Buying Jewellery

N

notaknowital

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After taking a plunge getting engaged and have made my first mistake already (know some are thinking it's the second mistake the first was getting engaged) I have asked her to pick a ring she likes and nearly passed out with the price.She seen a ring in a jewellers on Drury Street but I am wondering if I go in to buy it can I get him down on price or are these things fairly much fixed.The price is €1,800 if there is room to get it down how much should I pay.
 
God you're lucky! When we went looking at rings the cheapest one was €3000! I swear, I nearly fell out of my stand. My boyfriend was the calm one, he had his research done already so was prepared! Some people pay up to €12,000 to €15,000, and that really isn't that unusual, my sister works in insurance company and sees people that aren't very well off coming in with huge expensive rings, its more imortant for some people than others. Each to their own.
In my opinion, it doesn't matter how much they cost as long as both of you are happy (in other words she loves it and you feel you are getting value for money!!)
Somebody suggested on here a while ago to just ask straight out for a discount, one guy got 20% off in Fields with an ESB card or something if I remember correctly. There's never any harm in asking for a discount or using the Search facility on the top of the screen.
There is also a site online http://www.bluenile.com (www.bluenile.com) and apparently it sold more diamonds than Tiffany's last year, so it must be going well. Its a handy site to do a bit of research anyway.
If she has her heart set on that one though, I think you know the story ;)
 
I don't know which jeweller on Drury Street you're referring to, but if you shop in a city-centre/D2 jewellers you'll surely be paying a bit of a premium. Why not check out one of the big manufacturer/wholesalers like B.J. Fitzpatricks? (no connection other than as an occasional satisfied customer, over the years!)

They used to have a premises in Sth Anne St. but moved to the Sandyford Industrial estate — number must be in the book.
 
Thanks for the advise,suppose I better face the music unless DrMoriarty's advise saves me.Will take her to the wholesalers to see if there is anything there that rings her bell.Don't want to seem like a scrooge but we are buying a house and I am fairly sensible when it comes to money and hate getting into debt.If not I'll be taking a trip into jewellers.At least I know it could have been worse,could have got engaged a year ago when the cheapest was €3,000. :->
 
Thanks DrMoriarty for advise and will take her there to have a look.Jewellers was John Farringtons.When we went in I could not believe it as John himself was just throwing prices out of his head for rings,necklaces etc.Some of the items were €35,000 .I was praying she didn't take a fancy to that one.Thanks Again.
 
notaknowital said:
Don't want to seem like a scrooge but...
Click to expand...
Course not! :D It might feel a bit odd driving up and parking outside a big warehouse of a place, as though you were shopping for a fitted kitchen — but when you get inside it's all nice smells and plush carpet, discreet, attentive, well-spoken and smartly-suited assistants, plenty of overhead halogen spots to make the stuff sparkle romantically in the velvet-lined display cases, etc. It's not Weirs, but it's a lot more realistically priced, and in the same league bar location. They're an old established 'family' firm, only carry quality stuff, everything is beautifully presented, properly certified and warrantied and tbh I don't think your fiancée will feel you're slumming it in any way... These are the guys that supply a lot of the smaller traders in the high-rent city centre outlets, who then understandably add their own mark-up. You may not get 'the same ring for half the price in Farringtons', but you'll probably pay a good 20% or 25% less. Of course, having 'saved' you €400 or so, your fiancée will know that you know where to return for the next little token of your love... ;)

Congratulations, by the way!
 
A lot of the shops advertise a certain price & then when you pick it they tell you they are going to give you a discount of 10% or whatever & you then think you have got a great deal....................
I think the one I got was €1,300 originally but when we (well actaully not me!) went to pay for it they automatically deducted amount..........if i had known that I might have gone for the one for €2k that I saw!! ah no only messin........don't know how people are so comfortable walking around with mad expensive rings - i would be terrified of losing it
Good luck!
 
Went to thailand on our honeymoon and went to a big jewellery factory on a tour when in chiang mai. I mean it was HUGE!! armed guards, the lot, think it was a depot with guys going there to export. Anyway the tour cost 4-5 quid at the time but the price of the jewellery was ridiculous compared to here. Priced a 600 IR£ ring at 2k back here. If youre going to spend that kind of money why not to take her to thailand and get a hollyer out of it too?
just a suggestion.
 
