjoy that.  My sister's husband had our grandmother's diamond put into a new setting and she loves it.  It was much cheaper than mine.  There are other options, of course, but buying a ring isn't a bad thing IMO.

ohyonghao

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #11 on: June 16, 2014, 06:15:58 PM »
How do you guarantee that the diamond is authentic? My GF is certainly going to go and verify the ring is what I say it is, what if I get hoodwinked at a pawn dealer?
The shop I went to was my friends aunt's high school friend's shop.  We've since bought other items from them.  First you have to do a little research yourself, learn what VS2 and the other grades mean, and the different cuts, colors, clarity, etc.  Also know that at a jewelers, not necessarily a pawn shop, the rings have the diamond that is in them but that is such an easy thing to take out, you don't have to get the diamond that is currently in the ring.  The shop I go to they also have tons of diamonds that aren't set yet and they'll know what size could practically get set in the ring you choose.

So basically two parts to shopping for the ring: 1) The ring itself, and 2) the diamond.  These can be mostly considered separately, but if you consider the diamond first then you look at rings and think what that diamond would look like in it.

For us my wife has very small fingers so she wanted something that wasn't too large.  We ended up going with platinum because it is a much harder metal and can therefore be made smaller.  The set were two rings that aren't soldered together.  We could get them soldered, but she doesn't mind having them separate.

The other thing to remember is that in an antique shop chances are they might not polish up their gold and silver often, my ring polishes nice a bright but looks sort of dim if I don't do anything for awhile.  But I'm a simple guy, paid $86 for it 6 years ago.  My wife's was $600 (talked down from $900 mostly by me hesitating due to the price and getting light headed by spending so much money, YMMV).

vagon

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #12 on: June 16, 2014, 06:55:58 PM »
don't worry, I have the cash handy. Would never deign to finance a ring. :)

Good on you, a lot of people will tell you this is an exorbitant amount to spend on a gift and they're entitled to that opinion, but in my perspective this is one of those purchases where you needn't feel bad. Provided you look after the ring this something that will retain value and can be passed down to future generations who will love the history.

On that point, maybe you or she have a granparent or similar relative who would pass the ring down? This would be sentimental and (probably) free.

How do you guarantee that the diamond is authentic? My GF is certainly going to go and verify the ring is what I say it is, what if I get hoodwinked at a pawn dealer?

You want a certificate of authenticity from GIA. I would suggest looking at blue nile as I found them to be the cheapest retailer (although this was some time ago) and they provide the GIA cert with your purchase. They also have information on how to judge the quality of a diamond, which may also impact how it retains value.

You could probably find a cheaper one second hand, but if you do you will want to have the gem independently verified by a local reputable jeweler and save your GF the time.

renaite

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #13 on: June 16, 2014, 07:15:24 PM »
And make sure it's only GIA, specifically. There are other organizations that some jewelers use because they will rate a stone higher than GIA would. I learned this trying to sell jewelry that no one wanted, even though it came from a jeweler very popular in the area.

My husband actually found the stone and ring he chose at a pawn shop - they had a huge selection and could afford to be picky about what they buy from others!


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iris lily

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #14 on: June 16, 2014, 07:34:33 PM »
don't worry, I have the cash handy. Would never deign to finance a ring. :)

Good on you, a lot of people will tell you this is an exorbitant amount to spend on a gift and they're entitled to that opinion, but in my perspective this is one of those purchases where you needn't feel bad. Provided you look after the ring this something that will retain value and can be passed down to future generations who will love the history.

On that point, maybe you or she have a granparent or similar relative who would pass the ring down? This would be sentimental and (probably) free.

How do you guarantee that the diamond is authentic? My GF is certainly going to go and verify the ring is what I say it is, what if I get hoodwinked at a pawn dealer?

You want a certificate of authenticity from GIA. I would suggest looking at blue nile as I found them to be the cheapest retailer (although this was some time ago) and they provide the GIA cert with your purchase. They also have information on how to judge the quality of a diamond, which may also impact how it retains value.

You could probably find a cheaper one second hand, but if you do you will want to have the gem independently verified by a local reputable jeweler and save your GF the time.

Diamond rings bought retail new most certainly do not "retain value." But I don't mind ring purchases. I'm a senior citizen and I still love and marvel over my engagement ring. One ring--good. A whole hand full of diamonds and gold--not mustache-an.

