How much for an engagement ring?

[ringguy]

I've read a lot online about this but curious what an anonymous poll reveals on how much guys would spend or have spent on an engagement ring.

Spoke with one friend who was upfront and said $1,800 while another said "somewhere around 10" which probably means closer to 12 or higher.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[spike98]

Personally, i think $3-4K is about the right amount based on what can afford. Im not balling enough to spend more and not too cheap to spend a bit. It will vary wildly though as some guys will feel different and some woman's expectations are different. My wife would have been happy with anything short of a vending machine ring.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Whatever fits your budget and lifestyle. My other half would have fucking killed me if I spent big money on a ring instead of using that money for something better.

[ExtraSlow]

Obviously depends on the combined income, but in the dozen years I've been married we've never thought there was any benefit to getting any more bling. But then again my wife isn't about showing off possessions.

I'd say if your girlfriend is the kind that would worry about size of rock, maybe you should not make her a fiancé.

- - - Updated - - -


Whatever fits your budget and lifestyle. My other half would have fucking killed me if I spent big money on a ring instead of using that money for something better.

+1.

[Hallowed_point]

I always say, how much can I spend and still have money toward my sports car fund? But women don't tend to dig that answer.

[eblend]

I'd say if your girlfriend is the kind that would worry about size of rock, maybe you should not make her a fiancé.

- - - Updated - - -

+1.


This....my ex always told me she wanted a 20k ring, I always though that was retarded...we are still friends and I saw what her husband bought, $25k right with a fucking massive diamond that looks so tacky and disproportionate.

For my wife, I bought her one for about $1500 almost 10 years ago as I was young and just starting out in my career, going to get her something in the $5-7k range here for our 10 anniversary next year. Wife is the same way, if I spend that much money on a fucking ring she would murder me for buying that shit instead of something much more useful.

[JfuckinC]

lol you gave yourself away. I'm about to spend around 5k on what my girlfriend wants i guess... fucking adulting.

[shakalaka]

Why make a new account to post this question? lol.

But yea..I dated a girl that wanted a minimum 2 carat diamond, although would have gotten it for her at the time considering how I felt but good thing it didn't work out cause I married one who couldn't care less and thought the little north of $5K I spent was a too much.

[thinmyster]

I think I spent 7-8K USD when the dollar was close to par :clap:

[vengie]

Moissanite.

You're welcome.

[bjstare]

At the end of the day, it entirely depends on what's reasonable and what she wants. If she values jewelry, she's gonna want to show it off to all her friends. Get her something you'll be proud of her showing off haha. Conversely, if she doesn't, get her a ring from a gumball machine, cause anything else is a waste of money.

I think I spend somewhere between 7-9k for my wife's ring/band. Can't remember as it was a couple years back, but it was a very reasonable amount WRT to income (which is really what matters).

[mzdspd]

Price is one thing but a more important factor is shopping around and knowing what you want/what you are paying for.

Most jeweler shops are very overpriced. I bought on bluenile and spent lots of time doing my research to know what I was buying for a diamond. This research alone probably saved me 50% of what I paid.

[Asian_defender]

Girls love to show off how much their man spent on them. It's really kind of toxic. I know someone at work that wasn't content with her 12k ring so she asked for a 16k ring as a push present.
Don't know what it is but the girl with the biggest rock is most alpha. I just don't get it

BTW I find that Blue Nile so far has been the best, you don't get to see the diamond in person but their prices and service has been top notch

[ercchry]

In retrospect... smaller is better... big diamonds hurt :rofl:

[RX_EVOLV]

I based my purchasing decision on the average size of her friends' rings. Ultimately she's going to be showing it to everyone and I want it to be at least comparable to everyone else's. Unfortunately the average ring size for her friends is ~ 1 carat and round, so that was my starting point. After that I did a bunch of research on the standard stuff like Cut, Color, and Clarity, and that formed my budget. In the end I got a 1.3 carat for near the top end of the budget.

Felt expense then but now that we are planning our Hawaii wedding, it doesn't seem too bad at all lol. But like what other have said, depends on the girl you are proposing to, and don't spend beyond what you can afford. At the end it's a depreciating asset.. not an investment..

[killramos]

If you can’t justify a 3 carat Tiffany is it really love?

:rofl:

[rach]

if you can’t justify a 3 carat tiffany is it really love?

:rofl:

so true!!! Lol

[oilerfan4lyfe]

If you can’t justify a 3 carat Tiffany is it really love?

:rofl:

:rofl:

I don't think I'd ever spend >10k on a ring. I'd worry too much about it getting lost or stolen or something like that. Take her to Spence, see what styles she likes and then shop around from there. If you can somehow find a ring from Costco, you'll get a solid deal for the quality of the diamond. It's also worth talking to custom jewelry places. When I had my wife's wedding band made, it was cheaper to get a better quality custom made one than it was to buy a crappier one from a jewelry shop.

