If you received and engagement ring from Costco,

[Art 1]

Nope, not at all. I actually posted a thread a while ago asking how to stop caring that a ring I wanted came from walmart. I ended up buying it and can't wait to wear it in December as my wedding ring <3

I remember hearing that walmat sells more gold than any other store in the US, don't know if that's true or not.

 

[SmithSmith]

I would be a bit put off, maybe not offended. I would be suspicious of the motivation behind the purchase. Did they choose Costco because of convenience or did they just fall for a ring that just happen to be sold at Costco. If it's the latter, that's fine.

My husband weighed in, and he may have a point. Does Costco have a jeweler? Would they maintain the ring if it needed to be resized, polished, or reset?

 

[Hrhpd]

would you be offended?

Not at all. Costco is actually one of the biggest diamond retailers in the US. Their diamonds are certified by all the majors like GIA, just like the expensive jewelry stores.

If my fiance had to choose between a better quality diamond from Costco or a substandard one from Tiffany's, I would hope he would choose Costco.

 

[Art 1]

Not at all. Costco is actually one of the biggest diamond retailers in the US. Their diamonds are certified by all the majors like GIA, just like the expensive jewelry stores.

If my fiance had to choose between a better quality diamond from Costco or a substandard one from Tiffany's, I would hope he would choose Costco.

I understand but Tiffany does not sell sub standard diamonds, but I know what you are trying to say.

 

[sunshinehighway]

Wouldn't offend me at all. Diamond.. canoe...whatever I don't care which store something is purchased in.

 

[tvguy]

Since Costco is where rich people shop, or as the CNBC show on Costco put, "Costco is where people who can afford to pay full price shop".....no, I would not be offended.
I don't know what their warranty is though. I bought DW's ring at a Jewelry store, and as long as you bring it in once a year for an inspection, if any of the stones ever falls out, they replace it for free, for life.

 

[tvguy]

you helped pick it out

Kind of hard to surprise a woman by popping the question and presenting the ring if she picked it out.

 

[bcla]

I would be a bit put off, maybe not offended. I would be suspicious of the motivation behind the purchase. Did they choose Costco because of convenience or did they just fall for a ring that just happen to be sold at Costco. If it's the latter, that's fine.

My husband weighed in, and he may have a point. Does Costco have a jeweler? Would they maintain the ring if it needed to be resized, polished, or reset?

Nope. They recommend having all those done by a professional. The cost savings could justify it. Not all jewelry shops provide complimentary maintenance, and those that do can't guarantee that they'll still be in business. I suppose Tiffany's maybe, they have a ridiculous price premium on diamonds. Their wedding bands are pretty reasonable however.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Not at all. I can't understand why it would be offensive.

No not at all. My diamonds are from my Mother's original ring and were purchased at Sears.

Also, it was brought up in another thread but I will address it here. If I was getting engaged and my future husband bought a huge diamond, I would ask him to exchange it for something smaller. Not my style. Hopefully he would already know that, but I think the cost and the actual ring getting caught on everything would make me very uncomfortable.

I would rather have a cheap imitation ring within our budget than one that makes me feel guilty to wear it.

I requested a small diamond and low setting for my small hands and understated style in jewelry 18 years later, I still adore my wedding ring.

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Here is the set.

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So pretty

 

[Art 1]

Kind of hard to surprise a woman by popping the question and presenting the ring if she picked it out.

Many couples, maybe most pick out a ring together.

 

[bcla]

Kind of hard to surprise a woman by popping the question and presenting the ring if she picked it out.

Who does that these days? Propose without a ring or use a stand-in. Then shop for the ring later. Most women I know (not sure about how same sex couples handle this) have an idea of what they want.

 

[tvguy]

Many couples, maybe most pick out a ring together.

No surprise in popping the question if you have already let her pick the ring. Been 33 years since I had to deal with that. The guy picked the ring in those days, and hoped the woman said yes and liked the ring. Mine did both.

 

[Hrhpd]

I understand but Tiffany does not sell sub standard diamonds, but I know what you are trying to say.

Actually, they do. But that is the lure of saying you have something from Tiffanys. People automatically think "quality" when they hear the name Tiffanys.

DS bought his fiance a small diamond ring there because she wanted that blue box. The diamonds were crap, not even rated (she didn't care as it was not the engagement ring,) but it was the only thing they could afford from Tiffanys.

 

[tvguy]

Who does that these days? Propose without a ring or use a stand-in. Then shop for the ring later. Most women I know (not sure about how same sex couples handle this) have an idea of what they want.

I know that 2 women I work with got engaged this year mentioned what a good job their men did picking a ring and surprising them. Both were not expecting a proposal...............or I suspect...........a ring.

 

[tvguy]

Slightly off topic, I am also surprised how many women DON'T wear their engagement/wedding rings all the time. The jeweler did comment to my wife that she was not the norm in wearing hers all the time. This after noting how dirty my wife's rings were.
Only time they have been off my wife's finger are for a cleaning, or when we had the two times we had the prongs rebuilt, and when she had surgery.

Mine has only been off my finger for when I had surgery, and when I had it fixed. Our son was a pitcher and playing catch with him once he hit high school made my ring oval not round.

 

[Art 1]

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-05-06/tiffany-vs-dot-costco-which-diamond-ring-is-better

 

[CF'er]

I will say that I do not have my rings on now and that was a picture from about 3 years ago when I first got it. My husband and I went on a 550 mile, two day motorcycle journey and I have some pretty burned and swollen hands. I was afraid my finger would swell so I took them off. I will mine 99% of the time.

 

[Hrhpd]

From Art's link above:

“A diamond is a diamond,” says Russell Shor, a senior industry analyst at the Gemological Institute of America, the premier rating and certification agency for diamonds. “If you have a stone from a top jeweler with the same grade as the discount place, they’re basically the same thing.” Good Morning America tested this theory in 2005, when it appraised both a Tiffany diamond and a Costco diamond. As it turned out, the $16,600 Tiffany cut was valued at only $10,500, whereas the $6,600 Costco version was actually priced 17 percent under its appraised value of $8,000.

Give me the better priced/quality Costco diamond any day.

 

[bcla]

Actually, they do. But that is the lure of saying you have something from Tiffanys. People automatically think "quality" when they hear the name Tiffanys.

DS bought his fiance a small diamond ring there because she wanted that blue box. The diamonds were crap, not even rated (she didn't care as it was not the engagement ring,) but it was the only thing they could afford from Tiffanys.

They claim that they won't sell anything less than a VS2 rating, but they only self-certify without IGI or EGA certs. They won't sell an engagement setting without a diamond. So if you want their ring, it comes with an overpriced diamond.

We got our wedding bands from Tiffany. They were actually pretty reasonable, and came with the blue box. They cost about what similar rings cost at Macy's. They asked if she wanted a box for two rings, and she's used this box to store the engagement ring.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I would be a bit put off, maybe not offended. I would be suspicious of the motivation behind the purchase. Did they choose Costco because of convenience or did they just fall for a ring that just happen to be sold at Costco. If it's the latter, that's fine.

My husband weighed in, and he may have a point. Does Costco have a jeweler? Would they maintain the ring if it needed to be resized, polished, or reset?

I doubt it.

When my rings need servicing, I just to any jeweler.

Forgot to mention that my $89 wedding band came from (the now defunct) Service Merchandise.