wilheldp_PE
PE, LEED AP, SPAM KING
Yeah, it's kinda cool that she avoided paying taxes to "the man" back in the day. I'm proud of her.
How much for an engagement ring?
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NCcarguy
Well-known member
I would buy the biggest stone (that's not total crap, or yellow) for 2k, and call it good. I think that gets a decent size, good enough quality, and you're not spending so much money that could be used for other things.
That's what I did anyway....hummm....and 10 years later, we don't get along so good???? I wonder if there's any correlation?
That's what I did anyway....hummm....and 10 years later, we don't get along so good???? I wonder if there's any correlation?
maryannette
Wise One
Well, I told the story of my MIL and daughter and her boyfriend. This will work so well because of the sentimental connection, but also because our family and bf's family are not big spenders on jewelry. Not that there is anything wrong with it, but just not our style. My engagement ring is about 1/2 carat and simple. I wear it most of time. I have substituted my grandmother's wedding band for mine and don't wear mine anymore. My grandmother died in 2001 at the age of 101 and I inherited her ring. Like I said, nothing wrong with buying a nice ring within reason, but there are alternatives.
RIP - VTEnviro
His Memory Eternal
Yeah I am not trying jumping on anyone, just curious. We're not terribly sentimental folks, kinda the opposite to a fault sometimes I think.
I've got an amusing picture from my wedding that shows me with my face all scrunched up tugging at it not 15 minutes after the ceremony. Someone made sure that one went in the scrapbook to make sure I wouldn't live it down anytime soon.
Which sucks because I like the ring and even paid extra to get the date inscribed on the inside. It's white gold with a hammered finish and I think looks sharp.
I don't wear my wedding band either. I have slim fingers and fat knuckles. It's impossible to get on and off over my knuckles, but then looks like a hula loop at the base of my finger. It's really annoying.
I've got an amusing picture from my wedding that shows me with my face all scrunched up tugging at it not 15 minutes after the ceremony. Someone made sure that one went in the scrapbook to make sure I wouldn't live it down anytime soon.
Which sucks because I like the ring and even paid extra to get the date inscribed on the inside. It's white gold with a hammered finish and I think looks sharp.
EM_PS
shining like a lighter...
Hmm, i guess its a bit of a crap shoot, but what's to be comfortable with? Spending $$ vs giving an heirloom isn't any more valid a proposal nor offers any greater assurance that the recipient will like it or even say yes. When an heirloom like that gets passed down, 1st off, it won't be a $110 special from Kay's. Secondly, for whichever relative to bestow upon you to give away is an incredible honor to you and towards their future inlaw. Thirdly, the proposee will recognize, if he / she has any semblance of sociological skills, what a significant honor it is that this ring be passed on to him / her. I mean, you're not gonna give a gold setting to a fiance that prefers white gold or platinum or whatever - just because the heirloom is offered doesn't mean it will have to be used, certainly.
you do realize the difference between an engagement ring and an actual wedding band? It never is the same ring after the marriage takes place - usually the actual 'wedding band' gets added to the engagement ring, if it was a matched set at purchase, or you buy a wrap or surround for the engagement ring, as i had to. For your $3K ring, did your wife wear it the whole time of engagement, and then have it presented at the wedding, only to wear the exact same ring post-wedding? that is not the typical scenario, but whatever floats your boat, its all good.
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DVINNY
2-time 10K winner
So this guy stop in at a citrus grove and goes over to where the foreman is standing. The guys asks the foreman, "I'm lookin' for a job pickin' fruit".
The boss looks at the guy and asks, "Ever picked lemons before". The guy answers, "Well, ya... Been married three times".
The boss looks at the guy and asks, "Ever picked lemons before". The guy answers, "Well, ya... Been married three times".
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RIP - VTEnviro
His Memory Eternal
^ And if not, can you at least get a few thousand $$$ just for turning in the old, rundown model for something with a little more going on in the trunk and improved performance with her top down?
engineergurl
Resident Sweet Cheeks
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I agree with Mary, I checked all the boxes up to $5K... there is no real need for a ring or any jewlery in my opinion that should be worth more than that... but it is up to the individual.
We got our bands at walmart about a week after we got married, and spent a hundred dollars on the two.. the diamond came a year later and I'm pretty sure the whole ring was about $1700... it appraised for about double that
We got our bands at walmart about a week after we got married, and spent a hundred dollars on the two.. the diamond came a year later and I'm pretty sure the whole ring was about $1700... it appraised for about double that
DVINNY
2-time 10K winner
I'm glad to see we have some level headed female's on this board. (we already knew that)
I had a conversation with a girl I knew a few years back and she was braggin' about "if a guy ever brought her a ring smaller than 2karat, she'd tell him to hit the road".
My response was, "I would hope none of them consider giving you anything more than one out of a cracker jack box". for a guy to put up with her being that delusional and self-centered would be an obvious disaster waiting to happen.
