Disappointed in lack of response but...

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 4/3/2008 2:27:41 PM
Author: Ellen

Date: 4/3/2008 2:10:47 PM
Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 4/3/2008 2:01:57 PM
Author: CaptAubrey

Date: 4/3/2008 1:49:08 PM
Author: Isabelle

Well said! I would only add that VR would do well to sink more money in the prenup than the ring, what with the nature of the true love vibes I got from those posts. How''s that for ''cynical''?

This makes me think of an ad that I''ve seen in the jewelry trade magazines over the past few months. In the foreground is a engagement ring with a big fat rock in it sitting on desk blotter, and on the background on the desk is a torn up sheet of paper, which, as you look closer, proves to be a pre-nup.

It always cracks me up when I see it, but I''m not sure I get the point--buying such a big diamond convinces the guy to tear up the pre-nup? Or was she the one who did it after he gave her a nice ring?

Here''s my post-decisional dissonance reduction account: After HE spent so much money on the ring, he decides that it MUST be true love (or why would he possibly have spent so much??), and so HE tears up the pre-nup!

DD

I say, he had just had her sign the pre-nup, and they then ran off to get married. The secretary, who has been having an affair with him for years is livid, as he had promised her they would be married someday, so she tears the pre-nup up.

Good one Ellen! Very creative. Let''s start a contest!

Winner get''s the $80 000 diamond we picked out for the OP.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 4/3/2008 2:30:24 PM
Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 4/3/2008 2:27:41 PM
Author: Ellen

I say, he had just had her sign the pre-nup, and they then ran off to get married. The secretary, who has been having an affair with him for years is livid, as he had promised her they would be married someday, so she tears the pre-nup up.

Good one Ellen! Very creative. Let''s start a contest!

Winner get''s the $80 000 diamond we picked out for the OP.

I''m in!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Date: 4/3/2008 2:31:50 PM
Author: Ellen

Date: 4/3/2008 2:30:24 PM
Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 4/3/2008 2:27:41 PM
Author: Ellen

I say, he had just had her sign the pre-nup, and they then ran off to get married. The secretary, who has been having an affair with him for years is livid, as he had promised her they would be married someday, so she tears the pre-nup up.

Good one Ellen! Very creative. Let''s start a contest!

Winner get''s the $80 000 diamond we picked out for the OP.

I''m in!

Oo, Ellen, I like your style! What I want to know is WHY the gorgeous ring is still sitting on his desk! It should be on the secretary''s hand!

My guess is that the man proposed with the ring (her first priority) and a pre-nup (his first priority). When the girlfriend saw he''d bought her a cheap $80,000 ring, she flew into a rage and tore up the pre-nup, then left the ring on the desk while she dragged him out to find something better. It''s all very romantic.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 4/3/2008 2:44:44 PM
Author: NewEnglandLady

Oo, Ellen, I like your style! What I want to know is WHY the gorgeous ring is still sitting on his desk! It should be on the secretary''s hand!

My guess is that the man proposed with the ring (her first priority) and a pre-nup (his first priority). When the girlfriend saw he''d bought her a cheap $80,000 ring, she flew into a rage and tore up the pre-nup, then left the ring on the desk while she dragged him out to find something better. It''s all very romantic.

She can spot a fake....

 

[akmiss]

I just love PS! Tomorrow is the deadline 4/04 and I sincerlely hope that there will be a ring and a happy couple. Just as a note, I thankful that I don''t live in NY! 3+ carat is too much pressure! Give me the 80k and I will pay off my student loans instead.

 

[CrookedRock]

I can''t believe I missed this thread!!! Hysterical on so many levels!

