I guess I don’t understand why you’re upset, and feel you got ripped off. Costume jewlery can actually be pretty expensive. My GF and I were looking at some the other day, and there wasn’t anything in the costume case for under $250. Granted, it was a nice store, but still. I just bought her an opal (her birthstone also) ring for Christmas and it was (without the emerald) $325. I’m not sure you should feel so bad. $70? Sounds like it’s a decent piece of costume.
Well, if I were her best friend, I’d bitch-slap her for that comment. I mean, come on, show some GRATITUDE! Most women I know have gotten quite skilled at diplomacy when it comes to gifts from their mates. I’ve gotten some great gifts, and yet I’ve also gotten some REAL clunkers. And it goes both ways–I keep buying my husband cool, fashionable sweaters that I later suspect, given the number of times he’s worn them, he wouldn’t let our dog sleep on. But he expresses proper spousal appreciation. If he really missed big, I would say something. But for a modest piece of jewelry? I’d grin and bear it and say “Thanks honey, you’re such a sweetie.”
I don’t think that your girlfriend has any idea what costume jewelry can cost. Good costume jewelry can set you back quite a bit, as Necros mentioned.
Anyway, if it were my boyfriend, I would have been happy that he put so much thought into my gift, and would wear it happily.
I completely agree. If it’s pretty and you thought it was special, that would be enough for me. 
I agree with D Marie, lolagranola, and Guinastasia.
Just give it to her, and don’t explain anything about what it is or anything else. Unless she asks, which I bet she won’t.
Don’t dismiss good costume jewelry as junk, either. For $70, there BETTER not be any plastic in it. It should wear very well, and look wonderful. And that’s what jewelry’s actually all about.
There are some jewelry-makers on the boards, maybe next time check with some of them first? I have a couple of supplies catalogues around, I could at least give you some idea of what price range you would be looking at for whatever you got in mind.
As to that, get something made for her. I don’t think there’s very many people that could resist that sort of thing. Especially if you could assure her it was unique.
Just my $0.02
Tisiphone
ex-CUSE me? Seriously? Pardon me, I know you care for this gal, but what a bitch! I’d be flattered and touched that you bought something just for me, that you picked out yourself, and that you didn’t spend a fortune (though I bet I’d think that $70- was too much. Not for the lovely necklace, but for a gift…) My girl and I had a $50- budget for Christmas for each other. I know that I went about $15- over, and I judge that she did the same, but Jeez! (we opened gifts last night for Solstice save one that we’re saving each for christmas day)
I love the necklace. I judge it a more than worthy gift. I would tresure it always as a gift from the heart. …I also wouldn’t date such a shallow, ungrateful woman. I’m very glad that the gal that I love dearly was so happy with the gifts I agonized over for months. 2 new shirts, 1 new playstation game. A pair of slippers. A Tuxedo Mask doll.
She got me candy, and 5 new books. A Boba Fett pez dispenser. And a set of pewter charms and ball-necklace chains to put them on. I am still finishing up the seed-bead necklace that I am stringing for her, it will be done tomorrow.
Shame on her. That is all that I can say. Shame on her for doing such a thing to someone who was trying to make her happy, and trying to bring her some joy with a lovely gift.
I love your gift, Doc. smooch Thank you for being the thoughtful man that you are, Merry Christmas. Any woman would be lucky to have you.
K.
Wow. I miss reading the board for a day, and BOY HOWDY!
I guess I need to clear up… when I showed my girl the gift, she did think it was nice and she would definitely wear it. Had I kept my damn mouth shut, she would have called me sweet and thanked me for it, etc. Since I got her a few other little things as well, she’s covered for Xmas. She did laugh at me, though, for my naivety in buying it. That’s ok. I would have laughed at her too. Anyway, I definitely won some sweet points, even for just taking it down to the jeweler to have it checked out. And, knowing jewelry better than I do, she wasn’t expecting real jewels. (No, she wants that when I “propose” to her (We don’t believe in marriage but discuss short-term commitments and ceremonies, but that’s a whole other thread. She wants a ring for that still. Ugh)).
Anyway, I really appreciate all of your support and your responses.
AudreyK: Stupidity is one of my more endearing qualities, for sure. Thanks for the link. I’ll be smarter next time.