She not likey my answer. (one of my wife's old acquaintances)
I had a conversation with a girl I knew a few years back and she was braggin' about "if a guy ever brought her a ring smaller than 2karat, she'd tell him to hit the road".
My response was, "I would hope none of them consider giving you anything more than one out of a cracker jack box". for a guy to put up with her being that delusional and self-centered would be an obvious disaster waiting to happen.
She not likey my answer. (one of my wife's old acquaintances)
I spent $2k. I had no idea what t expect when I started, other than the jewelry industry "guidelines" (give us all your money, sucka!) Fortunately for me, my wife works in a lab and has to wear latex gloves all the time, so a big pointy rock was out of the question. Plus, I personally find the big pointy rock to be rather tasteless.
Instead, we ended up spending less to get something that was flush-mounted, which apparently automatically limits the size of the stone anyway, as there aren't that many flush-mounted options around (or there weren't back then, anyway). Plus, it looks "different" than all her friend's rings, and so it attracts more attention, which from my perspective means it probably has even greater value.
Having gone through all that, I don't think anyone (in our tax bracket) should consider anything more than around $3k. If I had a fiancee that insisted on more, that would tell me something about the fiancee and I would move along.
Instead, we ended up spending less to get something that was flush-mounted, which apparently automatically limits the size of the stone anyway, as there aren't that many flush-mounted options around (or there weren't back then, anyway). Plus, it looks "different" than all her friend's rings, and so it attracts more attention, which from my perspective means it probably has even greater value.
Having gone through all that, I don't think anyone (in our tax bracket) should consider anything more than around $3k. If I had a fiancee that insisted on more, that would tell me something about the fiancee and I would move along.
IlliniASU
Engineers don't only drive trains.
Well, I'm kind of going out on a limb here, at the risk of being labeled.
My husband and I spent quite a significant amount on my engagement ring, along with the wedding bands. Yes, bands. I have a 1.22 carat brilliant cut center stone, D color, VS2 clarity, with 4 smaller diamonds on either side. I wear a band on either side of the engagement ring, and they each have 9 smaller diamonds, the same size as the side diamonds on the engagement ring. The set is platinum. The whole deal was about 16.5k.
We made the purchase together, although he did pay for all but about 3k of it. We spent about 6 months shopping for rings/wedding sets so we were able to get a good idea of what was out there and what we liked. We already owned a home at the time, and we weren't planning on having the wedding for about a year and a half. (We've been married about two years now.) I don't have any other jewelry to speak of. Most of our 'significant' purchases now are towards upgrading his Jeep and his gun collection. Trust me, that adds up over time!
My husband and I spent quite a significant amount on my engagement ring, along with the wedding bands. Yes, bands. I have a 1.22 carat brilliant cut center stone, D color, VS2 clarity, with 4 smaller diamonds on either side. I wear a band on either side of the engagement ring, and they each have 9 smaller diamonds, the same size as the side diamonds on the engagement ring. The set is platinum. The whole deal was about 16.5k.
We made the purchase together, although he did pay for all but about 3k of it. We spent about 6 months shopping for rings/wedding sets so we were able to get a good idea of what was out there and what we liked. We already owned a home at the time, and we weren't planning on having the wedding for about a year and a half. (We've been married about two years now.) I don't have any other jewelry to speak of. Most of our 'significant' purchases now are towards upgrading his Jeep and his gun collection. Trust me, that adds up over time!
Chucktown PE
Well-known member
That's exactly what I was eluding to Ill. You would have probably been a little peeved (and rightly so in my opinion) if your husband had a kick ass gun collection and/or Jeep and spent $500 on your ring at Sam's wholesale (not knocking Sam's). I didn't think about my guns in my post about "not spending much money on myself" and thinking about it, I would say that my gun collection is worth about as much as my wife's ring.
I don't think there is anything wrong with having nice jewelry. Plus, all these heirlooms that people are talking about have to come from somewhere.
IlliniASU
Engineers don't only drive trains.
D
Dexman1349
I think I paid about $150 for the engagement ring and $1k each for matching wedding bands. We were in college and sharing a small 1 bedroom appartment. Basically the $150 was about all I could afford at the time and the only reason we could drop $2k on the wedding bands was because of their lay-away program.
We've been married for over 7 years and together for over 10 and the largest (and only) diamond I have given her was a "chip" in a promise ring after about 1 year of dating. Her engagement ring was a small gold band with a saffire (sp?) and our wedding bands are a solid platinum with a gold inlay along the center (no stones).
We've been married for over 7 years and together for over 10 and the largest (and only) diamond I have given her was a "chip" in a promise ring after about 1 year of dating. Her engagement ring was a small gold band with a saffire (sp?) and our wedding bands are a solid platinum with a gold inlay along the center (no stones).
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