The Proliferation of Huge Engagement Rings

[japhir]

Maybe I'm just weird or maybe because I'm dating a poor military guy, but I don't want anything near 1 carat. My brother bought his wife a 1.25 carat ring with sapphires down the sides and it just looks funny. It's too big. I want something small and unobtrusive. I don't wear much jewlery and I'm not one to flaunt, so something small would be perfect.

I actual found the perfect ring. It's a band that opens up (has hidden hinges) and it can be engraved inside the two halves. It's actually really cool and only costs about $2000 with a solitare princess cut on top.

[xo_kathy]

Originally posted by Cream
There are a lot of people around here with huge rocks. I guess when a small starter home goes for $500,000, spending $50,000 on a ring isn't a big deal.

Yes, Cream, I hear you on this one! I've commented on this before on that other diamond thread, but people here make lots of money. $150-200K is often typical annual income. We regularily plunk down $8-10 on a drink after work. I guess spending $6-10K on an engagement ring doesn't seem like that big a deal to me? Oh how this city is ruining me!

Also, I always tell my boyfriend he better no set foot in Tiffany for my engagement ring! You pay a good $3000 extra for that name alone. I'll gladly take that $3000 in an extra half carat from a jewler on 47th street (the Diamond District of NYC)!

[FeeFee]

Originally posted by xo_kathy
I'll gladly take that $3000 in an extra half carat from a jewler on 47th street (the Diamond District of NYC)!

Gotta love the Diamond District!!!! That's where my engagement ring came from - it's so pretty.

[juniorgrrl]

My ring is a 1.51 carat round solitaire. I color, ideal cut, VVS1. In a 6 prong platinum setting. The specs of the diamond qualify it to be a Tiffany stone. We just don't have a Tiffany's nearby.

I'm estimating that Boy paid between 6 and 8K for it. He only financed the last little bit, and that's because he was tired of waiting. It will be paid off by next month. I figure he only financed the last 1K or so.

But, he lives at home with his parents, has no student loans, a credit card that's paid off monthly, a low car note... he's doing pretty well. And we still have a year to save up for a house.

There's a girl in my class who got a similar ring. Her fiance is still in law school...I'm not sure how they swing that one unless his parents have money (which I'm glad my boy paid for this all on his own) or he's up the wazoo in debt.

[Peaches-n-Cream]

Originally posted by FeeFee
Gotta love the Diamond District!!!! That's where my engagement ring came from - it's so pretty.

That's where my friend's husband bought her ring. It is beautiful. It was much less money than a Tiffany ring and just as lovely.

[Munchkin03]

Maybe it's because I have tiny hands (5.5), or because Mr. Munchkin and I will be poor (architects and teachers don't make much), but I can't even imagine paying $10K plus for a ring! When we checked out rings, even the salesman was steering me towards no more than a .75 carat! I might not even go with a diamond--both of our birthdays are in May, and if we get married in May, we might do emeralds.

I feel like too much attention is being paid to the minor details of weddings--ring, dress, reception--and not the major details of the marriage. I told Mama Munchkin that I might just elope to escape the madness!

xo_kathy, I am totally with you on the Tiffany thing--as long as it is from the heart, it doesn't matter--I've seen beautiful rings designed by the fiance! But, Mr. Munchkin won't even go into a Tiffany, so I guess I'm lucky.

[bucutie02]

Originally posted by Munchkin03
Mr. Munchkin and I will be poor (architects and teachers don't make much)

Maybe you are not living in the right city My dad is an architect, and makes a good amount of money, so maybe you should look into moving to Houston

[FeeFee]

Originally posted by Cream
That's where my friend's husband bought her ring. It is beautiful. It was much less money than a Tiffany ring and just as lovely.

If you bring cash, you can bargain with some of the jewelers. My fiance bought a loose diamond as the center (round, .78 ct, D color, VS) and I found the perfect setting for it (round and baguette, .67 tcw, yellow gold)

So....the total carat weight for my ring is 1.45 and he got a great deal for it too. Did I mention that my ring is sooo pretty???? ,

[LXAAlum]

Originally posted by KDatUTC
If my dude comes along, I'll just use my ring. It's not the ring that counts to me, it's the meaning behind it...

