Is this a dopey idea?

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

https://www.diamonds.net/news/NewsItem.aspx?tc_dailyemail=1&ArticleID=62434
A will you ring?

 

[Bonfire]

No, imo just a gimmick to boost sales and get them to purchase in their store.

 

[Gussie]

Yes, a little dopey. I would rather have a cracker jack ring or something more creative. This reeks of commercialism.

 

[partgypsy]

I like the idea of guy asking the women first without having ring, so can pick it out together. Is it really necessary to have a "ring" to wear during the space of asking and actual ring? No. Or like ceg said, just get something really cheesy like a gumball machine ring, just for fun.

 

[Johnbt]

I'm not crazy about the idea.

Otoh, I wouldn't bet against Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway either. Berkshire Hathaway bought Helzberg in '95 and Buffett owns 37% of Berkshire Hathaway - the 8th largest company in the world by revenue.

 

[mrsgreeneyes]

Yes, a little dopey. I would rather have a cracker jack ring or something more creative. This reeks of commercialism.

Exactly my thought - don't waste $50 on this. Propose with a bubble gum machine ring and call it good.

 

[WinkHPD]

Yes, a little dopey. I would rather have a cracker jack ring or something more creative. This reeks of commercialism.

Reeks? Why, how uncommercial of you? (Please hear my agreement with you and my chuckle.)

It is a problem that we sometimes do have to address though. When dealing with a client who knows his intended has definite ideas about jewelry and who also knows that he has no idea what her definite ideas are, we sometime try to find an acceptable way of surprising the intended with the idea of letting her create the final ring.

Most often this ends up being presenting the diamond in an inexpensive mounting so that SHE can wear it while the real ring is being created.

I am really not thinking that many of my clients would jump on this idea presented by Garry, but it is a question that needs some thought as to how to do it better.

Wink

 

[Gussie]

Reeks? Why, how uncommercial of you? (Please hear my agreement with you and my chuckle.)

It is a problem that we sometimes do have to address though. When dealing with a client who knows his intended has definite ideas about jewelry and who also knows that he has no idea what her definite ideas are, we sometime try to find an acceptable way of surprising the intended with the idea of letting her create the final ring.

Most often this ends up being presenting the diamond in an inexpensive mounting so that SHE can wear it while the real ring is being created.

I am really not thinking that many of my clients would jump on this idea presented by Garry, but it is a question that needs some thought as to how to do it better.

Wink

Lololol! I think you misunderstood me as I admit to being as commercial as anyone here. I think a stone in a presentation setting, temp setting, or a gumball machine ring, piece of twine, etc. are great ideas. My ideal would be a ring pop. I just think this specific ring is cheesy, uncreative, and a waste of money.

 

[partgypsy]

If the guy wanted to give the intended something tangible, is a memento and she might actually wear in the future, I like these kind of rings.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/564590...ved silver rings for women&ref=sr_gallery-1-9

 

[TreeScientist]

$50 for that? Yes, very dopey indeed.

There are hundreds of perfectly nice stainless steel/sterling silver with CZ placeholder rings on amazon for $10-20. They look like actual solitare E-rings so you can wear them while deciding on the actual ring. And, best of all, they come with a generic presentation box without the cheezy quote and Helzberg logo on it.

Or, if you just wanted a plain band with a quote, then the etsy option with a personalized quote posted by @partgypsy would be much more meaningful and also cheaper.

 

[Bonfire]

$50 for that? Yes, very dopey indeed.

There are hundreds of perfectly nice stainless steel/sterling silver with CZ placeholder rings on amazon for $10-20. They look like actual solitare E-rings so you can wear them while deciding on the actual ring. And, best of all, they come with a generic presentation box without the cheezy quote and Helzberg logo on it.

Or, if you just wanted a plain band with a quote, then the etsy option with a personalized quote posted by @partgypsy would be much more meaningful and also cheaper.

Exactly, without the baiting of a prorated discount spent in their store.

 

[WillyDiamond]

Well, sometimes the guy buys the ring without the woman. Perhaps he takes a chance on her liking the style and ring size. I guess for couples who want to shop together, it is really not too bad.

I guess it is a a marketing ploy that when the guy buys this ring at Helzberg, they will naturally come back to the store for the real thing.

 

[lambskin]

Idea can be copied by just buying a pretty ring box and not be tied to that store.

 

[Johnbt]

“There are hundreds of perfectly nice stainless steel/ with CZ placeholder rings on amazon for $10-20."

Too expensive.



I was at Walmart pricing trolling motor batteries for my boat and walked by a display on my trek through the store.

I wonder if they offer $10 divorces too?

 

[Austina]

Why do you even need a placeholder ring?

 

[denverappraiser]

What goes around, comes around. A few decades ago, this was known as a 'panty dropper'.

 

[soxfan]

Genius. How many women come on here asking advice because they don't like their engagement ring? Seems like a lot.

 

[Athena10X]

I have been lurking PS forums for a long time to satiate my newfound love/passion for super ideal cut diamonds and I found this topic of interest as my first introductory post. So, please bear with me. It’s been over a year since my fiance approached me about shopping for an engagement ring together. At the time we had been in a relationship going on 5 years and had talked extensively about marriage. I did not own expensive jewelry and did not wear jewelry to help guide him in selecting a ring on his own. He also knew that my tastes were very particular, so peculiar that my best girlfriends basically wished him the best of luck.