[Sentry]

Moissanite.

You're welcome.

A whatanite?
https://i.imgur.com/kwQ5laH.jpg

[BavarianBeast]

From my observations, it seems that the more high maintenance and insecure the woman - the higher it’s going to cost you to make her feel satisfied with the ring. Fake women like material things, a real woman who’s in love with you won’t care what you spend, just that it’s meaningful. Once that’s sorted out, spend whatever your comfortable with and make sure she’s happy with it.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

A whatanite?
https://i.imgur.com/kwQ5laH.jpg

"A moissanite is an artificial diamond, Lincoln. It's Mickey Mouse, man. Spurious. Not genuine. And it's worth... fuck-all."

[NissanFanBoy]

Any women that takes issue with how much is spent is not worth marrying.

[That.Guy.S30]

I believe the gentleman's rule of thumb is 3 months pay. This is a legit answer.

[ercchry]

I believe the gentleman's rule of thumb is 3 months pay. This is a legit answer.

Net or gross? :rofl:

[That.Guy.S30]

Net or gross? :rofl:

Hahaha I never asked any further...

[Disoblige]

3 month's pay is so silly. Oh man.. What if you made like ~150k/yr gross for example?
You really gonna buy a 40k ring if you only make ~150k/yr? Crazy.

[JfuckinC]

3 month's pay is so silly. Oh man.. What if you made like ~150k/yr gross for example?
You really gonna buy a 40k ring if you only make ~150k/yr? Crazy.

ya completely ridiculous haha

[bjstare]

3 month's pay is so silly. Oh man.. What if you made like ~150k/yr gross for example?
You really gonna buy a 40k ring if you only make ~150k/yr? Crazy.

That's what I was thinking.

Also, @those that are saying if she wants a nice ring, she's high maintenance - not always true... maybe she just likes nice stuff. My wife would have been happy no matter what, but she also appreciates nice things :dunno:

[Swank]

3 month's pay is so silly. Oh man.. What if you made like ~150k/yr gross for example?
You really gonna buy a 40k ring if you only make ~150k/yr? Crazy.
Correct, that only applies if you have a job, not a career.

Never tell her how much you spent, but make sure she 'accidentally' sees the appraisal value, the difference in those prices should be significant beer money in your pocket :D

[CompletelyNumb]

I had an ex that said she expected the "3 months pay" rule to be followed, and she knew I was making in the 150k area. Once said she'd turn down any less. Russian girl. :nut:

Kicked her to the curb.

Years later I proposed to a much better woman. Ended up spending 3 months salary on my own accord. Still married. :love:

[Sentry]

If you work at fucking Tim Hortons 3 months pay is like 7 grand and I can't imagine spending that on a ring.

[max_boost]

Don't plan to get married but depending how fat her fingers are, anywhere from $10 to $30k not a problem

[Justing]

The 3 month "rule" should not be followed.

I think you've got your answer, spend whatever you're comfortable with and your gf will love it. :thumbsup:


For the record I've seen no correlation between size of diamond and degree of high maintenance. lol

[vengie]

A whatanite?
https://i.imgur.com/kwQ5laH.jpg

https://www.brilliantearth.com/news/moissanite-vs-diamond/

My fiance was actually the one who told me about it as I didn't want to spend out my ass for an engagement ring, nor did she want me to (great woman).

Her ring looks amazing, and is very durable. You really can't tell the difference unless looking under a microscope.

PLUS its 1/10th or less than the price of an equivalent diamond.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

https://www.brilliantearth.com/news/moissanite-vs-diamond/

My fiance was actually the one who told me about it as I didn't want to spend out my ass for an engagement ring, nor did she want me to (great woman).

Her ring looks amazing, and is very durable. You really can't tell the difference unless looking under a microscope.

PLUS its 1/10th or less than the price of an equivalent diamond.

It really is true. I, for one, cannot identify a diamond vs moissanite with the naked eye. Perhaps somebody who deals with them daily could, but I sure as hell can't.

[killramos]

You know people shit on women a lot for the expensive rings, but in a lot of cases the guys are a significantly part of it.

Engagement ring spending is as much of a dick measuring contest to guys as anything else. Most girls I know dgaf about ring size or cost, but I know lots of guys who want to drop big money on one. As if they want to cement their position as having nothing else to offer in a relationship aside from a bank account and last name.

[Sorath]

You know people shit on women a lot for the expensive rings, but in a lot of cases the guys are a significantly part of it.

