Wedding Bands | FerrariChat

Wedding Bands

Discussion in 'Other Off Topic Forum' started by TC (Houston), Nov 22, 2003.

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  1. TC (Houston)

    TC (Houston) Formula Junior

    Feb 5, 2002
    781
    Houston
    My fiance and I are currently shopping for wedding bands. My favorite so far is a Scott Kay 8mm ring in platinum that stickers at $2020. The jeweler has offered a 25% discount.

    Any of you guys have any ideas on how I might get the ring at substantial savings?
     
  2. adamr

    adamr Formula Junior

    Aug 16, 2002
    720
    Chicago
    You need to go to a 'jewelers district' rather than a retail store. In Chicago, this is on Wabash around Monroe... I can give you someone's name if you're interested.
     
  3. Doody

    Doody F1 Veteran

    Nov 16, 2001
    6,099
    MA USA
    Full Name:
    Mr. Doody
    here's a piece of random advice worth less than you paid for it.

    get really simple, generic wedding bands. i know so many guys who've lost their wedding bands in a lake or in a car engine or on a golf course or who knows where.

    someone so inclinded to misplace their band every now and then (not that i'm naming names) need only call their jeweler up and say "hey - it's me again - can you ship me out another one" and you're out, say, $100 and nobody's any worse for the wear, as it were.

    if you get something distinctive and expensive and personalized and you lose it, you're gonna feel like dirt.

    this isn't the catholic church's trans-substantiation, it's just a nice symbol.

    my 0.0001 drachmas.

    doody.
     
  4. TC (Houston)

    TC (Houston) Formula Junior

    Feb 5, 2002
    781
    Houston
    I hear what you're saying, Doody. That's a good point.

    I'm having trouble getting comfortable with the idea of wearing a wedding band at all (just the ring aspect, I've finally gotten comfortable with getting married). If I'm going to have to wear one I figure it may as well be something I like.

    I tried on a bunch of stuff and the standard plain ones just did not go with my style. I liked the wider and thicker ones, and in platinum that gets expensive.

    I'm pretty careful with my stuff, and I figure I wouldn't wear it when I'm working on the car or going to the gym or the track or whatever (I've actually considered getting a beater ring if my wife to be thinks it unacceptable to go to such places without it). Since I'm picking it out and paying for it myself there's not a whole lot of sentimental value. If I lost it or ruined it I guess it would be just like losing my wallet or keys or something, although more expensive I suppose.
     
  5. TC (Houston)

    TC (Houston) Formula Junior

    Feb 5, 2002
    781
    Houston
    FYI, here's a picture.
     
  6. enjoythemusic

    enjoythemusic F1 World Champ

    Apr 20, 2002
    10,676
    Worldwide
    Full Name:
    Steven
    Doody,


    We all know you enjoy the best in life... like this Wellendorff ring ;-) C'mon, fess up :)


    Enjoy the Drive,

    Steven R. Rochlin
     
  7. Gilles27

    Gilles27 F1 World Champ

    Mar 16, 2002
    13,337
    Ex-Urbia
    Full Name:
    Jack
    TC,

    My ring is the exact same one. I'll tell you what I paid, but first the story. I'm not a jewelry person, so I figured when it came to finding a band, it would be a quick, "yeah, that's fine I'll take it" affair. Well, instead of that, I turned into the biggest Sally-B**ch, not liking anything. I finally saw one like mine/yours in a boutique, tried it on and liked it, but they wanted $1600 for it. The saleswoman commented on how well it matched my watch, which is irrelevant for now, but will matter later. Since I had just had a custom wedding band molded and poured for my wife, solid platinum and six diamond insets, for $1000, I knew $1600 was too high for something this simple. However, nobody else had one at the time, so eventually I skulked back to the boutique, only to find out that not only didn't they have the ring, apparently it never existed! Even the original sales lady looked me in the eye and said she had never seen the ring, nor did she remember making the statement about my watch. Now I was really pissed since, as I'm sure you know, the wedding industry is an enormous racket. I went back to the jeweler where I bought my wive's hardware and had them make me this exact ring, for which they already had a mold, but were only making it in gold. They poured it in platinum, and it was mine for $900. SO, the bottom line here is they may be offering 25% off, but they're still giving you the Father Nelson. Offer them no more than $1200 cash, take it or leave it, and don't budge. They'll give you a song and dance about barely covering cost. Tough. Stick it to the next guy.
     
  8. wax

    wax Five Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jul 20, 2003
    51,458
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    Dirty Harry
    You can get more with a ski mask and a gun than you can with just a gun.
     
  9. Doody

    Doody F1 Veteran

    Nov 16, 2001
    6,099
    MA USA
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    ROTFLMAO, wax!

    doody.
     
