In terms of logic....Jewellery isn't such a bad gift - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Sylvanfan · 12-09-2006, 12:53 PM

My wife is a woman who actually admits to liking jewelery. My initial reaction to this used to be, this is dumb and useless. Who needs this stuff? If it wasn't for men needing to buy birthday and christmas gifts there would be no use for this stuff.

I heard a survey from mens health magazine where it said nowadays more women would rather get a plasma HD TV for Chirstmas than a similarly valued piece of Jewellery. Initially you think they've finally adopted logical thinking. The T.V. is much better you use it every day. But than I got thinking, and realized that 5 years from now that T.V. is going to be an outdated piece of junk that you want to toss out your window and replace. It'll basically lose 90% of it's value as a best case scenario. Diamonds and gold on the other hand are a pretty good bet to at least retain their original purchase value. How many things out there can you buy and not have them completely tank in value? Not much as far as I know. If I buy my wife a diamond pendant today, 10 years from now we can probably trade it for the original value. If I buy her a T.V. I bet we won't be able to give it away in 10 years. After thinking about it that way...Jewellery may be a cheesy cop out gift, but long term you really don't lose that much money on it.

ericschand · 12-09-2006, 12:59 PM

I hate to burst your bubble, but diamonds are not a good investment.

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/198202/diamond

You are much better off staying away from diamonds.

ers

jharp · 12-09-2006, 01:01 PM

i do fully agree with you, but the functional value is much less. does this offset? i think that is a personal choice.
i do think that most women, whether or not they admit it would rather get the jewelry though.

FireFly · 12-09-2006, 01:06 PM

I have a number of thoughts on this issue.

A TV is a self-serving gift. Yes, she may want one, but then if you always get the remote, it's not really a gift for her, is it? In most cases I would suggest that a tv be something you both buy as a gift for yourselves as an investment rather than buying it for one or the other of you.

Jewellery is a gift for her and her alone. That doesn't preclude you buying the tv, but if you get a gift that's really for the two of you, you should also get a gift that's for her alone. Jewellery is always an excellent option. Most women love things that sparkle.

Sylvanfan · 12-09-2006, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericschand

I hate to burst your bubble, but diamonds are not a good investment.

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/198202/diamond

You are much better off staying away from diamonds.

ers

I never said they were a good investment wet blanket. I said they weren't as bad as most of the other junk we buy. Chances are they'll still hold value better than 98% of the other crap we buy. Also 50 years from now that piece of jewellery will still exist in some shape or form (although it may look hideously tacky)...the other crap will have been long ago thrown away.

Lets face it there isn't one f_cking thing in this world that 100% of the population thinks is a good investment. Houses...someone will crap on that. Stocks and bonds, someone else will crap on that too, plus unless you're loaded I don't think you're buying a house as a gift, and stocks and bonds don't get the average person excited unless they grew up on Wallstreet. You can loose money on everything you buy. But there are some things you'll loose a lot less on. Jewellery seems to be one of them.

@theCBE · 12-09-2006, 01:10 PM

In 10 years you will somehow have to convince your wife to sell her jewelery. Women get emotionally attached to crap like that... 10 years from it will probably hold much more emotional value that monetary value to your wife, and you will have gone 10 years without an HD TV... go for the TV

Sylvanfan · 12-09-2006, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by @theCBE

In 10 years you will somehow have to convince your wife to sell her jewelery. Women get emotionally attached to crap like that... 10 years from it will probably hold much more emotional value that monetary value to your wife, and you will have gone 10 years without an HD TV... go for the TV

10 years from now we'll be able to plug our minds into our computers and see whatever we want without a screen. I'll wait for that and put up with my 6 year old obsolete flat screen T.V. in the mean time.

Besides, I convinced her to do the no Christmas present thing and spend our money on a trip or something in the new year. And I'm not that rich I can buy her a T.V. for her birthday!

I-Hate-Hulse · 12-09-2006, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

If I buy my wife a diamond pendant today, 10 years from now we can probably trade it for the original value.

An interesting argument, although trade in value is probably more like 50% only (on the upgradable plans). Still 50% is still more than the value of the TV like you said.

There's a reasonable value for jewellry, and then there's ridiculous. I got my g/f diamond earrings for approximately the value of my TV and she was thrilled. If she had wanted a pair 4x the value of my TV - tough noogies - that's excessive in my opinion.