Engagement ring spending is as much of a dick measuring contest to guys as anything else. Most girls I know dgaf about ring size or cost, but I know lots of guys who want to drop big money on one. As if they want to cement their position as having nothing else to offer in a relationship aside from a bank account and last name.

your wife must not be of asian descent lol. Every Asian girl out there compares with their asian counterparts

[ee2k]

Sigh on costly rings:

- The customized ring is going to be worth a lot less once purchased
- 50-50% chance that you will get a divorce and not live happily ever after
- The comparison with other women will only be shortlived
- If the wife gauges your love based on how much you spend for a single ring, then worth evaluating your worth to her
- It could literally go down the drain, in a swamp or a lake in a split second and be gone

Seriously I don't understand the urge to spend so much on such a worthless piece.

[max_boost]

You know people shit on women a lot for the expensive rings, but in a lot of cases the guys are a significantly part of it.

Engagement ring spending is as much of a dick measuring contest to guys as anything else. Most girls I know dgaf about ring size or cost, but I know lots of guys who want to drop big money on one. As if they want to cement their position as having nothing else to offer in a relationship aside from a bank account and last name.

lol how about get some friends who are just happy for you

[speedog]

Over 27 years married now, my wife's rings have been sitting in the jewellery box for more than 5 years needing to be resized because she's so much smaller than when we got married/engaged. My ring resides in the same place because I squished it a couple of years ago and I haven't bothered to get it fixed. We don't need rings anymore to signify our connection.

[swak]

Put a loonie in the candy machine outside wal-mart... BOOM. $1... that's all you need boys and girls
:poosie::poosie:

[zhao]

I spent a lot of time researching diamonds. Knowledge > money when it comes to these things imo. You can spend 20g on a piece of shit diamond, or 5g on something very impressive. In the end I spent $3300 on what locally i couldn't find for under 15g (.80 vvs1 hearts and arrows round brilliant). I also ended up buying from bluenile because they list the dimensions of the diamond and had good selection so if you know exactly what dimensions turns in to a legitimately perfect cut.

I would also highly recommend keeping your gf in the loop or at least keeping her friends in the loop (not just one either), as a ring is a very specific taste, and you'll want to know you're buying the diamond and band she will actually want to wear. If shes not picky... perfect, but odds are she will be.

The first thing you need to know is 9/10 mall store sell shit. absolute garbage. I1-I3 diamonds are for industrial drilling, yet they sell u these shit diamonds in a ring and market the hell out of how you can get a 1 carat for 3g with inclusions so big you can spot them at a glance. And 1/10 mall stores sell stuff that is so expensive you could be blind and find a better deal elsewhere. stuff that is 10g in these stores i can find a better diamond online a 1/3rd the price. The shitholes usually have 90% of their diamonds in the I1-I3 range with the odd diamond in the SI2 range, maybe with a handful GIA rated.

Here is what you should focus on to get something good for the best bang for buck.

-not all certs are the same for grading. Go by GIA certs imo, and if it doesn't have a GIA and cheap, its probably such a shit diamond they didn't want to spend the $100 it costs to cert it as a GIA. other certs are useful for comparison but i found non GIA certs usually were far more forgiving. a J color with a GIA cert could be more white than a H color with a non GIA cert.
- clarity, if you want to cheap out or save money go with a SI1. But never buy anything worse than a SI2 that is GIA and higher if not GIA. No one can tell teh difference between a SI1 and a VVS2, or even a IF with the naked eye. (I personally went with a VVS1 because i like that it is almost flawless, but still has one tiny spec of a flaw to tell that it is a real diamond)
- color, whiter = more expensive. Take your GF diamond shopping and see if she can tell teh difference between colors or if she cares. Never buy anything worse than an I color GIA IMO, as it will be yellow enough anyone can spot it. DEF is a waste of money IMO unless you are baller or she is going to be comparing against other baller's purchases... and cares. I'd say stay away from DEF because color makes a huge price difference imo. I went with a I for color because H and G significantly increased the price, and while i can tell the difference between a I and a G side by side, we couldn't tell which was which by themselves (I could tell a D from a I by itself though, and comparing them there is a pretty big diff, but i also couldn't tell a D from a F with comparison). J I could pick out by itself easily though.
-carat size. whatever size floats your boat. IMO you can get a diamond in the .7-.9 carat range that looks decently big for a very affordable price. If you're on a tight budget you can get an absolutely amazing diamond for 0.5-0.6 for very little money. Dont get anything smaller than .5 imo as the savings is not huge. I went with .8 because azn wife factor and there was no .88s that met my criteria for dimensions. if your gf has a tiny finger she may not want a large diamond too as it might attract too much attention. my wife didn't want a 1 carat because they looked too big to her.
- cut. this is the hardest and most important thing imo, and where knowledge comes in to play. If you want something to sparkle like someone threw a flashbang into the room, you want a round brilliant hearts and arrows dimensions diamond. Avoid any other cut imo because light will not reflect out of any other cut like it will out of a round brilliant. People pay big bucks for hearts on fire diamonds because they sparkle so much, which is just clever marketing and markup on diamonds that you can find on your own if you know what dimensions create a perfect storm for giving the most sparkle.

