When jewelry shopping, how important is it to you that it be a good deal?

[Mreader]

This is just for fun as I am musing about jewelry and browsing (as most of us do regularly lol). For me, getting a good price on an item is very important to me and contributes to the overall enjoyment of the piece. There is an item I love that I have been eyeing for years, but the store has it priced too high imho and won't come down. From other pieces I have bought, I could have probably bought this one 3x over but if I pulled the trigger and got it, I know it would bother because I would feel that I have overpaid.

OTOH, I see the validity of buying what you love if it is the perfect piece, or building it exactly how you want it, so if it costs more that way then it is worth it.

A drawback of being a bargain hunter is sometimes you might buy something that you don't necessarily need or isn't on your collection checklist, simply because it is a great deal!

Thoughts?

 

[maryjane04]

Oh it's very important that I get a good deal. To maximise my beer budget to get the biggest rock I can afford while balancing all the C's. I often think about splurging on a setting but haven't been able to pull the trigger because it's not a good deal.

I know jewellery isn't meant to be an investment but I do like knowing that I haven't overpaid on anything. And in a worst case scenario I'll be able to recoup what I paid for it. I think part of joy is the thrill of the hunt, hunting for a good deal.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Yes, this is me too, if I feel like I overpaid it will bother me endlessly. I can’t even say that if I found my dream piece that I would make an exception, it’s that important to my overall enjoyment of whatever I’m buying.

We are very middle class, jewelry is a luxury item, so getting really good deals on things is the only way I can have this hobby.

 

[marymm]

I'm more concerned about a fair price than a good deal

 

[Matata]

Getting a good deal is secondary to me getting what I want when purchasing luxury items. For ready-made pieces I'll spend a bit of time shopping around for best price but it's not with the same intensity that I use for essential items such as vacuum cleaners, appliances, etc. When having custom pieces made, I know what the price of gem should be for the quality I want and the price of the metal but I rarely question the cost of the artisan's time making the piece. That would be like dickering over the cost of the Mona Lisa for example.

 

[diamondringlover]

getting a deal is very important to me, I don't have alot of extra cash so it vital to me, which is why most of the jewelry I have has been bought used....

 

[MamaBear]

If I fall in love with a piece, I will pay a higher price. Too often, I’ve tried to fulfill a wish with a substitute that clicks some of the boxes and i inevitably end up disappointed In the long run. Lesson learned!

 

[lala646]

Getting a good deal has always been very important to me. But like you said, because I've always focused on getting a "deal", I've been too frugal to spend a bit more and get exactly what I wanted. The end result is that I've sunk a handsome sum of money into this hobby, but find that most of the pieces I've collected are not "forever" pieces, and I will lose money on each piece I try to resell, many of which I've gotten little actual enjoyment from.

 

[pearlsngems]

I'm somewhere in the middle. Who doesn't appreciate a good deal? But if something I truly want costs a bit more than I think is ideal, but it is the ideal item for me, then I will pay it without regret.

 

[Avondale]

Depends. If I’m buying something ready-made, anything above what I feel is fair price for the item will dissuade me from purchasing. I guess one exception would be something really special and exceptional that I covet. On the second hand market I’ll hunt for the best possible deal. If I’m having a one-of-a-kind piece made, my budget is determined solely by what I can afford and I have no issue paying more for the jeweller’s skills, design and time.

In any case, I’m very conscious not to buy things simply because they’re cheap. My collection is relatively small and I actively wear all my pieces and don’t regret buying any of them. At least so far.

 

[Mreader]

If I fall in love with a piece, I will pay a higher price. Too often, I’ve tried to fulfill a wish with a substitute that clicks some of the boxes and i inevitably end up disappointed In the long run. Lesson learned!

This has definitely happened to me and is definitely one drawback to being a bargain hunter! Sometimes I buy something that isn’t 100% what I was looking for but almost there.

 

[seaurchin]

I have a set jewelry budget to keep me from going bonkers with it. And it is not that much, by PS standards.

