re: What did you spend on an engagement ring?

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That is how I am leaning towards. Anyone deal with any of the online retailers for stones? Ive been looking at Rarecarat.com and they have stones much cheaper and better than I have found local.

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Very bad idea

Whatever diamond you buy will be worth a little over half once you own it. If I had to do it all over again I would buy used jewelry and have it made into what I want. You can get better quality and save a bunch of money.

$12,500 cash
Appraised/insured for $17,500

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I think there's a generic rule, 3 months of your income or something like that.

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When I bought they were pushing for 2 months salary. Is it up to three now? frick them and their little PR campaign to make it sound like you don't really love her if you are not willing to wound yourself financially.

If you pay $9k for a diamond you can turn around and sell it for $4-5k. That is how much it is really worth.

Find a diamond wholesaler near you and buy a loose stone and have it set. Also buy a GIA certified diamond, other certifications don't hold value as well regardless of what the jeweler tells you.

My folks gave me a diamond that was my grandmother's. I had it reset in a nice white gold band with probably 16 to 20 princess diamonds in the band for maybe 1200 bucks in 2010. Bought her 2 wedding bands that match, just a white gold band that's half wrapped in princess diamonds for maybe 500 a piece. Her diamond is .51 carats but cut and clarity are jam up. Can't tell you how personally ridiculous I feel these diamonds are getting, just so these shallow women can show them off at pilates and on facebook. When I see these big 2 carat diamonds I cringe, it's overkill. I don't think my wife has any desire to go bigger or have it redone anytime soon despite us being much better off then we were when I bought it. Oh by the way I believe yellow gold is coming back in to style. Not that I like it, but just what I've heard.

Dudes office is in a 20 story building above a bank, wouldn't know it was a jewler in there. Word of mouth type thing. I aldo bartered services for a discount, all these guys wheel and deal.

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Can't tell you how personally ridiculous I feel these diamonds are getting, just so these shallow women can show them off at pilates and on facebook.

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I couldn't agree with you more but then again I only spent 2k so maybe I'm just justifying it.

She's not that into it though. I offered to upgrade it a few years ago and her response was "why?".

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think there's a generic rule, 3 months of your income or something like that.

With that said, I believe a woman made up that rule.

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Yeah, I sure as hell did not follow that rule. I wouldn't even spend over 5k. Timing is everything, ask the people when their next 30% off sale is coming or something like that and then pick out a nice 5k ring or so. That is what I did.

You don't have to spend a fortune buying a ring for the woman you want to marry. If you think she without a doubt wants to marry you, and she truly does for the right reasons....then she'd say yes even if you couldn't afford a ring. With that being said, unless you have money just burning a home in your pocket, don't follow the 3 months salary rule.

DO NOT buy from a jewelry store. Bluenile.com beat any price in a store by thousands.

Suckers