Most young women want new styles even if those styles are, like the present popular styles, modeled on vintage elements. Me, if I were getting a ring today, I would probably go vintage. I DID get a new wedding ring for my birthday a few weeks ago, a modest ring less than $400 that's vintage, with European cut small diamonds.

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #15 on: June 16, 2014, 08:14:48 PM »
You might want to consider breaking it up over several cards that have a bonus with minimum spend when you get a new card, and get cards with bonuses you can use toward your honeymoon or other wedding-related travel. For example, I know several airlines have cards with enough miles after a 1k spend to get a ticket, or even two inexpensive tickets (i.e., the delta amex has had promos for either 30k miles or 50k miles). Almost any hotel chain has cards with free nights or points toward free nights upon sign up. I recently got a Hyatt Chase card with two free nights in any Hyatt hotel after a 1k spend. So, with those two cards you could get an air ticket or two PLUS two nights in any Hyatt, after spending a combined 2k - a third of your budget!

You would, of course, have to sign up for new cards, so I don't imagine you'd really want to get six cards. But I don't see signing up for two being an issue, as long as you cancel them before the annual fee hits. You might find the new member rewards to be the best if you're already planning a purchase that would fulfill the min. spend in one day...

DollarBill

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #16 on: June 16, 2014, 09:07:13 PM »
Quote
My GF is certainly going to go and verify the ring is what I say it is, what if I get hoodwinked at a pawn dealer?
I would never date someone that I think would do that...sounds strange.

Quote
You want a certificate of authenticity from GIA.
What does this get you? A guaranteed trade in value?

Appraisal value and what you get when selling is way different. I had a friend that got a divorce. She wanted to sell her ring and had all kinds of plans on how to use the money. She was planning to take a trip to Mexico and Vegas to forget about the divorce. The appraisal value was $13K. She tried to sell it multiple ways and the most she was offered was $450 for the gold. They said she can keep the diamonds...lol. The trips never happened and she still has the ring thinking it's worth something.

http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/college-humor-diamond-rings-are-a-scam-but-you-wills-still-end-up-buying-one/


sheepstache

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #17 on: June 16, 2014, 09:28:43 PM »
Provided you look after the ring this something that will retain value

Here is a bit more info to back up what other posters are saying that diamonds do not "retain" value.
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1982/02/have-you-ever-tried-to-sell-a-diamond/304575/

Quote
and can be passed down to future generations who will love the history.

On that point, maybe you or she have a granparent or similar relative who would pass the ring down? This would be sentimental and (probably) free.

You make the point for me.  If later generations had any attachment to their predecessors' rings they wouldn't be plonking down thousands of dollars for new ones.  JPrince's grandkids are not going to be any different from him.

OP, once you decide on a radically cheaper ring, see if the jewelry store gives cash discounts.  Could potentially be better and less headache than cc bonuses.

ps. To clarify what another poster mentioned, buying a ring secondhand doesn't mean buying at a pawnshop.  Many independent jewelry stores sell vintage.


wtjbatman

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #18 on: June 16, 2014, 09:40:04 PM »
Since my then BF proposed without a ring, I bought a diamond, designed and picked my own jeweler for my ring. My husband just paid for it :D

That's really nice of your husband, he must definitely approve of your boyfriend.

wtjbatman

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #19 on: June 16, 2014, 09:45:36 PM »
Appraisal value and what you get when selling is way different. I had a friend that got a divorce. She wanted to sell her ring and had all kinds of plans on how to use the money. She was planning to take a trip to Mexico and Vegas to forget about the divorce. The appraisal value was $13K. She tried to sell it multiple ways and the most she was offered was $450 for the gold. They said she can keep the diamonds...lol. The trips never happened and she still has the ring thinking it's worth something.

Just so noone is fooled by this misinformation, a ring that is worth $13,000 (if it really was) would sell for a lot more than $450.

When I was ring shopping for my fiance, I accidentally bought a style of ring she wasn't a fan of. I paid $1500 for this "second hand" ring, and it came with an appraisal for $3950. I resold it for $2000 within two days of it being posted on craigslist.

The problem is expectation. A ring will generally appraise for what its retail value is, but like most things, you can't resell it for the retail price. You will get more of a wholesale price, 50-60%.

