Engagement ring

[EagerGreenShaker]

If your partner was to propose to you today, roughly how much would you expect them to spend on an engagement ring?

i get that the value of a ring is not important and most people would be happy with any ring at all but just curious as to what people would say for they would expect a partner to pay on a ring you would love

Oh well. If you’re happy being manipulated by a marketing campaign. By the company who had a glut of diamond chips and invented the eternity ring with the strap line “She married you for better or worse-show her how you’re doing….” <shudder>

Oh well. If you are happy judging others based on what they do or do not buy. <shudder>

Prices for diamond solitaires may be high, but not all of us want one. I don't wear gold and find solitaires unexciting. I'd be very happy with another Camden (or other market) one that was relevant to me rather than a marketing campaign.

If going for something closer to the traditional type with gemstones I'd either want something made from the family stones, or a Suffragette ring - possibly something roughly along these lines https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1325305616/dainty-pear-amethyst-ring-vintage-art?

People can buy whatever they want. But a diamond company manipulating people into thinking there is a traditional proper-very high-amount to spend on their product to show love is indeed <shudder> . And you can tell from this thread that people have been manipulated.

This.

It’d be odd if they spend £50 when they had pots of money spare but equally a £50 would mean a lot if they didn’t and it was a symbol of their commitment.

You think you can tell when people have been manipulated? Are you a psychologist? Or are you reading the newspapers and believing yourself an expert?

I don’t really like diamond solitaires. If I was getting engaged today I’d pick something like this:

https://www.ramsdensjewellery.co.uk/product/9ct-white-gold-oval-opal-and-diamond-shoulders-engagement-ring-109625?variant=320&srsltid=AfmBOoqWQv5beBTOevHHU8UDN7CrrnCFMhRPIrqu4MEcyW81hqjxCpvaT2U

Engagement rings don’t have be diamond solitaires though.

No I’m not a psychologist. But if people are quoting as established fact something that was invented by a diamond company less than 100 years ago to sell more diamonds then…

My engagement and wedding rings were £900 in total, 14 years ago. The price of the rings has not affected the quality of our marriage 😁

Even the expectation of a month's salary is tough going during the cost of living inflation. Honestly we don't do ourselves any favours getting all judgy on how much money is spent on engagement rings etc. It should be about celebrating a loving commitment rather than showing off to our friends.

A lot less than he did, it feels a waste that i have so much money sitting on my finger.
If I did it again id get a cubic zirconia.

the diamond cost about 10k and the ring cost 2-3k. When we had it valued for the insurance they gave it a value of 20k though. It’s beautiful.

Why is everyone on MN so joyless? 😂

I can’t imagine being bought a beautiful piece o jewellery that happened to cost more than I would personally spend, and for the rest of the marriage, look down at my finger and think “if only he’d put the £2k towards our house deposit”.

Anything nice is too extravagant in MN land. So glad my ‘RL’ bears no resemblance!

So what ring would you have? Post a link to one:

My husband gave me his mother’s ring. So it didn’t cost anything.

I chose mine. Was only around £1000 and not a traditional engagement ring (I don't like to follow the crowd). Love it. Hated the one my ex-husband got me and that was worth a lot more, but that was all about him willy waving.

2mos salary is fine

gold is spenny at the mo

One million dollars

My engagement ring was a beautiful bezel set garnet in 9ct gold that I picked out, that I immediately adored. It was one of the cheapest rings within our fairly low price range, but absolutely my favourite one.

I love a bargain, so if I heard my DH had spent a large sum of money on a ring just because it was natural diamond, or white gold, I'd actually be very annoyed, because the price is entirely artificial and inflated. I like coloured gems, yellow gold, and for it to be what I consider pretty - never mind the cost!

If we had loads of money allocated for it, I'd probably want something antique. I love Victorian, art deco, and mid-century rings, or even ancient rings; Roman, medieval etc. How cool would it be to wear a Roman ring from the 2nd to 3rd century AD?

It’s the thought not the cost plus stage of life dependent too. For youngsters a £200 ring might be all they can afford but it comes with so much love. Mine cost £3k, custom made by a designer having selected the diamond, didn’t have a set budget, it’s what it cost, wasn’t a sacrifice as we are much older and well paid

DH and I did the same. We discussed marriage, agreed on marriage, went shopping together for a ring the next day. I was still trying to buy a wedding ring the day before we got hitched - full lot (engagement ring, wedding ceremony, wedding rings) cost less than £500 - I think we probably spent more in the pub celebrating!

If I was getting engaged today I have no expectation of how much he should spend on a ring. It’s the sentiment behind it.
I got engaged in 1985 and my ring cost about £125. It’s a sapphire with a small diamond either side and I love it.

I was going to say I wouldn't care, and indeed I didn't when we got engaged many moons ago without much money. But actually I do, because if DH spent 2-3 months wages on a ring (which we do now have whereas back in the day the concept would be entirely theoretical!) I would be really unhappy with him.

Because I do really like jewellery but rings aren't my favourite and I know there'd be so many other pieces that I'd love, for cheaper, and we'd do something else with the rest of the cash. He got a pretty bog standard one at the time, which I loved, but he's bought me a lot more jewellery over the years and might go more adventurous now.

thats beautiful. what is the stone?