Negotiation, purchasing power matters. Sometimes cash works against you when they prefer uou pY them interest. As soon as you love it, the price goes up. A red corvette and a yellow corvette costs the same in production. For the most part, with merchandise like this the profit margin is captured in your desire alone. It is an emotional appeal and a social signal of status for **most** people. Not all, but most? Yes. That’s why our country is in debt. We encourage this consumer behavior, and societies show respect to those signaling they’ve attained it. That’s why we have bumper stickers, and college swag. A ring is no different.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I didn’t think I would get so many rude comments about my finances. I have a high income and no debt. The 20k wasn’t much for me. I had been putting away money for a couple of months for the ring. It’s a very high quality slightly bigger than 2 carat round diamond with a solitaire band.

Not saying it's a good use of money, but since you asked....20k isn't that much to spend on an engagement ring. AND it is quite unlikely to be "very high quality" for the price (a very high quality 2 carat stone would cost much more).

Yes, VVS2+, excellent near colorless, standard round exponentially increases past 1.5 carats. There is little you can sacrifice of the Cs for certain cuts and argue “very high” on on a Gia scale at least. I think rounds may give the best likelihood for a good price. Also you don’t know if OP bought direct or retail, goldsmith and cutting out middle man saves some of the cost too. IIRC a round cut vs square/Princess give the best brilliance in that order, but if all other things were totally equal round is more common and I think the price on the Princess is higher.

All that matters is the CUT of the stone, which you have not mentioned.

Yes I did. And that isn’t all that matters, at a certain carat weight, flaws become more apparent, some are hidden and a cut or color + setting will provide a beautiful ring . The price increases exponentially. 2ct ideal d color with excellent symmetry isn’t happening direct for $20K. A ring with the best of all 4c can appear larger than a lesser quality carat.

Cause it shines so bright!

In all fairness, pricing for cars is the only other comparison.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I didn’t think I would get so many rude comments about my finances. I have a high income and no debt. The 20k wasn’t much for me. I had been putting away money for a couple of months for the ring. It’s a very high quality slightly bigger than 2 carat round diamond with a solitaire band.

Not saying it's a good use of money, but since you asked....20k isn't that much to spend on an engagement ring. AND it is quite unlikely to be "very high quality" for the price (a very high quality 2 carat stone would cost much more).

Yes, VVS2+, excellent near colorless, standard round exponentially increases past 1.5 carats. There is little you can sacrifice of the Cs for certain cuts and argue “very high” on on a Gia scale at least. I think rounds may give the best likelihood for a good price. Also you don’t know if OP bought direct or retail, goldsmith and cutting out middle man saves some of the cost too. IIRC a round cut vs square/Princess give the best brilliance in that order, but if all other things were totally equal round is more common and I think the price on the Princess is higher.

All that matters is the CUT of the stone, which you have not mentioned.

This whole discussion is ridiculous. If OP can easily afford the ring, who cares? I had friends on Wall Street who spent much morethan op. It is like buying a car. If you can afford it then it is fine. I spent $55,000 on a watch and I love it. It cost me two months of savings so not a concern to me. Remember, everything is relative.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I didn’t think I would get so many rude comments about my finances. I have a high income and no debt. The 20k wasn’t much for me. I had been putting away money for a couple of months for the ring. It’s a very high quality slightly bigger than 2 carat round diamond with a solitaire band.

Not saying it's a good use of money, but since you asked....20k isn't that much to spend on an engagement ring. AND it is quite unlikely to be "very high quality" for the price (a very high quality 2 carat stone would cost much more).

Yes, VVS2+, excellent near colorless, standard round exponentially increases past 1.5 carats. There is little you can sacrifice of the Cs for certain cuts and argue “very high” on on a Gia scale at least. I think rounds may give the best likelihood for a good price. Also you don’t know if OP bought direct or retail, goldsmith and cutting out middle man saves some of the cost too. IIRC a round cut vs square/Princess give the best brilliance in that order, but if all other things were totally equal round is more common and I think the price on the Princess is higher.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I didn’t think I would get so many rude comments about my finances. I have a high income and no debt. The 20k wasn’t much for me. I had been putting away money for a couple of months for the ring. It’s a very high quality slightly bigger than 2 carat round diamond with a solitaire band.

