[Wedding Ring Search Report] Why I chose 'Chopard' after thoroughly checking out shops of interest over 5 visits

I got married recently. I still feel a bit restless with the ring on my ring finger.

I visited shops five times in total and, after careful consideration, decided on my wedding ring. I've summarized my decision-making process and what you should do when searching, in the hope that it will be helpful for those who are about to make a purchase.

I had many specific requirements, so this ended up being over 6,000 characters lol, but please feel free to read just the parts that interest you.

Things I thought about in advance when choosing a wedding ring

The main premise was that since a wedding ring is used for a long time, I wanted to buy something I truly love without any compromises.

This is because, although I don't own high-end brands, I love jewelry. I often look at jewelry-related X posts thinking how wonderful they are, and I have purchased 4 or 5 pieces of 'slightly nice jewelry' for myself at various milestones.

The 7 conditions for a wedding ring I decided on after visiting multiple places

With that in mind, I visited 10 stores over 5 weekends and aligned my preferences with my partner's.

The conditions we finally set for the two of us are as follows.

① While visiting shops, I noticed that the color and brilliance of the metal vary from brand to brand (even with yellow gold, some are flashy / some look luxurious / some blend well with the skin...). I felt that the metal affects the overall impression, so I decided to prioritize this above all else.

③ Regarding the budget, it's a long story, so I will write about it in a later chapter.

⑤ Since my partner likes simple designs and I like glamorous ones, our preferences differed, so we eventually started thinking, 'Maybe different brands are fine!' lol

In addition, I included the following two conditions for my own ring.

From the next chapter, I will summarize the rings I tried on and what I noticed for each brand.

Trying on Boucheron wedding rings

This is the brand I was torn between until the very end.

Beloved Full Pave

So cute!! It's very simple, but the moment I put it on, I thought,I really like this... I want it...It was that kind of piece.

Beloved, I love the name too♡

Quatre Radiant Half

This is a ring that remained a candidate until the very end...! It's a popular item, but it really is lovely.
The balance between the gold and diamonds is great, and it was so much to my taste that I went to see it three times. lol

Boucheron is generally high-priced; for example, this ring costs2 to 3 times morethan what I was looking at from other brands. It was completely over budget, so I was thinking that if I chose this, I would pay for part of it myself.

The fit was also perfect, but the reason I didn't choose it in the end was becauseif I happened to lose it, I wouldn't be able to buy it again.

Since I wear my wedding ring every day, I think I wouldn't lose it / I don't want to lose it, but embarrassingly, I have had the experience of losingmy favorite ring and ear cuff in the past...

In addition, we had both just changed jobs and didn't have much leeway, so I decided against it.

(I feel like I'll buy it for some big celebratory occasion...! lol)

The one on the right is the Quatre Classique. It's hard to tell, but it has abrown coating. It's incredibly stylish, isn't it...!

Facette

This is a ring I was interested in after seeing it on the web.
When I tried it on, it felt too cool for me. He said the fit didn't feel right for him.

By the way, for Boucheron, whether or not you can take photos varies by store; it was a no at Shinjuku Isetan, okay at Seibu Ikebukuro, and okay at the Ginza main store if the staff member took the photo. I wonder if it depends on the representative?

Trying on Cartier wedding rings

Because Cartier was about to raise prices during this period, there were huge lines every day... I went to Ikebukuro first thing in the morning to get a numbered ticket and was able to enter in the evening. By the way, it took 3 tries to finally get in lol

Maillon Panthere

It has enough thickness and impact, and since it's not a standard design, it doesn't seem like it would overlap with many other people. The four embedded stones are just right, sparkly and cute♡

When I saw it on the web, I thought, 'I might buy this!' The actual ring was wonderful too.

However, it was thicker than I imagined, and the staff member also said, 'It's fine if it doesn't bother you, but many people are concerned about it.'

Personally, it didn't bother me much even when I closed my fingers, but considering I'll be wearing it every day, I removed it from my candidates just in case.

Trying on Tiffany wedding rings

Harmony Band Ring

It has a feminine and cute impression.
This is 1.8mm, but I realized I prefer something a bit thicker...!

Milgrain Band Ring

My partner liked this one, and it was a ring we agonized over until the end.
Other brands have milgrain designs, but I felt that Tiffany's fine lines were extremely beautiful.

