How can you afford such expensive stones?

[musey]

Date: 11/6/2007 2:42:32 PM
Author: phiberoptik
I was kind of hoping people would keep this going for the humor of it...

I think there''s really only so much people can say on the subject... and that limit has definitely been hit!

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 11/6/2007 2:42:32 PM
Author: phiberoptik
I was kind of hoping people would keep this going for the humor of it...

Im such a bad guy! haha. Kidding folks! But I do enjoy hearing the lifestyles of the rich and famous.

I found this article interesting

. http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/103815/Where-Do-You-Stand-on-America

 

[lyra]

Date: 11/6/2007 2:42:32 PM
Author: phiberoptik
I was kind of hoping people would keep this going for the humor of it...

Im such a bad guy! haha. Kidding folks! But I do enjoy hearing the lifestyles of the rich and famous.

Ooh, I''m glad you''re back. I called you a troll, then realized I was mistaken. No hard feelings?

No lifestyles of the rich and famous here. We faced homelessness in early 2001, with 2 teenage daughters. It was the worst time of our lives, and we''d had plenty of hardships before that.

Well, long story short, things turned around in my husband''s career (but keep your fingers crossed!), and now we sometimes have some extra money to spend. This year my husband decided to spend some on a ring for me and I found the best I could for the amt. of money we had to spend. In fact, I spent quite a bit less. Anyway, things change a lot over the course of 25 years, lots of ups and downs. Things work out sometimes. Good luck!

 

[pennquaker09]

I''d buy a diamond over a Bentley any day. It''s not necessarily the diamond itself that is important (unless you''re a celebrity or a rapper) but the meaning behind it. If Nate bought me a Bentley, what would that mean to me? Nothing, it just totally reeks of conspicuous consumption.

 

[Apprentice1]

I''m kinda finding this thread interesting as well, as I love to read/study personal finance. I''m finishing up college, getting ready to head off to grad school. I plan on spending the money I earned over the summer on a loose stone, and I''m living off the little money I''m making during the school year. I''m trying to get the most diamond I can for around $3500 cash, around 1ct. and well cut of course, something I can be proud of! I then plan to save up again to purchase a nice platinum setting in the next few months. I wanted to make this purchase now, as I know it''ll clean me out and I will have plenty of time to rebuild my finances and get the setting I want later... possibly custom such as Mark Morell.

I have recently posted the diamond I may purchasing soon (1.12 ct. Ideal I SI2), and any comments/ advice on that would be appreciated as well.

 

[fansynancy]

Skippy-

The article you linked to sounds liek the basis for the book Richistan. It talks about different levels of the wealthy and how they invest, spend and live. It''s an interesting little read.

I have been lurking on this thread because I think I might have been the buyer the OP was referencing. I bought a really expensive stone last week.

I have thought on and off about how my posting about a really expensive and big stone might have diminished how people just starting out felt about the rings they were buying. The thought that I may have done that made me feel very sad. I also had a conversation with my 14 yo son about replacing the ring that went missing. (my new ring/setting are a replacement for a ring I lovesd with all of my heart, a 10th anniversary gift from my husband) He said he thought I needed to replace the ring because it was a symbol of my husband''s love for me. I told him honestly that the ring is not only a symbol of love, it is a symbol of my love of diamonds, too. People who have no money to spend for any ring at all love their wives/fiancees just as must or more than people with big diamonds. I explained that he should not confuse lavish gifts with love. They are two separate things and you can have one without the other. I wanted him to know that when he was an adult and the time was right for him to propose he should not expect to have to buy the kind of ring I was getting. My original diamond was 1 carat and looked like someone had slammed a car door on it. (We got taken at Robbins 8th and Walnut in 1989)I loved it with all of my heart and wore it proudly for 10 years. It cost less that $2000 and we had to finance it.

I wish that I had my 10 year anniversary ring with all of my heart. It was 2 carats F VS2 Ideal OOO AGS certified. I''d take that ring back in a heartbeat and never want to upgrade it. I thought that if I went bigger it would take some of the hurt away about my ring being gone. The truth is that it does not. I probably made a mistake in buying the big mama stone and mondo Memoire setting, but I bought the stone at WF and I can always trade it in.

 

[tberube]

I haven''t read this whole thread yet but I''m going to give my opinion anyway. To me it''s priority. Some people spend their money on flashy cars, some people put it toward their mortgage, some to over-the-top weddings, some to over-the-top jewelry. My fiance could have spent $15K on my engagement ring, if jewelry was our priority. Instead we''re putting a bigger down payment on our first home. Maybe later, when we''re older and more established, we''ll have everything else we need and will be happy to splurge on bigger extravagances.

I''d imagine that many of the people on this board, though not all, are older and more established in their careers, etc. and they are at that point that many of us "younger-folk" would be silly to shoot for. And then there''s the people who ARE silly (no offense to anyone reading this, but...), and spend/charge more than they can afford or should spend, in order to appear more "rich" or established. Plenty of those people around.

Either way, it''s a matter of what your priorities are. Just my 2 cents.

 

[tberube]

...and I also want to mention, on the flip side, that my (gorgeous)(wonderful) ring was (probably)(maybe)(he won''t tell me but I guessed) around what you''re spending on yours. And we''re not "poor souls."

Again: priorities.

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 11/8/2007 11:08:39 AM
Author: tberube
...and I also want to mention, on the flip side, that my (gorgeous)(wonderful) ring was (probably)(maybe)(he won't tell me but I guessed) around what you're spending on yours. And we're not 'poor souls.'

Again: priorities.

He posted about that on page 3.


FancyNancy, I have not read the book you mention.

 

[jewelerman]

Its all about planning and saving and where your passions are.Even though i am in the jewelry trade i dont make huge amounts of money and have to save for a purchase.The Rolex took 5 years to save for as does the larger jewelry pieces.I SEARCH EVERYWHERE for jewelry...retail,wholesale,pawnshops, thift shops,newspaper,estate sales,and the net.I put friends and family to work looking for good deals on quality pieces.I dont eat out at expensive places, dont go on expensive vacations and drive older model cars.The suits i wear are always from discount clothiers.I LOVE THE HUNT LOOKING FOR NEW PIECES!iF I had a huge income i still would look everywhere for the jewelry and watches i own.

 

[phiberoptik]

No hard feelings anywhere... it takes a lot more to ruffle my feathers haha. Now if people continued on the trend this thread originally headed on... it may be different.

You all are good people. There are so many times you see websites and forums go down the drain because the lack of respect and maturity on the internet.

I love hearing about peoples wealth and yes I agree, if I had $400K to spend... it would be on a car, ring, and house... not just a car haha.