Question about an engagement ring

by Gary
(Boston, MA)

For those reading this who have gotten to the point of buying their babe an engagement ring, did you buy one in your country and bring it to her in her country? Or did you buy it in her country instead? Or maybe another option?

I am not trying to sound cheap or anything but I wonder if you can get more ring for your money in Russia, Ukraine, et. al. and I am also wondering if you would get held up in Customs and have to pay taxes on the ring on the spot at the airport when bringing it to her.

Does anyone have any thoughts about this?

Comments for Question about an engagement ring

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RE: Question about an engagement ring
by: Bob (Site Owner)

I did a little Googling on the issue and don't see much help. Personally would not think there would be any cost savings buying in Ukraine.

The things in Ukraine that are cheap are things that are "all Ukrainian". So, that's all non-imported food items and labor.

So food is cheap. Housing is cheap. Medicines made in Ukraine are cheap. Medical care is cheap (labor).

BUT, if you go to an electronics store and buy a Samsung Galaxy S8 or a particular model of ASUS laptop, they're going to cost the same (approximately) as in the U.S.

To my knowledge Ukraine has no diamond or gold mining, so I would guess that such jewelry would be no less expensive there.
I bought a ring in the USA
by: Ralph

I purchased one in November for my fiancé in Moscow. The rings in USA seem to be nicer if higher quality. You can find cheaper rings but they look cheaper too. American rings will have better craftsmanship overall. This is just my opinion. She wears her ring and tried on some Russia rings to match with her engagement ring. Although the Russian ring was 1/4th if the price, the diamonds were visibly flawed and it just didn’t look as nicely done. Again, my opinion.

As far as tax, Russian customs does not tax jewelry unless it’s something of extreme value. Do not declare it and do not show it unless you absolutely have to. I had no problems. I even snuck the ring into Georgia to propose. No problems whatsoever but be ready to talk to security about it, and especially be ready to tell security to be quiet about it if they do find it, so they don’t alert her to the ring.

I would bring a copy of the receipt just in case you do get stopped and questioned. I would also not tell them the ring is new, but rather, it’s been cleaned and is already worn. This way it seems it is used. People wear wedding rings every day so there is no reason why this is engagement ring would be any different.

I recommend buying if she is from Ukraine
by: Gary from Boston

As a follow-up to my original post, I bought my lady a small, sensible diamond ring as an engagement present. We bought it at a nice mall in her city of Vinnitsa, Ukraine.

Truth be told, she isn't savvy about engagement rings. She probably doesn't know about the three Cs. You know, (C)olor, (C)larity and (C)rap is this expensive!!!

In Ukraine it isn't common for diamond rings to be given as part of an engagement. In the U.S.?
Proposing without an engagement ring is cause for a wine in your face.

I paid $200 for the diamond ring I gave my fiancee. You read that right. $200. And it was a ring from a supposedly reputable name for jewelry in Ukraine. Take that for what it's worth but my fiancee said it is a well known and reputable company. So she was quite tickled.

The ring I gave her would be offensive to any woman from the U.S. Again, it's a small diamond but she wears it with pride and all her female friends have "ooh'd" and "aah'd" over it. You'd think I gave her the Hope Diamond.

If I went bigger, something I think I should have done, I may have been paying upwards of $750-1,000 but still MUCH less expensive than in the USA.

I can only speak for Ukraine. Other countries may be different. For those readers who court (or aspire to court) a Ukrainian lady, when you're ready to pop the question and you want to give her a diamond, buying in her country may be the better way to go.

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