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Your Take: Would an Engagement Ring from Costco Bother You?
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Diamonds are commodities. They’re rated by organizations on the four “C’s” (clarity, color, cut and carat) and the “value” of the diamond depends on those specifications, nothing else. So why can Tiffany’s charge $16,600 for an engagement ring when a no-name store could only charge six thousand dollars less? (a 2005 ABC News story about this very subject) In my opinion, it’s all in marketing that robin’s egg blue box that Tiffany’s jewelry all comes in.
Nowadays, you can buy an engagement ring from a variety of sources including but not limited to warehouse stores like Costco and online sites like Blue Nile and Amazon.com. You can get them for far cheaper from these sources, but it begs the question… would it bother you if you knew your engagement ring came from a budget big-box type of store?
I think Tiffany’s is the only brand capable of charging such an exorbitant premium (there are a few others but Tiffany’s is the only one everyone knows about). So for many, if it’s not Tiffany’s, then it almost doesn’t really matter where it came from, right?
I’m fairly confident my wife wouldn’t care if the ring came from Costco. (it didn’t, but they were certainly in the running) While I would never receive an engagement ring, I don’t think I’d care about the name of the store listed on the receipt.
How about you? Do you think it changes anything?
{ 49 comments, please add your thoughts now! }
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I’d care.
My husband paid a premium to get a Canadian diamond. It was important to him, so it was important to me.
I would not have cared if my diamond was used/vintage, but if it was new, I was happy knowing where it came from.
I think there’s a related question of “would you care if your diamond was lab created/simulated” and I think for me the answer to that is “no”.
If the first question she asks is, “Where did you buy it?” …you need to keep move on… I’m just sayin’
Wouldn’t care. Of course, my wedding/engagement band (I have a custom-made with two small emeralds and one small, high quality blood-free diamond) only cost about $400. We went to a local jewelry designer and maker and had it made. She charged us more than cost, but not a whole lot more.
The mark-up on jewelry is so great that, even at a 70% off sale at most retailers, there is still a 100% or even 200% profit.
(to clarify: wouldn’t care if it came from Costco if it were Canadian. Maybe they even sell them).
Agree with Catherine – I bought Canadian for my wife at Brilliant Earth online. It cost slightly more than a similar diamond at Blue Nile or other reputable online sites but there’s some family history behind Canadian diamonds so I thought it was worth it for the sentimentality. She could have cared less where it came from really, but thought it was nice that it had a family story behind it.
In my opinion, buying online is definitely the smartest thing to do so long as you’re careful to get it from a reputable source (and of course then go have it inspected and appraised within your 30 day return window to guarantee you got what you paid for). Generally speaking, brick & mortar jewelry stores are a thing of the past. Many have closed up and many more are on their way out because they can’t compete with the online business.
I work in the bridal jewelry industry and I can definitely say if you look at the quality and craftsmanship of a Scott Kay, Verragio, A. Jaffe, or some other major designers piece as opposed to what you’ll find in Costco… there is a huge difference. It’s like buying a Timex as opposed to a Tag Heuer… or a pair of shoes from Payless vs a pair of Adidas.
(I have a low opinion of TIffany by the way but like you said…everyone knows of them. However, people that are in the know about jewelry do not buy there.)
Your analogy falls short of truth. Costco sells high end merchandise including engagement rings that are usually “one-off’s”. Do illustrate thus point, allow me to mention some of Costco’s high end merchants (timepieces): Breitling, Cartier, RW, Rolex, and the overpriced Tag Heuer.
Costo sells Tags and Addidas. The rings at Costco usually appraise for a few thousand if not more than what you pay for – and all their diamonds are near flawless.
Yes. I have one from Target. It bothers me only because I KNOW he didn’t look anywhere else – and that he bought it on sale (for less than a day’s work… so he didn’t even try to save up to show commitment). Which is fine, but it’s not a lovely ring and if you expect a woman to show it off (and he did/does) it has to be a NICE ring. I don’t have a local Costco’s, but I’m assuming they are close enough to one another……
Sorry but Costco and Target are not similar at all
You can get a ring from costco for lke 50K, so really not the same at all. Costco is all high quality (for the most part) the only down side is that it’s not a unique piece.
I got my men’s ring from costco and saved a lot.
I ended up getting my fiance’s GIA certified diamond from blue nile and saved about 4 – 5 hundred. The band I got at a local store because she fell in love with it. The guy at the store tried to find my a com-probable diamond for the cost and couldn’t do it.
Target doesn’t have expensive rings. Costco’s rings go into the $100,000 range. Big difference! I’d love a ring from Costco. One from Target would bother me.
i would duplicate it with my own money and taste albeit what i could afford without financing and be sure it’s beautiful – cubic
zirconias are beautiful – if he’s so blind
he’ll never know and you shall have a pretty
ring – it’s probably just some guy thing that he just doesn’t get – it’s more important he puts out the trash for you. good luck. be good
to yourself.
