Secret Diamond Shopping

[AsscherGirl]

Do any of you secretly go look at rings & diamonds when your boyfriend isn''t around?

My boyfriend has made it explicitly clear that I will have basically no say in my ring & that he wants to pick it out, but I still can''t help looking at all the eye candy that''s out there!

Yesterday I had to go to NYC for a work meeting & I was extremely early. Our office is right off of 5th Avenue, and I just *happened* to see Fortunoff''s (which I knew carries Royal Asschers) & the new DeBeers store. So I went in! The DeBeers store was a little disappointing. There wasn''t much in there & it definitely had that "luxury store" feeling (you know, limited inventory, a lot of space to walk around, sales people who want to know your name & life history, etc). Although, I have to say I appreciated the security guard opening the REALLY heavy door for me!

I went into Fortunoff''s to look at some Royal Asschers. I was really happy with their customer service. I told the salesman that I was just looking at stuff & I wouldn''t even be purchasing the diamond in the future, but I really just wanted to see some in person. He was so helpful & he didn''t treat me like a kid (which I get a lot b/c I am & look really young!) - maybe it was my NYC powersuit

. However, I do have to say that the "shrinkage" factor was A LOT. I was looking at a 1.97 ct RA & it barely looked the size of my mom''s .8 ct round brilliant. Then he showed me a 1.27 ct & that didn''t look much smaller than the 1.97 so I have to think that the 1.97 was just a bad one. However, they were all very beautiful & just *different* than the other traditional stones. I wish they had a 5ct monster for me to look at, because I KNOW I would have fallen in love with something like that! Haha, we can dream, can''t we?

Anyway, this is forever long, but it was a fun trip. I also got to look in the CHANEL boutique, Coach, Trump Tower & a few others I can''t remember. Yay for NYC!

 

[angelina]

Isn''t it fun though?
I love just going and looking at all the different shapes with different settings!
Some people might not think we''re normal,
but I don''t care

 

[MissAva]

Okay next time I want to go too! That sounds like waaaay too much fun to me! Unfortunetly all of my"real" (re people I knwo from non internet stuff) find looking at diamonds as about as much fun as pulling teeth.

 

[ammayernyc]

Isn''t NYC great...

Next time you''re here, go to Lockes Diamonds in the Time Warner Building... on 59th Street and Broadway. Not too close to the other stores, but totally worth it. It''s one of those places where you go in and sit down and they show you the stuff you ask to see, but they were so helpful when I was there that I was shocked! Most places are not that nice.

And they had lots of huge bling in the display case that they can sometimes let you try on...

I''ve gone without my bf, but I definitely tell him about it!

 

[Angel7]

I do it all the time! I love it. Trying on different stuff, seeing what you like, what you don''t like, what you could never afford!
It''s so much fun.
I''m sure the sales people hate me but.....

 

[elephant]

Well, it''s sort of funny that you mention that because when I first started looking at PS, I used to slam my laptop shut everytime my bf would walk by. Eventually, he said: Ummm, are you hiding something from me? What like an online affair?

He was kidding, but I started to explain what PS was (this was before we had had MANY discussions about where this relationship was going) by saying, "well, honestly, I am sort of embarassed, but I found this website and they are a diamond consumer website and they advise people on buying rings, and.... HE INTERRUPTS ME WITH: You''re looking at diamonds while I''m not around? You SHOULD be embarassed! Eeeeek! I say: NO, JERK, I''m garnering support from people on this website while I wait for you to get your rear in gear!

So, do I look at diamonds while my bf isn''t around? ABSOLUTELY!

Actually, my best friend here and I went to the best jeweler in town to look at diamonds and we had a blast -- MUCH more fun than going with the BF! He''s WAY too serious when we go. And I feel bad trying on ginormous rings while he''s there since I KNOW he''s broke since he''s getting ready to go to grad school. But, with my friends, I have NO PROBLEM trying on 3 carat rings.

Hahahaha.

Have fun and NYC sounds like a blast! I''ll be moving there in 2 yrs -- I can''t wait!

 

[AsscherGirl]

Elephant - hahahaha. I do the same thing to my boyfriend. We had almost that exact same conversation! "Are you hiding something from me? What exactly are you looking at?" "ummmmmmm, (long pause), well, I''m looking at a diamond forum" "Why are YOU looking at that; you definitely shouldn''t be looking at that." "I like the pictures!" "Hmmm, ok..."

hehehe. Glad I''m not the only one out there!

I felt guilty about my diamond shopping, so I told the boyfriend about it. He kind of just laughed at me, and then is like, "Does this mean you''re changing your mind AGAIN?!" I think I''m secretly driving him crazy.

Matatora - sounds like you need to get your friends'' priorities in line!

AmandaPanda - thanks for the store recommendation; now I just have to find a way to sneak back to NYC without bf noticing. heheheh

 

[MissAva]

Date: 6/30/2005 10:46:13 AM
Author: AsscherGirl
Elephant - hahahaha. I do the same thing to my boyfriend. We had almost that exact same conversation! ''Are you hiding something from me? What exactly are you looking at?'' ''ummmmmmm, (long pause), well, I''m looking at a diamond forum'' ''Why are YOU looking at that; you definitely shouldn''t be looking at that.'' ''I like the pictures!'' ''Hmmm, ok...''

hehehe. Glad I''m not the only one out there!

I felt guilty about my diamond shopping, so I told the boyfriend about it. He kind of just laughed at me, and then is like, ''Does this mean you''re changing your mind AGAIN?!'' I think I''m secretly driving him crazy.