So if I splurge on one item, I know it will be a while before I can have anything else. That's what my thinking process starts with. I would not like to spend so much on one item that I couldn't get anything else for many, many months.

I also consider if I already have something that's similar and how often I'm likely to wear it. For ex. my lifestyle is very casual and I rarely attend formal events. (I just did attend one and half the jewelry I wore was silver and cubic zirconia. Why spend thousands on jewelry I'll hardly ever wear). I also try to avoid buying things I'm not crazy about just because the price is low.

I love the fun of having pieces custom made though, which of course adds to the cost. But they are usually made with the less expensive gems (tourmaline, garnet, zircon etc.) or lab gems, especially since I like larger stones.

One way I try to get the most bang for the buck is wearing every piece I own at least once within each calendar year. It shows where any gaps are, as well as what I definitely do not need any more of.

 

[lulu_ma]

Guilty! Jewelry is my biggest indulgence so I am always looking for the best value for my money.

 

[Lookinagain]

I'm more concerned about a fair price than a good deal

I guess to me, a fair price is a good deal. So I agree with @marymm . What I don't want to do is overpay.

 

[Dreamer_D]

A few times I have made purchases and I didn’t care about whether it was a deal or not. When I went to CVB to make my three stone setting I wasn’t concerned about “a deal”. I was willing to pay for the craftsmanship and I’m very happy that I did. I also didn’t care about a deal when I was working on my star sapphire ring with CRD. But perhaps that was because insurance was paying for it.

But generally speaking I find I am much more comfortable making luxury purchases when I think I have gotten a deal. I have some poverty trauma from my childhood. And even though I am in a very different financial situation now, I still struggle with spending money, and especially money on myself. I’m working on it But I still feel soooo much better about my purchases if I feel like I got a deal, and I suppose ideally I like to feel confident that I can recoup my investment if the need arises.

 

[Kim N]

I have too often bought things that were almost what I wanted but not quite there, and I regretted them afterward, even if they were a good deal. Now I'm more cautious and will spend up to what I think is a fair price (which is not necessarily a good deal) for exactly what I want. If it's rare, then I may spend a bit more if it's exactly what I'm looking for.

I've found that it's easier to forget the money spent than it is to stop being disappointed that a piece isn't really what I wanted.

 

[Karl_K]

In the last few years "stuff" has little attraction to me.
I will see something,,, hmm that's kewl but its not a need just "stuff" and my place is busting at the seams with "stuff".
So it takes a very smoking hot deal to make me even think about buying something and it has a better chance of getting bought if its for my Wifey!

 

[pearlsngems]

...
I've found that it's easier to forget the money spent than it is to stop being disappointed that a piece isn't really what I wanted.

So true, and not only for jewelry.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

In the last few years "stuff" has little attraction to me.
I will see something,,, hmm that's kewl but its not a need just "stuff" and my place is busting at the seams with "stuff".
So it takes a very smoking hot deal to make me even think about buying something and it has a better chance of getting bought if its for my Wifey!

So, what is Wifey's taste? Only the rare and the exceptional, considering she married you?

 

[MissGotRocks]

The jewelry I have wanted has never been a deal. However, if it is something I really want, I spend the money for it. Makes no sense to me to settle for ‘almost’ as I know it won’t make me happy. Fortunately, I basically have my signature pieces and have no desire for lots of Interchangeable pieces. I think there are deals to be had in preloved pieces - if it is something that you really want. If you are buying just to buy or because it seems to be well priced, you are probably just wasting money. Just my .02!

 

[oldcutclubmember]

Getting a good deal is secondary to me getting what I want when purchasing luxury items. For ready-made pieces I'll spend a bit of time shopping around for best price but it's not with the same intensity that I use for essential items such as vacuum cleaners, appliances, etc. When having custom pieces made, I know what the price of gem should be for the quality I want and the price of the metal but I rarely question the cost of the artisan's time making the piece. That would be like dickering over the cost of the Mona Lisa for example.

