Where to Buy an Engagement Ring in Rochester, NY

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Where to Buy an Engagment Ring in Rochester, NY

Thinking about getting engaged?  Finding just the right engagement ring is often the first step.

While there are plenty of national chain stores at the shopping malls, here’s a list of independent jewelry stores in Rochester, NY that can help you find a ring that you like at a cost that meets your budget.  We’re a big fan of indy retailers – personalized service, fair pricing and often the ability to customize things in ways that you just won’t find at the national chain stores. As a bonus, more of the value of your purchase stays right here in our community instead of being sent to some far-off corporate office.

After you’ve popped the question and set a date, stop by Vittorio Menswear & Tuxedo to find a wedding suit or tuxedo for the big day. You’ll be glad you did!

 

Burke & Bannayan Jewelers – Greece
2465 West Ridge Road, Rochester, NY 14626
(585) 723-1010

 

Cornell’s Jewelers, Inc. – Pittsford
3100 Monroe Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618
(585) 264-0100

 

Forsythe Jewelers – Pittsford
66 Monroe Avenue, Pittsford, NY 14534
(585) 586-5954

 

Furnari Jewelers – Webster
39 West Main Street, Webster, NY 14580
(585) 872-2626

 

The Gem Lab – Henrietta
4098 West Henrietta Road, Rochester, NY 14623
(585) 286-5995

 

Heritage Jewelers – Greece
2547 Ridge Road West, Rochester, NY 14626
(585) 225-7280

 

Jerry’s Jewelers – Irondequoit
1368 East Ridge Road, Rochester, NY
(585) 544-2090

 

JF Jones – Greece
Stone Ridge Plaza 1588 West Ridge Rd, Rochester, NY 14615
(585) 865-6604

 

Mann’s Jewelers – Pittsford
2945 Monroe Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618
(585) 271-4000

 

Northfield Designer Goldsmiths – Park Ave
700 Park Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607
(585) 442-2260

 

Richards & West – East Rochester
501 West Commercial Street, East Rochester, NY 14445
(585) 461-3022

 

The Source Jewelers – Greece
2147 West Ridge Road, Rochester, NY 14626
(585) 225-5445

 

The Source Jewelers – Pittsford
3300 Monroe Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618
(585) 586-9145

 

Own an independent shop that’s not listed? Drop us a line with your details and we’ll see about including your shop in our next update!

Rochester Bridal Show Tips

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BridalShowPic

Bridal Shows can be a treasure trove of information for newly engaged couples. The nice part about them is you don’t need to drive all over town to meet with wedding professionals, it can be a, “one stop shopping” experience if you want.  That said, they can sometimes be overwhelming for the uninitiated.  Here are a few tips to help make your next bridal show a little easier.

  1. Bring adhesive address labels, if you have them, or print some up on your computer. This will save you a lot of time when you register for prizes at individual booths. Most exhibitors will want to know your wedding date, fiance’s name and a way to contact you if you’ve won, so add those things to the label as well.
  2. Have a calendar handy to schedule follow up appointments with vendors you’d like to talk with in more depth.
  3. Eat before you go – some shows feature light snacks but don’t count on having a lot to eat while you’re at the show. Eating before you go helps you concentrate on your wedding rather than your stomach.
  4. Bring a small bottle of water – gathering info and talking with wedding pros all afternoon can make you thirsty. Most places have a drinking fountain (or sometimes a bar to grab a beverage) but if you bring a little water you won’t have to hunt those things down.
  5. Colored Stickers – we’ve seen several brides do this and we think it helps save a little time.  Grab some inexpensive dot or star stickers at an office supply store and put the stickers on brochures or flyers you get  of things you like.  Realistically, after you’ve spoken with 50 vendors some things start to run together in your mind.  A sticker on the brochure helps you flag it for later when you want to investigate your options after the show.
  6. Notebook & Pen – Okay, you don’t have to be a court stenographer at the show, but if you want to jot some notes down or capture that great idea you saw, this is an easy way to do it.  The camera on your phone is a good way to visually capture things you want to remember too.
  7. Wear comfortable shoes – it’s easy to spend a two to four hours visiting with vendors, watching the fashion show, etc. Sore feet make most people cranky, so do yourself a favor and wear sensible shoes.
  8. Bring your finace (at least once) – We know it can be hard to convince a lot of guys to come to a bridal show on a Sunday (especially if there’s a game on), but having him there will help keep both of you on the same page as you move through the planning process, even if you have different ideas about various aspects of planning your big day.
  9. Create a temporary e-mail to be used while you are planning your wedding. That way you can delete it when you no longer are interested in receiving special offers or hearing from vendors. The amount of offers you receive at first may seem overwhelming, but take the time to read them or you may miss out on some very good deals.
  10. Walk down every aisle and collect any information you are interested in and take it home to look over again at your leisure. Most large bridal shows will provide you with a large shopping bag as long as you register when you enter.
  11. Ask lots of questions, that’s what the vendors are there for. They want to help you, so find out everything you need to know.

