no discount love for me, please

Yesterday, SPF Ghost shared an article with me about engagement rings.  More specifically, a $1 million engagement ring from Costco.  My very first reaction?  "Get with the times, CNN!  I read about this way back in April!"  But back on point, his question for me was "How would you feel if you were ever given an engagement ring from Costco?"  My answer?  There are 4 Cs in diamond buying, and Costco is not one of them!

[I'd like to include a disclaimer here that unless I am entrusted to haul a ring to the fiery pits of Mordor tomorrow, there are exactly zero rings in my near future.  This is completely hypothetical.  If I met The One and he proposed with a Costco ring, this could all change.  Could.]

There are obvious financial reasons why buying a ring at Costco makes sense-- they're high-quality, certified diamonds, and they're not marked up with brand-name premiums (That blue box at Tiffany & Co. is the most expensive piece of cardboard you'll ever purchase).  Plus, they come with a lifetime guarantee and a full cash back return policy.  And if you're a rewards member, you can even get 2% cashback on the purchase!  It might seem like a no-brainer, maximizing your budget and getting more bling for your buck.

And on the human side of things, when he gets down on one knee, are you really looking at the brand name on the box?  My friend RoRo said yes and freaked out before she even got a glimpse of the ring.  And that's the way it should be.  The fact that the Guy of Your Dreams is asking to you to spend the rest of your life with him should be enough.  The ring is is a symbol.  It shouldn't matter whether it's a cracker jack ring, out of a vending machine, a ring pop, from Costco, or a Harry Winston.  And the rational, normal side of my brain (90%, I'd guesstimate) sees, understands, agrees with all of this. 

But that last 10% of me, the irrational Lindsey Marie H?  She's screaming "Eww!" at the idea of an engagement ring from Costco, or any other big box store for that matter.  The thought of my beloved running to the store for industrial-sized Clorox wipes and some toilet paper, and tossing an engagement ring in the cart with it?  No, thank you!  Also, buying a ring at Costco isn't nearly as personal.  There's no personal relationship with the person who sells you the ring, and if you come back to get it checked out, it's probably going to be someone else wearing a red vest behind the counter.  Shouldn't purchasing an engagement ring be one of the most personal purchases you ever make?  And if it's about saving money, or getting a bargain, divide that difference in cost over the next 50-60 years, and it's a couple candy bars a month. 

The more practical reasons to not purchase at Costco?  They don't resize them for you.  So you'll have to go to a jeweler regardless.  And once you do resize it, the return policy is moot.  Also, the diamonds themselves may be great, but the settings can leave a lot to be desired.  Looking for a happy medium?  Purchase the diamond at Costco, and get it reset at a jeweler.  Cheaper diamond, personal touch of a jeweler.  Win-win.

The value in an engagement ring isn't how large the diamond is, or how much it costs.  It's in the fact that your fiancee went to the effort of finding a symbol of your love that will last throughout your lives, and when the going gets tough, it'll be a constant reminder of that promise made years ago.  I'm not saying I could never get over a Costco ring, or that I'd flat-out reject one.  But hopefully my Prince Charming doesn't want to propose to me with something I'm only 90% sold on, something I could "get over" (but forever lie to my girlfriends about where it came from). So...

Dear Future Fiancee,

Please no discount love.  Give me the expensive, romantic stuff.
We can penny pinch for the rest of our lives together.  On other stuff.

Love,
Lindsey

PS:  I want these to be our engagement photos.  (Thank you JohnCessna for the great find!)