Trying on Chaumet wedding rings

Triumphal

Chaumet's diamonds had outstanding clarity...!

Even though I definitely preferred yellow gold at other brands, I was somehow drawn to platinum here...! It's beautiful...! It's expensive, though.

They had me try stacking them. Such great sales skills!
Stacking is so cute!

The 2.5mm thickness is also exactly what I like.

They explained the brand's history and I was drawn to it, but I felt that overall it was too sophisticated and didn't feel like 'us'. lol

It has just the right amount of impact even on its own♡

Joséphine Égérie Band Ring

This design is also perfect...!
I just didn't feel like it was 'me'.

My partner realized the appeal of gold

I had a certain realization at Chaumet.
He had only been considering platinum until then, buthe realized the appeal of gold...! According to him, 'It's not good to have too many preconceived notions.'

Chaumet's gold is quite elegant and blends well with the skin. The yellow gold and pink gold were similar in tone and both were lovely.

What I learned here ultimately led to my final decision.
It's important to look at a variety of things.

Trying on Tasaki wedding rings

Speranza

Simple and cute♡♡ I believe this one is 2.3mm.

However, I preferred something with a bit more thickness.

Tasaki also has a 'Sakura Gold' color inspired by cherry blossoms, which is cute, and I love the Japanese-inspired concept♡

The background for taking photos is helpful

When I asked if I could take pictures, the staff member prepared a background with TASAKI written on it.
When visiting multiple stores,you lose track of which brand you took photos atso this is really helpful...!

Japanese brands only stock standard sizes

I didn't know this until I went for a preliminary visit, butJapanese brands only have standard sizes available in-store, and it seems that in many cases, the size that fits you has to be ordered.

My fingers are a bit slender at size 6, so even when I tried them on in size 9,I couldn't tell how they would actually look or fit,so I couldn't bring myself to make a purchase.
Since both the design and the fit are super important, I wish they had all types and all sizes available...!

Trying on Mikimoto wedding rings

Mikimoto was a brand where hepraised the comfort,and I agreed; they felt soft and blended well with the finger.
It might have been the most comfortable one I tried on...!

The price is a bit lower than overseas brands, and the brand image is good too, isn't it♡

I felt that there were many rounded designs overall. I prefer linear designs, so it was removed from my candidates, but he liked the milgrain design from Mikimoto.

To the shops in Okachimachi

I was already tired, but I thoughtI couldn't make a decision until I saw all the optionslol, so I headed to Okachimachi, the jewelry district...!

I visited several stores, but I couldn't find anything I liked... but the last shop I entered right by the station was amazing. The price was low, yet it was so cute! And sparkly!

It didn't have much thickness, and the comfort was just okay.

The sparkle is definitely nice though... haha.
I didn't choose it for my wedding ring, but I might want to buy a half-eternity ring for another occasion.

In the end, I decided on Chopard.

Why I decided on Chopard's Ice Cube.

Ultimately, I decided on Chopard's Ice Cube.

Chopard is a brand from Switzerland famous for its watches. I wasn't originally that interested, and I just went in thinking I'd take a look, but it was a ring that unexpectedly moved my heart, making me think, 'Wait, this is cute...!?'

I went to see it 3 times before finally deciding.

Actually, when I stopped by the Ginza flagship store for the second time, the president of the Japanese subsidiary happened to be there for an event and gave me wedding congratulations...! I felt like that was fate, so I decided on this one.

Pros and cons of wearing the Ice Cube.

[Pros]

• It's just plain cute♡ It has facets, so it sparkles when you change the angle.

• It's light, so it doesn't get in the way.

• It looks like a half-eternity ring, and you can enjoy the back side too.

• It's not something you see on many other people.

[Cons]

• ❌ It has a designated front side, but it spins around quite a bit.

• 🔺The feel is slightly angular, and the comfort is average

• 🔺It looks like dirt might get stuck in it...? lol

• 🔺The concept might not feel like a wedding ring? lol

I chose size 6 because 'size 7 was loose, size 6 was perfect, and size 5 went on but was tight,' but before I knew it, it had rotated 180 degrees. Is this the fate of a half-eternity ring... lol

He ended up buying a different series from the same brand, but since it's still being manufactured in Switzerland, I'll add an update later! lol

14 things to do when searching for wedding rings

There are 14 of them! lol

Things to do before going to the store

I didn't bother doing this, but it seems some stores offer gift vouchers if you make an appointment.

