In the lounge thread, I thought somebody brought up a great point that I've been pitching to my GF... If I buy you a 5-10 K ring, you should buy me a present too, like an HDTV, or if I have one by then, something equally as cool. At first she didn't like the idea, but she's coming around to it

2

[Edited on August 29, 2008 at 1:10 AM. Reason : GHOST EDIT]

8/29/2008 1:09:35 AM

Quote :

"Three months pay is the general rule for how much you should spend."

Of COURSE a girl has to bring up the 3 month rule. Complete and utter bullshit. Whatever makes you both happy is what you should spend. If my boyfriend spent a month's salary on the thing I'd ask him WTF he was thinking. Ring pop can't be more than two dolla, anything more is wasted money and makes the situation less completely hilarious.

8/29/2008 1:11:04 AM

yeah there is a reciprocal present

I thought that was kind of understood

though I wouldn't want a TV

maybe a Mac cause I could do my work on it and we could write it off on our taxes as a business expense

8/29/2008 1:11:24 AM

wow, then you've collectively spent 10-20k you could have spent on a house, loans, car payment or whatever else (including wedding/honeymoon, jeez)

8/29/2008 1:11:42 AM

well what if the engagement is going to last two years or so?

8/29/2008 1:12:25 AM

Quote :

"In the lounge thread, I thought somebody brought up a great point that I've been pitching to my GF... If I buy you a 5-10 K ring, you should buy me a present too, like an HDTV, or if I have one by then, something equally as cool. At first she didn't like the idea, but she's coming around to it"

Can't believe I am siding with green jay, but put that $10 to $20k in a savings account and retire a year earlier if you REALLY love each other. No better present than spending time with them, unless you are both materialistic whores.

8/29/2008 1:15:15 AM

I know three months pay is horseshit.

But if you're trying to impress her family, a $625 David Yurman non-engagement ring may not cut it.

If you're gonna break from the traditional pricey, diamond engagement ring deal, you gotta break all the way.

I mean, don't get me wrong. Everybody loves David Yurman, but that's the problem...everybody loves David Yurman. There's a chance her friends might be getting similar rings as birthday presents...


I might go straight gemless if I were you...I dunno...think way outside the box.

8/29/2008 1:17:26 AM

Quote :

"Can't believe I am siding with green jay"

Dude doesn't even know how to make apostrophes online... learn the keyboard you motherfuck

8/29/2008 1:29:36 AM

Because what will make HER happy is completely unimportant.

Doubt he'd give the actual ring. If he's actually as artsy and shit as he claims he'll have a custom one made and is just looking online for general ideas. Otherwise sounds like BS to me, guy is either lying or clueless.

I've seen some truly amazing custom work, giving a production ring would really be a slap in the face to her family but maybe it'd make her happy so who cares.

If you want to see good custom work check out http://www.tradeshop.com/master/current.shtml and watch david yurman shit look like it came out a vending machine in comparison.

8/29/2008 1:35:45 AM

one of my computers has a french keyboard and doesn't have the normal apostrophe. not every keyboard is the same, you motherfuck

8/29/2008 1:37:32 AM

http://www.tradeshop.com/temp2007/jeremeys.jpg

Pretty

8/29/2008 1:38:40 AM

Quote :

"wonder what a sweet hotel room is gonna run me a night in Paris - anyone have experience?"

PM occamsrezr. He recently stayed in a nice place right by the Eiffel Tower.

When I went to Paris in 2001, we found a kick ass hotel using the Rick Steves' guide. Maybe you could swing by Barnes and Noble and take a look at what it has.

8/29/2008 1:44:56 AM

Quote :

"one of my computers has a french keyboard and doesn't"

Looks like this one works pretty well. And france sucks.

jk, I`m sure it`s pretty cool, whatever it is you`re doin.

8/29/2008 1:45:29 AM

Hehe, compare this to david yuckman

http://www.tradeshop.com/temp2007/lisabanddone.jpg

Now I hate diamonds but would not mind that with some mexican fire opal. Would just need the sides a little higher to protect the stones a little more.

