On the 28th of April 2012 I proposed to my then girlfriend sans any ring of sorts.
All snuggled up next to a hissing camp-fire the perfect moment presented itself without warning. I always thought I’d at least get down on my knee in that moment- but to be honest I was as overwhelmed by the proposal as Mia was. And knee-dropping without a ring is just super weird.
A few short nights ago I was stunlocked by a fascinating radio interview with a car salesman discussing car buying myths and tips. First lesson; take the bare amount of extras – they’re completely worthless when you resell the vehicle. Second lesson; when you’re seriously (like, really really) in buyer-mode negotiate prices during the last weekend of the month. Most car dealerships have tough targets to meet and usually only make their targets with last minute sales they push through by offering considerable discounts to end-of-the-month-last-minute-buyers. Be the last deal.
Continue reading Engagement Ring Shopping Tips From Professional Jewellery Consultants
The ever weakening South African Rand has caused engagement ring prices to increase quite a bit over the last few years. By “a bit” I mean they have pretty much doubled. Whatever your friend paid 5 years ago – you’ll be paying double that today.
Continue reading Engagement Ring Prices – A Guide (2016 Edition)
OK – lets do it…
Most engagement ring shoppers are first time diamond buyers with a very limited knowledge of diamonds. Although most buyers insist on only buying “certified diamonds” these days that’s pretty much where the checks and balances end. At the end of the day – everyone just wants a great deal…
So, a customer buys a diamond ring from a jeweller and rests assured since he received a legitimate looking Post-it™ note sized “independent diamond grading certificate” with his purchase.
Continue reading Not So Independent Diamond Grading Certificates
“What’s popular?” isn’t a question we get bombarded with here at Poggenpoel.com. I’m proud to announce that most guys have figured out that buying a diamond engagement ring is a tad more complex than renting a DVD for Friday date-nights.
Why Do Certain Jewellers Badmouth Palladium?
The usual suspects… ignorance, spite and high blood-alcohol levels.
Jokes aside, there seems to be some bizarre occasional badmouthing of palladium in South Africa by certain jewellers. It’s completely unfounded and I’d like to share my thoughts on it.
Whether you like curves or not, there is one curve you can’t avoid: The Buyer’s Learning Curve.
As another year draws to a close its time for our own little annual award ceremony!
Continue reading The Most Popular Engagement Ring Designs Of 2014
Diamonds aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. We get that. For a wide variety of reasons, many engagement ring shoppers opt for precious gemstones other than diamonds every day. Setting the budget issue aside for a second, many folks (including my wife) genuinely prefer coloured gemstones to diamonds.
Diamonds are still viewed by many as the classic and traditional engagement ring gemstone, but there are strikingly stunning and practical alternatives that should definitely be considered if you aren’t dead-set on a diamond for your engagement ring. Most engagement rings that use gemstones other than diamonds for the main setting still use tiny diamonds as accents on the ring. This creates a stunning contrast that is favoured by many!
Continue reading Two Stunning Diamond Alternatives For Your Engagement Ring