I have too often bought things that were almost what I wanted but not quite there, and I regretted them afterward, even if they were a good deal. Now I'm more cautious and will spend up to what I think is a fair price (which is not necessarily a good deal) for exactly what I want. If it's rare, then I may spend a bit more if it's exactly what I'm looking for.

I've found that it's easier to forget the money spent than it is to stop being disappointed that a piece isn't really what I wanted.

I think I’m a combination of @Matata and @Kim N in this. While I love a deal, it’s not the top most priority when I’m buying jewelry or other luxury items. I certainly don’t want to over pay but I am willing to pay up to what I consider is a fair price. The few times I have bought things because they were a good deal and were “close enough” to what I had been wanting, I have found that I don’t wear those items as much. These are items that I would not have bought if they had NOT been such a deal. Since I am focusing on keeping my jewelry collection to those items that I wear regularly, it makes sense to only TRY to buy what I really love.

Now this doesn’t mean I don’t still slip up here and there lol But I try to keep these purchases to a few hundred dollars.

I certainly have spent $$$ on custom settings to get exactly what I wanted and these are the pieces that I still enjoy and love to wear on a regular basis. But once again, I believe I paid a fair price for the design and the skills of the bench.

Obviously, if I end up getting something I love at a good deal, that would be the ideal scenario and I would be kicking myself if I let that opportunity pass lol

 

[Pomelo]

A lot of thought provoking responses here already!

I initially thought that getting a good deal was important to me, but having read this thread I realised that my actual purchase history reflects something different.

For daily workhorse pieces that get a lot of wear and are custom, I pay a fair price to get the specs I want. That usually means adjusting the specs to get bang for buck ie not going for colourless or top clarity, but I’m lucky that I’m pretty colourblind with diamonds and don’t have any mind-clean issues if it’s eye-clean.

Similarly, for designer pieces that are difficult to guarantee authenticity (I’m looking at VCA specifically!), I pay a “fair price” ie from the store. Are the pieces worth the scrap value? Hell no, but to me, the price reflects the design and the maison.

Like many wise PSers have said before me, I would rather pay up to get something I want rather than get a good deal on a nearly-there item. When 95% of my jewellery collection was stolen a couple of years ago, I realised that there were lots of pieces that were either nearly-there or simply didn’t get worn (I’m looking at you, 12ctw vintage baguette and brilliant cut diamond choker!). I went on a bit of a spending spree to replace my collection with things that would get worn regularly or represent value on a cost per wear basis.

However, as my jewellery collection expands and I’ve acquired one piece for every need, I am increasingly on the hunt for a good deal. This is probably because I don’t “need” any more pieces… Do I need another eternity band? No, but it doesn’t stop me from ogling. Do I need another cocktail ring? No, but it doesn’t help when the CS thread here has so many great additions every week

ETA: two things!

One - I am definitely still guilty of buying something that I think is a good deal on a nearly-there item. A perfect example of this is a pair of large Cartier Trinity hoops that was a great price at auction last year. Have I worn them once? Nope, but it serves the purpose of a “large pair of hoop earrings that I may one day reach for”. I console myself that it’s a classic, whilst being keenly aware that I haven’t worn large hoops since my teenage years…

Two - thought experiment in general for the bargain hunters among us, how much is that a reflection of the stage we’re at with our collections? Put differently, did a good deal matter so much for our first engagement than for subsequent upgrades, for example?

 

[dk168]

Apart from watches, I only have 1 piece of branded jewellery (a Chopard Happy Heart bracelet - the cheapest item that I could afford ) as I do not like paying through the nose for a brand.

Value for money is important to me when shopping.

However, sometimes, the heart overrules the head, like the branded jewellery I mentioned. If I have some spare pennies, I would purchase items from them as I have a thing for hearts.

Another example of the heart overruling the head was when I kept pouring money into my old car to keep her going long after she should have been scrapped. She had huge sentimental value to me and I found it difficult to let her go, until the cost of repair was 35X+ of her scrap value.