We actually do the adopt a family thing rather than exchange presents at Xmas - ends up being way cheaper, lots more fun (shopping for little kids), not to mention being a good thing to do.

Winsor_Pilates · 12-09-2006, 03:14 PM

I'm getting the GF some jewelery this year. No way in hell, she'd rather I get a TV.
But she doesn't care too much for diamonds either which is awesome for saving me money.
Gold and silver will do.

getbak · 12-09-2006, 03:16 PM

What woman doesn't love a pearl necklace?

Winsor_Pilates · 12-09-2006, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by getbak

What woman doesn't love a pearl necklace?

a transvestite?

vanisleflamesfan · 12-09-2006, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by getbak

What woman doesn't love a pearl necklace?

I was in the jewelry store just this morning shopping for the Christmas present for the GF, and being a bit of a moron when it comes to this kind of thing I don't really know what I am looking for. So I ask the sales lady and after a few questions she says that pearls are always a good idea in my situation and follows that up with almost that exact same sentence! I almost choked on the blood from biting my tounge.

PYroMaNiaC · 12-09-2006, 05:34 PM

Put me in the column of women who'd rather have something other than diamonds for Christmas. This is the first year in 13 that I've asked for jewelry. I lost one of my gold earrings and need something that I can wear everyday with everything.

Otherwise, there are so many more options that are so much more fun!

FireFly · 12-09-2006, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanisleflamesfan

I was in the jewelry store just this morning shopping for the Christmas present for the GF, and being a bit of a moron when it comes to this kind of thing I don't really know what I am looking for. So I ask the sales lady and after a few questions she says that pearls are always a good idea in my situation and follows that up with almost that exact same sentence! I almost choked on the blood from biting my tounge.

I would say actually that pearls are probably not a good selection if you have no idea... pearls can seem... old. I don't know what the sales lady was talking about. Some pearl necklaces are meant for old women, and some are meant for the young ladies.

vanisleflamesfan · 12-09-2006, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FireFly

I would say actually that pearls are probably not a good selection if you have no idea... pearls can seem... old. I don't know what the sales lady was talking about. Some pearl necklaces are meant for old women, and some are meant for the young ladies.

No I wasn't trying to say that they were a good choice for someone who has no idea... I, or rather, she said (I said it in my post) they were a good choice for someone in my situation; which is, a young man with a much larger, more significant jewelry purchase coming up in the VERY near future, but not for Christmas. Evidently, pearls are an appropriate choice in THAT situation. Something practical that can be worn on that big day.

As I now understand it, pearls are traditionally linked to marriage; either on an anniversary, given to the bride by the grooms parents, or given by the suitor as a public declaration of his intention to marry... sort of a more grown up, more acceptable form of the promise ring.

FireFly · 12-09-2006, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanisleflamesfan

No I wasn't trying to say that they were a good choice for someone who has no idea... I, or rather, she said (I said it in my post) they were a good choice for someone in my situation; which is, a young man with a much larger, more significant jewelry purchase coming up in the VERY near future, but not for Christmas. Evidently, pearls are an appropriate choice in THAT situation. Something practical that can be worn on that big day.

As I now understand it, pearls are traditionally linked to marriage; either on an anniversary, given to the bride by the grooms parents, or given by the suitor as a public declaration of his intention to marry... sort of a more grown up, more acceptable form of the promise ring.

No, I totally understand where you're coming from. My point is this: Pearls are worn by old women. Younger women might not like them, in fact, might actually wonder why she's getting jewellery meant for a old lady.

vanisleflamesfan · 12-09-2006, 08:16 PM

Yeah I can sort of see what you are saying, but we are not talking about a huge multi-strand string of 12mm pearls here, a-la Barbara Bush (see, I did learn something today). The items she was showing me are very nice, and would be very flattering on a young woman. White gold accents, very tasteful.

FireFly · 12-09-2006, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanisleflamesfan

Yeah I can sort of see what you are saying, but we are not talking about a huge multi-strand string of 12mm pearls here, a-la Barbara Bush (see, I did learn something today). The items she was showing me are very nice, and would be very flattering on a young woman. White gold accents, very tasteful.

You sound like a sales person! Pearls are very lovely, I don't deny that. I guess it just takes a certain personality to appreciate them properly. They can be tasteful and flattering on a young woman, but if your gf is not the kind of girl who appreciates pearls, she'll wear them once or twice and that's it. Maybe that's the point?