How much to spend on an engagement ring?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I make a little under 20k month gross and that seems like a lot for a ring. I will spend it if necessary but I prefer to stick to under 30k and ideally $15-25k. Below is what I’m looking into buying.

Shape - round or cushion cut
Carat - 1.5-2 carats
Band - Solitaire, pave, and halo

She wants a very simple plain thin wedding ring.

You should buy the highest quality and cut round 1.5-2C solitaire you can. At your salary she will absolutely expect around a $25-30K ring. It’s the rest of your lives, look like it.

OMG NO

OP I make way more than you do. Never would I ever have my DH spend that kind of money on a diamond. OMG such a waste. People with real money understand Diamonds are not a good investment.

There is no reason in the world to spend that much.

Most people have no idea whether a diamond is real.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m going to propose to my lovely gf soon and I’m not sure how much to spend on a ring. Is 2-3 months salary still the normal?

Only DeBeers marketing department can answer this question.

I think it depends on how much you make. DH makes a lot - so my ring is just one month's salary. If I could do it all over again, I would tell him to get a lab-created diamond. Even though the money was not an issue, I just don't care enough to own something like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m going to propose to my lovely gf soon and I’m not sure how much to spend on a ring. Is 2-3 months salary still the normal?

Who made up that ridiculous rule?

Debears Marketing LOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I make a little under 20k month gross and that seems like a lot for a ring. I will spend it if necessary but I prefer to stick to under 30k and ideally $15-25k. Below is what I’m looking into buying.

Shape - round or cushion cut
Carat - 1.5-2 carats
Band - Solitaire, pave, and halo

She wants a very simple plain thin wedding ring.

I think 15 to 20k is enough. I have a 1.5 carat diamond and wish it were 2 carats, fwiw. I know a bit about diamond buying, and suggest that out of the 4cs you prioritize cut, and then carat. Clarity and color matter less. (Clarity just needs to be "eye clean" -- no sense in paying for a flawless diamond when a VSI 2 looks the same to your eyes, and although some people can be sensitive to color, most can't tell the difference between a very white D color diamond and a G or even H unless the stones are right next to each other; and if you are going to set it in yellow gold, then you can even get away with a J or maybe K. And I'll throw in that some people actually like the "warmer" diamonds -- YMMV. The warmer colored diamond thing does become tricky with a halo though -- some would say the halo stones ("melee") shouldn't be significantly whiter than the center stone, and most jewelers use H melee.)

I recommend that you head over to the Rocky Talky forum at Pricescope. It's a little like DCUM, but if it were all about diamonds, lol. The folks there know an incredible amount and love to help people find the perfect diamond. Lurk around in there, and then post for help if that is what you decide to do. They are all about finding the perfect diamond online, and will steer you away from paying more for a lesser diamond in a brick and mortar store -- so if you are super against looking online, it might not interest you. But I say check it out. They seriously geek out over diamonds there, you will be amazed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. She is not expecting a big expensive ring - I want to give her one. She loves me for me, not for what I buy her. I still want to buy her a nice ring but don’t want to spend 2-3 months salary on one for some “ rule”.

No reason to at all.

OP my HHI is so much higher than yours.

In no way shape or form would I or my peers ever expect that.

Anyone who tells you otherwise is bad at finances.

[Anonymous]

I never had an engagement ring as at the time he didn’t have the money and I didn’t really care. I had a very inexpensive wedding band. But on our 25th anniversary I did get a to die for ring that I cherish. Today, if I wanted a $100,000 ring he’d say ok but I have no desire for one. But I know he’d be fine with it which is really nice.

[Anonymous]

I’d say zero dollars. That’s how much we spent.

[Anonymous]

I second the suggestion to head to Pricescope. If you really want a halo, I suggest people like Leon Mege, Steven Kirsch, and Victor Canera to make the ring. I have a Canera halo and it’s amazing. Have yet to lose a stone!

[Anonymous]

You can buy a beautiful 1.75ct lab diamond for 2k these days, get one that’s very well cut (check out Frank darling: victor canera; Alex park) with a beautiful setting but make sure it’s what she wants. I prefer vintage settings with old mine cut/old European cut , others wants round brilliant solitaires.

Also, the right I wear most is not my engagement ring. I bought a bezel set deco ring with a .75 ct center in a larger floral-like setting at a small auction and I adore it and find it easier to wear and more flattering than my 2 ct solitaire-with side baguettes ring. Dh doesn’t care fortunately.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m going to propose to my lovely gf soon and I’m not sure how much to spend on a ring. Is 2-3 months salary still the normal?

You negotiate the price with the seller of the goods. There is no normal, and never was. It's just marketing from a slaver company.
The less attractive you are, and the more desperate you are, and the more attractive she is, the more she can extract from you.

She picks out her ring, and you buy it or leave her to find someone classier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If she’s picky and high maintenance about a ring, run. Things will only get worse for you.

Unfortunately even women who absolutely perfect in every other way are still brainwashed by the marketing and the internalized misogyny and misandry of diamond rings. It's female "culture".

[Anonymous]

If you get her a lab created diamond, would she want to know it is lab created? Some women might. Maybe something to discuss.
If she wants real, get her 1.9 carat. There’s a substantial bump in price at the next carat level and the difference between 1.9 and 2.0 is not discernible to anyone’s layman eye.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m going to propose to my lovely gf soon and I’m not sure how much to spend on a ring. Is 2-3 months salary still the normal?

Don’t do it…

[Anonymous]

$0. Don't be a sucker. Make her buy her own ring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I make a little under 20k month gross and that seems like a lot for a ring. I will spend it if necessary but I prefer to stick to under 30k and ideally $15-25k. Below is what I’m looking into buying.

Shape - round or cushion cut
Carat - 1.5-2 carats
Band - Solitaire, pave, and halo

She wants a very simple plain thin wedding ring.

If you’re going to spend that kind of money on a diamond 2 carat or less it needs to be super clean. E-F color and Vs1 or better clarity