Is she a large person with large hands? 2ct is a pretty large diamond for daily wear in woman with average or smaller hands and not large framed.

Not true! I’m petite and wear a 4.5 ring size. 2ct is very nice on my finger. It’s not gaudy. I wear no other jewelry. Most women I know who are umc here in dc wear 1.5-2ct

I agree. My ring size is a 4, and my diamond looks great.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I didn’t think I would get so many rude comments about my finances. I have a high income and no debt. The 20k wasn’t much for me. I had been putting away money for a couple of months for the ring. It’s a very high quality slightly bigger than 2 carat round diamond with a solitaire band.

Keep bragging.....

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I didn’t think I would get so many rude comments about my finances. I have a high income and no debt. The 20k wasn’t much for me. I had been putting away money for a couple of months for the ring. It’s a very high quality slightly bigger than 2 carat round diamond with a solitaire band.

Not saying it's a good use of money, but since you asked....20k isn't that much to spend on an engagement ring. AND it is quite unlikely to be "very high quality" for the price (a very high quality 2 carat stone would cost much more).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I didn’t think I would get so many rude comments about my finances. I have a high income and no debt. The 20k wasn’t much for me. I had been putting away money for a couple of months for the ring. It’s a very high quality slightly bigger than 2 carat round diamond with a solitaire band.

Is she a large person with large hands? 2ct is a pretty large diamond for daily wear in woman with average or smaller hands and not large framed.

Not true! I’m petite and wear a 4.5 ring size. 2ct is very nice on my finger. It’s not gaudy. I wear no other jewelry. Most women I know who are umc here in dc wear 1.5-2ct

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I didn’t think I would get so many rude comments about my finances. I have a high income and no debt. The 20k wasn’t much for me. I had been putting away money for a couple of months for the ring. It’s a very high quality slightly bigger than 2 carat round diamond with a solitaire band.

Is she a large person with large hands? 2ct is a pretty large diamond for daily wear in woman with average or smaller hands and not large framed.

OP here. She is petite with small hands. I don’t think it’s too big. Most of my friends wives have a similar carat size and are skinny. I’ve never heard about carat size being proportionate to body size.

I don’t think 20k is that much (as long as you don’t have other debts). I thought OP was going to say “my friends don’t think I spent enough”.

I have friends with $5k rings and $50k rings. $20k seems very reasonable. Do I wish DH spent less than $40k on my ring? Yes. But it wasn’t my decision, it was a gift.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First I want to say that you all should do you.
2nd, how did two people, who think engagement rings costing $20k are ok, get together. I don't even know two people who would buy an engagement ring in 2020s. It's so 80s and 90s.
It's like all those grandmas with their jewelry. What a waste.

Maybe you don’t know that many people?

In my 30s. I don’t know a single engaged/married person that doesn’t have an engagement ring. Not everyone wears daily, but everyone has one.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I didn’t think I would get so many rude comments about my finances. I have a high income and no debt. The 20k wasn’t much for me. I had been putting away money for a couple of months for the ring. It’s a very high quality slightly bigger than 2 carat round diamond with a solitaire band.

Is she a large person with large hands? 2ct is a pretty large diamond for daily wear in woman with average or smaller hands and not large framed.

Anonymous wrote:My Edwardian piece was appraised for insurance at 50K replacement value.
20 years later, as part of the asset valuation for the settlement agreement, a reputable jeweler offered 6K. As for the diamond tennis bracelet, he said keep it for fun, doesn't have much value except for the platinum setting.
I guess they are kind of like new cars - once off the lot their value drops precipitously.

This.

It is all literally a rock from the ground.

Literally.

The value is in sentiment.

The whole thing is a gross tradition.