[John 070]

Originally Posted by Mr Practical

it probably started as a marketing scheme from DeBeers or something but I belive it's 2-3x your Gross Net monthly salary is what you should pay for your ring.

I'm sure his GF didn't say i want a 12k ring...but probably had a certain style and size in mind. I'm as cynical as the next guy but you are dreaming if you think you can drive a 50k+ car and buy your GF a 2-3k ring LOL.

haha at full retail 12k is still a pretty decent ring. For a loose stone, you're talking about 1 carat F VS1 for around low 5's, with GIA cert. A mall would want around 8 k for the same. I thank heaven for the web as I learned about this stuff in a very short time--my reality check on the price was just like the BMW. I got the price low enough until where I think it was low--took that price to another jeweler, and when he heard it, he didn't even counter-offer, told me if that price is real I should just buy it there. Diamonds are a very cut-throat business, and the people can be mega shady. Too bad the biggest rip-offs of all are the malls and warehouse clubs......they don't even have the right paperwork. You take their paperwork and deduct two grades for color and clarity when compared with GIA.

[ejazbmw]

Originally Posted by lni

She bugs you you buy her clothes and dinners? Now wants a $12k ring? I dunno, you obviously love her to even be thinking of this, but it sounds pretty materialistic of a gf to be wanting you to buy her clothes... maybe a nice dinner occasionally, but clothes and a $12k ring?

Get the car, IMO

maybe i wasnt clear before but she doesnt bug me to buy her things as much as someother girls do the only time i buy her things is when i want to... she never really askes for much anyway...i dont mind buying her a 12k ring i mean you only marry once......or twice lol jk

[Potty_Pants]

12k is A lot for a friggin ring...

myself i picked up the e90 335 and went up to jewlers row in phila following saturday... found a jewler who provided a ring that met her needs and my needs... setting is in plat and the diamond is high quality (dont remember the specs) anyways the rings would have cost around 40% more if i bought them local.


dude im sure you can carry both.

good luck

ppp

p.s. if it matters I'll post some shots of the rings when we pick them up this saturday (work permitting)

[ward]

once you get married she can help with the car payment right?

[ejazbmw]

Originally Posted by ward

once you get married she can help with the car payment right?

yeah shes got a pretty decent job shes works at a pharmacy so im sure we could work it out once the wedding is done with

[John 070]

Originally Posted by ward

once you get married she can help with the car payment right?

My fiance actually said that--she said if I have 54 mos. left on my loan, in reality, she may be paying for 1/2 of about 42 payments or so. That's why the ring etc. shouldn't matter, I think if people really want to get together, they can't nickel and dime each other. Not that nickel and diming is bad, but do it to the outside world, not the people you love, imho.

I saw someone mention Jeweler's Row in Philly......now that's shady! Just my opinion, there were some bad people there.

[John 070]

Originally Posted by ejazbmw

yeah shes got a pretty decent job shes works at a pharmacy so im sure we could work it out once the wedding is done with

Oh yeah babe, if she's a pharmacist, she'll be making 90k before she's 30.

[GraphiteBrawler]

Originally Posted by ejazbmw

yeah shes got a pretty decent job shes works at a pharmacy so im sure we could work it out once the wedding is done with

Don't the brides parents pay for the wedding?

A way to save MAJOR dough is to plan/prep the wedding yourself. You'd be surprised how much you can save by finding your own caterer, location etc etc.

The more you save, the sooner you get your 335

[chbrules]

Put off the ring for a few months. A $12k ring is frivilous, as Graphite said. But, at the same time, trading an E90 in for an E92 is frivilous as well. Take up a night watchman job?

[jj thumper]

selfish females, why are they still so impressed by shiny things, I had a friend who told his future wifey, "look i can buy you an expensive ring and we can be broke for a couple of years or I could do the sensible thing and buy you a normal ring and be able to afford a comfortable life." she agreed, shes a keeper.

maybe they compare the clarity of their diamonds with their friends like we do cars, our hobby is just much cooler. ours cant fall down the sink...

[John 070]

Originally Posted by jj thumper

selfish females, why are they still so impressed by shiny things, I had a friend who told his future wifey, "look i can buy you an expensive ring and we can be broke for a couple of years or I could do the sensible thing and buy you a normal ring and be able to afford a comfortable life." she agreed, shes a keeper.

maybe they compare the clarity of their diamonds with their friends like we do cars, our hobby is just much cooler. ours cant fall down the sink...

Now now, although I have a $159 Seiko, I have coworkers who wear let's just say they put x of their watches together and they cost more than my 335. And they're male.

[urnuts]

$12K is absurd, unless money isn't an issue, in which case we would not be having this discussion.
Maybe the car is not needed, either.
But 12K is (sounds) crazy- for who and for what?
Because Debeers says you should?! Because the crap mall stores advertise all day long with the stupidest commercials?
You guys own a home?
Screw the ring (spend $5K), hold off on the car and get a down payment for a house.