DollarBill

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #20 on: June 16, 2014, 10:06:00 PM »
Since my then BF proposed without a ring, I bought a diamond, designed and picked my own jeweler for my ring. My husband just paid for it :D

That's really nice of your husband, he must definitely approve of your boyfriend.
Oh snap didn't catch that...lol

Appraisal value and what you get when selling is way different. I had a friend that got a divorce. She wanted to sell her ring and had all kinds of plans on how to use the money. She was planning to take a trip to Mexico and Vegas to forget about the divorce. The appraisal value was $13K. She tried to sell it multiple ways and the most she was offered was $450 for the gold. They said she can keep the diamonds...lol. The trips never happened and she still has the ring thinking it's worth something.

Just so no one is fooled by this misinformation, a ring that is worth $13,000 (if it really was) would sell for a lot more than $450.

When I was ring shopping for my fiancé, I accidentally bought a style of ring she wasn't a fan of. I paid $1500 for this "second hand" ring, and it came with an appraisal for $3950. I resold it for $2000 within two days of it being posted on craigslist.

The problem is expectation. A ring will generally appraise for what its retail value is, but like most things, you can't resell it for the retail price. You will get more of a wholesale price, 50-60%.

Misinformation...lol. A ring is only worth what someone will pay for it. How many people do you know that will buy a used (failed marriage) ring? Good luck with that when the girl finds out!!!

SJS

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #21 on: June 16, 2014, 10:35:19 PM »
Jprince - be sure to check out Blue Nile on line www.bluenile.com - I have purchased several diamond pieces from them.  They are extremely reputable.  They cut out the middleman. You can choose every aspect of your diamond (3 C's).    Took each piece i got from them to an independent jewelry appraiser upon receiving and I got a higher-than-paid appraisal on every piece.  I will never buy diamond jewelry anywhere else!  They are AWESOME! 

DollarBill

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #22 on: June 16, 2014, 10:42:56 PM »
Jprince - be sure to check out Blue Nile on line www.bluenile.com - I have purchased several diamond pieces from them.  They are extremely reputable.  They cut out the middleman. You can choose every aspect of your diamond (3 C's).    Took each piece i got from them to an independent jewelry appraiser upon receiving and I got a higher-than-paid appraisal on every piece.  I will never buy diamond jewelry anywhere else!  They are AWESOME!
Have you ever sold anything? Appraisal is just going to make you feel good about the purchase.

vagon

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #23 on: June 16, 2014, 11:08:39 PM »
Apologies if I misled anyone, what I meant by retain value was not that it would be worth what you purchased it for, but rather its wholesale value will not likely go down over time (if the past is any indication of the future).

Diamonds are an extremely hardy gemstone and as such quality "used" diamonds hold the same value as "new" recently mined diamonds. The determinant of quality is exactly what the GIA cert will give you. There is a current reduced supply level of quality diamonds and Chinese demand is increasing, but who is to say what could happen if African conflict was to subside and reveal further quality supply?

Perhaps your future fiance would prefer a contribution to the mortgage, or an investment in an index fund. These are more more volatile than diamond prices but they should provide greater utility (housing) and/or returns (housing and stocks) if they continue their trend. You know her better than us, but if you do go down the diamond path I would stick by my recommendations.

wtjbatman

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #24 on: June 16, 2014, 11:40:34 PM »
Misinformation...lol. A ring is only worth what someone will pay for it. How many people do you know that will buy a used (failed marriage) ring? Good luck with that when the girl finds out!!!

I bought one, my fiance doesn't care (obviously, since she's my fiance now). In fact she's proud that I spent a fraction of what I would have at a regular jewelry store, and still got her a nice fat diamond she can show off. I was secretly mustachian, but it appears like I spent 3 months salary. Works for me ;)

dragoncar

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #25 on: June 17, 2014, 12:29:46 AM »
Misinformation...lol. A ring is only worth what someone will pay for it. How many people do you know that will buy a used (failed marriage) ring? Good luck with that when the girl finds out!!!

I bought one, my fiance doesn't care (obviously, since she's my fiance now). In fact she's proud that I spent a fraction of what I would have at a regular jewelry store, and still got her a nice fat diamond she can show off. I was secretly mustachian, but it appears like I spent 3 months salary. Works for me ;)

Oh cool, is this the weekly diamond ring debate thread?  I'll note that I bought a used diamond.  It's a gorgeous blue diamond originally owned by Louis XVI and cut into a heart shape after the French Revolution.  Caledon Hockley, the wealthy son of a Pittsburgh steel tycoon, purchased the diamond for his fiancée Rose, but it was thought to be lost at sea many years ago.  Luckily, I knew an old lady who revealed that she had it the whole time.  She was willing to sell it to me cheap because I reminded her of an old lover.  It's really cool to own a piece of history with an incredible story behind it.

wtjbatman

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #26 on: June 17, 2014, 12:32:17 AM »
Misinformation...lol. A ring is only worth what someone will pay for it. How many people do you know that will buy a used (failed marriage) ring? Good luck with that when the girl finds out!!!