As for the band, you can buy the band and diamond separate. I had no problem finding a highly recommended jewelry crafter in edmonton that had no problem making any ring i wanted and using a diamond i brought him; i'm sure calgary is no different. He basically said if i bought the diamond from him he'd charge me $200 for materials cost for a custom ring because he'd make his profit on the diamond and it would only take him maybe 2 hours of labour, and if i brought him a diamond he'd charge me 1000ish, which was still a good deal cuz the ring he was duplicating was more than that. My wife wasn't too picky, we ended up cheaping out and going with a $200ish band from blue nile when i got the diamond.

the main website you need to read before looking at diamonds IMO is this. look for these dimensions and you'll end up with a diamond that will sparkle like crazy, and if you browse the thousands of diamonds at bluenile or other online stores you'll be able to find something decent. ALso, do not fear buying online. If you get those dimensions, the same color grade u see in stores your happy with, and anything SI1+ you'll have a the diamond you expect show up being exactly what you expect. Also, even if your budget is only like 1500 or less, you should still be able to get something that looks very very nice; it wont be huge but there are lots of very good diamonds in the 0.5 range from what i remember, and 0.5 is a decent size. Also agree its a worthless rock..... but its what our culture believes in so i guess there are dumber things to spend money on... like $$$ cars lol

http://www.heartsandarrows.com/hearts-arrows-diamond-ideal-cut-dna.aspx

[shakalaka]

I spent a lot of time researching diamonds. Knowledge > money when it comes to these things imo. You can spend 20g on a piece of shit diamond, or 5g on something very impressive. In the end I spent $3300 on what locally i couldn't find for under 15g (.80 vvs1 hearts and arrows round brilliant). I also ended up buying from bluenile because they list the dimensions of the diamond and had good selection so if you know exactly what dimensions turns in to a legitimately perfect cut.

I would also highly recommend keeping your gf in the loop or at least keeping her friends in the loop (not just one either), as a ring is a very specific taste, and you'll want to know you're buying the diamond and band she will actually want to wear. If shes not picky... perfect, but odds are she will be.

The first thing you need to know is 9/10 mall store sell shit. absolute garbage. I1-I3 diamonds are for industrial drilling, yet they sell u these shit diamonds in a ring and market the hell out of how you can get a 1 carat for 3g with inclusions so big you can spot them at a glance. And 1/10 mall stores sell stuff that is so expensive you could be blind and find a better deal elsewhere. stuff that is 10g in these stores i can find a better diamond online a 1/3rd the price. The shitholes usually have 90% of their diamonds in the I1-I3 range with the odd diamond in the SI2 range, maybe with a handful GIA rated.

Here is what you should focus on to get something good for the best bang for buck.

-not all certs are the same for grading. Go by GIA certs imo, and if it doesn't have a GIA and cheap, its probably such a shit diamond they didn't want to spend the $100 it costs to cert it as a GIA. other certs are useful for comparison but i found non GIA certs usually were far more forgiving. a J color with a GIA cert could be more white than a H color with a non GIA cert.
- clarity, if you want to cheap out or save money go with a SI1. But never buy anything worse than a SI2 that is GIA and higher if not GIA. No one can tell teh difference between a SI1 and a VVS2, or even a IF with the naked eye. (I personally went with a VVS1 because i like that it is almost flawless, but still has one tiny spec of a flaw to tell that it is a real diamond)
- color, whiter = more expensive. Take your GF diamond shopping and see if she can tell teh difference between colors or if she cares. Never buy anything worse than an I color GIA IMO, as it will be yellow enough anyone can spot it. DEF is a waste of money IMO unless you are baller or she is going to be comparing against other baller's purchases... and cares. I'd say stay away from DEF because color makes a huge price difference imo. I went with a I for color because H and G significantly increased the price, and while i can tell the difference between a I and a G side by side, we couldn't tell which was which by themselves (I could tell a D from a I by itself though, and comparing them there is a pretty big diff, but i also couldn't tell a D from a F with comparison). J I could pick out by itself easily though.
-carat size. whatever size floats your boat. IMO you can get a diamond in the .7-.9 carat range that looks decently big for a very affordable price. If you're on a tight budget you can get an absolutely amazing diamond for 0.5-0.6 for very little money. Dont get anything smaller than .5 imo as the savings is not huge. I went with .8 because azn wife factor and there was no .88s that met my criteria for dimensions. if your gf has a tiny finger she may not want a large diamond too as it might attract too much attention. my wife didn't want a 1 carat because they looked too big to her.
- cut. this is the hardest and most important thing imo, and where knowledge comes in to play. If you want something to sparkle like someone threw a flashbang into the room, you want a round brilliant hearts and arrows dimensions diamond. Avoid any other cut imo because light will not reflect out of any other cut like it will out of a round brilliant. People pay big bucks for hearts on fire diamonds because they sparkle so much, which is just clever marketing and markup on diamonds that you can find on your own if you know what dimensions create a perfect storm for giving the most sparkle.