[ejazbmw]

well right now money is just a little tight for now since im buying the ring but once everything is said and done im hoping once we combined our income will be finacally steady maybe she'll suprise me with a M3

[flush01]

i was thinking, and there is no way I would cancel 335 because of what my girl wanted.... and i would never spend that much, maybe 3-4k tops, why does she need such an expensive ring anyways? just to show it off to her friends ? so basically you're canceling your 335 so your girl can impress her gf's with her ring... but that's just my opinion

[ducati955]

Originally Posted by ejazbmw

i was thinking about that actually but it seemed selfish to me......

i did that, she will wait, otherwise u may never have the 335i again.. marruiage can always.. and if she don't, o well....

but if you feel that way, u are probably making the rigt choice!

[berm3]

Originally Posted by ejazbmw

soooo this kinda sucks i came to realized 2 weeks before my e92 comes in i just cant afford it now...things came up not bad things kinda a good thing i plan on asking my girl friend to marry me!! but when i saw the price tag on those rings my eyes just went i know which one she wants and its around 12kish....and before i ordered my 335 i had everything working out financially and didnt plan on buying a ring and i was just barely making out to make the payments on the 335....so i guess the story is im 335less and im stuck with my e90 im kinda bumed out about this but happy at the same time....

I'm buying ring for my gf in couple of weeks, and those rings can be so freaking expensive. I'm buying the ring from place called Fidelity Diamond Corp, they got the best selection and best quality diamonds. Good Luck!!

[trick50]

Hey...congrats on the potential engagement. I was have been married for just over a year...And I spent about the same on a ring and I bought mine almost 3 years ago..since then diamond prices have soared.

What I can offer you is diamond education and advise on how to shop for a diamond. You have to be very careful as it is very easy to get ripped.

I have a really good guy in the diamond district...I don't know where you have been looking that you got your 12k number from..But if that number comes from a chain store (example: kay jewelers, zales, littman, bailey banks and biddle etc) I have some good news..I can probably show you where to get the same size and much better quality diamond ring and probably save $4,000.

When I bought the engagement ring, I shopped around at the above mentioned stores...and for the same size and quality it was anywhere from $15,000-$19,000 just for the diamond...I went through my business partners uncle in the diamond district and got an even nicer diamond for $9500 plus the setting etc I wound up around $11,500.

PM me if you have any questions or need any advice. It is very easy to get screwed on diamonds..if I can help I am more than willing.

Originally Posted by ejazbmw

yeah i know!!! i was like damn i never bought myself that expensive besides a car but shes had her heart set on it for a year now....



i would agree with you if she asked for alotta things but shes awesome she never bugs me for anything maybe a dinner here and there or clothes but not alot so i thought she deserves something nice for once...

[Robert]

Originally Posted by ejazbmw

soooo this kinda sucks i came to realized 2 weeks before my e92 comes in i just cant afford it now...things came up not bad things kinda a good thing i plan on asking my girl friend to marry me!! but when i saw the price tag on those rings my eyes just went i know which one she wants and its around 12kish....and before i ordered my 335 i had everything working out financially and didnt plan on buying a ring and i was just barely making out to make the payments on the 335....so i guess the story is im 335less and im stuck with my e90 im kinda bumed out about this but happy at the same time....

Well the e92 isn't going anywhere and I just saw a A5 on the road and that car looks great in person. It is much better than the photos. Maybe the wait will give you more options.

[Carnage]

step 1 - find a new jeweler
step 2 - find a new ring or step 3
step 3 - find a new girl (j/k)

12K is a crazy amount to spend on what sounds like an engagement ring, unless you're making 70-80K a year, that a little much to spend in terms of the old "2 months salary" measure. One thing to keep in mind, I've bought my wife 2 additional "wedding" rings since the initial one. Every new one gets bigger and more expensive. You start at 12K and you're liable to be at 20-25K in 10 years.

[Autobot]

I dropped 8K for a 1ct Tiffany ring in their Lucida Cut about 6 months ago. Shes the reason I am driving a 328 and not a 335

[John 070]

Diamonds to me are a commodity--every jeweler can get exactly the same stone, they're all looking at the same list on their computer for pete's sake, like a realtor going through the MLS (if you're not buying one off the shelf).

The bottom-line is how much they're willing to discount--go to a Jeweler's Row and get a taste of collusion or maybe a cartel. You have no friends in this business, just like a car purchase. I like my CA, she was pretty, smelled good, and gave me $1700 off. Would I tell my friends to go to her, or would I go to her again? No way, it's like a roulette wheel, the process starts all over again. She's not gonna give me a good deal because I already bought a car from her, nor am I gonna just buy from her a 2nd time just because. Best price? Fine.

Like I said, bluenile.com will show you pretty low prices, AND you can click to see every GIA cert for the respective stones. Those prices are a benchmark, I could not get prices that low in person, but around 5-7% higher. Then you gotta get price and appraisal guarantee. Believe me, I tried that go to a friend of a friend business, and it was even worse of a rip-off. The guy tried to sell me a diamond with a IGI cert, as if I were born yesterday. If I want IGI, I'll go to a warehouse club or chain store in the mall. GIA or no dice.

[Bimmer335i07]

Congrats! You made the right decision. I can tell that you really love your gf/fiance, just because you to think about her before yourself.

You have a great car already. The most important thing is that you are happy! The next thing should be buying a house and then a better car. Just my $.02.

Congrats again man!