  10. ryalex

    ryalex Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Aug 6, 2003
    24,957
    Las Vegas, NV
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    Ryan Alexander
    I recommend a Trent West tungsten ring. Tungsten is the strongest alloy you can get, 4 times stronger than titanium! It also has a gunmetal gray color. It's heavy and very masculine. As far as I know TW is the only company that makes them, you have to find a dealer for them.

    It was the very first ring I tried on in the whole search and the one I bought!

    I'll see if I can find a pic.
     
  11. ryalex

    ryalex Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Aug 6, 2003
    24,957
    Las Vegas, NV
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    Ryan Alexander
    Here's the one I got. They have ones with platinum, gold and other inlays. The tungsten only ones start at like $530, platinum inlay ones were like $1000+... can't recall exactly.

    Here's the website http://www.trewtungsten.com/collection.html

    I get compliments about it all the time. Honestly!
     
  12. Nibblesworth

    Nibblesworth Formula 3
    BANNED

    Nov 29, 2002
    1,756
    Southern California
    Full Name:
    BillyBoy
    I got my 8mm (it may have been 9mm) platinum ring for $800. DO NOT PAY RETAIL FOR THE RING. Platinum is incredibly expensive, but $2k is WAAAAAY TOOO MUCH.

    If no jewelers will give you a good price, simply buy some platinum and give it to a jewelry maker. A plain wedding band is incredibly wasy to make.
     
  13. JimSchad

    JimSchad Guest

    I got mine wholesale at a showroom in the world trade center in dallas for $175. No name brand. Looks very similar to the first pic posted. White gold not platinum. Looked spectacular at first. Now it looks like I dug out a gravel pit with it. Scratched up like crazy. It has only been 2 years. Don't pay retail, don't go crazy. After 2 months it is just a band and trust me nobody is going to be impressed by YOUR wedding ring...only HERS.
     
  14. Gilles27

    Gilles27 F1 World Champ

    Mar 16, 2002
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    Jack
    They've been trying to sell titanium rings but with mediocre success. I don't know about tungsten (probably the same if it's so strong), but the problem with titanium is it can't be re-sized. If you order a ring in exotic materials and for some reason it doesn't fit just right, you're kind of screwed.
     
  15. ryalex

    ryalex Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Aug 6, 2003
    24,957
    Las Vegas, NV
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    Ryan Alexander
    The jeweler said I get one free trade-in for a larger size if my hand gets bigger as I age. They can't resize it as it's been cast and is too tough. They polish it 30 times to get it ready; the awesome thing is it's so hard it doesn't scratch. I've had mine over 2 years, only taking it off to lift weights (which has become rare lately, unfortunately :), and even from a few inches away you can barely see micro-scratches... but none even noticeable from over a foot away.
     
  16. darth550

    darth550 Six Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jul 14, 2003
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    I felt the same way before I got married but now I never leave without wearing it. Feels funny...besides, the tell tale stark white tan line is a dead giveaway!

    As far as the choice, it was the Cartier rolling rings (tricolor).

    DL
     
  17. lionsfan54

    lionsfan54 Karting

    Nov 7, 2003
    113
    Caution on titanium/tungsten rings...

    My buddy got married, got a titanium ring and then was reminded by his doctor that if he injured his finger with the ring and it swelled up, they can't cut the ring off (like they could do with other "weaker" metals).

    I'll let you decide what has to get cut off...

    All that being said, that ring looks cool as heck.
     
  18. TC (Houston)

    TC (Houston) Formula Junior

    Feb 5, 2002
    781
    Houston
    Thanks guys.

    Gilles27, thanks for the advice. I've been quite a Sally-Bi*** about it too. What a coincidence that you have the same ring. Oddly enough, one of the biggest factors for me was matching my watch, which is stainless.

    Current asking price from my jeweler is is $1500. I'm going to offer a couple hundred less than that cash. I'm sure they made a pretty penny off the engagement ring so they should accomodate me.

    I really liked the tungsten rings, but they looked a little odd with a stainless watch.
     
  19. Doody

    Doody F1 Veteran

    Nov 16, 2001
    6,099
    MA USA
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    Mr. Doody
    wow - doesn't that mean that the jeweler's margin on these things must be WAY over 100%?

    of course! hadn't thought of that. well, that sure seems like a damn good reason to stick with gold (or white gold).

    doody.
     
  20. Gilles27

    Gilles27 F1 World Champ

    Mar 16, 2002
    13,337
    Ex-Urbia
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    Jack
    Ironically, I broke the middle knuckle of the ring finger on my right hand, and that would have been a nightmare if the ring wouldn't cut free!

    TC, if you already purchased the engagement ring, and I assume the wedding band, from that same jeweler, then they should be giving you a great deal for yours. It may help to remind them that, once married, husbands tend to continue purchasing jewelry for their wives over the course of the marriage. That was the approach my jeweler took, and they also provide free cleanings and inspections every 6 months.
     

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