cheaper where?

[chris g]

I want to get an engagement ring for my girl. Is it cheaper here, or in Kazakstan? I will stop over in Amsterdam, would that be cheaper? Just curious more than anything. If I got a ring here would I be able to take it there with no problems? Last time I saw her we looked at rings ( in Kazakstan ) she said "no, too much." Not knowing the prices I would not know by looking. I do not have a lot of money to throw around.Most of my cash goes into fixing up the house.( $8500 for siding and insulation!?! ouch) But I want to get her this little thing.Most likely I will get a ring here. I am just exploring options.Thanks for any help.

[BubbaGump]

... in response to cheaper where?, posted by chris g on Dec 31, 2002

Russia has diamond mines so I think it should be cheaper there.  If you carry cash, you might get a nice discount because I think they keep some of their sales "off book" so to speak.  A round cut reflects the light back more effectively than other cuts.  Get the diamond mounted in a 6 prong ring instead of 4 prongs because it holds the diamond more securely.

[DE]

... in response to cheaper where?, posted by chris g on Dec 31, 2002

Much more surface area (although shallower in depth) gives the appearance of a much larger stone.  1/2 ct looks larger then a 3/4 caret princess cut or similiar.  Trick is finding the right setting to augment the stone as it is not a common cut.  FWIW

[snowwego]

... in response to cheaper where?, posted by chris g on Dec 31, 2002

Get a ring there I did and was Pleasently suprised. I found that she was a wise shopper and just didn't go for the size but, the way it looked. She asked me the price range and I gave it to her and she was happy with that. No Problem as she would say. No american woman would have looked at jewelry like she did or picked a ring with that much class.

[BrianN]

... in response to Re: cheaper where?, posted by snowwego on Dec 31, 2002

Easy to agree with: It's not the size of the stone so much, as it is the appeal of the entire ring... kind of like, what a woman looks for in a man, not just what he's got in the holster, but rather... all of it maybe?

From what I've learned here and over time, it's not the rock that counts, but the meaning of it all.

Don't sweat the small stuff imo...

[Reagan]

... in response to cheaper where?, posted by chris g on Dec 31, 2002

If you show up with a karat emerald cut diamond, she will like it. They are not that expensive and it shows her that you have a pair.

Cheers

Kevin

[Rags]

... in response to You can't go wrong with a 1kt emerald cu..., posted by Reagan on Dec 31, 2002

Dude, he did say that he was a little flush right now and IMO a 1 kt diamond for an engagement ring is a little overkill.

This also sends a pretty strange message. I think that something like that would probably offend/scare a proper UW/RW. I know that it would my girl.

I don't know you that well but I hope that you were joking.

[Reagan]

... in response to Re:  1kt emerald cut, posted by Rags on Dec 31, 2002

I bought a 1kt emerald cut for my girl and she loves it. At first she was shy about wearing it, but now she really loves it. One point I am trying to make is that being mentally paralyzed over a ring is not going to impress her either. The ring I bought was not that expensive and I have other pressing issues to deal with. (I am flying to Moscow on the 12th to accompany her back to the US on the 21st.)

Why would it offend her? It seems to me that being cheap is worse than overkill. I bought my girl's ring from a wholeseller and it wasn't that expensive. She told me that no one has ever given her such a nice gift. To me, that makes it worth every penny and then some.

It was a good decision for me.

Cheers

Kevin

[Rags]

... in response to No, I am not joking., posted by Reagan on Jan 1, 2002

I am happy that your lady was thrilled with her ring. My point was that being overly generous at this point in the relationship can cause some concern and shock to someone who has worked so hard for everything that they have. It could also give the impression that you feel that you can buy her love. I'm glad that you girl did not take it that way but I have heard of this happening from other guys.

Another aspect to consider is that in the FSU the engagement ring is not a tradition like it is here. Just go check out the jewelry shops and the hands of married women on the street. You will rarely find a bridal ring set. Their wedding rings are usually a band style set with diamonds. Thus your expensive solitare will most likely be worn on the off hand or resized for another finger (or worse, be left in the jewelry box). If it is worn, try to find a wedding band that can compete with a 1 kt. rock.

Every woman is different (thank God) and tasted differ so I stick by letting her pick out HER ring. You can always surprise her with something fantastic after you learn her tastes better and are more comfortable with your relationship.