Costco is high end I mean super high end Vs quality and almost all flawless.
Catherine, Scott: What’s a Canadian diamond?
Bentle: I would agree with that, I imagine the craftsmanship of the setting and other stones would be superior at a smaller place.
Bentle brings up the point of setting and bands etc. which is why I’d care if the ring was from Costco or many places where they’re sold “as is.” For a wedding engagement ring, I figure most people would put the time and effort into selecting the right jewelery for the right person.
It’s probably not only the perception that it may be a bit ghetto to get a ring from Costco, but also a bit of of “effort spent into looking for the ring” involved.
I’m sure the stone in itself is fine at Costco though, if they’re honest about the specs and source. Wouldn’t bother with Tiffany too, still plenty of good local jewelry stores in my area with decent selections and price. May even end up getting the stone and setting from two different places.
But at the end, I guess it also depends on the person the ring’s intended for, and what will truly make them happy (as Ron said, some may even trigger red flags. heh).
Fortunately, I have fulfilled my wife’s “big rock” expectations. She has studied diamonds for years (a close friend was a NY diamond cutter) and as long as the diamond met certain aesthetic and grading requirements, she wouldn’t care that it came from Costco or even Walmart. In fact, if the lower cost meant a bigger rock with equal quality, she would be all for it. That’s why I love that woman!
Why WOULD you care? It’s the quality that counts not the retailers profit margin… unless you are the retailer, of course…
My wife specifically asked for a blood diamond from Kmart.
I myself, being a man could care less about diamonds. I would hope she wouldn’t care as much about where it came store wise as she would where it came from heart wise. That’s what’s important
I wouldn’t care at all. It’s the quality of the ring / diamond that matters, not where it was purchased!
I wouldn’t care if it came from a Costco type store (I think the equivalent in terms of social standing in the UK would be Argos). However, I have sentimental ties to a an area that specialises in jewellery manufacture, and ethical issues with diamonds in general.
On the whole, I’d rather be involved in the selection – which is normal in my circle. I’m not as bothered by the stone itself as long as the ring is platinum, and suits me. I think I’m probably slightly unconventional?
I think people are just wasting their money buying an engagement ring from Tiffany. It’s all about the quality of the stone, you can get so much stone from a wholesaler for the same price you’d pay at Tiffany. The whole setting argument is silly, any good jeweler can copy and duplicate what’s so called the “Tiffany setting”. I don’t care my ring didn’t come from Tiffany and if my husband was able to find a quality stone at Costco, all the power to him!
Costco even has “Tiffany setting” rings for half the price of Tiffany’s…
Personally, I wouldn’t mind knowing that my ring came from somewhere like Costco or Walmart (it didn’t – it came from Friedmans actually). To me, a ring is just a symbol, and as long as it doesn’t turn my finger green, then I’m ok with it!
I can think of a few other places, like Harry Winston’s for example, that have the same cachet as Tiffany’s. In answer to your question, though, if I loved the ring, I wouldn’t care where it was purchased. In fact, the excess of Tiffany’s would more likely be a problem for me. The only thing I would have a problem with, along this same vein, is if it was represented to be something other than what it was. A Costo ring in a Tiffany’s box, a “real” diamond that was actually a simulated one, you get the idea!
My wife is pragmatic enough to recognize quality wherever it would come from. However, I actually bought her engagement ring diamond from a close friend at the time, who was trained to be a jeweler (but was otherwise employed). And, it’s been pretty special, because of that.
I don’t intend to have any idea where my (future) fiance bought my engagement ring. I don’t care if the ring isn’t expensive or ginormous, but I’m not going to lie: it would bother me to know it came from the internet or from Costco (or Wal-Mart, which also sells them).
I would proud that I was marrying such an intelligent man. I would feel secure knowing my husband-to-be will be wise with our financial security.
he got my ring online. he could have proposed with a twist-tie for all i cared, and i would have been ready to die of happiness anyway.
My husband bought my engagement ring online at Mondera. I don’t love it because of the price, where he got it or how big the stone is. I love it because he spent months researching stones, comparing settings, taking me to stores to try on different cuts before picking a setting and stone separately that Mondera put together in a ring. It was the thought and the effort he put into the ring that makes it special. The ring just happens to be a visual representation of the love behind it.
I have been researching diamonds with my bf for a few months. We are practical with our money and I’d hate to see him get ripped off. Quality is definately number one and if any of you have looked specifically at the specs of the diamonds that are sold are Costco, I think the prices are beyond comparable to what you would find at a jewellery store. For example: On the site right now you can buy a
.72 carat cushion cut( like princess but soft corners)
D color which is colorless( best on the scale) VS2 clarity( very slightly included)
18 k white gold for $3999.
