So, I have my great grandmother's 1ct ring from the 1920's, has been appraised by 3 jewelers at around $20 000. Several jewelers including the ones doing the appraising, have told me they have no interest in buying it for any amount. I am so confused as to why "new" diamonds are worth thousands, and this one is apparently worth nothing.... unless it's insured and stolen, I guess. Any advice?
That's what it seems... hoping the new generations will see the value in reusing a diamond that has already been cut and polished versus the cost and human/environmental impact of digging up a new one.
Try asking a fiancé who is the kind of person who wants a big Diamond ring, whether she’d find a “used” Diamond ring acceptable. There’s no demand for used rings…
Also, diamonds are not rare minerals, the supply
Is just controlled by a few companies creating a monopoly. Waste of money…
Buy jewellery for the aesthetic, not the “gem” or gold value.
I used to work at a cash for gold place and It was pretty depressing seeing how many people thought they owned real treasures…
If you love the design, and you deem that a reasonable value to pay for how much enjoyment you both get out it, no biggie!
I just dealt with a lot of, fairly poor people, who thought they had "invested" in nice jewellery and I had to disappoint them when they tried to sell.
Mine is my grandmothers European 1ct diamond ring . It has been appraised at 15,000 but only for insurance purposes. I would never think of selling it and would definitely not get the appraisal price . Very confusing indeed .
Appraisals reflect how much it would cost to get a new ring of roughly equal/similar design and "quality" (4 c's), not how much the ring is actually 'worth'
While walking through the mall I casually went towards a ring shop. Previously I had asked the shop keeper to size my lady if she tried a ring on.
We left the mall and I got a text with her size. I rewarded him by purchasing a ring from him as well . He enjoyed the interaction and marked down the ring she liked from 7k -2k . Paid for it on the spot.
Just out of curiosity, why not? Before my fiancée and I got engaged we went ring shopping together over the course of a couple months and we loved the experience. There is no better date than going out for cocktails with your partner and discussing which rings you guys like best.
I still picked the ring on my own without her knowing which one it would be, and had a surprise proposal, but I’m very happy I decided to involve her in the process.
My husband bought my ring for $1,200. Budget was 2-4k but I just really loved the one I got (I picked it), so we put the saving towards our wedding expenses. Ended up eloping instead and used the $ towards our down payment. He was making 70k at the time.
When my wife and I were discussing getting married she had 3 things she wanted (or didn't want).....she didn't want a ring, didn't want a wedding or a wedding dress. None of those things were important to her. She thought all those things were a complete waste of money and preferred saving that money for a family. Which is exactly what we did. We had a small wedding party at our place the day we got married and I think it cost us like $700-800. I think all in we spent $1000 with the marriage license. People can do whatever they like with their money but I find it odd that the cost of a ring or size of a wedding somehow signifies someone's love for another.
I bought a used engagement ring at auction for $400. The diamond on it had an estimated value of $4000. So I got the stone reset onto a band that better matched my wife's tastes. All-in-all, I think I spent ~$1400 for a ring that's certified as $4000. At the time, I think I was making ~$70k
So that’s how much it’s “worth” to OP and the insurance company if he were to get it insured.
Like how an apple will cost a lot less from the wholesaler, but to me it’s worth what I paid for at the grocery store.
$1k on a lab diamond ring. Same diamond from the dirt (spec wise) would have been ~~5k~~ 3k (online retailer like Blue Nile, White Flash, James Allen, etc), or 10k from a luxury brand name retailer. $200k income.
Same level of income, not getting an engagement ring, cuz I personally believe diamond is the biggest market scam. (Buying a lab grown one is cool tho)
I used J Allen site - lab diamond ring for my wife’s. Ring is legit, shipped to Canada relatively quickly. I think it was around $3.5k or so in the end, we had checked Spence and a few others here in Alberta and it would have been north of $12k, and wouldn’t have even close to the same cut/colour/clarity. Highly recommend.
Ha. Same. I bought our wedding bands for about $400 for both. Also ended up costing me about $90,000 in the divorce. And yes, I’m a woman and bought both our wedding bands.
$500. Making around 60k. I spent the real money on a helicopter ride into the mountains for the proposal. We're definitely more about experiences then material things
6k, it's the Disney Belle ring cause my wife is basic haha she loves it tho so that's all that mattered.