8/29/2008 1:54:17 AM

that shit looks mexican

8/29/2008 1:55:57 AM

Quote :

"But if you're trying to impress her family, a $625 David Yurman non-engagement ring may not cut it. If you're gonna break from the traditional pricey, diamond engagement ring deal, you gotta break all the way. I mean, don't get me wrong. Everybody loves David Yurman, but that's the problem...everybody loves David Yurman. There's a chance her friends might be getting similar rings as birthday presents..."

i'm with bridget on this one.

and QTPie knows what she's talking about...

Quote :

"^^ If you're going 'blue,' go sapphire.... Topaz is going to show surface scratches after about 5 years & isn't really durable enough to withstand the length of wear of an engagement ring. You can get sapphires in any color you want, and any hue you want - 9 on mohs hardness scale (diamond is 10)"

also, i find that finding a stone you like and having it either set in a nice setting or (if you're like me) and you don't want to spend as much for the same bang, we found some things we liked the look of and then had a local jeweler make a custom setting for us. that way we weren't paying for a 'brand' AND he gave us a nice deal (and didn't charge us tax for his labor...don't tell).
http://www.williamtravisjewelry.com







[Edited on August 29, 2008 at 2:03 AM. Reason : pics]

8/29/2008 1:56:17 AM

^^This doesn't!
http://www.tradeshop.com/idea/johnson4.jpeg
http://www.tradeshop.com/idea/johnson5.jpeg

[Edited on August 29, 2008 at 1:59 AM. Reason : ^^]

8/29/2008 1:59:21 AM

try a moissanite maybe?

8/29/2008 2:04:05 AM

There is some tacky ass jewelry in this thread

8/29/2008 2:04:41 AM

^ I see we are not good at thinking outside the box

8/29/2008 2:07:09 AM

^ my ring
we did mine for about 1/3 of what we would have paid if we had gotten a brand name ring...

[Edited on August 29, 2008 at 2:10 AM. Reason : ]

8/29/2008 2:10:17 AM

There's a difference between unique and tacky.

A lot of this I can imagine some white trash wearing thinking it makes them look fancy

8/29/2008 2:10:44 AM

well, thats what happens when you try to buy the biggest stone you can for the cheapest price... craftmanship suffers. cast molded platinum always looks particularly cheap to me. i think i want my wedding band for our 'official' ceremony to have some small diamonds or moissanites on it maybe, since my big stone is very simple

[Edited on August 29, 2008 at 2:12 AM. Reason : where was that alibaby? ]

8/29/2008 2:12:03 AM

^^ Pretty much any large stone looks like that and screams high maintenance attention whore.

[Edited on August 29, 2008 at 2:13 AM. Reason : ^]

8/29/2008 2:13:07 AM

hit me up. this is my specialty. I KNOW antique diamonds if you want. or can get you moissanite, since I used to work there. Also I am a GG -Graduate Gemologist. I have been making jewelry and cutting gemstones since I was 12, I don't do it now, but I know alot of people if you want the hook-up for anything.

8/29/2008 10:13:27 AM

damn now I'm getting bullied into spending $3000



yeah I'll probably spend the time to work up a custom ring

so what is 3 months salary when I make -$24,000 a year?

8/29/2008 10:20:52 AM

if you really want to break tradition, then skip the ring and do something fun like a trip

8/29/2008 10:37:21 AM

^ but he's doing a trip AND a ring

8/29/2008 10:37:56 AM

I've gotta have something symbolic to stick on her hand

and she won't appreciate an engagement collar or set of handcuffs

8/29/2008 10:39:05 AM

^^a longer trip

8/29/2008 10:39:38 AM

Who wouldn't want this for an engagement gift?



lol

8/29/2008 10:40:47 AM

^^^her parent's wouldn't either

^HAHAHA

I think the ring and a trip sounds like a lovely idea, and it's a great story to tell later.

8/29/2008 10:40:50 AM

she doesn't have parents

8/29/2008 10:41:59 AM

destination engagements are the bomb, except when you don't have access to a phone or phone cards to call family and friends after the deal is sealed.

I proposed in Venice on a gondola. We'd been traveling for three weeks, and she actually unknowingly carried her ring for a good portion of the time. But hiding the ring wasn't the hard part; it was the paperwork that was hard to conceal.