"Value" could mean different thing to different people.

A piece of jewellery that might not worth a lot of money, e.g. the scrap value of a plain platinum wedding band, could have huge sentimental value to a person, e.g. the wedding band of one's parent, etc...

DK

 

[oldcutclubmember]

Two - thought experiment in general for the bargain hunters among us, how much is that a reflection of the stage we’re at with our collections? Put differently, did a good deal matter so much for our first engagement than for subsequent upgrades, for example?

For me, I think this has less to do with my stage in my collection and more to do with my knowledge of deals that could be had and resources. My current collection does play a role but not the majority. When I got engaged, IG sellers were not as prevalent and most auction houses’ catalogues were not on line for browsing and certainly not for bidding on line in real time. eBay was about it as far as one could go for “deals” and even less sellers allowed returns back then. Otherwise, you would have to go to estate sales and auctions in person. My collection does play a role in that I know more now about what I like and what to look for and am more comfortable buying without having seen a stone in person first. This combined with the fact that there are just more quality pictures, videos and sellers available at a click of a button is what makes me more of a bargain hunter now compared to 15 years ago. I was still on PS when I got engaged and some vendors that are still popular were around back then but there are just so many more vendors and sellers at our fingertips now from around the globe. Comps are way easier to find to realize that I am getting a deal or getting played in the first place!

 

[Bron357]

I’m only interested in good deals. I have no desire to buy jewelry new or have it made (engagement ring excepted) instead I love searching for a bargain and/or repurposing a piece to something I’ll wear more often or to give it a new life. My whole life I have had a list of things I wanted and the purchase parameters around them. The last thing I had on my desire list was a huge Aquamarine ring that cost under $1,000. It took me many years but I snagged her eventually.
I do love and admire the dreams and resultant pieces that some PSers design and have made but that’s not my thing. I think it’s good we are different, makes things more diverse.
And to be honest, a lot of the joy comes from the searching. Even if I had millions to spend I’d still prefer my way of shopping.

 

[Bron357]

And in case anyone wonders what was on my desire list (since about 16)
Diamond stud earrings
A diamond ring over 1 carat
An opera length strand of pearls.
A diamond tennis bracelet.
A diamond tennis necklace.
A gold Rolex
An Alexandrite
An emerald ring
An big Aquamarine ring
A thick gold padlock bracelet (Since rehomed).
21 gold bangles (21 is my lucky number).
A gold charm bracelet (inherited my grandmas so rehomed my original one)
Oh and it seemed for a while, all the watches in the world! I had an absolute obsession with buying watches. I think I had around 70 at my peak. I have downsized somewhat but still many many watches.

 

[Matata]

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I don’t like feeling like I overpaid, so in that sense, a good price / good deal is very important to me. I have almost all my jewelry custom made, and I go to a jeweler who I have given a LOT of business to, which is why he tends to give me a good price - compared to other jewelers in the area, he usually works out cheaper for the same level of quality. But at the same time, I don’t want to compromise beyond an extent - so if there’s something that he isn’t capable of making, I’ll go elsewhere and pay more for it. Also, I don’t mind paying more as long as I get exactly what I want. For example - I wanted to get diamond hoops made, and originally, my plan was to do 20-25pters. But when I went and tried them I found that they weren’t big enough for me, and that I preferred bigger, in the range of ~30pts instead, which do work out more expensive, but I’m willing to pay the upcharge to get what I really want.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

I don’t need a good price but I need a fair price. A fair price is incredibly important to me as overpaying would drastically reduce my enjoyment of the item.

I’m not someone who would throw money at a project to get it exactly just so. I tend to be more “This is close enough, cost effective and timely. I’ll make this work.”

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

Getting a good deal used to be very important to me. I feel very lucky to have picked up gorgeous pre-loved pieces. Now that I am older and less obsessed I find myself very picky on what I want and and not so concerned with getting a good deal. I don't want to overpay but have promised myself when something on my wish list comes along I am going to buy it, as long as it's not extremely overpriced.