I bought one, my fiance doesn't care (obviously, since she's my fiance now). In fact she's proud that I spent a fraction of what I would have at a regular jewelry store, and still got her a nice fat diamond she can show off. I was secretly mustachian, but it appears like I spent 3 months salary. Works for me ;)

Oh cool, is this the weekly diamond ring debate thread?  I'll note that I bought a used diamond.  It's a gorgeous blue diamond originally owned by Louis XVI and cut into a heart shape after the French Revolution.  Caledon Hockley, the wealthy son of a Pittsburgh steel tycoon, purchased the diamond for his fiancée Rose, but it was thought to be lost at sea many years ago.  Luckily, I knew an old lady who revealed that she had it the whole time.  She was willing to sell it to me cheap because I reminded her of an old lover.  It's really cool to own a piece of history with an incredible story behind it.

Cool story bro, tell it again.

BTW I'll give you $450 for it.

iris lily

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #27 on: June 17, 2014, 01:09:02 AM »
Since my then BF proposed without a ring, I bought a diamond, designed and picked my own jeweler for my ring. My husband just paid for it :D

That's really nice of your husband, he must definitely approve of your boyfriend.

I tried that sort of thing once, but DH wouldn't go for it. Party pooper.

theglobetrotter

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #28 on: June 17, 2014, 03:15:14 AM »
Since my then BF proposed without a ring, I bought a diamond, designed and picked my own jeweler for my ring. My husband just paid for it :D

That's really nice of your husband, he must definitely approve of your boyfriend.

I should have said by then boyfriend now husband just paid for it. And yes, he does approve of himself quite well ;)

jprince7827

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #29 on: June 17, 2014, 06:09:14 AM »
I thought about using Blue Nile, but it really is scary that I can't see the actual worthless rock in person. I also don't like the idea of them mailing me something that was that expensive. My boss and I know this Jewish couple that runs a diamond distro center in Chicago, they provide diamonds to the diamond row on the bottom floors. I talked to him about what he paid and it looks like going through them makes it cost about the same as wholesale price.

How do you get the ring from Blue Nile? Does it literally come in the mail?

Erica/NWEdible

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #30 on: June 17, 2014, 07:18:31 AM »
The reason you get your ring appraised isn't for self-congratulatory whack-off cred, it's because your home insurance company will require an appraisal to insure valuable items of jewelry as a rider on your home insurance bill. And this is important because if your ring is ever stolen, the insurance company uses the details of the ring as described on the appraisal to determine what size check they will write you to cover fair market replacement value. As someone who had their beloved wedding ring stolen, I can tell you that investing the proceeds of that insurance check into index funds during a bull run-up of the market goes a fair long way towards taking the sting out of the loss.

iris lily

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #31 on: June 17, 2014, 07:38:43 AM »
/.... As someone who had their beloved wedding ring stolen, I can tell you that investing the proceeds of that insurance check into index funds during a bull run-up of the market goes a fair long way towards taking the sting out of the loss.

haha a girl after my own heart.

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #32 on: June 17, 2014, 07:44:57 AM »
Misinformation...lol. A ring is only worth what someone will pay for it. How many people do you know that will buy a used (failed marriage) ring? Good luck with that when the girl finds out!!!

Yes, because diamonds are just like cameras... they steal your soul! If you are wearing a "used" diamond (meaning you aren't the first person to, I guess, wear in jewelry form this particular decades old piece of the earth) you'll be tainted forever with the curse of the "failed marriage" that preceded yours. And, oh my god, you guys, what if the original owner is dead? You gonna die too! Slide whistle, dun-dun-dun!, etc.



nawhite

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #33 on: June 17, 2014, 09:59:33 AM »
I got my wife's through Blue Nile and yes it came in the mail (insured of course). Great experience, they even let us do an exchange for free when the size wasn't quite right the first time.

Now, getting my can opener out for this can of worms:

Thoughts about man-made diamonds? They are both cheaper and generally more "perfect" according to the 3 C's than natural diamonds, but I don't know anyone who has admitted to having one. Opinions?

plantingourpennies

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #34 on: June 17, 2014, 10:35:19 AM »
Thoughts about man-made diamonds? They are both cheaper and generally more "perfect" according to the 3 C's than natural diamonds, but I don't know anyone who has admitted to having one. Opinions?

