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Spent $700 on a new platinum setting for a stone that's been in the family for three generations. Happy not only because I saved money and didn't contribute to the DeBeers price-fixing monopoly, but because the stone had real significance.
It's not that I'm cheap, I just can't wrap my head around paying so much money for something that is indistinguishable (at least to the human eye) from a substantially cheaper synthetic diamond. There is absolutely NO reason to buy a natural diamond except for being able to tell people how much it cost without lying. This isn't a situation where the "original" is of higher quality or functions better than the knock off. Synthetic diamonds ARE real diamonds they are just made in a lab and not in a mine.
hubby spent almost a half year salary(after tax) on my ring at first I wanted to kill him. now 5 years later I adore my ring and always wear it. I get many compliments, it's beautiful and now he makes a lot more money so I'm glad he splurged when he purchased it.
if you buy a smaller ring, be prepared for a request to upgrade in a few years
I had a nice engagement ring and went for a husband upgrade a few years later.
Diamonds may be forever, but all marriages are not.
Second time around opted for a simple gold wedding ring and the engagement ring money placed into the 'let's buy a house account'. Almost 20 years later -- same husband, same simple band of gold, and a home. He's bought me diamonds in the years sine -- they're in the safety deposit box. Not all of us are about the bling.
I have a pearl! I insisted that he do something affordable. Like others have said, I'd rather spend the extra thousands on the honeymoon and subsequent trips. He worked with a jeweler he knew personally and had it custom made with a couple of aquamarines on the sides and small diamond baguettes to keep with tradition. It wasn't very expensive, but the ring has a lot of symbolism. I look at it and I see the ocean.
Initially I braced myself for snide comments from fellow Long Islanders or fake smiles and, "Oh ... well that's - um - nice" sorts of reactions, but I was pleasantly surprised. One of my coworkers was so moved by it and the symbolic explanation behind it that she actually dreamt about it. It was nice to have my cynical view of Long Islanders challenged.
I think the whole whatever-percentage-of-your-salary thing is outdated. And there's nothing wrong with asking her what she likes. It builds a very pleasant sort of anticipation.
Come on guys... we buy houses, cars, pay school taxes, and like to spend a little on some home improvement.... Just like anything, if you can afford it, then why not? If you can't take a $1k, $10k, or $100k hit on your bank account without suffering your everyday lifestyle, then yeah... you really shouldn't spend that much on something that is really for a materialistic ceremony.
In other cultures, families spend their life savings on weddings that are grander then even celebrities. Does it make financial sense? Not really. But it's what they do. Nothing wrong with it.
As much as some people say it's a reflection of the wife to be, the marriage, the love of the husband to be, I think there is ZERO correlation. You get a gift. It's nice. You remember them for it. That's about it. It just kind of sucks if you get something you really don’t like.
Stories are nice though. Hard to really make that stuff up. I guess, that's when a materialistic object gains actual significance. So props to you MegDrew.
at the time we got engaged he was running a small business & really wasn't taking a paycheck so we sold my husband's left kidney on the blackmarket.........I figure that's why god gave him two.
My ring is REALLY sparkly
Generally, better off getting a nice, clear smaller stone then a huge, cloudy imperfect one. Generally, the nicest stone you can get at around 1ct makes a nice ring... if she cares for one at all.
That should be around 5-7K for a very clear one... 3-5 for a more imperfect one... depending on setting.
Great advice. 1-1.5 ct is the perfect size. Once you go bigger than that, the rings get uglier and look cloudy/lifeless imho. People that want these giant 2 & 3 ct wannabe millionaire type rings, usually have low self-esteem issues, are constantly unhappy with their lives and most end up getting divorced anyway. Bigger is not always better, regarding diamonds (from what I have seen).
Unless you have 50k to spend, I would keep it around ~1ct, clean and sparkly. If you spend less than this for 2-3ct, you're going to get an ugly, fragmented, giant diamond.
I threw the "2 months salary" rule and the whole "it's an investment" theory at my husband and he laughed in my face.
That being said, when he asked me what I had in mind, I told him: 2 to 3 carats, round brilliant solitaire. He met me in the middle with a 2.5ct solitaire.
To the OP: You have to know what's in YOUR budget because everybody's is different, but an engagement ring is not something you should go into debt for.
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at first I wanted to kill him. now 5 years later I adore my ring and always wear it. I get many compliments, it's beautiful and now he makes a lot more money so I'm glad he splurged when he purchased it. 
