Hey guys,well i think im gonna be getting a engagment ring soon for my girlfriend,weve been dating 5,almost 6 years and were more serious then ever.problem is i really dont have the money for the ring right now,and our 6 year anniversary is this weekend and i couldnt think of a better time to pop the question. What i was wondering if jewelry shops have financing options,not credit cards or anything,but financing.the jewler i picked out the ring from was Gordons jewlers. Id appreciate any information about this,thanks in advance!

 

Years ago, Most has a lay-a-way plan where you pay for it until it is paid for then you get it.

I would imagine every Jeweller would have their own plans.
Checking with them is better than an Internet survey

 

All kind of plans available so should be no sweat as long as you have decent credit or are just beginning with a clean record.

If the girl really cares for you, the cost of the ring won't matter a lot. Get what you feel you can afford with a little stretch. You and she are what is really valuable in this thing.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

Mudder, stay away from the Chain stores and go to an independent thats been in business for awhile. Chains are notorius for showing you a high quality diamond and selling you an inferior diamond. Also diamonds aren't that expensive, so be ready to barter.

 

I'd like to echo that "size of the ring comment." I'm not crazy about the idea of getting very deep in debt over the diamond. Small works, and a larger upgrade makes a really nice 10th or 25th Anniversary present. If small doesn't work, keep shopping (the girl, not the diamond )

 

Mudder
It shouldn't matter if you have a ring at the time or not, hell my friend got a bread tie from her man If it was me I would be just happy that you cared enough to ask because you men already have a hard time gettin the words out!! From what I know!!

 

If she loves you, the type/cost of the ring shouldn't matter, AT ALL!

Oh, and don't listen to any of that "You should spend two-months salary" crap.

*Who was the IDIOT that came up with that one?!!






*Rhetorical question. We all know it was the Jewlers.

 

its not that its a expensive ring,its just that i dont have the money for anything,lol

 

When asking her .....Present her with a hair bobble.

They come in many different colors

They are elastic things (one size fits all) & have a round bobble (the stone) that helps make a ponytail in the hair..


Then tell her that you thought it was a better idea for her to be part of the choosing of the ring, since she will be the one wearing it.

Girsls love this stuff & the thinking behind it

 

HI -
Speaking as a former Jewelery store person - Not having a budget for a ring can be tricky - so the best options you have are 1) Buy on lay-a-way 2) Ask if the store finances (many don't anymore due the ease of use of credit cards 3) Put it on your credit card 4) Start saving until you can afford it 5) Just buy the setting and put a lower quality stone in it. When I worked at the store, we actually had a guy buy just the setting and it was set with a cubic. He came back with his other half and they picked out a stone to fit it and put the stone on lay-a-way.

A few more tips - you can trade of diamond size for quality and clarity (this is what I did - I went to a smaller diamond, but with higher quality). Always ask to see the ring out from under the 'spot-light' this will give you an idea of how it looks in real light. Be sure you know if she prefers yellow (traditional) gold or white gold. There is a big trend right now towards white gold rings. Remember, it is the thought that counts, so make it a good thought when you buy the ring - don't rush it.
Use a dependable, well established, independant jeweler - the quality, price and service is usually better - avoid the chain stores. Also, do NOT buy a diamond ring off the web - you just don't know what you are getting.
Be sure you get a certified appraisal with your ring purchase - this is needed for authentication of value and for insurance purposes - oh, while I am mentioning it, you should have any and all valuable ring appraisals updated about every five years and notify your insurance company - jewelery has a tendency to go up in value over the years.

Here is some information that might help your purchase:
http://www.charlottejewelers.com/Diamonds101.html

Hope this helps....

 

Check out www.bluenile.com

They have a wide range of sizes and you can search by price, size, color, clarity, etc...

I checked a number of local and chain jewelry stores and Blue Nile beat both their quality and their price. Most of the local places couldn't even come close to the quality diamond I got in terms of color. I got a beautiful flawless diamond from them for my fiancee with a platinum band and would highly recommend them to anyone. She stills gets compliments and shes had it for 2 years. For xmas this year she got earings to match the ring and the quality, price and service is still excellent.

 

Probably true for most places but Blue Nile provides an GIA or AGSL report with your diamond. Both are well known, reputable and independant grading labs. They also include an appraisal. I will admit I was somewhat hesitant to make such a large and important purchase without ever seeing the diamond but after visiting some local stores, I knew what I was looking for and Blue Nile came through. The diamond I bought appraised for almost twice what I paid for it.

 

I'm also in teh boat of looking for a ring soon. Luckily my brother in law is friends with an antique shop owner who has a love for jewelry and seeing young folks start there life together. Anyway he has alot of old estate jewelry in any price range you can imagine, all are high quality and priced very reasonably, at least that's what people say anyway.

 

Mudder, My Bride of 29 years wore a gold nugget on a chain for the first eight years 'till she got her diamonds. 'Course, the longer she has to wait for the rings, the more you pay! And by the way, congratulations on taking the leap!

 

Just wait to ask her for a while if you can't afford it. You think a ring is expensive... a wedding, a wife, and (hopefully not) a divorce will cost you MUCH more than a ring! Wait until you can save up some money and buy a nice, tasteful ring. Then instead of "surprising" her on a day she'd possibly expect some sort of gift, just show up at her house one day and ask. You know the timer starts ticking when she gets the ring, so if you don't have the cash for a ring, there's no WAY you'll have enough for a wedding. I saw a show this weekend where the wedding cost $300,000! They'd been dating 9 years though and both had careers... but dang, $300,000! Most will run you at least $20K from what I've seen though. Good luck, whatever you decide!

(Keep in mind that if she has good credit and yours isn't so good because you've financed a ring, yours will negatively impact hers once you're married. Best not to surprise each other with poor credit scores.)