As for the band, you can buy the band and diamond separate. I had no problem finding a highly recommended jewelry crafter in edmonton that had no problem making any ring i wanted and using a diamond i brought him; i'm sure calgary is no different. He basically said if i bought the diamond from him he'd charge me $200 for materials cost for a custom ring because he'd make his profit on the diamond and it would only take him maybe 2 hours of labour, and if i brought him a diamond he'd charge me 1000ish, which was still a good deal cuz the ring he was duplicating was more than that. My wife wasn't too picky, we ended up cheaping out and going with a $200ish band from blue nile when i got the diamond.

the main website you need to read before looking at diamonds IMO is this. look for these dimensions and you'll end up with a diamond that will sparkle like crazy, and if you browse the thousands of diamonds at bluenile or other online stores you'll be able to find something decent. ALso, do not fear buying online. If you get those dimensions, the same color grade u see in stores your happy with, and anything SI1+ you'll have a the diamond you expect show up being exactly what you expect.

http://www.heartsandarrows.com/hearts-arrows-diamond-ideal-cut-dna.aspx


Jesus man...you must really like typing. Every post I see from you is a massive essay. Good for you for being thorough with your responses. That being said, I only read them when I am not tired/lazy. lol.

[max_boost]

Jesus man...you must really like typing. Every post I see from you is a massive essay. Good for you for being thorough with your responses. That being said, I only read them when I am not tired/lazy. lol.

haha yea, zhao and r3ccOs sure write some long winded posts but it's quite informative haha

the guy to see is Justin at Gem by Carati

call ringer Ng for all your ring needs :D

[zhao]

arts major. years of being forced to write shitty paper after shitty paper no one read scars deep down to the core lol.

[taemo]

For my wife, I bought her one for about $1500 almost 10 years ago as I was young and just starting out in my career, going to get her something in the $5-7k range here for our 10 anniversary next year. Wife is the same way, if I spend that much money on a fucking ring she would murder me for buying that shit instead of something much more useful.

same here, bought her a ~1500 ring 2-3 years ago, lately she wants a tacori ring (thank you social media) but we agreed I'll get her one for our 10 year anniversary, so I have 8 years to save for one :rofl:

[blitz]

Also, @those that are saying if she wants a nice ring, she's high maintenance - not always true... maybe she just likes nice stuff. My wife would have been happy no matter what, but she also appreciates nice things :dunno:

It’s not wanting a nice ring, it’s demanding a nice ring that’s an issue.

I was unemployed when I proposed. $3k FTW!

[lasimmon]

Just remember. The bloodier the diamond the better.

[D'z Nutz]

I believe the gentleman's rule of thumb is 3 months pay. This is a legit answer.

That was never a gentleman's rule. That was a De Beers's marketing campaign that women (and therefore men) bought into.

[That.Guy.S30]

That was never a gentleman's rule. That was a De Beers's marketing campaign that women (and therefore men) bought into.

Da beers to my knowledge was a 1 month salary suggestion. The 3 month rule I picked up from quite a few people from the shop. Ages range from 60-90 and they all had the same answer. Does it really matter? No.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[you&me]

I think I've even posted this before, but this article outlines the entire fabrication of the diamond market. It's a little long (though barley longer than a zhao post), but a really interesting read -

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1982/02/have-you-ever-tried-to-sell-a-diamond/304575/

[zhao]

Really though, weddings rings are not just for you and her. They are a clear indicator to those around you that you are taken. The most likely reason a couple doesn't wear at least the band is because they are keeping their opportunities high and options open. Might be time to get a fish bowl and some new interesting friends!

the most likely reason you can think of to not wear one might be that reason, but that is only one of the many reasons not to wear one. I dont wear mine 95% of the time because I dont like wearing rings, and that is all.