I'd also definitely recommend a custom ring. There is something infinitely more special about a ring you know no one else owns. Sure people's rings may look similar, but hers is one-of-a-kind.
http://www.silverbonsai.com/wedding_engagement_rings.htm

8/29/2008 10:42:48 AM

if you must do a ring, then remove some material from your scapula and fashion into a ring.....now that is love

8/29/2008 10:44:08 AM

hold on

what paper work?

see I need to know this shit

8/29/2008 10:44:25 AM

I wish I had a picture of my great-grandmother's replacement engagement ring. They bought it in Thailand in the 60s and it's this cool bamboo looking band with some diamonds studded within it. Whenever I try to google "bamboo ring" though ugly ass shit comes up

8/29/2008 10:46:12 AM

Like the appraisal paperwork, bill of sale shit. It's just smart to have that stuff with you if you're taking it overseas -- just in case they stop you going through security or customs.

8/29/2008 10:46:19 AM

okay I'll pack all of that crap in my bag

is there any way to insure the ring?

8/29/2008 10:48:47 AM

yes...you have it appraised by another jeweler and file it with your homeowner's insurance. you can also buy a seperate plan with the jeweler too.

8/29/2008 10:50:33 AM

yeah, you can get it thrown in with your homeowners or renters insurance. And I'm sure there are other, better ways to insure it. That's what the appraisal paperwork is for. Just take it to an insurance joint, and they'll get you set up.

I'd recommend getting one of those travel waist pouches (like a flat fanny pack that you wear under your clothes). You can stash the ring in there during the flight, and just put the pouch through the X-ray scanner so you don't beep when you go through.

[Edited on August 29, 2008 at 10:54 AM. Reason : ]

8/29/2008 10:54:09 AM

so I am not a home owner

could I do it through my parent's policy?

^already have one

[Edited on August 29, 2008 at 10:56 AM. Reason : - sweet]

8/29/2008 10:55:51 AM

my fiance (w00t!) travelled with ours to NYC. he put it in a sock, in his shoe, and had it in his checked bags. i dunno what he did with the paperwork...or if he had any on him.

then he proceeded to walk around with it in his pocket for three days...i would've been a nervous wreck, but he was as cool as a cucumber

8/29/2008 10:56:55 AM

^because it is fake

8/29/2008 10:57:55 AM

I live in NYC and wouldn't walk around with it in my pocket

they make a belt with hidden pocket - that's what I'd do

8/29/2008 10:59:53 AM

^^hahaha--that'd be hilarious, but he'd be PISSED!!

"I spent $texas on a cubic zarconia?! FUCK!!"

^he likes living on the edge??? I dunno! he asked me in central park--AT NIGHT!
haha...jk...it was daytime, but still! I've probably said 9,000 times since then "weren't you scared to have that in your pocket??? I'm worried about having $500.00 and you've been walkin' about with THAT?! jeez man!"

[Edited on August 29, 2008 at 11:02 AM. Reason : justin's gangsta?]

8/29/2008 11:00:03 AM

I hid the paperwork in the zipper portion at the bottom of the suitcase. So it was tucked between the outer shell and the roller mechanics.


Check that zipper down the middle in the cargo area.

8/29/2008 11:02:05 AM

manhattan is really not that scary and no one that robs you expects that you have a diamond ring stashed away

do you remove the ring from your finger when walking through a city?

8/29/2008 11:04:30 AM

wow so much effort to appear to be part of the "artsy" crowd.

8/29/2008 11:06:30 AM

^^of course not!! i was walking around like "BLING! check out that light! ohhhh yeah!"

MoMA has excellent lighting for supreme blingage btw



but for real, I was not worried about mugging...the main reason for my shock and awe was/is stuff falls out of justin's pockets all the time, and he's notorious for losing stuff. he said the box was heavy enough that he could feel it in his pocket, so he wasn't worried past the first couple of hours we were there. and funny, it was i that kept losing stuff in NYC--like my metro card.

[Edited on August 29, 2008 at 11:14 AM. Reason : ]

8/29/2008 11:08:39 AM