is there any unwritten rules for buying engagement rings?

[Thorpesaurous]

There's a jewelry store near me that advertises on TV and the radio "Get that 3 month ring for just 2 months worth of the money!!!"

So I'm pretty sure it's 3 months.

Gross or net is a good question. That would be like a 10k swing.

[DeuceWallaces]

Based on his posts I feel like he must be trolling.

[CeltsGarlic]

for that kind of money you could have an awesome vacation dude.

[embersyc]

**** that, buy something you can afford, no point going in debt to buy a ring. Just remember she inherits half your debt too.

[gigantes]

...I keep telling my girl IF we get engaged, I'll find her a pawn shop ring. She gets all

do girls these days actually expect to go to a jewelry store with their man and get something out of the display case or custom-designed? that sounds pretty over the line for most people.

i would hope that if YOU'RE the one proposing, you have license to scrounge a ring from wherever the hell you want... assuming it looks respectable and isn't hot. no good...?

[KevinNYC]

wtf searched 3 months salary engagement ring and came to a site with this.



I was thinking 3 months of my net income. ****ing taxes. So with my gross salary I need to have 12k for a ring and so that means I need to borrow $10621

I wonder if anyone is willing to give me that.

Dude, it doesn't make any sense going broke to buy the ring. If it's about the ring, then you need to think about the relationship itself. Joint property also means joint debt. Do you want to start off by going 10K in the hole. You could always upgrade the ring later. Also it's two months not 3 months.

We didn't even end up getting matching rings. I personally don't like gold or silver and got a hammered titanium ring that I still like to look at. Also due to it's strength, I imagine using it one day in a MacGuyer type situation.

[code green]

Interesting stuff in the Wiki article for engagement rings:

[QUOTE]The idea that a man should spend a significant fraction of his annual income for an engagement ring originated de novo from De Beers marketing materials in the mid-20th century, in an effort to increase the sale of diamonds. In the 1930s, they suggested that a man should spend the equivalent of one month's income in the engagement ring; later they suggested that he should spend two months' income on it.[32] In 2007, the average cost of an engagement ring in USA as reported by the industry was US$2,100.[33]
One reason for the increased popularity of expensive engagement rings is its relationship to human sexuality and the woman's marriage prospects.[34] Until the Great Depression, a man who broke off a marriage engagement could be sued for breach of promise. Monetary damages included actual expenses incurred in preparing for the wedding, plus damages for emotional distress and loss of other marriage prospects. Damages were greatly increased if the woman had engaged in sexual intercourse with her fianc

[DukeDelonte13]

there is no unwritten rules. My only rule is don't be one of those guys who doesn't propose with a ring. Girls wanna see the ring.

I did not spend 3 months of my f*cking salary on a ring. I spent around 1500.

Don't fall into the trap of buying the diamond and the ring separate, don't fall into the trap of buying one particular diamond over another because the "cut" or "clarity" is better, etc.

Just get one that's already put together. Don't worry about certifications or the different levels.. this is not an investment. You don't resell these things and they lose their value.

Just get one that looks good that you think your lady will like.


I got a ring with a much bigger diamond on a ring that was already put together vs. where you have to buy everything in pieces.

[DukeDelonte13]

Dude, it doesn't make any sense going broke to buy the ring. If it's about the ring, then you need to think about the relationship itself. Joint property also means joint debt. Do you want to start off by going 10K in the hole. You could always upgrade the ring later. Also it's two months not 3 months.

We didn't even end up getting matching rings. I personally don't like gold or silver and got a hammered titanium ring that I still like to look at. Also due to it's strength, I imagine using it one day in a MacGuyer type situation.

i didn't get matching rings either. I bought myself some 50 dollar tungsten carbide piece of crap that is worthless. Who cares? it's just a ring. I'm not a flashy guy, i don't need a 24k gold or platinum wedding band.

My wife's wedding band was a couple hundo though. Sometimes you gotta spoil your woman.

[gigantes]

Interesting stuff in the Wiki article for engagement rings:

yea, good point... de beers and partners are a monopoly / consortium. my understanding is, diamonds are artificially scarce based on de beers

[CeltsGarlic]

All say that nr1 rule is to ask on msg board, and brag as much as you can.

[ALBballer]

I end up spending a lot for my girl's ring and in the end it doesn't really matter. I went crazy looking at the size, clarity, cut, which company certified the diamond and what not for no reason.

[InfiniteBaskets]

x months salary rule is a little ridiculous. Certain doctors and lawyers would have to drop close to 100k on the ring.

Someone like Warren Buffet would've had to spend at least 20 million or so. At that point why not fly your girl to Africa and buy the diamond mine itself?

[glidedrxlr22]

I got lucky cause my mom gave me a ring that had been in the family. Don't remember its value, but the jeweler was pleased when he saw it. I had it cleaned since it was about 50 years old. Money spent on ring: $20 cleaning.

[Jasi]

Funny thread.
The tradition here is quite different.
I mean yeah there's the commonplace that you propose with a ring, but the real tradition is that the ring should be given during an engagement lunch/dinner with both's parents. So that happens after you asked her (and - by tradition - her parents).

And yeah the ring will be your mom's ring, if you are the first son. If you're the second, you'll buy a new one.