We initially perused brick and mortar stores together to come to a consensus of what we both liked, not just what I liked. I figured that though I’d be wearing the ring, he was making the financial sacrifice so I wanted him to love it, too. Once we settled on a reasonable budget (keeping in mind future expenses and priorities), we (actually, I) then started researching diamonds online through educational sites, forums, YouTube videos, etc.

I am very happy that my fiancé included me in the whole process because there are so many options that it would have been overwhelming for him to tackle alone. Eventually, we learned that I prioritized cut quality over size for our budget. Had he not included me, I’m certain that he would’ve settled for a sub-par performing stone from a local brick-and-mortar retailer.

That being said, if we were to do this over and if my fiancé wanted to keep every aspect of the proposal a surprise, while still eventually selecting the diamond and setting together, I’d prefer he propose to me with a non-diamond ring that I could still proudly wear to commemorate the special day. Maybe a moissanite, sapphire, or another gem all together in a simple setting. At least by wearing a well-cut moissanite, I could get an idea of my preference for size and gauge my color-sensitivity for the eventual diamond purchase.

I’d even prefer a a beautifully presented ring-pop over some cheap gimmick, especially one with strings attached.

 

[cokitty]

https://www.diamonds.net/news/NewsItem.aspx?tc_dailyemail=1&ArticleID=62434
A will you ring?

The idea of choosing together is fine, but the gimmick a little tacky. Though the feeling of it is a gift from one partner to the other and as such should be selected but the giver is waning this feels off. I've friends who choose together as part of their discussions on marriage and expectations and those who gave place holder rings all the way to the recipient choosing the ring entirely on their own and handing the bill to their SO. Whatever works for you.
The women I know who have received "place holders" rings or other jewelry items, cherish them. Each of them has some funny little story about why and how their SO chose the item and why it was unique to their relationship.
This seems like it has caught on to that happening and tried to narrow the focus. This does not feel sweet and quirky, more lazy or afraid.

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

What goes around, comes around. A few decades ago, this was known as a 'panty dropper'.

hilarious, the thought never occurred.
Reminds me of the old joke.
Much older man walks into jewelry store friday afternoon with much younger drop dead sexy woman.
Chooses the most expensive ring in the store, says its to late for a bank check, put it away and we will bring money monday. Tuesday the sales associate calls the guy:
"Oh I never intended to buy the ring. But had the best Goddamn weekend of my life"

 

[tyty333]

My dh gave me a small SS heart ring. I doubt he paid more than $10 for it. It worked for a place holder until we could go ring shopping.
Would he have paid $50 for a temp place holder...I doubt it. But he did get a temp ring so I'm not quite sure how to answer the question.

 

[motownmama]

I guess I’m in the “it reeks” camp.

 

[Bonfire]

It’s not dopey from Helzberg’s perspective, but anyone buying into it is a dope (sorry)

 

[Garry H (Cut Nut)]

15% to 20% of you voted to establish a real sustainable market.
A retailer could charge say $100 for something nicer, or say $500 for a Tiffany set moissonite and make it fully refundable on purchase of a real ring.

 

[sledge]

What goes around, comes around. A few decades ago, this was known as a 'panty dropper'.

This was called a "promise ring" before, right? Put me in the column for dopey. I think the concept of realizing people are changing their buying habits are valid, but the box, ring and slogan is just cheesy. Add insult to injury by putting Helzberg's on the box.

Pretty sure this might get labeled as the "the panties were droppin' till I saw it" ring.

 

[ChristineRose]

People have been proposing with temp rings since forever. Instead of using this thing, why not use an antique, or something hand crafted on Etsy, or a ring your kids picked out? TBH, I'd rather have any of those than Helzberg's priciest ring though.

 

[lambskin]

The proposal should be enough. Spend the money on the real ring. I would not want to wear some crappy ring while we wait to get a ring. Plus, getting that promise ring may be another stall tactic for a reluctant proposer. I get it that people want to be surprised or want to be the surpriser. But you do not need another level of bling to cement the proposal. I have always believed that if your relationship is at the level for engagement then the couple had to have some idea as to their ring preferences and if they want to be surprised and have the ring presented to them. Subtle (or blatant) hints as to ring size, setting and shape preference had to come up sometime. Together. couples have purchased and or selected a car, house and vacations. The proposer knows (or should know) that the recipient likes or dislikes surprises and/or wants to pick out a ring together. After all, this purchase is supposed to be worn all the time. This could be a really big financial purpose that both parties need to be on board with. Perhaps one would want to buy or recieve a smaller ring and use the money for the purchase of something else (house, vacation etc.). One party may be more diamond savvy than the other and together they can but the best possible for them. I could be wrong, but it seems to to me that 'surprise' rings trigger more problems (size, shape, setting, quality,$$$, and returnablility etc. then if the coupled made a joint decision. The proposal should be enough with no promise ring. If the proposer wants to put a little bling behind it then perhaps another piece of nice jewelry that can be worn on the wedding day.

 

[WinkHPD]

Back in the days when I had a traditional retail store, I used to offer to mount a diamond in an inexpensive Stuller solitaire in 14kt white or yellow if my client wanted an engagement ring until SHE could pick out the ring she really wanted.

After a few short years, I quit doing that unless asked to do so.

Why?

Because more than 90% said they loved the original ring and would never change it. If given the chance she would have picked a different design or even a different color, but since the giving was so romantic, the majority did not want to change a thing.

Wink