Tons of assumptions made in here, many kinda interesting... I agree that size/money spent does not equal quality! I also think it''s funny how so many people made assumptions bc of the budget he threw out. We see all sorts of budgets here, and like was mentioned before, I never blink an eye at any of them; small, large, or extremely large! It''s all relative in the end (so long as it''s not borrowed. You can''t ever keep up with the Jones'')
Lastly... The Hedge Fund manager. Being that I live with one and plan to marry him, I can attest to the fact that he is anything like described. He''s the most easy going mellow person I know, and that''s probably why he is so successful and hasn''t gone under and will not go under. That being said... I have met a few that make my skin crawl, but they are usually the ones who hit it big one year, and get so high on themselves, leverage everything, and go under the following year. Just wanted to clarify that, bc I would hate for my FH to be bundled up in such a negative stereotype.
One thing I do agree with is that women make fabulous traders!

Oh and Ellen... I LOVE your explanation of the ad. It wouldn''t surprise me in the least! What a great way to get back at him!

 

[icet]

Not trying to defend anyone here but, my DH is in finance and when he proposed with a 1.5 rb from a" name brand" store, his friends and co-workers dogged him really bad, I love my ring and was extremely happy with it but i guess the teasing bothered him because he bought me another one as my wedding present and I can see him jumping into a store and pointing to the ring and telling the SA i want that and run out with it. who knows? and my hubby is soo sweet, i guess it''s the testosterone sometimes that gets their blood pumping. BTW, my blood started pumping when i realized that he bought me another ring and that we probably could have put that money to good use, not that i was complaining though he he

 

[CaptAubrey]

Date: 4/3/2008 2:44:44 PM
Author: NewEnglandLady

Date: 4/3/2008 2:31:50 PM

Author: Ellen

Date: 4/3/2008 2:30:24 PM

Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 4/3/2008 2:27:41 PM

Author: Ellen


I say, he had just had her sign the pre-nup, and they then ran off to get married. The secretary, who has been having an affair with him for years is livid, as he had promised her they would be married someday, so she tears the pre-nup up.

Good one Ellen! Very creative. Let''s start a contest!

Winner get''s the $80 000 diamond we picked out for the OP.

I''m in!

Oo, Ellen, I like your style! What I want to know is WHY the gorgeous ring is still sitting on his desk! It should be on the secretary''s hand!


My guess is that the man proposed with the ring (her first priority) and a pre-nup (his first priority). When the girlfriend saw he''d bought her a cheap $80,000 ring, she flew into a rage and tore up the pre-nup, then left the ring on the desk while she dragged him out to find something better. It''s all very romantic.

So cynical, ladies.

Here''s my thought:

Our hedge fund manager, flush with his 80k bonus, returns to the office with his 5 ct rock to propose to his stock-trader girlfriend. Shortly after the proposal, the secretary tells him that his fund just blew up because it was leveraged to the hilt with worthless debt, and, in a panic, he tears up the pre-nup because he realizes that his level-headed girlfriend is now worth a lot more than he is. When she sees the shredded pre-nup, she breaks off the engagement in a huff and returns the ring.

I think that neatly explains everything, no?

 

[lliang_chi]

CrookedRock, Maybe your SO has one of those Bruce Wayne/Batman identities. Superhero with you but one of the guys @ work. I just say that because a lot of industries you really kinda have to be "one of the guys."

Ellen your interpretation of that ad is HILARIOUS. Does anyone have a copy of that ad? I really want to see it now.

 

[Ellen]

Date: 4/3/2008 4:01:17 PM
Author: CaptAubrey


So cynical, ladies.

Here''s my thought:

Our hedge fund manager, flush with his 80k bonus, returns to the office with his 5 ct rock to propose to his stock-trader girlfriend. Shortly after the proposal, the secretary tells him that his fund just blew up because it was leveraged to the hilt with worthless debt, and, in a panic, he tears up the pre-nup because he realizes that his level-headed girlfriend is now worth a lot more than he is. When she sees the shredded pre-nup, she breaks off the engagement in a huff and returns the ring.

I think that neatly explains everything, no?

LOL It could.


But my version is tawdrier, therefore better.

 

[CaptAubrey]

Date: 4/3/2008 4:09:28 PM
Author: lliang_chi

Does anyone have a copy of that ad? I really want to see it now.

I''ll see if I can find it.

 

[partgypsy]

LOL you guys are cracking me up!

