Continue reading The main reason guys fail the engagement ring exercise.
The changing face of luxury shopping
On a recent business trip to the picturesque city of Boston I had the morning off and decided to hit the streets. I was amazed at how dead quiet all the stores were. Two hours in I couldn’t keep my curiosity at bay and started talking to shop staff running the higher end stores on Newbury Street. Every single piece of feedback was some variation of “people just prefer buying online these days”. I’m not talking about music and bookstores – they’re long gone. We’re talking high end clothing (Kate Spade, Ermenegildo Zegna, Ralph Lauren), grocers (niche and normal)… even bakeries. Businesses where you would bet your life people would prefer buying in-store. The frustration was obvious as commissioned in-store staff were merely running a showroom for the brand’s online store. Continue reading The changing face of luxury shopping
Why Are Mall-Based Jewellers So Expensive?
I’m a big fan of the old(?) saying; you get what you pay for.
Buying the cheapest per se is a sure-fire way to get burnt. Luckily, after a few burns most of us start to grasp the concept of value. This price to quality ratio (value) is an invaluable tool when making purchasing decisions.
What’s The Difference Between An Engagement Ring And A Wedding Ring?
I just received another iteration of an e-mail that pops up frequently in my inbox:
“I only see engagement rings on your website… do you also sell wedding rings by any chance?”
The short answer would be a simple yes. But it’s trickier than that. Beneath the skin the real question actually differs depending on who’s asking…
Continue reading What’s The Difference Between An Engagement Ring And A Wedding Ring?
Why I Proposed Without An Engagement Ring
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.
Engagement Ring Shopping Tips From Professional Jewellery Consultants
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
Engagement Ring Prices – A Guide (2016 Edition)
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)
Most Popular Engagement Ring Styles
“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.
Problems With Palladium” – A Fairytale “
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.