Badtz Maru: It could have been a LOT worse, you’re right. And as I said above, I’ll be smarter.
blessedwolf: I almost did go out and get another, much more expensive piece of jewelry. But then… no, I’ll save my good story till the end.
Necros: You’re right. Had I done ANY research (besides on Ebay) I would have known decent “real” jewelry was way out of my pricerange. This is a beautiful necklace and will look nice on her. (Especially if she’s naked. Whoops. Did I say that out loud?)
CrankyAsAnOldMan: (I love your name, BTW)… As I said above, had I kept my damn mouth shut instead of INVITING a ribbing about this, it would have gone a lot more smoothly. Still, neither one of us is the most tactful person in the world.
lolagranola: Yeah, she DID think I was overcharged, and maybe I was. (I didn’t tell her exactly what it cost, but she guessed close to it by my reactions). And she was glad of the thought I put into it.
D Marie: You ladies are all so sweet.
tisiphone: I don’t think there’s any plastic. An emerald crystal and opal triplet… I’m still not sure what that means exactly. Oh well. When I can really afford to do something like that, it’d be a great idea to get some custom jewelry made. Thanks.
Gravity:
I gotta say, you had my head spinning. When in for the attack, then finished off with a very sweet comment. Thank you very much. And a Boba Fett Pez dispenser? Kick ass!! (I hate Pez, love the dispensers).
I’m touched by you all. Thank you.
Now, for my final little happy story… I was telling my boss about the necklace when another lady who works here walked in. She felt bad for me and gave me this beautiful little bead bag she handmade herself. She said she sells them for like $175. It’s really beautiful. She made me take it for free to give to my GF.
Between that gift and all of your kind words, this has been, overall, a great experience and worth the little bit of frustration I experience. Thanks again and happy holidays.
:):)
Hmmm… I wonder how many Pit threads end up this sappy and happy…
Only the great ones!
Plus, you have to realize, a thread that ends up with Christina Aguilera in flames with no one willing to spit or piss on her…for some of us, that’s a sappy happy ending, too…
DocDaneeka–
I think you missed out on the silver lining by not telling her how much you spent on it. I’m sure she’d be touched, and think it awful damn cute of you (in a kind of cute-and-stupid way) that you wanted so much to make her happy that you let it cloud your judgment.
Go with it.
[hijack]
I’d piss on her! But only if she weren’t in flames.
[/byejack]
Why is that guys think they have to buy jewellry goo-gahs for women all the time? If my partner gave me such a useless tit item like that I’d be mad as hell. Especially if it were expensive, I’d have to say “ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND, WE COULD HAVE HAD A VACATION FOR THAT”. Or if it were that cheap, I’d rather have a good pair of hiking socks. Good God, it’s nice to have a man that’s real and doesn’t get caught up in the BS. For the rest of you…happy shopping.
CrankyAsAnOldMan: Well, to each their own, I guess 
Although I have to agree with blessedwolf… I’d probably piss on Christina… if she begged…
lissener: I think she got the point, even though I didn’t give her the actual figure. I won some cute points. However, I still got mocked some… which I had coming to me. I surely would have mocked her a little.
MaryJane: I’ve never understood the jewelry craze myself (or jewelry at all, as this thread clearly demonstrates). I mean, why spend THOUSANDS on a little tiny piece of rock and metal? Geez… Still, my woman has made it very clear that she’s crazy about jewelry.
One time, after she had been talking about rings, I bought her a 25 cent ring in a vending machine. It actually took me 3 rings and 75 cents to find just the right one. Anyway, I gave her one of the crappy little tin-foil rings, and she thought it was so sweet she wore it to work the next day and showed it off as if I had bought her a real piece of jewelry.
The difference, for me, was that when that happened, I KNEW I was getting my 75 cents worth. This crap with the $70 necklace that’s actually worth $15… but, no, really, I’m in a much better mood about the whole thing now.
Thanks again, everyone, and Merry Christmas.
Hey man, in all fairness, my partner and I talked about it and it was agreed that our value systems change with age. Since we’re in our 50’s it’s really easy to look back on youthful idiocy and cluck at others with smug self-satisfaction. It turns out that later on, if you’re smart, you get a whole lot more realistic. My Bud sez to not give up on the girl, she will probably get better with age and ripen like a fine wine. (That was just guy talk I think)