jewelry in NYC - any advice?

hi all

thanks for the ongoing advice

i think a ring is a great gesture to go along with such an important question. but i agree with websterella and midwesterner too. To be honest, she's not a materialsitic person and i know she won't give two hoots about a flashy ring. But I think would be a good idea to get her a nice inexpensive interesting ring as a gift, to mark the occasion as much as anything else. i wouldn't expect her to wear it every day for the rest of her life. a wedding ring yes, because it signifies the actual commitment rather than the intention. but this, not necessarily

I kind of have something vague in my mind. Silver and semi-precious stone. a bit modern. a bit different. but a little more special than your average every day jewelry. and i guess i can afford a couple of hundred dollars max without the debt collectors battering down my door ;)

i think i'm being a bit specific and annoying now, sorry. anyway, any help will be gratefully recieved.

thanks again

Jeanne's silversmiths matches silverware. I think they also sell antique rings. I may have mis-spelled it. Are you sure there's not a family heirloom you could use? Please ask your mom and grandparents!

Reality check time:

Don't pick out a ring for her. I don't think most people do it this way (where the man goes and picks out a ring) anymore. Since people usually talk about marriage before an actual proposal, most people I know generally go ring shopping together, where the woman just tells the guy what ring she wants. And actually, a lot of women are going without them these days-it's a trend.

It is very very hard to buy jewelry for someone else. Women often end up exchanging the ring they are initially presented with if they weren't consulted first, so don't buy one out of town where it would be hard for her to exchange it. Even if you're only spending a couple hundred bucks, she should LOVE the thing. The percentage of women I know who have an engagement ring their husband picked out for them is zero.

I also think it's a lot harder to find the ideal ring without a ton of looking-this is not something that can be done in a day. I too thought I could find something antique and unusual. I looked for months before giving up and talking to a custom shop.

PROPOSE first, no ring, then suggest you go together to buy her the (affordable) ring she wants.

Good luck!

Sending you a PM with links to websites for a few jewelers (not NYC) that might be able to help you get something memorable within your budget.

I don't know much about these things, but I suspect she might prefer that you buy a very simple and rather large ring that would fit through your nose, made of iron.

Hi

Thanks to everyone for your advice. I've decided what I'm going to do, and it happens to include a bit of all your advice.

My grandmother has offered to give me her engagement ring. I'll offer this to my lady when i propose, and when we have a bit more money we'll choose something permanent together.

Because my grandmother's ring may not fit, I'll buy a nice gold chain in new york so she can wear it round her neck.

thankyou all

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<hr>My grandmother has offered to give me her engagement ring<hr></blockquote> Lovely

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<hr>Because my grandmother's ring may not fit<hr></blockquote> Have it resized to fit her. A local jeweler can do it.

Happy to hear your decision. A perfect solution.

I just logged in planning to suggest a pearl solitare necklace as an engagement present since that would be sure to fit, not need the level of care that a pearl ring requires, and could be worn on your wedding day.