Firstly Congratulations...the fun is just beginning so no complaining now when she's dragging you out to see hotels and trying to sort the guest list :D

I got my ring in Des Byrnes on Batchlors Walk. They are a discount jewellers and a real family business. Des, his son and daughter work there and nicer people you couldn't meet. My ring is worth about 35% more than himself paid for it.
 
€1800, thats nearing a bargain price.
Can I ask what type of diamond it is?
Cut, Clarity, colour?
I was recently looking around myself and the prices range vastly from shop to shop.
Got one in the end, over €2000 but worth it.
 
JackC said:
€1800, thats nearing a bargain price.
Can I ask what type of diamond it is?
Cut, Clarity, colour?
I was recently looking around myself and the prices range vastly from shop to shop.
Got one in the end, over €2000 but worth it.
Click to expand...


Hi JackC,

Actually have the details with me.It's a Perido Centre 2.66 with a diamond on either side in a platinum set if that means anything to you.

Regards.
 
I decided against an engagement ring when I got married. Instead, we had wedding rings made for us by a goldsmith (upstairs in Powerscourt centre). They are lovely (we think!) and everyone comments on them - but the two together only cost around 600 five years ago. That though is probably because there are no diamonds in them! Still, you might explore getting a ring made - it can be competitive with 'off the rack' options, as well as being very personal. Having said that - I know that the majority of women have their heart set on an engagement ring, and I think that since you will live with the choice you make now for the rest of your marriage, you should make the right choice, which is to get your girlfriend what she really wants. Economise on something else - keep your car an extra year?
 
Doesn't mean a whole lot to me to be honest. But all I was saying is look for that aspect of the ring rather than the price. However with a platinum band, that sounds relatively good value.
 
car said:
Went to thailand on our honeymoon and went to a big jewellery factory on a tour when in chiang mai. I mean it was HUGE!! armed guards, the lot, think it was a depot with guys going there to export. Anyway the tour cost 4-5 quid at the time but the price of the jewellery was ridiculous compared to here. Priced a 600 IR£ ring at 2k back here. If youre going to spend that kind of money why not to take her to thailand and get a hollyer out of it too?
just a suggestion.
Click to expand...

I was going to suggest that too - other diamond hotspots are Amsterdam, South Africa and New York.

In SA I think you're better off to buy the stone and get it set here.
 
I would imagine that if you're spending €2000 or more just for the stone, it's probably worth your while taking a trip to either South Africa or Australia where the price of jewellery is considerably less. You could probably have a holiday, buy the ring, and save money on the deal.
 
I know our friendly jeweller (David Murray - beside Dawson Lounge) pretty well from getting variour things made including Engagement ring, our wedding rings and we inquired about exactly what some people are suggesting - we have friends in SA and were going there for holidays and my wife wanted to buy some diamonds and bring them back to get a ring made.

The jeweller advised against it as you need to know a good bit about ring design and manufacture in order to buy diamonds that would suit what you want. He says most of the diamonds sold to the public aren't suitable for most types of mountings and you're better off getting a pro to do the buying for you.

Also getting jewellery made has almost always turned out cheaper for us .
 
My engagement ring cost IR£2,800 and this was back in 2001. It is 18 carat gold with 5 diamonds, its 1.9 carat. (God I have good taste!! God knows what its worth now!! If he really really annoys me, I might flog it and go to Thailand on hols!!!!!

Good luck, you are getting away well cheap!
 
Git engaged before Christmas and had bought the ring on Blue Nile before I proposed. Very good value if you can get someone to send it over. I spent the equivalent of E2,600 on a great ring set in platinum, a grade e, 0.61 carat, VVS2, ideal cut. Had it posted to a relative who then sent it on to me by UPS. He had put it in a tiny sweet tin, put it in the UPS tin and labelled it as documents. It was risky, but worth it. Got the ring valued here at more than twice that price. So, just shows what a rip-off jewellery is here.
 
Well I wouldn't really have any problems buying a ring in Antwerp or somewhere, but I do know that some of the further away countries may be dodgy unless you are a pro. They can treat diamonds with lasers so they look clearer than they actually are, and it's only afterwards you realise it.
Good luck whatever you decide, getting engaged is a really exciting thing to do. There's a great buzz out of it!
 
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