 

[pocahontas]

Seriously ROFLMAO

 

[Isabelle]

Date: 4/3/2008 4:16:08 PM
Author: CaptAubrey

Date: 4/3/2008 4:09:28 PM

Author: lliang_chi


Does anyone have a copy of that ad? I really want to see it now.

I''ll see if I can find it.

LOL! I want to see it!

 

[ursulawrite]

A word from a Manhattanite: 3 carats is definitely *not* the norm, not even close. Down here in SoHo, in fact, I hardly see engagement rings at all.

 

[Isabelle]

Maybe he offered her the ring, and she said "Ok, thank you for acquiescing to my demands." Then he showed her the pre-nup at which point she tore it in half, and tossed the ring on the desk.

 

[Isabelle]

Date: 4/3/2008 5:52:42 PM
Author: ursulawrite
A word from a Manhattanite: 3 carats is definitely *not* the norm, not even close. Down here in SoHo, in fact, I hardly see engagement rings at all.

But if you had seen engagement rings in SoHo, and they had trended in the 3 carat size, then that is what you would have gotten for yourself, right?

 

[sera]

Date: 4/3/2008 4:01:17 PM
Author: CaptAubrey

Date: 4/3/2008 2:44:44 PM
Author: NewEnglandLady

Date: 4/3/2008 2:31:50 PM

Author: Ellen

Date: 4/3/2008 2:30:24 PM

Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 4/3/2008 2:27:41 PM

Author: Ellen


I say, he had just had her sign the pre-nup, and they then ran off to get married. The secretary, who has been having an affair with him for years is livid, as he had promised her they would be married someday, so she tears the pre-nup up.

Good one Ellen! Very creative. Let''s start a contest!

Winner get''s the $80 000 diamond we picked out for the OP.

I''m in!

Oo, Ellen, I like your style! What I want to know is WHY the gorgeous ring is still sitting on his desk! It should be on the secretary''s hand!


My guess is that the man proposed with the ring (her first priority) and a pre-nup (his first priority). When the girlfriend saw he''d bought her a cheap $80,000 ring, she flew into a rage and tore up the pre-nup, then left the ring on the desk while she dragged him out to find something better. It''s all very romantic.

So cynical, ladies.

Here''s my thought:

Our hedge fund manager, flush with his 80k bonus, returns to the office with his 5 ct rock to propose to his stock-trader girlfriend. Shortly after the proposal, the secretary tells him that his fund just blew up because it was leveraged to the hilt with worthless debt, and, in a panic, he tears up the pre-nup because he realizes that his level-headed girlfriend is now worth a lot more than he is. When she sees the shredded pre-nup, she breaks off the engagement in a huff and returns the ring.

I think that neatly explains everything, no?

I''m throwing my explanation of why there is a ring and a torn up pre-nup on the desk...

The guy wasted all his money buying a crap maul diamond; the gal left the crap maul diamond on the desk along with the now useless pre-nup.

Oh why, oh why had he not used Pricescope?!

 

[icet]

im a new yorker, born and raised and you see all sorts of engagement rings, big, small, colored stones etc, but because of the the ginormous population i think you will find alot more people with big stones, maybe compared to other places, just because the population is so large and i think that people who love jewelry notice the ones who have nice rings and want the same thing. i think your circle of friends really adds alot to the decision of what kind of ring you get. from what i see so it doesnt really matter where you are, more about your preference.if you have a friend who has a 3ct and you love diamonds then it's something that you would want or might think is a reasonable size stone to get if your circle of friends have that size.my hubby's co-workers where on his back when he bought me a 1.5 ct, they were telling him that i must be extremely nice to say yes with just a 1.5ct! meanwhile the friends that we have that were married/engaged all have around a 1.5 - 2 ct rings.

 

[ursulawrite]

Date: 4/3/2008 5:59:19 PM
Author: Isabelle

Date: 4/3/2008 5:52:42 PM
Author: ursulawrite
A word from a Manhattanite: 3 carats is definitely *not* the norm, not even close. Down here in SoHo, in fact, I hardly see engagement rings at all.