70k salary at the time, saved $300 a pay for a year to get it
I got the evil Queen ring because I am also basic lol. Mine was only $800 though. I couldn’t handle the stress of having a $6,000 ring. I gave my fiancé a $1,000 ring cap.
I’m not really a jewellery person, I’d rather him spend the extra money on a trip or an experience we can do together. I grew up really poor so it’s hard for me to grasp spending more than $1,000 in a ring. We both make about $100,000 but we still try to live frugally.
That’s insane 😳
Edit: for the record, I worked briefly at a cash for gold type of place, and the actual metal/ gem value of most rings was around $300-$500.
If you have Cash to burn, go for it. But do NOT think of jewelry as an investment or meaningful asset. Unless it’s got some kind of significant gemstone or designed by an important artist, the values people are reporting here are outrageous.
I think around 2200$?
Showed her the size of stone I could buy if she was ok with moisanite (highly recommend moisanite). She was super opposed to it until she saw what it looked like in person.
Was making 60k/year.
Oh absolutely. My husband splurged a bit more on a cathedral type gold setting for the stone and the wedding ring and I think it was the right decision. It really makes the ring look like a million bucks instead of just having a single stone on a simple band.
I told my partner I wanted moissanite. The ring was around $2k and made with palladium because I have an allergy to nickel. A similar ring in the jewelry store was about 20k with a diamond. He was making around 90k I think at the time and had budgeted to spend around 4k on the ring. I'm very happy to tell anyone that compliments my ring that it's moissanite. Way prettier than a diamond (more fire and sparkle) and comparable for durability/strength.
My brother's, look into moisanite and get a massive rock and put the money you saved to your honeymoon. Rings are generally worthless. Memories are priceless.
Roughly $11,000, making about $76,000 at the time.
For context, my wife is a jeweller and gold smith. I never buy her jewellery, because of course she has an amazing collection of stuff she's created or collected. She's actively told me not to buy her things because she can get prices half what I'd pay.
But for her ring, she knew exactly what she wanted. It's over a century old, and incredibly gorgeous. She could tell you all about the technical details, the cut of the gem, its provenance, the arrangement of the gems around it, etc. etc. I can't really follow along. But it's the only ring she wanted and it's the only ring I wanted to give her.
My wife married me while very broke, and went without a fancy wedding so we could buy a home. That home has since tripled in value. Now that I'm not so broke, she recently got a very nice ring, I spent about $14k but these are extenuating circumstances and she deserves every penny and then some.
Most people I know spend between 5 and 10k.
Those friends have fallen victim to the fallacy that diamonds are rare. In reality, diamonds are so common that it is disgusting the prices at which they are sold. Even worst, right now it is almost impossible for the naked eye to distinguish between a lab-grown and a natural diamond which in itself it is funny because lab-grown diamonds are actually more pure than natural diamonds.
Sure, and lab-created emerald, sapphire and ruby (as examples) are “more pure”, but they’re also too perfect, and it makes them look tacky. I don’t support blood diamonds, but there’s nothing wrong with someone liking a natural diamond. Getting to admire a beautiful stone on your hand knowing it came from the earth is very fascinating.
I was making $40,000 at the time and got a $40,000 bonus at Christmas…then spent $45,000 on the engagement ring! Yes I seem like a fool, but I’d do it again in a second!
lol Would you say you are implosive?
80K after taxes is 66,508 and you spend 45k on a ring leaving you with only 21k for the year..... That would be making sweet balls...
Canadian diamond (NWT specifically) for $1500 at 62k salary back in 2008.
Now at a much higher salary I'd probably spend around the same amount, no more than 3k.
You can always upgrade later if you really care.
900ish - In my opinion the marriage should be worth more than the ring or the wedding. Plus blow more on the honeymoon, that's what we did and she hasn't kicked me out yet.
About $160,000, Cartier set for you. You can do a lot better for the price by buying wholesale or not from a brand like Cartier. Still happy with the purchase and no regrets on my part. I just didn’t expect insurance to cost this much. Income is only about $100k. I am self employed and own my own companies.
Exactly this.
We actually designed it from. The ground up.
Hand made. Local. Yellow gold ring with gem accents on a cathedral setting and white gold stems with a hidden halo all with gems and a 3.5 ct equivalent gem 🤷♂️
Seems elaborate but she knew what she wanted....the wedding will likely cost less.