Things to do after arriving at the store

I think all of these are important.

Especially regarding ⑥, I thought it was a great opportunity to try on various things.

How to think about your wedding ring budget

The average cost of a wedding ring for reference is 280,000 yen

Regarding the budget, according to a Zexy survey the average purchase price seems to be 129,000 yen for men and 151,000 yen for women. That comes to about 280,000 yen in total.
By the way, the average for an engagement ring is said to be over 380,000 yen.

Our budget was up to 500,000 yen for both rings

After looking around, we decided we wanted to keep it under 500,000 yen for both. It was an amount that balanced our desire for high-quality items with the fact that we couldn't spend that much money right now.

There are all kinds of expenses when you get married, aren't there? If you can save on costs, you should, or you could prioritize travel or the ceremony, and if you can't buy something you're satisfied with now, you can always buy it again later.

Don't get hung up on the average price

This applies not just to rings, but to weddings, buying a home, annual income, and everything else, but I believe it's better not to get hung up on "averages" or "what is generally...".

The average value is not necessarily a representative value (as it is affected by outliers), and there is absolutely no reason why you should conform to it.

In the case of these rings, whether it's higher or lower than the average purchase price, isn't it far more important to buy something that you are convinced is right for you?

▼ Related to marriage, a look at our face-to-face dinner party

What about stacking with an engagement ring?

Generally, I think people decide on wedding rings with an emphasis on stacking them with an engagement ring. However, we didn't buy an engagement ring, so we didn't take that into account.

As for the question of "whether to buy one in the first place," I honestly am attracted to large diamonds. The one I tried stacking at Chaumet was super cute too...!

The jewelry shop staff said,

I thought that was certainly true!

On the other hand, I also feel it's a waste to not wear something expensive on a daily basis. It seems more people are giving them as engagement gifts recently, so I requested earrings.

I haven't decided on the specific product yet, and I plan to have him buy them after our household budget has a bit more room. lol

I tried on Chopard heart earrings when I picked up the rings. Heart motifs are nice, aren't they~♡

[Extra Edition] This way of choosing a wedding ring is also an option!

I will summarize other things I considered as well.

The idea of going unbranded

As I mentioned that Okachimachi became an option along the way, we weren't really fixated on brands. I often see people running jewelry shops on the web, so I thought it might be an option to order from there as well.

I also thought that choosing to go unbranded on purpose would be cool.

It's okay to buy again in a few years

Tarotan Papa on YouTube has given his wife a wedding ring three times, and I thought that was wonderful too.

They say that as you get older, jewelry starts to feel insufficient and you want larger stones. Since we don't have much money to spare at the beginning of our marriage, it's nice to choose something without overreaching for now... and gradually step up as we work hard together, isn't it?

Since it will definitely get scratched while being worn, that might be a smart point as well.

The choice of lab-grown diamonds

While looking for rings, I suddenly wondered, "How are diamonds made again?" and "How much more can be mined?" (I'm a worrier, lol).

Diamonds are said to be created deep underground over millions of years as carbon bonds. Since they are a natural resource located deep underground, it seems there is a limit to the amount that can be mined with current technology.

I hear about lab-grown diamonds a lot lately! I wasn't able to see them this time, but I thought artificial diamonds were quite attractive from the perspective of environmental and human rights issues.

In conclusion

I ended up dragging him around quite a bit, but in the end, we were both able to make a choice we are very satisfied with!

I haven't written the details, but I also looked at Harry Winston, Bulgari, Niwaka, 4℃, and Ginza Diamond Shiraishi. It was exhausting, to say the least. Lol

Precisely because we thought it through and decided, I get excited every time I see the ring shining on my left hand as I type on my PC keyboard every day.

He is the type who has no interest in jewelry, and at first, he even said, "Aren't they all the same? Lol."
However, through this ring-searching journey, he gradually began to show his own preferences and realized how deep it really is. I'm grateful he came along with me.

Our married life has just begun, and we will continue to do our best together.
If you'd like, please support us by clicking the "Like" button.