Almost no one in the shop I work in does either, because tradesmen dont generally wear wedding rings because it is a safety hazard.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[carson blocks]

I didn't shop based on cost, we just went to every store in town until we found a design she loved, and as long as it wasn't ridiculous, it cost what it cost. She's not hung up on the size or bling factor, but wanted a unique design. I wanted something she'd love forever and be happy with forever. I spent a little more than anticipated on both our rings, but we both feel we picked the right ones. Her engagement ring was $5-6k, Her plain custom wedding band was a little over $1000 IIRC, and my ring was $1500 I think.

If I could do it again though, I'd take the picture of the ring she wanted to the guy that custom made her wedding band, as we've had some quality issues with the plating on her Michael Hill ring wearing off super quick, while her custom wedding band is holding up way better. We're on the fence about going after Michael Hill and just getting it remade properly. Torn between the sentiment attached to that ring being the one from our wedding, and wanting it done correctly to last forever and not look like crap every few months.

[shakalaka]

I've worn mine pretty much 24/7 going on 10 years now, kind of feel naked without it

I feel the same even though I've only been married 2 years. I can count on one hand the number of days when I haven't worn my ring and when that happened, it felt pretty odd.

[rx7boi]

Question for you guys though...if you had the option of sourcing the same kind of diamond through a family friend, would you do it or would you insist on purchasing it in store, along with all the mark up?

I only ask because my dad has been in the industry for 30+ years as a jeweler and I got the hook up :rofl: It's where I got my fiancee her engagement ring.

[speedog]

Sure sure, we all know what's really up though you ol' dog haha.

If it's been out of commission that long you probably don't even have the tell tale wedding ring tan anymore! I bet that makes it a lot easier to hit on the chick working till at 7-11 ;)

Really though, weddings rings are not just for you and her. They are a clear indicator to those around you that you are taken. The most likely reason a couple doesn't wear at least the band is because they are keeping their opportunities high and options open. Might be time to get a fish bowl and some new interesting friends!

Then explain away my parents, my Dad hasn't worn his wedding ring since the mid-70's and my Mom, probably for a few decades as well and they're coming up on their 60th and are quite happily married.

[speedog]

Yeah I know a lot of trades guys that don't wear them on a regular basis for that reason. I am mostly just teasing Speedog, haha

I've worn mine pretty much 24/7 going on 10 years now, kind of feel naked without it

Well my Dad almost ripped his ring finger off jumping down from the side of a grain truck's box. Myself, I don't think a ring would get in my way as a carpenter - it's just that my wife and I aren't big jewelry people, hell I haven't worn a watch since 1977 and my wife hasn't worn one since the early 90's. We both can appreciate such things but it just isn't our thing.

[Darell_n]

So Bots are making polls now?

[Hallowed_point]

If you're getting married, the cost of the ring should be the last thing on your mind. Losing your property and assets is a much bigger pill to swallow.
Don't worry, there's a 50% chance it'll be everlasting love..

I'd rather spend the extra few grand on a trip vs a stone. At least if you break up you can say that you went on an amazing honeymoon.

[ExtraSlow]

+1. Honeymoon is way more valuable than the ring. Spent probably 4x on mine.

[mr2mike]

Just buy off Beyond.ca?? 80746

[Aleks]

I didn't shop based on cost, we just went to every store in town until we found a design she loved

Same here. I think it was just over $10,000. That was just around 10 years ago now. The good old DINK days. Either way I had no issues with that amount. That's nowhere near all the money I have wasted on switching cars every few months back in the day. All the cars have come and gone, but she still has the ring.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

So Bots are making polls now?

Not a bot, throwaway account from a regular user.

[mr2mike]

All the cars have come and gone, but she still has the ring.
Yes but when the car goes you get some money back.

[Hallowed_point]

Yes but when the car goes you get some money back.

F7ck getting married. I'm gonna get married to a 94 viper.

[sk8r3124]

This....my ex always told me she wanted a 20k ring, I always though that was retarded...we are still friends and I saw what her husband bought, $25k right with a fucking massive diamond that looks so tacky and disproportionate.

For my wife, I bought her one for about $1500 almost 10 years ago as I was young and just starting out in my career, going to get her something in the $5-7k range here for our 10 anniversary next year. Wife is the same way, if I spend that much money on a fucking ring she would murder me for buying that shit instead of something much more useful.

THIS!!!

Exact same situation with me. My ex didn't care what it looked like as long as it cost at least 20k.
Flash forward to my current fiancé, wanted a specific look that I had to go custom. Went through Blue Nile and found a custom diamond that was exactly what she wanted. Hell, the custom setting cost more than the diamond. I asked her if she regretted not getting one that was super expensive, and her response was that she would prefer that money go to more important things like the house, or the wedding.

All depends on the girl I guess.

I also have this theory about the proportion of her friends being married. I figure its a competition, so the last to get married wants to have the biggest rock to win. (this was just my conclusion based on the situation I was in)

[holden]

arts major. years of being forced to write shitty paper after shitty paper no one read scars deep down to the core lol.