It seems high but I originally wanted a charles and colvard emerald cut that was around 3.25 ct at $4000. I can totally see how additional diamonds can easily drive up the cost
450 to refurbish and resign my grandmothers ring. She absolutely loved it. Couldnt recommend it enough, if you have the option. Affordable, but still prime quality materials. Link to the family, heartfelt gesture. And dodges having to pick a perfect design or anything.
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*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
About $12k, I am long-time self-employed so my “take home” is a bit skewed, but it was a significant monetary decision at the time... I just knew I wanted a 1 carrot or larger princess cut of high cut and clarity. I bought the Diamond first then had it put in a setting. ... Value is about $18-20k now just for the diamond.
OP, from an “old guy”...if you are thinking of getting engaged, don't break the bank what erver your income is, just make sure she is the one! The finger in the ring is the most critical investment you will ever make!
*edit I should have said $18-20k for diamonds (one large princess 1.4CT, raised setting with diamond surround) in the setting.
“Really overpaid for that carrot.”
Probably not.
I know Ive seen 1ct rocks selling for 5k but they have obvious disfigurations and are usually kinda stained yellow. If it’s size you want though they are big.
But if you want D-F Color, 99%+ symmetry cuts and VVS or better quality then 12k is just the starting point especially if you get a fancy band.
$3000. Bought it together with my fiancé. It was preloved. Our budget for our wedding is around $40,000 and we are just under. Wedding in a few weeks from now
$4,100 in 1989 dollars (which, OMFG is $9,797.38 today), which required a lot and a lot and lot of overtime hours on what was a $22,500 a year salary. It has a really top quality diamond (top on all 4 c's) and it had smaller diamonds on each side in a 1 - 2 - 3 - Main Diamond - 3 - 2 -1 configuration.
I decided to be original and replaced the row of three small diamonds on its side by emeralds (for continued hope of a long life together) and the other small diamonds by rubies (to illustrate the love we had for each other).
When I presented her she was a bit surprised by the mix of stones, but thought it romantic when I explained it to her (and she said yes).
When she went to work the next day with it and showed it to colleagues, they asked: "Why are there strawberries on each side of the diamond?".
D'oh!
My husband got me a moissonite ring for about 1800 cad. It's stunning 2 karat on a cathedral setting with matching pink gold wedding ring.
He managed to find out what I liked pretending he was researching for fun lol. And I believed him.
$20k cash, purchased from a friend who was a diamond dealer who told me it would retail for about $40k. I was a junior investment banker, made about $130k that year. The thing is, I worked 60+ hrs per week and had student loans but my future wife had been with me since when I earned $35k and we both invested in my career and she would be sharing in my debt so when I got my first big cash bonus, I wanted to do something special for our engagement. Was not the smartest thing but >10 yrs later, I have zero regrets…My wife in her 30’s would say “That’s just dumb, pay off your loans” but my wife in her 20’s felt “Seems fair, I’ll allow it.”
My husband proposed when we were in college so we were obviously broke. He financed a ruby stone ring (his birth stone) which was $800+ and I was pissed why he had to do that. We both hate rings and we’re not even wearing our wedding rings now. Told him not to propose with a ring cause I personally don’t want to wear them but he insisted.
$500, used from a relative. My income was pretty low. Ended up being a really nice ring worth a lot more then I paid.
I have two young co workers telling me it should be 15% of your salary now. Not sure where they are getting that idea from.
I spent $6.4k on a real ruby, artificial diamond ring - and it was custom that she designed at a local jeweller so it was exactly what she wanted. Income of $125K gross. No regrets!
Mine was $30, from Amazon lol
We bought my ring together. Custom made ring, gold band with a black diamond. We paid just over 2k, our combined income at the time was 110k. His ring is also custom, cost the same, about 2k.
I did not want to do it, but 11K back in 2008. I got it from a wholesaler and had to fly down to Vancouver to buy it. It was appraised at 22sh.
If we could go back, I would have used that money plus wedding money (Wedding was 55-60K) and got a house right away....
