How much to spend on an engagement ring?

[Anonymous]

OP, if my soon-to-be fiancé was making that much money, and got me a $3K ring, I'd be embarrassed to tell anyone I was engaged.

When you get engaged, EVERYONE will want to see your ring. if it's tiny, everyone will tell you it's beautiful and think how tiny it is. If she's going to wear it every day and you can afford it, spend about $15K. It's an investment in her not the ring. I still wear my 1.5 ct and still get compliments 25 years later.

[Anonymous]

^ Get a 1.5 ct. lab-created diamond. If it's too big, everyone will think it's fake anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yep. Gross salary, not net.

That is stupid advice. When I got engaged my DH's gross monthly salary was $13,000. 2-3 months salary would be a ring between $26,000-$39,000. Who wants a ring that expensive?!?

Also DH's gross salary is now $38,000 - I would NEVER tell him to get a ring that was 2-3 months salary!

Plenty of people have rings with this much. Mine was $25k 20 years ago. Agree about lab created though. Why not do thst op? Just as beautiful.

[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.

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.

Get a cushion cut 2ct lab created diamond.

[Anonymous]

I own a Yacht.

[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”.

It's nice you are thinking about her and this. There is no rule. Do what you can afford and what she likes.

Go for 1.5 ct. $5K for lab created, $15K for real.

[Anonymous]

Ridiculous. Just goes to show that feminism is bunk. Get your own rings ladies

[Anonymous]

if your lady needs an expensive ring that's a red flag gentleman.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d buy a lab diamond, which are chemically, physically, and optically identical to natural diamonds. They said, lab diamonds are going to undermine the prestige historically associated with having a “big rock,” because when the masses buy a 2 - 3 ct high quality stone for $1,200 - $2,000, there is no longer anything special or unique about having one. The result will be that affluent buyers will begin to move away from diamonds to rarer and more unique gemstones.

This already began when people started buying and wearing big moissanites.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I own a Yacht.

Big Daddy Warbucks

[Anonymous]

Zero? Why is this still a thing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, if my soon-to-be fiancé was making that much money, and got me a $3K ring, I'd be embarrassed to tell anyone I was engaged.

When you get engaged, EVERYONE will want to see your ring. if it's tiny, everyone will tell you it's beautiful and think how tiny it is. If she's going to wear it every day and you can afford it, spend about $15K. It's an investment in her not the ring. I still wear my 1.5 ct and still get compliments 25 years later.

LOL, you must run in weird circles. I got engaged, didn't want a ring and luckily DH didn't try to force one on me because he knew I was serious. Nobody cares. It's weird to get excited about such a superficial sideshow to the real exciting thing which is making the commitment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, if my soon-to-be fiancé was making that much money, and got me a $3K ring, I'd be embarrassed to tell anyone I was engaged.

When you get engaged, EVERYONE will want to see your ring. if it's tiny, everyone will tell you it's beautiful and think how tiny it is. If she's going to wear it every day and you can afford it, spend about $15K. It's an investment in her not the ring. I still wear my 1.5 ct and still get compliments 25 years later.

See, a small ring is a quick and easy way to get losers like this out of your life.

[Anonymous]

When you ave a big caudy ring, everyone tells you it's beautiful and think you are a shallow moron, because they know you are desperate for external affirmation.

[Anonymous]

If she’s amenable, ask her what her dream ring would be and go from there.