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Original poster

How much should an engagement ring cost??

181 replies

Sounbelievablydull · 04/06/2016 21:24

Humour me here please.
My original ring has disintegrated back has split and one ( v small diamond) has fallen out and is now lost.
Now I never thought I was a jewellery type person ...but... Now I find I'm noticing other people's rings and feeling envious.
So, if I were to put my original ring plus a few bits of trivial hideous 80s stuff together what would I need to come up with to have nice piece of bling???

OP posts:
NeedACleverNN · 04/06/2016 21:48

How much should an engagement ring cos?
What you can afford

TheCladdagh · 04/06/2016 21:50

Exactly £6.99.

Writerwannabe83 · 04/06/2016 21:50

Mine cost just under £1'800 which is a ridiculous amount of money to spend on a ring in my opinion.

It's absolutely beautiful but I'm always panicking about losing it.

NeedACleverNN · 04/06/2016 21:51

I don't wear my engagement or wedding ring anyway.... I don't enjoy wearing jewellery

Dh was hurt at first but he's ok about it now

coco1810 · 04/06/2016 21:52

Just curious, if your engagement ring is valued in thousands do you wear it every day or just for special occasions? Personally, I would be terrified to wear it out the confines of my home.

wobblywonderwoman · 04/06/2016 21:52

i think people pay between 1000 and 5000 ish from taking to colleagues etc mine was 1300

MadameDePomPom · 04/06/2016 21:52

£12, 763.98

SirChenjin · 04/06/2016 21:53

There is no rule - get what you like/can afford. It's like saying "how much should a house cost" or "how much should a car cost".

Original poster
Sounbelievablydull · 04/06/2016 21:53

Yep I'm afraid there's a newly found ghastly element to me!!
I saw others with giant glitzy rings and my head was turned .
However, now I've see these replies I am revising my grasping greed and and am thinking a repair of the original is the way to go- and maybe a holiday😏

OP posts:
MadameDePomPom · 04/06/2016 21:55

Buy vintage, you'll get much more bang for your buck that way OP.

seafoodeatit · 04/06/2016 21:56

How long is a piece of string? as with all jewellry, sentimental ones more so, surely the thought and reason behind it is the true value? there is no arbitrary figure or percent of income that needs to be spent on one.

ToriaPumpkin · 04/06/2016 21:56

Mine cost £275. I'm currently having a gorgeous eternity ring commissioned and that's costing £345 for exactly what I want. Get the ring you want, the cost is relative.

SquidgeyMidgey · 04/06/2016 21:57

Sounbelievablydull, maybe you could have your engagement ring repaired and find something sparkly as an anniversary/birthday/Tuesday gift?

Coco, my eternity ring is worth quite a bit and at first it worried me but now I just get on with it. It's insured so bring it on Wink

Iknownuffink · 04/06/2016 21:57

There are no rules
Scout about, including pawn shops.

Buy a ring you like.

Skiptonlass · 04/06/2016 21:58

Whatever you're comfortable with. A set minimum is just daft. The only stipulation I'd have is that if you're going to wear it daily over many years then it needs to be something that can withstand that. Otherwise, diamond the size of an egg? Tiny but meaningful ring? Fine. Anything in between? Also fine.

What sort of thing are you after? New jewellery has a massive mark up on it so if you want most bling for your buck check out second hand. There are plenty of jewellers out there who will make you something at a very reasonable price, even more so if you have a stone that's not diamond. 1500 would get you a very nice ring from a small independent gold or silversmith.

hidingwithwine · 04/06/2016 21:59

An engagement ring should cost whatever the price is of the trying you like, no?

I fell for a ring that cost a whole £225, and over 25 years later I wouldn't swap it for anything. It's not changed since the day we bought it either - if it ever did break, I'd get it fixed and wear it again.

Fredmitten · 04/06/2016 22:01

On how often I wear my rings, mine go on everyday and were about £4K in total six years ago. I work on the principle that they are there to be worn and enjoyed, fit well and insured. I had the Sam conversation about a handbag once, when someone told me they wouldn't put a bag worth x on the floor. Whereas, I think it's a handbag, sometimes will need to be put on the floor whether I cost £10 or £1000, and I bought it to use it, not keep in it's dust bag.

Fredmitten · 04/06/2016 22:02

Same, not Sam

EnriqueTheRingBearingLizard · 04/06/2016 22:02

OP, you're married to a lovely man, so talk to him and go ring shopping together to get a new ring that you both like. What it costs is up to you. It's a symbol and you should be happy with it.

Coco my ring is valued at about four or five times the worth of my car and I wear it every day, all day and love it.

emsyj · 04/06/2016 22:03

Why don't you get them resized Mouikey? A good jeweller will be able to do that for you so you can wear them again.

I wear my engagement and wedding rings all the time. I do worry about the stone falling out but not enough to not wear it. Why have something nice and not enjoy it? If it was stuffed in a drawer I would probably end up selling it to use the money for something more useful. As it is, I enjoy wearing it.

BusyNothings · 04/06/2016 22:03

Word of caution be very careful with repairs. My aunts 26year old engagement ring is stunning and very meaningful for her but did the exact same. She got it repaired by a lifelong friend and fab jeweller who warned her that the structure of the ring meant if it broke again it'd literally need rebuilding from scratch. And most likely it would break again as once they break they are difficult to keep whole.

Needless to say it broke again. She had it rebuilt from scratch but is now terrified to wear it.

Not trying to scare you just make sure if getting it repaired you do research for a reputable and good jeweller and follow their advice.

Good luck!

MumOnACornishFarm · 04/06/2016 22:04

There's no "should" about it, is there? Buy something you love, within your means. Years ago my partner bought my engagement ring from a vintage & antique dealer in Hatton Garden. Some people feel funny about a 'second hand' engagement ring, but personally I love the thought that it has been treasured before and I always wanted vintage. My 1900's ring is a trilogy with two .75 carrat diamonds and an unusual 1 carat cabochon dark blue saphire. It was just under £3k (we couldn't afford it these days!) You get a lot more for your money when you buy vintage/antique, and I like the thought that my stones were cut by hand, not by a computer and a machine.

Bogeyface · 04/06/2016 22:05

Whatever you can afford, dont spend it on the high street. Got to a reputable jewellry maker and buy your diamond and then pay for the setting you want. You will get loads more for your money than you will at a standard jewellers who has massive mark ups. My ring was originally £1200 but I got it in the sale for £450 which is roughly what it would have cost me to get it made bespoke.

dontpokethebear · 04/06/2016 22:07

Meh, all my friends seem to have diamond solitaires and they all look the same. I have a vintage pearl and very small diamonds ring. I don't know how much it cost, but I can't imagine it was much, as at the time we didn't have a lot of money.

Imo, if you get a replacement ring then it's won't be your engagement ring. It will just be a ring.

Junosmum · 04/06/2016 22:07

Mine was £800, which I furious with DH for spending. It's a stupid amount for a piece of jewelry, the amount spent does not determine the strength of the relationship! I hardly ever wear it as I'm not a ring person, even though he chose well.