# Argos wedding bands



## Madam (27 Sep 2007)

Hi Guys,

Just wondering if anyone has bought Argos wedding rings in the past? I've been quoted €740 for a plain ladies platinum band and €400 for a gents white gold band from a local jeweller. The platinum band is going for €319 in Argos! As it's just a plain band I require I'd be happy to go with the Argos one if I knew the quality was ok. Is there such a thing as inferior platinum or white gold? Surely 9ct is the same regardless of the source?
I'd appreciate any feedback.


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## Caveat (27 Sep 2007)

I wouldn't be confident in the quality of Argos jewellry.

I've bought chains and rings in the past and they can look pretty cheap and nasty in reality. Not very robust either.


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## truthseeker (27 Sep 2007)

I think you'll find if you go and look at the Argos wedding bands that they are much thinner and overall there will be less metal in them than in the local jewellers rings.


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## Bob_tg (27 Sep 2007)

I bought a 14ct wedding band for around $80 in New York.

Why not go over there for the weekend???


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## Madam (27 Sep 2007)

Interesting suggestion Bob_tg! Do you think I'd be posting a query about Argos jewellery if I could afford to pop over to the Big Apple for a weekend?! I'm saving for a wedding and trying to be clever with my money.


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## Vanilla (27 Sep 2007)

If you go into most antique shops you can pick up a wedding band for a pittance. Lots of people superstitious about it though. Suppose it's a bit sad alright to think there's no one left after you to want your wedding ring. Still if it's a bargain you're after...


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## Jock04 (27 Sep 2007)

Madam
sympathise with your stance. At first glance, a plain band is a plain band & you'd wonder why the price difference.
Have a good look at one in a jewellers & then compare the thickness & finish of one in Argos, or H. Samuel or wherever.

A friend of mine back home is a jeweller & he'll sell top quality & top prices, but he'll also sell cheaper-made stuff at higher than Argos prices because of his service - sizing adjustment, general product info etc.
Have to say in my limited experience here, the jewellers showed the same level of interest as if they were selling you a loaf, but maybe I've just been unlucky.

Best of luck whatever you choose.


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## Purple (27 Sep 2007)

Bob_tg said:


> I bought a 14ct wedding band for around $80 in New York.
> 
> Why not go over there for the weekend???


Did you get a cert with it (and did you make sure the cert was genuine)? There's no place in the world that you are more likely to get sold rubbish jewellery than in New York.


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## Megan (27 Sep 2007)

Well done Madam in shopping around for your wedding. I would have to agree with Vanilla's suggestion. You can get some very good jewellery in antique shops. I would be carefull when buying jewellery in Argos as I know from my experience of buying 9 ct gold earings in Argos only to find my ears coming out in a rash which has never happened to me from other 9ct gold ones I have. I had the same problem with an 18ct gold ring bought in Florence  at what suppose to be a very good price but again caused my finger to come out in a rash which has never happened to me with my other 18ct gold rings.


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## Bob_tg (8 Oct 2007)

Purple said:


> Did you get a cert with it (and did you make sure the cert was genuine)? There's no place in the world that you are more likely to get sold rubbish jewellery than in New York.


 
Purple - the cert is beside the point.  In my experience, from having priced them in about a dozen stores on a recent US holiday, that's the price across the US.  There is no price difference for certified/not certified - they charge the same price.  

In my case, I had it valued here and it's about a 1/3 of what you would pay here.  Cost difference is not explained entirely by the quality differential: you are saving on exchange rate, lower sales tax, better sources of supply, and increased competition.  There hundreds of published prices on these things, so I don't think my price was unusual.

Bob


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## Purple (8 Oct 2007)

Bob_tg said:


> Purple - the cert is beside the point.  In my experience, from having priced them in about a dozen stores on a recent US holiday, that's the price across the US.  There is no price difference for certified/not certified - they charge the same price.
> 
> In my case, I had it valued here and it's about a 1/3 of what you would pay here.  Cost difference is not explained entirely by the quality differential: you are saving on exchange rate, lower sales tax, better sources of supply, and increased competition.  There hundreds of published prices on these things, so I don't think my price was unusual.
> 
> Bob



I bought Mrs Purple's engagement ring in New York and if I hadn't had a friend with me who knows the business I would have been done. In the end I bought the stone from a wholesaler that he knew and had the ring made by another friend of his. They all warned against buying from many of the high-street jewellers as they sold 9ct gold as 14ct (or US equivalent) and sold diamonds saying that stones were bigger than they actually were.

I do accept that the real thing is cheaper there, just make sure it's the real thing.


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## Bob_tg (8 Oct 2007)

Fair point... I also bought the finished engagement ring there in NY.  Obviously a considerable amount more than a wedding band, so did not venture beyone the most reputable certified dept. stores.  Still saved a fortune.

Back to my (underlying) original point: buying such stuff in Ireland is a rip-off.


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## Sue Ellen (8 Oct 2007)

Personally I've never found any problem with Argos jewellery but one does have to be very selective in choice.

As its a wedding band which hopefully will serve its purpose for a lifetime  perhaps it would be better to go upmarket. Fields do a good selection but don't appear to be too much cheaper than your original quoted prices. You could apply for a Privilege card and this might help with the expenditure.

This previous thread also discusses platinum rings.


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## ACA (8 Oct 2007)

Why not have a ring made - there's a jewellers at the back entrance to Marks in town that made my husband a fabulous claddagh - very thick mens style - for £80 in 1998. I recently decided that I wasn't happy with my own, (originally bought from Argos!) and got it melted with my husbands signet ring at a goldsmiths in Lismore - 1 wk to wait and only cost €75.


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