GOOD FOR YOU.

My girlfriend's rule in college: "If it isn't more than 1 carat, the answer's no."

Well, I have LONG since gotten ahold of my senses, married someone else, and had 3 kids.

All with puny diamonds. Not small, puny. However - the diamonds belonged to my grandmother, who passed away giving birth to my mother. The ring sat in a safety deposit box from 1941 until 1991 - 50 years! I had the ring recast into something more modern.

The story behind the ring is much more valuable than any diamond I could plunk down cash to buy just to impress others - not my style.

[Jaggergirl]

phew! You girls are so informative!

Mr. Jaggerboy was given his grandmother's ring to use as an engagement (and maybe?) wedding ring. I haven't seen it, and though I'm sure it's lovely, there is that tiny little shallow voice that wonders what it looks like and will I like it.

But the fact that his family gave it to him to use (rather than his younger brother or sister) knowing it would probably end up on my hand means a lot to both of us. I can't imagine changing it in any way.

[ChiOJenn78]

Originally posted by KillarneyRose
Okay, I am starting to realize that I am the most naive 36 year old that has ever resided on the planet Earth.

It never occured to me until I read some of your replies to this thread that people borrow money to buy engagement rings. I always thought that the ring is a symbol of where you are right now in your life and how you want to take your fiancee on the journey with you and all that Hallmark Cards stuff! No wonder people are getting such nice rings (not counting the poor quality or fake ones, but those people have much larger problems than debt!!!).

Killarney, I have to agree with you!! My fiance worked his ass off to save money to buy my ring-and that means more to me, than had he simply gone to his dad and asked for a loan...it may be cheesy, but to me it seems like he actually put some effort into my ring!!

I also have to agree with all of you who said that, while the diamond may be big, it may be of crappy quality.

My center stone is a carat, and the 2 side sones are probably about 1/2 carat each(not diamonds though, the side stones are yellow sapphires)-and anything bigger would just be tacky!! I have small hands and thin fingers, so a rock on my hand would just look wrong...and like my dad said, you don't need to wear the ranch on your hand!!

[ChiOJenn78]

Originally posted by xo_kathy


Also, I always tell my boyfriend he better no set foot in Tiffany for my engagement ring! You pay a good $3000 extra for that name alone.

Sister, I agree!! I found my ring at Tiffany's but ordered my fiance never ever to buy it from there-just look at the design and head to a jeweler, and have it made for cheaper!!! Which he did, smart boy...

[aephi alum]

OK, now I have to defend our choice of a Tiffany engagement ring

Mr. aephi alum proposed without the ring, and we decided to pick something out together. We got a quick "education" in the 4 C's from Tiffany's. I suggested that we decide where to make tradeoffs (poor starving grad student, remember ) and then head to some other store to get the actual ring. But Mr. aephi alum insisted on going back to Tiffany's, partly because he was fearful that a less reputable jeweler would swap diamonds on us, and partly because he knew I'd be wearing this ring for the rest of my life (hopefully!) and he wanted it to be just right. And since he was insisting that I have a Tiffany ring, who was I to complain??

I do like my ring... the diamond is the classic Tiffany cut, and looks absolutely gorgeous when the light catches it. It actually wasn't that frightfully expensive - we traded off a little on the color (G), and it's not a big rock, but that's what I wanted. In any case, more important to me than the ring, is the meaning behind it.

[KillarneyRose]

Originally posted by aephi alum
OK, now I have to defend our choice of a Tiffany engagement ring

Sweety, don't you dare!!!

[AOIIsilver]

Okay, on the defense of wanting a big ring...

After you have been married for a VERY long time, a big ring is a nice reward for having to pick-up dirty underwear and socks off the floor for all of those years!

Now if I could just convince Mr. Silver.

(FYI: Mr. Silver did not buy me an engagement ring! I got the family ring of which I am very proud. And, yes, I am still married to the same old guy! Go figure! )