Korean Job Discussion Forums

[njp6]

Whoo boy. I think the time has come-- me and the significant other need to go shopping for rings. Anybody have any advice on where to go in Seoul to look for and possibly purchase these things? Anybody have any advice on where to stay away from and what to look out for? Info. is appreciated.

[Otherside]

There is a big street full of jewellry and engagement rings etc in Jonggno.

I think it's between Jonggno-3 and 5. If your significant other is Korean, she'll know exactly where I'm talking about.

[bassexpander]

They will want you to pay in cash. They absolutely HATE having anything charged to a credit card. Why, you ask? Because it means they can't cheat on their taxes. A true record of the value will exist.

They will try to charge you a much higher price if you want to pay with a card.

[polonius]

Are you marrying a Korean? I ask because a friend of mine is marrying a Korean, and he said that the big money is to be spent on the wedding ring. He bought a cubic zirconia as the engagement ring.

I bought my wife (Canadian) her engagement ring in Hong Kong. I found the prices to be about $1000 cheaper for what she wanted. Mind you, she wanted a princess cut, and that style can't really be found here, so the jewelers wanted to give me a hoop job to cut the ring. I am sure they would have just gone and found it somewhere else.

Reminds me of a joke:

What is the shortest possible sentence?

I am.

What is the longest possible sentence?

I do.

[Milwaukiedave]

There are lots of jewlery stores in CoEx Mall, however most of those have Korean style rings. In Hyundai Department Store at CoEx on the first floor there are a few really good jewlery shops.

[ttompatz]

Go to HongKong.

The money you save on the ring(s) will pay for the weekend get-a-way trip.

[Captain Marlow]

try those claw machines outside most convenience stores... depending on how good ya are, you could save a bundle...

[PRagic]

Buy off of bluenile.com and have it shipped to your home country. Have your budget in mind, do your research carefully (especially specifics to the cut of the top of the diamond if you're going for a traditional cut), and choose the best you can get. Fly back, pick it up, and bring it to Korea. It'll still be A LOT cheaper than any comparable diamond you can get in Korea. A LOT.

[victorology]

[Easter Clark]

Why buy a diamond? Why not the classic gold wedding band?

[PRagic]

You can try to go the weddy band alone route, but these days, more and more Korean girls are getting hip to the idea of sportin a rock. You can get some pretty nice stones and settings for under 10K.

Besides, if you end up moving back to N. America or Europe, you'll probably end up having to buy one anyway, no? Anybody know any Western women who don't want the rock?

[Easter Clark]

^

Guess I'm just lucky.

[PRagic]

LOL...yeah, so was I...back when we said our vows. Wait a few years.

[njp6]

yeah, I'm as green as they get when it comes to this stuff. I know very little about rings let alone purchasing one in Korea. My girlfriend is from the states, and we've looked on line a bit. We won't be going back to the states any time soon, so ordering a ring and having it sent there won't work. What would you say the mark up is on a ring here compared to the states or Canada? I just don't want to get ripped off. Maybe I will opt for the gumball machine.

[ardis]

^ Jewelry is jewelry--there wouldn't be a "mark up" because it's not like you'd be buying an American-made ring. The prices should balance out to be about the same.