Were my engagement ring (this is Mrs PoP) not a nearly 100-year-old piece from Mr PoP's family (consider this another vote for the beauty of vintage settings and how they can maximize the sparkle of small stones), we would have definitely considered the manufactured diamonds.  Heck, even CZ.  Mr PoP's mom had a beautiful CZ mounted in her engagement ring for about 30 years.  No one ever questioned its authenticity as a "diamond", though it was replaced a couple of years ago with "the real thing".   No one notices the difference, but the only downside is that his mom probably wears it less often because she's cognizant of how much the darned thing cost and is afraid of losing it. 

Re appraisals: We had ours appraised to make sure we'd have records for insurance and the police on the off chance it's ever stolen. Definitely not about the money or resale value...

shotgunwilly

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #35 on: June 17, 2014, 11:23:26 AM »
And we had an awesome backpacking, river rafting, fly fishing honeymoon.....

For anniversaries, he gets me a box of Nerds and I'm happy. 

OMG you're my dream woman.

savedough

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #36 on: July 10, 2014, 09:26:09 AM »
And we had an awesome backpacking, river rafting, fly fishing honeymoon.....

For anniversaries, he gets me a box of Nerds and I'm happy. 

OMG you're my dream woman.

Well, I am happily married and have two rugrats now.... but if I run across any other adventurous, low-maintenance chicas with a bad sweet tooth, I'll let you know.

MarciaB

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #37 on: July 10, 2014, 09:32:31 AM »
Dang that's awesome! I will look into this.

As for the cheaper ring and more interesting band - we'll see. I'm asking her friends what she likes.



Uh, I'd recommend you ask HER what she likes. She's the one who would be wearing it and looking at it everyday.

partgypsy

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #38 on: July 10, 2014, 10:39:47 AM »
I have to admit I'm a closet gemstone jewelry afficianado. The number one thing, especially if you are willing to spend a considerable amount of money, is to involve your girlfriend in the purchase. Not only may you not get the style right, you may be spending money on one area, where she would rather spend it on another (for example you want to buy the largest stone you can, while she cares about the cut and/or clarity or color). Believe me it is far preferable to work together in picking something out that she will enjoy wearing (hopefully forever) than to make it a "surprise".

Second there is a website called pricescope that has information about diamonds so you can learn about them. You want to look for a stone with an excellent cut quality (that's really what makes diamonds so purty).

Third you will save money on your purchase by buying over the internet at a reputable site, with a stone with a gia or ags report, if you are comfortable with that. You can also find some beautiful rings in antique stores.
You can save even more by doing your homework and buying something off a resale site such as diamondbistro, or louptroop.

If you are getting a custom setting or purchasing via resale it is especially important to involve your gf as you cannot usually return in those cases.  But, you will hopefully end up with a ring that you are both proud of, at a reasonable price.

If you do end up buying a ring in the thousands, either add to your homeowners insurance or get a separate jewelry articles insurance. Definitely worth it for the peace of mind, because the point of jewelry is to wear and enjoy.
« Last Edit: July 10, 2014, 10:45:00 AM by partgypsy »

okashira

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #39 on: July 10, 2014, 10:51:14 AM »
How do you guarantee that the diamond is authentic? My GF is certainly going to go and verify the ring is what I say it is, what if I get hoodwinked at a pawn dealer?

What a wonderful start to your future together - with unnecessarily expensive purchase that also serves as a symbol of distrust.
« Last Edit: July 10, 2014, 10:53:24 AM by okashira »

wtjbatman

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #40 on: July 10, 2014, 10:52:10 AM »
And we had an awesome backpacking, river rafting, fly fishing honeymoon.....

For anniversaries, he gets me a box of Nerds and I'm happy. 

OMG you're my dream woman.

Down boy.

brandino29

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #41 on: July 10, 2014, 10:59:41 AM »
Only $6,000 and the cash on hand to buy it without batting an eye?  Don't you think your GF may be a little offended that you spent so little it didn't even pain you to do so? 

Edited to remove unintentional excessive bolding
« Last Edit: July 10, 2014, 11:01:17 AM by brandino29 »

savedough

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #42 on: July 10, 2014, 11:09:25 AM »
Only $6,000 and the cash on hand to buy it without batting an eye?  Don't you think your GF may be a little offended that you spent so little it didn't even pain you to do so? 

