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Engagement Rings

I never really take mine off unless I am doing something like cleaning with harsh chemicals or putting on lotion or something, but then on the other hand, I also don't understand the few women in my prenatal yoga class who went out and bought larger rings when their hands started swelling so that they wouldn't look "unwed" when they had to forgo their usual rings. So I guess wedding bands/engagement rings are almost always a "to each their own" situation.
 
Same. I specifically wanted a low profile ring for that reason. I take it off when doing meat stuff or kneading dough/making sausage balls. That's about it. I do sometimes take it off while I put lotion on but put it right back on.
 
My testimonial..

I was saving for an engagement ring and took the whole two months salary thing seriously, but we'd be dating off an on for 5 years, so I wanted to make a statement. I had gotten it up to 3 months salary and 1 months salary for the honeymoon. Was all set to talk to her mom about me asking.

She broke up with me the weekend before I was going to ask her mom about "her hand". She left me for the guy she had seen before we started seeing each other 5 years before. I ended up buying a truck. A few years later, I'm dating. I total the truck. I use the insurance money to buy an engagement ring.....

Trust me.. Buy the truck first. (I wonder if she'll find the board now).
 
I can't imagine a sloppy enough drunk where my ring would be in jeopardy but my mother on the other hand loses everyyythinggg. That makes some sense but I don't get the women that take it off whenever they do virtually anything. What's the point if you can't be comfortable wearing it all of the time?

I think her fear is more falling or knocking into something than losing it.
 
Also, in the honeymoon v. Ring v. Whatever debate, people spend on what they want to and have different priorities. This is why I always think these threads end up w people getting pissed bc we all value different things. Totally admit I love jewelry, but I never spend over ten bucks on a bottle of wine when I buy it. I have friends who spend thousands on wine. Just an example, but we all have different things we will splurge on.

This.

To the OP, 2 month's salary is a good rule of thumb. Also, find out what type of ring your future wife likes before pulling the trigger.
 
Acknowledge what awakegirl says but make sure you know what the woman values. If she values jewelry, then go jewelry. If she values the honeymoon or not being in debt to start off a marriage and you go jewelry, that's a mistake.
 
You're 31 and settled into a comfortable life - you really are the only person who knows what a "reasonable" price is, because that's personal to each person's budget.

Keep in mind that it's probably the single most important piece of jewelery you will ever buy for her, but that it's also a piece of jewelery - so it's also a very safe investment (i.e - it's not going to lose value long term). If 10-15k fits your budget and it's a ring that she'll like and value, pull the trigger on it. If not, shop around until you find one that fits both categories.
 
You're 31 and settled into a comfortable life - you really are the only person who knows what a "reasonable" price is, because that's personal to each person's budget.

Keep in mind that it's probably the single most important piece of jewelery you will ever buy for her, but that it's also a piece of jewelery - so it's also a very safe investment (i.e - it's not going to lose value long term). If 10-15k fits your budget and it's a ring that she'll like and value, pull the trigger on it. If not, shop around until you find one that fits both categories.

I'm pretty sure a diamond ring purchased with the intent that one's beloved will wear it the rest of y'all's life doesn't count as an investment. That sounds like textbook consumption to me.
 
When my parents got married they were dirt poor. I think my mom's ring cost $900 in 1980 and my dad had to borrow money from my mom to pay for it. When we lived in Florida my dad was working some crazy hours and got a big promotion and a bonus and bought her a "new" engagement ring. She took a pair of diamond earrings and added them to either side of her engagement ring for each of her three boys.
 
When my parents got married they were dirt poor. I think my mom's ring cost $900 in 1980 and my dad had to borrow money from my mom to pay for it. When we lived in Florida my dad was working some crazy hours and got a big promotion and a bonus and bought her a "new" engagement ring. She took a pair of diamond earrings and added them to either side of her engagement ring for each of her three boys.

This seems to be the trend nowadays, and a smart one at that. Most guys I know dont make bank right out of college, so getting a ring within your means, and upgrading later on when you are more comfortable is a wise choice.
 
Engagement rings these days feel like another example of America making people feel obligated to live beyond their means.
 
I remember when my wife and I were dating she said she thought spending a ton of money on a rock some poor African slave dug out of the dirt seemed silly. But she did want one, just a little one.

So I spent $2500 total on the setting and diamond (.9 carats) at CMI in Raleigh. I swear, that place must be selling CZ because it's crazy cheap. If you can get there, go see Keith and he'll hook you up.

Anyhow, about 3 years into our marriage my wife lost the diamond, and neither of us have ever cared to replace it.
 
All I know is that I'm going to be in rough shape when I have to get one of these.
 
Nah you'll be good. If the girl likes you enough you could get her two Reese's cups and she'd say yes.

I dunno, Maplewood/MTB/Willis. TWDeac should get his lady something that holds up to the test of time. Something besides a diamond that lasts forever. Something like a Happy Meal

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I dunno, Maplewood/MTB/Willis. TWDeac should get his lady something that holds up to the test of time. Something besides a diamond that lasts forever. Something like a Happy Meal

z217349011.png

I'm sure I mentioned this a few CT's back, but I saw a happy meal from June of 2004 a while back. Still looks exactly like that.
 
I'm pretty sure a diamond ring purchased with the intent that one's beloved will wear it the rest of y'all's life doesn't count as an investment. That sounds like textbook consumption to me.

I mean it in the "you're just throwing money away" counterpoint. When you die, it's still a valuable asset to pass on to your children, you can use jewelry as collateral to secure a loan if needed at some point, etc In other words, there's a lot of worse things in the world to spend a chunk of change on than jewelry.

And of course it's consumption. It's a relatively new concept (diamond rings for engagement really aren't started becoming popular in America in the late '20s and '30s) that people feel "forced" into doing by tradition. So look at it sensibly, like all of marriage and it's related trappings.
 
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