Matatora - sounds like you need to get your friends'' priorities in line!

AmandaPanda - thanks for the store recommendation; now I just have to find a way to sneak back to NYC without bf noticing. heheheh

I think I just need more chick friends....guys see diamonds and they start to sweat. He he...or maybe I just need to find relationships for me few chick friends, none of them are even steady much less thinking about tying the knot. Hmmm perhaps I could invite all of my guy and girl friends to my wedding...

(see guest gripes thread)

 

[IrishEyes]

LOL! I''m married and have a fantastic ring, and I STILL look at other rings and compare!! Drives DH nuts!!

 

[FireGoddess]

Date: 6/30/2005 4:47:01 PM
Author: IrishEyes
LOL! I''m married and have a fantastic ring, and I STILL look at other rings and compare!! Drives DH nuts!!

This is SO true...not only that but I''ve already upgraded once and gotten a new setting...so DH is like, "why are you STILL looking at this website??? And at more diamonds????" He''s getting freaked that I''ll never be satiated. Well, true

, but a girl just likes to look and admire, y''know??!!

 

[IrishEyes]

Exactly! He''s even more freaked out now that I''m getting a job working with diamonds! Everytime we pass a jewelry counter, I can''t resist stopping and looking. If I really like something, I''ll try it on. He gets really freaked out and is like " that''s nice. let''s go..."

But I have to listen to him talk about his motorcycle addiction, so it balances out! Everytime we are driving and someone with a bike passes us, he gives a little sigh. I just roll my eyes

Everyone has an addiction!

 

[caligal]

You ladies are cracking me up! My fella has no idea I''m on this website- and for a while I''ll keep it this way. We''ve definitely had some moments where I minimized the browser so he couldn''t see the website. Just as I also don''t share his affinity for motocycles/obsession with Orange County Chopper show, he doesn''t want to chat diamonds! It''s good we are different!

 

[dtnyc]

Hi- newbie here-
I live in NYC- on the same block as Harry Winston and v. close to Tiffany, Bulgari,- not far from Fortunoff and other fun places.
Last week I learned my BF of 2 years has started shopping and he knew I had a strong interest in Asscher cut. I had done the research and knew they weren''t as brilliant etc but I didn''t care and really love them. He went and met w/ his family''s diamond guy- and he came back and we had a talk about RB''s- he said he likes the sparkle more and he wants the ring on my finger to blind people etc.

I was a little disappointed, so after talking to some of my friends they suggested that I go try on some rings so I would know what they looked like on. I went to Fortunoff at my lunch break because they seem like the least intimidating store on 5th Ave. and tried on what I am sure is the same 1.97 RA you did Asscher Girl! then I asked to try on a 2ct RB- HUGE difference- as much as I love the RA, I would rather have what looks like a larger rock- I have always liked RB''s set w/ tapered baguettes on the side, so now that''s the hint that I am dropping heavily. I tried a couple on and I really do love them as well.

the salesman at Fortunoff was very nice and even though I have been lurking here on PS for a while he mentioned something I hadn''t heard before, like how if you get an antique style ring you are then stuck in terms of what you can do w/ regards for a band and even perhaps in terms of all of the other jewelry you wear.
Also he had 5 rules for men when buying e-rings:

1. Get her what she wants
2-5. refer to rule #1.


My BF and I have looked at pictures of rings online once, when we were a little tipsy, and I have shown him pictures of what I like from magazines after his little appointment. The guy at Fortunoff explained why guys are all about RB''s-
1- Guys don''t pay that much attention to the rings around them- My BF''s mom has a pear, and he has seen my friend''s emerald and princess cut stones, but I don''t think he really knows much other than the pear he has seen since he was born and the RB''s that are on most people
2- RB''s are what are in most diamond advertising campaigns and what men typically think of when they think engagement ring/bridal set.
3- guys like sparkle.
I though this was interesting.

sorry for the big first post- but what a small world! AsscherGirl NYC is a dangerous city in terms of shopping- next time you should head down 54th street towards 6th Ave and hit Manolo Blahnik- they are having their big sale right now!

 

[AsscherGirl]

Date: 7/27/2005 3:36:57 PM
Author: dtnyc

Hi- newbie here-

I went to Fortunoff at my lunch break because they seem like the least intimidating store on 5th Ave. and tried on what I am sure is the same 1.97 RA you did Asscher Girl! then I asked to try on a 2ct RB- HUGE difference- as much as I love the RA, I would rather have what looks like a larger rock- I have always liked RB''s set w/ tapered baguettes on the side, so now that''s the hint that I am dropping heavily. I tried a couple on and I really do love them as well.

Also he had 5 rules for men when buying e-rings:

1. Get her what she wants
2-5. refer to rule #1.


Sorry for the big first post- but what a small world! AsscherGirl NYC is a dangerous city in terms of shopping- next time you should head down 54th street towards 6th Ave and hit Manolo Blahnik- they are having their big sale right now!

Ohhhhhhhh, why did you have to tell me that?! I am going into NYC on Friday to go to the Met to see the Chanel exhibit before it closes!!! *Sigh* Now I will just have to go to the Manolo store too

.

Are you sure that we''re not dating the same person? We must have had all the same experiences. Although I''ve been telling him since I was 16 that I would never in a million years want a RB stone. hahaha. After my Royal Asscher let down, I decided that I''d want a jubilee. Then I saw the new AGS0 Princess stone and let me tell you, that quickly changed my mind. *sigh* The moral of this story is Pricescope is DANGEROUS! You will

too many things! Welcome!

More men should listen to rule #1!