Edited to remove unintentional excessive bolding

That logic doesnt make any sense at all.   We should always buy the best we can afford?   I always buy the least expensive thing that meets our needs.   Why spend $100 on fancy wine, when all I want is a $10 bottle.

In the case of an engagement ring, I did want a more expensive ring so I probably spent more than most on this forum, but we could have afforded much more bling. 

I'm sorry if you were being sarcastic and I missed it.

wtjbatman

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #43 on: July 10, 2014, 11:32:12 AM »
Oh I'm sure he wasn't being sarcastic.

okashira

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #44 on: July 10, 2014, 11:42:04 AM »
Oh I'm sure he wasn't being sarcastic.
I hope so. I am actually hoping this whole thread is a troll thread.
$6000 for an engagement ring for a GF who plans to have it verified by a 3rd party to make sure her fiance isn't lying.
This is supposed to be the MMM forum, after all.

okashira

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #45 on: July 10, 2014, 11:44:07 AM »
To actually answer the OP's question directly,

The best CC to buy your GF's engagement ring on is one that you pay for in full that has a staunch $900 limit which you will be paying off immediately after the charge hits.

GGNoob

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #46 on: July 10, 2014, 12:04:26 PM »
Buy her $6,000 of Tiffany stock instead of the ring: http://money.cnn.com/2014/06/06/investing/tiffany-stock-diamonds/

But back to your question....The Barclaycard Arrive+ World Mastercard is nice. Purchase the ring and keep using the card to build up points. Once you book your honeymoon, you could have a decent amount of points built up for a nice discount on your trip! Basically this card gives $400 after you spend $3,000 in 90 days. You get 2% cash back on all purchases (when redeemed against travel expenses). When you redeem, you get 10% of that redemption back. So you basically get 2.2% on all purchases. Makes it worth the $89 annual fee (waived for the first year). Not to mention there are no foreign transaction fees, which will help out on that honeymoon if you go out of country.
« Last Edit: July 10, 2014, 12:06:56 PM by logant1337 »

dragoncar

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #47 on: July 10, 2014, 04:04:20 PM »
Oh I'm sure he wasn't being sarcastic.




CanuckExpat

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #48 on: July 11, 2014, 12:31:32 AM »

whitedragon

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Re: Best CC to buy an Engagement Ring on
« Reply #49 on: July 11, 2014, 06:28:48 AM »
Thoughts about man-made diamonds? They are both cheaper and generally more "perfect" according to the 3 C's than natural diamonds, but I don't know anyone who has admitted to having one. Opinions?

Were my engagement ring (this is Mrs PoP) not a nearly 100-year-old piece from Mr PoP's family (consider this another vote for the beauty of vintage settings and how they can maximize the sparkle of small stones), we would have definitely considered the manufactured diamonds.  Heck, even CZ.  Mr PoP's mom had a beautiful CZ mounted in her engagement ring for about 30 years.  No one ever questioned its authenticity as a "diamond", though it was replaced a couple of years ago with "the real thing".   No one notices the difference, but the only downside is that his mom probably wears it less often because she's cognizant of how much the darned thing cost and is afraid of losing it. 

Re appraisals: We had ours appraised to make sure we'd have records for insurance and the police on the off chance it's ever stolen. Definitely not about the money or resale value...

I'll have to chime in with a +1 for man-made diamonds.  My wife's ring is actually an heirloom from my mother, and it has a very nice, vintage stone and cut, along with a nice band.  It is a very nice ring, and it looks very unique from any of our friends/coworkers stones.  They always compliment on her ring and all that.

Now, on to the man-made stuff.  I really wanted to get her some nice earrings, with decent stones in them, yet I didn't want to pay a gadjillion dollars because that's silly.  I stumbled on man made diamonds, and the prices for 1ct each earrings was so low that I thought for sure it was a scam, or I was going to prison, or something ($200 bucks, seriously).  I took the leap anyway, and when they arrived, I set them down next to my wife's vintage engagement ring, and good lord, not only can no one tell the difference at all but the earrings have gotten nothing but compliments and jealous envy from everyone that sees them, and my wife wears them all the time because she doesn't have to worry about them as much since they weren't very expensive at all.  They blow her excellent quality vintage diamond out of the water.

It's a win win in my book, and definitely something to look at as an alternative, if only even for the piece of mind in not having a giant expensive rock on your finger all the time that you are worrying about losing.