[Cold Warrior]

... in response to Re:  1kt emerald cut, posted by Rags on Dec 31, 2002

This was posted  SteveMPosted by SteveM (registered user) on 09/21Hey John,I will probably get flamed by someone for this story, but here goes:When I met my wife (I wasn't looking for a wife, let alone a Russian one, and she wasn't looking for a husband either), I did not have a lot of extra cash available. The thought of not being able to buy her an engagement ring was making me miserable, even though she said not to worry about it.I went over for the second of my two trips last year, and she took me to see a ring at a consignment store in her home town. About 1 carat, beautiful cut (really dazzling display in sunlight), in a very simple, understated setting. Cost about $660, if I remember correctly (of course, large city prices will be higher). New, it would have been about $1,500-2,000 there and about $5,000 here.Keep in mind that there are a lot of people who need to sell off things for cash (not just in Russia, if you have ever checked out the pawn shops here), particularly after a divorce. If you don't mind going this route, there are two advantages: you help someone out in Russia who needs it, and you can get a nicer stone than if you buy it here.Anyway, for me, I would only buy a Russian diamond for my Russian princess, and the jewelers here looked at me funny when I asked what countries the stones in their rings were from. Her friends were very impressed--most hadn't seen a stone as big as 1 carat, although some have diamond rings.Also, keep in mind that the ring may also attract the attention of the local criminal element, so don't be offended if she takes the ring off before going someplace. Don't worry, it will be very much appreciated and displayed in the proper settings.You guys do know about left and right already, I hope? Russians wear their rings on the right hand. My wife and I switch our rings on the plane when we go back and forth.I expect different people have different views on this subject; this is just my 58 kopecks at current exchange rates...Steve M.

[SteveM]

... in response to 1k for $660....., posted by Cold Warrior on Dec 31, 2002

Hey now, CW,

Thanks for retrieving this one from the archives.  My post further up left some of the particulars out that have faded in the months since.

With the passage of time, the thing we like best about her ring is the light refraction.  Contrary to the rings in some of the other posts on this thread, hers is cut deeper, not shallower.  On a sunny day, it is the most amazing thing to see...

Guys, do go shopping over there, or get her to look first.  It really does make more sense in terms of both stress avoidance and long term bliss...

Happy New Year,

Steve M.

[Rags]

... in response to cheaper where?, posted by chris g on Dec 31, 2002

IMHO let her pick it out! She will refuse to (No YOU pick one!) and cry about how expensive they are (even if it's only a $60 CZ ring) but insist that she make the choice. You do not know her tastes yet and can only make a mistake by chosing one (although you should make suggestions as to what you like as this takes the pressure off her and lets her know the price range that you feel comfortable with).

This is a test for both of you and a good indication of how you will handle other (stressful) situations. Pay attention to her reactions because you can bet that she is watching yours.

Remember, you are expected to be the boss. Be assurtive but flexible. (Yeah right. What the heck are you talking about Rags?). I can't really explain this, maybe someone can help me out here. This is a key trait in successfully dealing with your FSU woman.

I found Russian/Ukrainian jewelry to be comparable in quality (I do prefer the different color of their gold) and of a different style than you will find here. The diamonds are cheaper by far and extemely brilliant. Both my wife's engagement ($80 CZ) and ($2000/appraised at $4500 here) wedding ring are a combination white and "yellow" gold. I have not seen anything here that I like any better. And she picked them out so I know that she not only likes them but will wear them.

There is nothing so disheartening as buying something for a woman ,at any price, that she will not wear. In the case of engagement/wedding rings, it would be a disaster that you both would have to live with for a long time.

[Mike]

... in response to Re: Rings, posted by Rags on Dec 31, 2002

80 $ for a ring? That is not a diamond. That is 'fionit' - artificial diamond. So, it looks like a diamond but it is not... In any case - if you don't tell people the price - nobody will never recognize.

P.S. The cheapest diamond ring in Russia with a VERY small diamond costs from 400 $.

Inna

[Rags]

... in response to artificial diamond, posted by Mike on Jan 1, 2002

Actually her engagement ring was $120 but there were some very nice ones in the $60-$80 range. I think that I did specify that it was CZ (cubic zurconium) which is a manmade stone which without very close examination will pass for a diamond.

My point was that she picked it out and was comfortable with what I spent on it. I tried to get her to pick out something more expensive but she refused and I was not going to force the issue at this point in our relationship.

When we went to buy her wedding ring I ran into the same problem but I approached it differently. We looked at several nice diamond (I did insist on this) rings in the price range that I wanted and she balked so I asked to see this incredible 1.75 kt solitaire ($10,000) and told her that this was what I wanted to buy for her. And I would have bought it as it would have been a good investment, but it had the effect that I had hoped for and she picked out one that she wanted but thought was too much to spend.

If she ever reads the archives and sees this, guess what I will be buying?

[LouieLouie]

... in response to cheaper where?, posted by chris g on Dec 31, 2002

A Russian woman or any woman for that matter loves to shop for jewelry. If she accepts the proposal then you can spend a day doing this and see parts of the city you wouldn't otherwise and she will be very happy. This is a first hand observation. Also I once saw a man suprise his married RW with jewelry, very nice jewelry$$. She later privately told she was upset because she didn't get to pick it out and doesn't hardly wear it. Moral of this, women love to shop especially for jewelry.