But if you had seen engagement rings in SoHo, and they had trended in the 3 carat size, then that is what you would have gotten for yourself, right?

Not sure I didn't wear jewels at all before DH proposed, and just said, "Make it simple. And no yellow gold". Three carats is probably still too big for my tastes, although I do enjoy spotting nice rings on others.

(Btw, Dean and Deluca is SoHo's one concession to diamond flaunting; good lighting, too.)

 

[golden]

Well, I am "the girl" who had the comment about living outside of Manhattan and friends with at least 3 carat stones. And again, where I live, in New Jersey, minutes from Manhattan, and I am NOT saying this is the NORM, nor did I ever say it was the norm....but my girlfiends and women I work with and know, their center stones are at least 3 carats.
And if 3 carats were the norm....I WOULD NOT get a 3 carat stone because it is the "norm", I would first go with what we can afford and would not strap ourselves for something just because it is the norm or even because it is what I want and because everyone else has it.

 

[golden]

Date: 4/3/2008 1:15:51 PM
Author: NewEnglandLady
I always love seeing the results of a diamond hunt on PS, so I''m bummed that VR didn''t give us an update.

This is how the whole engagement scenario played out in my head:

VR, the impatient hedge fund guy, was given an ultimatum by his gold-digging girlfriend who wanted a beautiful bauble on her hand and legal, permanent access to his bank account. VR, who had never thought about a ring or proposal a day in his life, realized this was a high-pressure situation (good thing he responds well to those with that hedge fund training!) and set out to find a pacifier, er, ring, that was big enough to make her happy, but wouldn''t cost him too much. This is where PriceScope entered the picture.

In the meantime, VR''s lady had been daydreaming of $300K, 5-carat Harry Winston rings, never doubting that this is what he would present her with. When he proposed with a generic ring that was less than 4 carats, she couldn''t believe he''d cheaped out on her. She threw he ring in his face and insisted he buy her a ''decent'' ring.

What? Too cynical? I''m just kidding! But seriously, I''d love to see what VR ended up getting.

Also, I have to say that I never blink twice when I hear of somebody''s budget for a ring. So long as they can afford it, I couldn''t care less. The only thing that makes me cringe is when money is borrowed for a ring. People will ALWAYS have more money than you, so what''s the point of living by others'' standards. It just causes stress! And a lack of money in your savings account!

VR said she wanted a 2.6-2.8 carat diamond....I wouldn''t call anyone a gold digger for that, even in a scenario in my head.

 

[DiamanteBlu]

You guys are too funny! I just read this thread and actually thought this guy was going to have a favorable resolution! Instead he disappeared! LOL!

Well, I''ll make my suggestion in any case even though the option is past the 4/4 "deadline". Sotheby''s is having a nice Magificrnt Jewels sale on 4/17. I am sure our friend could find something quite lovely for his $80k and he could take immediate possession. There are lots of goodies within his specs. Here is the link.

I wonder if we''ll hear back!

 

[CaptAubrey]

Date: 4/3/2008 7:02:09 PM
Author: DiamanteBlu
You guys are too funny! I just read this thread and actually thought this guy was going to have a favorable resolution! Instead he disappeared! LOL!

Of course, he might have come back, seen how this thread has evolved, and been too embarrassed/insulted to reply.

 

[elle_chris]

Date: 4/3/2008 6:40:43 PM
Author: golden
Well, I am ''the girl'' who had the comment about living outside of Manhattan and friends with at least 3 carat stones. And again, where I live, in New Jersey, minutes from Manhattan, and I am NOT saying this is the NORM, nor did I ever say it was the norm....but my girlfiends and women I work with and know, their center stones are at least 3 carats.
And if 3 carats were the norm....I WOULD NOT get a 3 carat stone because it is the ''norm'', I would first go with what we can afford and would not strap ourselves for something just because it is the norm or even because it is what I want and because everyone else has it.

Golden,
The way I read your post I got the impression that you were saying manhattanites have large stones. I apologize since that''s not what you meant.