Finally, have fun and take advantage of all the knowledge in the room.  Even if you think you know what direction you want to go, most vendors have a good sense of what works and what doesn’t since they help couples with weddings most weekends of the year.  Tap into that knowledge and you’ll make your big day more fun with less stress.

Engagement Ring Insurance – What You Need to Know

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Have you ever wondered about insuring your engagement or wedding ring?  Today’s post comes to us from our friend and guest blogger, Rhett VanScoter of the VanScoter Insurance Agency in Greece, NY.

engagement-ring

The majority of wedding engagements occur from Thanksgiving to Valentine’s Day.  This isn’t just some statistic that you read on the internet, I know this to be “fact” because my engagement fell in the window of loving bliss.  Jewelry stores love (pun intended) this time of year because this is when they do the most business.

I know when I went ring shopping, I’m sure the store clerk could see the hearts floating above my head and the bulls eye on my forehead.  Ring shopping for guys can be a stressful situation, not only are you trying to make a statement to your significant other on how much you love them and want to spend the rest of your lives together, but it also a statement to all of their friends and family.

When you tell people that you got engaged, the first thing they ask is to see the ring and the next is how did he propose?  So how much do you spend on a ring?  The so-called experts say 3 months salary.  When they talk about 3 months salary, they’re not talking about your take home pay after taxes, healthcare, retirement savings and other deductions, they’re talking about gross salary!  So it’s really more than 3 months salary.

That’s a lot of cash to be plunking down on a little rock.  When you make that big of an investment, you want to make sure that it’s covered.  I’m pretty sure that my head would physically explode if Christine’s engagement ring was stolen or the diamond fell out of the setting.

There are 3 options that you have to insure your 3 months salary that is walking around on your bride-to-be’s finger.

1.  If you have homeowners or renters insurance, your policy will usually provide coverage up to $2,500 if your ring is stolen.  Some policies may even go as high as $5,000.  This is the most basic of coverage.  If your engagement ring along with other jewelry is stolen, they are all going to be subject to the $2,500 or $5,000 limit.  You’ll also want to know if within that $2,500 or $5,000 limit if there is a per item limit.  Some insurance companies will only provide up to $500 or $1,000 per item limit.  Not only is the dollar amount limited, but most policies won’t provide coverage if the diamond falls out of the setting and is lost.  This happens more often than you think, it’s important to get your engagement ring cleaned and inspected by a jeweler regularly.

2.  You can list your engagement ring separately on your homeowners or renters insurance policy.  This is a better option than the first because you can insure the ring for the appraised value, so you won’t be stuck with the low limit of coverage built into the policy.  By listing your engagement ring separately on your policy you can also choose  a different deductible for your ring, you can even select $0 as your deductible for the ring.  Using this option to insure your ring will also provide you with broader coverage as well.  This would provide coverage if the diamond fell out of the setting and was lost or when you go swimming in the ocean on your honeymoon and the engagement ring falls off of your wife’s finger (true story, this happened to another couple at the same resort we went to for our honeymoon).

3.  The third option is to get a separate jewelry policy, just for your engagement ring.  This option is very similar in coverage options as #2.  The ring would be insured for the appraised value and would provide the broader coverage.  Most people would use this option if they didn’t have a homeowners or renters insurance policy.  Maybe you still live with your parents so you don’t have a need for either of those policies.  Or you could get a separate policy, so if you do end up having a claim related to your engagement ring, you won’t affect the rates related to your homeowners or renters insurance policy.

So after you empty out your bank account, make sure that ring is insured!  If you would like us to review your insurance to make sure you are properly covered and provide you with a no obligation quote, give us a call at 585-663-2004.

Rhett VanScoter is the owner of VanScoter Insurance Agency, LLC, located in Greece, NY.  He is an independent agent that represents multiple insurance companies providing auto, home, renters, condo, business insurance and much more.