I think that’s a good price, but it depends what you’re looking for and how much research you’re willing to put in. They also have a fantastic return policy , although with jewellery in order to return it has to be appraised and checked by a gemologist to make sure it’s the same stone being returned)
Also , each diamond is GIA grading.
So to answer the question, I wouldn’t care where my partner got the ring from – as long as I know he didn’t get taken, and got his moneys worth!
Good point Michelle! You want to marry a smart man who gets his moneys worth!
If you look at the specs on the diamonds Costco sells, they are far better than most mainstream jewelry stores you’ll find, and at very attractive prices. Most places will sell you a $800 ring for $3000, and you’ll walk away thinking you got a great deal. Costco sells a ring for $3000 that has nearly that much value. So if it bothers you that your ring came from Costco, you’d better not look at the specs on the ring on your finger. Chances are, you paid more and got less.
My engagement ring is from Costco. My husband and I researched for months. We went to numerous jewelers and many of them did not even carry the quality stones and settings that Costco did. My ring was purchased 3 years ago for $3200.00 and it was appraised at $6800.00 a month after the purchase. When I took my ring to a reputable jeweler to have it cleaned, he asked where it came from. I said Costco…wondering what the response would be. He chuckled and said that many jewelers actually purchase pieces of jewelry and/or loose stones from Costco, because the the exceptional quality of the stones. They then remove the stones and remount them in their own signature settings. It made me feel even better about the purchase. I noticed some of you comparing Costco rings with Wal-Mart and Kmart…there is not comparing. At Wal-Mart, Kmart, JcPenney, and in many cases Kay Jewelers, Helzberg Diamonds, and other mall jewelers…you can actually see the inclusions in the stone. Costco rings are colorless, and flawless or flawless to the naked eye and their clarity and sparkle is amazing. If you are against purchasing a ring or any other piece of jewelry from Costco…it is evident that you have not educated yourself properly on your investment and are looking for name instead of true quality.
Rebecca – I’m curious to hear more from you – as you do have a ring from Costco. I’m in the research stage with my BF right now, and the more I read, the more I am open to a Costco ring. Have you had any trouble taking your ring into local jewelers for any servicing/cleaning/tightening of the setting? That’s my biggest concern.
Also – to anyone. What is your take on the extended warranties from the jewelers? I feel like they’re kind of a rip-off, but want more thoughts on this for my own sanity. Thanks!
I think the extended warranty really depends on your situation, the cost of the warranty, and what you receive. In my case, I got a very good deal on the warranty. I ended up buying a loose diamond, then having it mounted at a local jewelry store. The service for mounting was going to cost around $40, and for a total of $60 I received a lifetime warranty that includes free rhodium plating as often as I like. (The setting is white gold). So for $20, I get a lifetime of service that would have cost probably $50-60 per occurence. Not a bad deal. My situation may not be the norm, but I would not turn down a warranty out of hand…it could be a great value.
First off,no matter where you purchase an engagement ring,it is a gift from your heart. Every girl does not expect a little blue box from Tiffany’s.Ask her bestfriend,mom or sister (if u think they can keep quiet of course)what kind of rings she likes. Trust me they will know exactly. Women have conversations about engagement rings ALL THE TIME, especially women in long term relationships.What kind of cut,what kind setting, what kind of metal, the size. She is going to want what she wants and expect you to know exactly what it is. All of this is more important than where is it bought.Costco diamond jewellery is sold for under their appraisal prices they come with a certified appraisal.They are also conflict free,you might want to look into where diamonds come from to learn more about that. Make sure you buy from someplace reputable that is a huge company like Costco,or a jeweller that had been in buisiness for decades.Quality is important.Anyways do what you can to make her diamond dreams come true. Don’t go broke doing it. And,if she can’t respect your finacial boundaries she isn’t the kind you want to marry.
I got an engagment ring from Costco and I must say my fiancee got a great deal! We had it appriased independently and we scored big going to Costo – he saved money and I got my big beautiful platinum and diamond ring I always wanted.
Fourteen years ago, when my now husband hinted that he was going to start looking for an engagement ring, I told him to go to Costco. I got a fantastic ring, he didn’t have to spend an arm and a leg and it appraised for twice the amount he paid for it.
One should buy the best quality he/she can afford. Going into to debt to buy a ring (or plan a wedding) you can’t afford isn’t a good way to start a marriage.