Did you go with round over something else, like princess cut, because that is what your girl preferred?

[tirebob]

I didn't get my wife an engagement ring until our 10th wedding anniversary! Lol! Unless you already have shit tons of money, spending tons on an engagement ring is incredibly dumb IMHO. When you are starting out in a new marriage, money issues are one of those things that creep into otherwise great relationships and destroy things. Why would anyone want to saddle themselves with that early on?

That said, if you have lots of money and your chick really loves jewelry, well then go for whatever she likes and you can afford! Otherwise save that money or used it towards a downpayment on a house.

[Hallowed_point]

I didn't get my wife an engagement ring until our 10th wedding anniversary! Lol! Unless you already have shit tons of money, spending tons on an engagement ring is incredibly dumb IMHO. When you are starting out in a new marriage, money issues are one of those things that creep into otherwise great relationships and destroy things. Why would anyone want to saddle themselves with that early on?

That said, if you have lots of money and your chick really loves jewelry, well then go for whatever she likes and you can afford! Otherwise save that money or used it towards a downpayment on a house.

Smart man...love Urban X tires and relationship advice!

[mzdspd]

I cant wait to see the next thread that will be "how much to spend for a wedding?" I am sure there will be lots of different answers for that

[Mitsu3000gt]

I cant wait to see the next thread that will be "how much to spend for a wedding?" I am sure there will be lots of different answers for that

OP will be "weddingguy" and disappear after posting as well.

[Marsh]

Believe me, spend as little as fucking possible. just going through divorce now. Or put all assets into irrevocable trust as they are acquired. Fucking bitches.

[ercchry]

OP will be "weddingguy" and disappear after posting as well.

Pay attention to threads! Berserkcatsplat already explained it once

[a social dsease]

Any women that takes issue with how much is spent is not worth marrying.

Yup. So glad my wife doesn't care about petty stuff like spending thousands of dollars on a piece of jewelry.

Before we got engaged, so I would know what style to buy her, I asked her to go online and email me a couple links to rings she liked. I was lazy and simply bought the first one she sent me. Total cost? $350. That's why I married her :thumbsup:

[JordanEG6]

From my observations, it seems that the more high maintenance and insecure the woman - the higher it’s going to cost you to make her feel satisfied with the ring. Fake women like material things, a real woman who’s in love with you won’t care what you spend, just that it’s meaningful. Once that’s sorted out, spend whatever your comfortable with and make sure she’s happy with it.

This. 100%

[C4S]

My last two (yes ... sadly .. two .. :facepalm::facepalm: ) were around ~ $2K cad 12 and 15 yr ago .. just under 1cart/VS/I colour (0.85cart?) if I remember correct ... as my wife (now) and my EX both have small hand/fingers, look weird with big ring.

I guess similar ring would be $4-5K now?

Since many beyonders are Asian as well, will look weird with too big diamond, better get smaller size, but better cut and colour, at least, can wear once a while, rather just keep in safe box.

If someone is buying for a ~ 6ft / 200 lb fiancé, then it is fine to go up to ~1.5 cart ...:burnout:

[J-hop]

Personally I’d go with color and clarity over size any day. Any good jeweller will go through the whole list that zhao mentioned on the previous page and show you what inclusions and poor (yellowed) color look like under the microscope vs naked eye.

I’ve seen a lot of big diamonds with shit colour and clarity that look like vending machine rings.

From my experience you can’t get 1 carat with good colour and clarity for under 10k unless you’re shopping online. So dont have that 1 carat goal in your head that most people have unless you’re willing to spend 10 or more.

Edit: above price/carat is for round cut. Princess is always cheaper but looks like a vending machine ring IMO

Great looking smaller diamonds can be had for 5-10k or even sub 5 as long as you focus on color and clarity and get something that sparkles rather than just takes up space.

In terms of what to spend? That’s completely up to you and her. I would get a feel for what she thinks is reasonable. Getting an expensive ring is fine but if that means you don’t have money for vacations together, honeymoon, wedding etc if she’s a practical girl she might think that’s pretty stupid.

I would personally have her pick out the ring. No matter how well you think you know her you will almost guaranteed not pick her first choice. Just my opinion though

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

I’d probably be willing to spend 1 months gross income if I ever got to that point in my life.

[ercchry]

I spent 1 pay cheque... net, and put about 15min into the decision... no regrets now! :rofl:

Completely avoided that awkward conversation of asking for it back... win, win!

