The question

Hedgehog99

Re proposing on holiday - beware of keeping the ring in your pocket in case your plan is revealed by the security checks, but also beware of putting it in hold luggage in case it goes AWOL. Safer to do it in Blighty or to use a temporary ring abroad.

System

Buzzybee90 wrote: »

Really? It's say his budget is fairly normal.

I think its an individual thing, obviously it depends on individual tastes and budgets.

Peronally I'd be horrified if someone spent that much money on a ring for me but thats just me

Gloomendoom

Buzzybee90 wrote: »

Really? It's say his budget is fairly normal.

In all honesty, I can't see how you could possibly spend that much on a engagement ring unless you were being right royally ripped off and/or a sucker who has been, unfortunately, duped by the De Beers propaganda that dictates that a groom should spend one to three months salary on a ring.

Not that they have vested interest.

ka7e

My daughter has become officially engaged this evening - her boyfriend secretly drove 250 miles (and 250 home again) to see us yesterday to ask my OH for his blessing!

He was very creative at finding out her taste and preferences for an engagement ring. He accessed her Pinterest account where she had pictures of her favourite ring styles. Then they had a jokey visit to Tiffany's where he pointed out the most ghastly rings and she got the chance to say "Ugh, no, I really like this one or that one"

Recently he went to an independent jeweller to ask them to find a stone and setting that she would like. He was supposed to hold fire until THE ring was ready before proposing, but he couldn't wait so went and bought a cheap copy today and proposed this evening! DD of course loves it (she effectively chose it!)

Buzzybee90

Gloomendoom wrote: »

In all honesty, I can't see how you could possibly spend that much on a engagement ring unless you were being right royally ripped off and/or a sucker who has been, unfortunately, duped by the De Beers propaganda that dictates that a groom should spend one to three months salary on a ring.

Not that they have vested interest.

If the stone and ring itself is valuable I don't see how one could be ripped off. 2500 isn't really that much money in the scheme of things, 50 years marriage - 50 a year!

Gloomendoom

Buzzybee90 wrote: »

If the stone and ring itself is valuable I don't see how one could be ripped off. 2500 isn't really that much money in the scheme of things, 50 years marriage - 50 a year!

If I had spent that much on an engagement ring and my wife had found out, she probably wouldn't have said yes, so that would be 2.5k wasted and 0 years marriage!

What you are missing is the the stone and ring are actually worth a fraction of the new purchase price. The jewellers mark up is absolutely huge. Forget insurance valuations, they are for replacement purposes only.

Good news if you are happy to buy secondhand though.

LilElvis

Gloomendoom wrote: »

In all honesty, I can't see how you could possibly spend that much on a engagement ring unless you were being right royally ripped off and/or a sucker who has been, unfortunately, duped by the De Beers propaganda that dictates that a groom should spend one to three months salary on a ring.

Not that they have vested interest.

What's the problem if you can afford it? I've had my ring for 9 years and the cost equates to £2.75 a day - a cost per day which will continue to decrease over my lifetime. I enjoy seeing it every day, I'm not dressed without it on. Diamonds, gems and precious metals have always had a high monetary value - centuries before de Beers and marketing became involved. A diamond will always have a value. The same can't be said of many of the things people spend their money on. Thousands of people go to Starbucks or Costa and buy a coffee every day on their way to work - the same amount of money that my ring has cost per day of wearing it. Put it in perspective like that, in conjunction with the enjoyment I have, my ring was far from a foolish purchase.

AlexLK

You mentioned you wished to buy her a diamond ring. I do hope you've casually spoken to your girlfriend about this; I know had I presented my wife with a generic diamond solitaire ring, she would have been far from impressed. It is also worth considering whether she would like a modern or antique ring.

In my case, my wife and I bought the ring together, before the proposal.

Gloomendoom

LilElvis wrote: »

What's the problem if you can afford it? I've had my ring for 9 years and the cost equates to £2.75 a day - a cost per day which will continue to decrease over my lifetime. I enjoy seeing it every day, I'm not dressed without it on. Diamonds, gems and precious metals have always had a high monetary value - centuries before de Beers and marketing became involved. A diamond will always have a value. The same can't be said of many of the things people spend their money on. Thousands of people go to Starbucks or Costa and buy a coffee every day on their way to work - the same amount of money that my ring has cost per day of wearing it. Put it in perspective like that, in conjunction with the enjoyment I have, my ring was far from a foolish purchase.

Fairy snuff. Each to his/her own. I'm a tight ärse, even if I can afford it, I want it for the best price possible. Luckily my wife has the same values. We also haven't fallen for the current fad for carrying overpriced cups of cold coffee around the streets either.

Out of interest, I've just stuck the details of my wife's engagement ring into Google and have got hits for near-as-damn-it identical rings for 2.5 k. I paid a fraction of that, but the stone and precious metal have the same value.

Pollycat

Primrose wrote: »

Personally if this is an engagement ring she will hopefully be wearing for the rest of her life I wouldn't take a risk of buying something she may not like or which may not suit. How on earth would she tell you that she disliked it without severely risking hurting your feelings and spoiling a magic moment. The alternative is she lives with it and hates it all her life. Much better of having the pleasure or choosing it together.

I do get where you're coming from but the OP's fianc!-to-be seems to be very clear that she wants him to choose the ring.

Zola. wrote: »

The timing of this thread has been rather impeccable... we were invited round a couples house last night who announced to us they are now engaged. They picked it together on holiday.

So on the way home we were talking about it, and I said would you have wanted me to pick it with you, and she said no! she would prefer if I had picked it, so there you go! Its on me I guess..