What would you spend on an engagement ring?

Former_MSE_Jessica

A classic price tag fail... or is it?

What's the MOST you'd pay for the perfect engagement ring?

Have you saved up and forked out a ton or have you managed to be thrifty with engagement necessities? Maybe an inheritance from the grandparents or got lucky with a nifty car boot spot?

Let us know your engagement MoneySaving highs and woe's below.

Elisecas

I'm confused. Did you go to Costco, see a ring in there that cost more than you'd expect to see in Costco and want an excuse to post it on the internet?????

alixandrea

Well, for starters I'd never buy a diamond (it's a con, people!!) In an ideal world I'd have a massive Alexandrite with a strong colour-change from green to purple (close to my name, my favourite colours, and who doesn't like a stone with a colour shift?) on an intricately designed silver band. As it happens I own such a ring, which I bought from Ebay for less than £100 (the stone was lab-grown - exactly the same chemical composition as a mined Alexandrite but orders of magnitude cheaper and completely flawless, which is extremely rare in nature).

I'm not engaged, I just think it's a beautiful ring...

I think the best engagement rings reflect the person they're going to be worn by. Diamond solitaires are so common that they lose all sense of individuality. Sure, you can have a different cut, or band shape or whatever, but it's still just a diamond solitaire. Get one designed and made for you (Harriet Kelsall in Cambridge make amazing rings), use a family heirloom with an interesting story attached to it, or make a game out of hunting down your perfect ring/s together. And don't forget, it doesn't just have to be the woman who wears an engagement ring...

Alixandrea

TeamPlum

My wife didn't really care what the ring looked like, past it being white gold - she said as long as it came from me it didn't matter.

It was £125.

worried_jim

Nothing. Marriage is a waste of money.

IDProtected

It used to be said that an engagement ring should cost a month's salary - or was that just the jewellers trying to increase profits?

Bellisima

Diamonds are over rated. There are far more beautiful stones around. Mine is a simple silver band with an aquamarine stone. I love it and only cost £40.

lulu_92

IDProtected wrote: »

It used to be said that an engagement ring should cost a month's salary - or was that just the jewellers trying to increase profits?

Wasn't it a successful marketing ploy by a jewellers in the 50s? I can't remember the name of it.

I'm not engaged. Price of a ring doesn't matter, and I'm not too bothered about it being diamond or not. I saw a beautiful pink sapphire ring the other day that looked so unique and beautiful. My only specification would be that it's not yellow gold.

System

My single solitaire cost him £129 31 years ago which was a lot considering his financial situation.

tain

Elisecas wrote: »

I'm confused. Did you go to Costco, see a ring in there that cost more than you'd expect to see in Costco and want an excuse to post it on the internet?????

Bizarrely, being a discussion forum, that's kind of what people do.

I'm confused though. Did you see a post on the internet, decide that you simply had to comment despite not adding anything to the conversation, then waste everyone else's time when they have to read your drivel?

tain

I heard it was two month's salary!!

I was getting close to saving a month's salary when I asked my then fianc!'s father for permission to marry his daughter. They then whipped out a family heirloom diamond ring that they had saved for her from her great aunt! So all we had to pay for was to get the band remade exactly how she wanted it - I spent the rest treating her to a week away and the rest went towards the wedding.