[zhao]

Did you go with round over something else, like princess cut, because that is what your girl preferred?

its what she wanted, but its also the safe choice if you have no clue what your gf wants because it is the most common cut, and it also brings the most sparkle. If you dont know your gf's taste and cares about the ring, going with a niche cut, especially a pear cut, or heart, or whatever would be extremely risky imo.

if she wants big and doesn't care about light reflection, an asschur or radiant cut, or something similar are good choices, as those will look bigger and actually be bigger for the $ spent.

[NissanFanBoy]

F7ck getting married. I'm gonna get married to a 94 viper.

Nice sig lol

[403ep3]

I went to Justin to get my wife’s ring. In the end she’s happy with it and that’s all that matters to me.

For her, it was all about the specs. No point in having a 2.5 carat and it doesn’t shine or is yellow in colour

[Gman.45]

I got sucked into the whole 3 months salary BS back in 2000 when I got engaged. My fiancee got wind of that, and let it be known to her mother, who told me, she would much prefer a less expensive ring and have the rest of the $ put into a down payment on a new vehicle. So instead of the princess cut E color 2 ct IF ring that was going to be over $20k back then, she got a 1.5ct G color VVS1 for about $5k, and 50% down on her new Jeep. She was more than happy with her ring, the setting had thick gold walls which protected the stone, as she worked with her hands a lot then, and it made it look much larger than it actually was.

It depends on the woman I think, some find it an important status symbol, others don't, nothing wrong with either IMO, just be sure to feel her out before spending a pile of $ if that's not what she wants. I'd never go into debt over an engagement ring, that's for sure, if I was dumb enough to ever get married again.

[holden]

Was the old rule 3 months gross or net? If it was net, ouch.. would suck to get engaged once your career has progressed, lol.

[ercchry]

Was the old rule 3 months gross or net? If it was net, ouch.. would suck to get engaged once your career has progressed, lol.

Net is the less of the two... :dunno:

[Sugarphreak]

...

[J-hop]

its what she wanted, but its also the safe choice if you have no clue what your gf wants because it is the most common cut, and it also brings the most sparkle. If you dont know your gf's taste and cares about the ring, going with a niche cut, especially a pear cut, or heart, or whatever would be extremely risky imo.

if she wants big and doesn't care about light reflection, an asschur or radiant cut, or something similar are good choices, as those will look bigger and actually be bigger for the $ spent.

Honestly anything but the princess or round look like vending machine rings IMO. I don’t even like the princess cut. Doesn’t reflect the light anywhere near as well as a round.

Totally get what you’re saying about size. Just some of the rings I’ve seen out there people would have been better off getting cut glass as no one looking at it can tell it’s a diamond

[mr2mike]

Whith the # of ppl walking around with fake LV purses, I have my doubts on those large diamonds being real.

[dirtsniffer]

Want to make it look bigger on a budget? Add a halo

[Aleks]

So over 10G is leading the poll but most people posting are against spending much on these things. :rofl:

[ExtraSlow]

Silent majority. Sounds like a normal distribution of loudmouths.

- - - Updated - - -


Want to make it look bigger on a budget? actually just marry a chick with tiny hands. Also makes something else look bigger. ***wink***

[bjstare]

If someone is buying for a ~ 6ft / 200 lb fiancé, then it is fine to go up to ~1.5 cart ...:burnout:

If I was in a relationship with a 6'/200lb girl, I'd buy her anything she wanted, simply out of fear.

[Abeo]

My fiancee chose hers, and it was less than $1500 and didn't have a diamond as the main stone... she even beat down the guy on price and got it dropped by 25% (I was ready to just buy it lol). I wanted to go custom and spend more, but she found something off the shelf that she really liked, plus she's really into rings so me choosing the ring for her would be like her choosing a car for me. She figures we can use the money saved on the mortgage or the honeymoon, or just buy more rings that she can wear on her ring finger to switch it up.

She's Asian, btw...

[Hallowed_point]

If I was in a relationship with a 6'/200lb girl, I'd buy her anything she wanted, simply out of fear.

Yeah, half the house is gonna be the fridge/freezer and bed..yikes

[tirebob]

If someone is buying for a ~ 6ft / 200 lb fiancé, then it is fine to go up to ~1.5 cart ...:burnout:


Yeah, half the house is gonna be the fridge/freezer and bed..yikes

If 200 pounds looks like this, I would climb that mountain every day all day and give her whatever ring she wants!

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/64/e9/bc/64e9bc7ad94790ffc50c1eac50db95f6.jpg
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3e/23/21/3e23216a4fd1b1422ec69a27b5172673.jpg

[HiTempguy1]

Can almost guarantee that photo is photoshopped. Especially in the thigh/arm region.

[tirebob]

Can almost guarantee that photo is photoshopped. Especially in the thigh/arm region.I do not care in the least! I would still roll around in there with a huge smile on my face! lol!