Ursula,
I agree about Soho, rarely see e-rings when I''m there. There are a few fun jewelry stores like Stewart Moore that I love though

One more thing, I believe that there are too many variables that go into deciding what to get. First and foremost is obviously your budget. But to say that your friends and where you live doesn''t play a role at all (after you''ve established what you''re gonna spend) is just not true in most cases.
So yes, I''m one of "those" women that if budget allowed, would have got a 3ct + stone if that was normal in my social circle and where I live.
Flame away.

 

[DiamanteBlu]

Date: 4/3/2008 7:06:39 PM
Author: CaptAubrey

Date: 4/3/2008 7:02:09 PM

Author: DiamanteBlu

You guys are too funny! I just read this thread and actually thought this guy was going to have a favorable resolution! Instead he disappeared! LOL!

Of course, he might have come back, seen how this thread has evolved, and been too embarrassed/insulted to reply.

Yes, that certainly is a possibility. If he got his stone I''d love to see it. Hopefully he will resurface with it in hand [or shall we say, photos].

 

[CrookedRock]

Date: 4/3/2008 4:09:28 PM
Author: lliang_chi
CrookedRock, Maybe your SO has one of those Bruce Wayne/Batman identities. Superhero with you but one of the guys @ work. I just say that because a lot of industries you really kinda have to be ''one of the guys.''

Ellen your interpretation of that ad is HILARIOUS. Does anyone have a copy of that ad? I really want to see it now.

Certainly not... I like to go to his office a lot and have nevr seen a different BF. On top of that his business partner is his best friend of 14 years. He''s steady as they come. They both are actually. I''d prefer it that way though, bc like I said before, the ones who let it get to their heads are the ones that don''t make it!

 

[golden]

Date: 4/3/2008 7:07:45 PM
Author: elle_chris

Date: 4/3/2008 6:40:43 PM
Author: golden
Well, I am ''the girl'' who had the comment about living outside of Manhattan and friends with at least 3 carat stones. And again, where I live, in New Jersey, minutes from Manhattan, and I am NOT saying this is the NORM, nor did I ever say it was the norm....but my girlfiends and women I work with and know, their center stones are at least 3 carats.
And if 3 carats were the norm....I WOULD NOT get a 3 carat stone because it is the ''norm'', I would first go with what we can afford and would not strap ourselves for something just because it is the norm or even because it is what I want and because everyone else has it.

Golden,
The way I read your post I got the impression that you were saying manhattanites have large stones. I apologize since that''s not what you meant.

Ursula,
I agree about Soho, rarely see e-rings when I''m there. There are a few fun jewelry stores like Stewart Moore that I love though

One more thing, I believe that there are too many variables that go into deciding what to get. First and foremost is obviously your budget. But to say that your friends and where you live doesn''t play a role at all (after you''ve established what you''re gonna spend) is just not true in most cases.
So yes, I''m one of ''those'' women that if budget allowed, would have got a 3ct + stone if that was normal in my social circle and where I live.
Flame away.

Apology accepted and thank you!!
Well, I have to say, I am a little jaded...my father has always worked on wall street and my mom has spoken about bonus time and the jewelers actually coming into the office for the men to buy. Aside from that, once people you know and you are around all the time have such large stones, how can you not want a large stone? I feel like it is somewhat of a competitive thing with SOME women.

 

[CaptAubrey]

Okay, I found the ad.

But I am embarrassed to admit that my memory is failing me, and my recollection of it was not quite accurate. As you''ll see below, there''s no desk and no ring. The ring I thought I remembered is just part the manufacturer logo. Nevertheless, the effect is more or less the same.

Hopefully this will be clear enough, but I had to size it down to get it under the 100k limit.

And you''ll want to see the next post...

 

[CaptAubrey]

This manufacturer has been running a series of fairly edgy ads recently, and the current one, well ... it's certainly eye catching, and I'm sure it's meant to be taken tongue-in-cheek, but ... er....

Well, see for yourself. I do think it fits the theme of this thread.

ETA: if you can't read it, try saving the image and blowing it up on your computer.