I work at Costco, and the whole point at Costco is to attract people by offering quality merchandise at the lowest price possible. they do this so people buy memberships, and that’s where costco makes most of its profits. As far as the diamonds they only sell VS2 clarity and I color or better, so no matter what you’re getting quality. The only thing keeping me from buying one there is that I want something unique. that would be my issue with costco or another big company. I know my girlfriend would like to have a big golf ball size diamond ring, but as long as I just say those words that come right before you give the ring she wouldent care if it’s an onion ring (haha Simpsons reference, that’s what Homer gave Marge)
I askes my Boyfriend of 12yrs to buy my jewlery at Costco. I did my research and Costco absolutely has quality stones. I compared the 4 “C”s of diamonds with comparison to other jewlers. He brought me home a 1.21 carat diamond and platinum ring tonight that is stunning. Color is “G” and clarity is VS1. The cost was $6234.00. I compared this to other stores, including blue nile and he beat the price by several hundred dollars. The ring came with GIA and IGI certifications which valued the replacement cost at $13,000. I think Costco has very good quality as well as price.
I purchased a diamond ring at Costco recently because it was priced within my budget and I considered a few things; the design was something that I liked and the price! I shopped around and was about to spend twice as much but since I do shop a lot at Costco I was confident it would be a great choice!… I do have to say…NOT SATISFIED! While the diamond was good and does seem to be of good grade the craftsmanship and attention to detail of the crafter was just very POOR! I, without a doubt went the extra mile in trying to find the same ring at other Costcos and even though I dove to 4 different ones I was shocked to find the same POOR craftsmanship! 5 out of the 7 rings I looked at had the center diamond set completely crooked and the other 1 has the marques pigeon toed – NOT SET CORRECTLY! Given the FACT that I drove over 400 miles between these “few” Costcos that had them in stock I was very disappointed that the buyer of Costco did such a poor job in making sure that their supplier meat the minimum guidelines for such a standard task as setting the stones correctly. I took the ring to a few retailers and they where quick to find the center stone not only set crooked but also incorrectly with one corner of the four lower that the other three. I then called Costco Corporate office and found they where fast about assisting me with sending a few more directly to my closest Costco after explaining my ordeal and excessive driving in what seemed to have turned into an endless project. Look everyone… I’m posting this because it was a total waste of my time and I’m not arguing that their diamonds are bad or good…WHAT I’M UPSET ABOUT IS THE FACT THAT SOMEONE IS NOT MAINTAINING A STANDARD IN CRAFTSMANSHIP TO MAKE SURE WHAT THEY ARE SELLING IS NOT CRAP! In the box it says “INSPECTED BY JM”! That brings me to the example in the movie Tommy Boy with Chris Farley where he says “Hey, if you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed… I will. I got spare time. But for now, for your customer’s sake, for your daughter’s sake, ya might wanna think about buying a quality product from me”….
Thanks Costco for the waste of my time! And if you guys are going to be selling diamond rings lets just think for a while and make it a common scene to have a the tools of the trade and make sure that you guys have a loupe! All jewelry places have one just like all mechanics have a 10mm wrench! FYI don’t be surprised if the rings Costco is selling are made in China! Like I told Costco representatives… Would you like to buy a car that the hood is crooked even if the engine purrs… its like WTF!
I just bought my engagement ring at Costco. It cost me $4,350.00 with tax. It’s a 1.03 carat diamond. Color is an I, the clarity is VS1, the cut was Excellent and it came in a 950 platinum setting. The replacement value from GIA and IGI was $10,950.00. I did a plethora of research over the past 6 months and couldn’t a ring close to that price of the same quality.
If your girlfriend complains about the ring coming from Costco, tell her you would gladly take the ring back to Costco and buy her a smaller diamond of less quality from a jewelery store.
I’d only be bothered if my ring came from Costco, if Costco sold blood diamonds. I cannot find any literature at the store or on their website with information about where they source their diamonds. Does anyone know?
I knew we were about to become engaged, I begged him not to do anything silly, no matter where your ring comes from, it is the ring for you, it is a symbol of love. However, the little girl in me sreams, “Oh my god !!!! I have a Tiffany!!!!” I’m so happy my man went over the top!!!
I have a ring from Costco… I begged my husband to go there. I have a diamond appraised for 9k that we got for 3k. We purchased a setting at Jared that I wanted. Because the setting came from them, they routinely inspect the setting and the prongs every six months. Makes no difference where the diamond came from….They guarantee their setting not the diamond. I highly recommend costco for those who want way more diamond for their money!
Doesn’t bother me a bit. I am the proud fiance’ of a beautiful Costco engagement ring. I wanted a gemstone as my center stone and found Costco to have the best available and the price was great…I wanted the most ring for the buck and Costco fit the bill. Robbie
Actually the engagment ring on my finger is from costco…..Absolutely stunning…and I dont care where its from other than the fact that its from the man I am going to spend the rest of my life with. Thats whats important not the name behind it or the pricetag