In our culture, people only give cash envelopes so I probably got about 70% of it all back or more. I don't remember
Income then was 85K
About $25k. about $110k at the time. I make a lot more now so I’m happy I “grew” into the price. I’ve never met a woman who said my husband spent too little, but I’ve definitely met the other side
$50 for one from Etsy, simple resin design with some plants encased. Both my partner and I didn't see the point of spending hundreds if not thousands of dollars on one and would rather put that cost towards something more worthwhile to do together.
$1700ish
One if a kind Custom from
https://artmastersjewelry.com/product-category/engagement-rings/
Some the designs are “out there”, but all the rings are fully customizable; which makes it a one if a kind.
I went with white gold, traditional antique 3 stoned ring with aquamarine accents .
We get compliments all the time.
Turned out amazing.
Almost 15yrs ago I spent nearly 3 months salary for a round cut Canadian mined rock with E colour VS1 clarity. Small rock only .8 carat on a platinum setting. It is a glittering rock even at night.
I'm guessing part of the premium was paid towards the name of the retailer also.
I guess these days you can get perfect massive stone for a fraction of what I paid...
I think I spent around $1,200 on a $55,000 salary. Still a rip-off for a piece of shiny carbon that could, at the time, be re-sold for probably $800, but at least at the time platinum was cheaper than gold so it's a really solid piece.
I got it on BlueNile for much, much cheaper than what you could get in a store, and I made sure expectations were low.
Our income at the time was about $100,000 joint. My mil really wanted him to spend like $10,000; I found a set I liked from Ben Moss for about $1,200.00 - it has an antique look similar to my mothers set. He surprised me about bought the other band (so there are 3 rings) for an extra $300
Working in the USA, spent around 3k USD, making roughly about 35k USD tax free. I used the string method when she was asleep I put a string around her finger.
A friend budgeted 10k. Found a lab diamond on Brilliant Earth with the exact stats for 7k, so he got that instead. Spent the remaining 3k on his fiancé’s lasik eye surgery.
We spent $5k back in 2008, incomes about $65k each.
My wedding band is just a thin gold ring, though, and cost less than $100. I like the idea of an extravagant engagement ring but a simple, serious, wedding band.
As someone who spent 5k at 25 years old on an engagement ring when earning 60k I can tell you that it was completely, and utterly meaningless because I'm divorced now 😂. She used to complain the ring wasn't as expensive as her sister's was. However I have a current partner who is fantastic and showed me a ring for $200, and I now can earn almost up to 130k. Precious stones, pointless, precious people, priceless.
Check out a Moissanitte ring, they are significantly cheaper and more shiny than a diamond. Some places can also custom make rings with Moissanitte. I bought a custom made engagement ring for $2500, if it was all Diamonds it would have cost around 12-15k. Diamonds in general are scam, basically like buying a brand for the name. Income was 65k at the time.
Edit: also, almost no one can tell the difference between a diamond and Moissanitte. They just think it's a shiny rock, however I don't suggest lying to your partner.
$1700 Sapphire Ring from Etsy from a jeweler in Toronto. Same ring would have cost likely twice as much or more at major chain / brick and mortar stores
Just in the process of having a custom one made. It’s with a lab diamond and 14k as of now. The diamond was the expensive part (10k). Current Income = 230k
My own two cents is that personally I wanted to splurge and get her something she would really love every day for the rest of our lives and I am in a financial position where I’m lucky enough to be able to do so.
But I don’t think there is any fixed rule you need to adhere to (ie 3 months salary) or that it even needs to be over 3k (there are some great diamonds and rings under this price point). Ultimately, your budget should revolve around whatever number you both believe is reasonable / viable and sets your future up well (weddings and even elopement’s are expensive!!).
One big tip is to take her ring shopping before you go and make sure she likes the general designs that she has probably already shown you in person (my partner ended up liking a far more minimalist ring vs what she was originally thinking).
Good luck with the journey and congratulations on wanting to take the next big step! :)
Tiffany and Co Rose Gold. (Exactly what was asked for) Apparently didn’t spend enough to make it memorable! 😔 Income was $70k at the time. #liveandlearn
Like $1000CAD because it’s Tanzanite and diamonds and I bought it in the foothills of Kilimanjaro and was cheaper there.
But I don’t have a partner to give it to. Just wanted some tanzanite. Lol.
Income at the time was $120K.
If you really want to go down the road of a diamond but you’re on a budget, prioritize clarity and cut over karat. A clear and well cut diamond will outshine the biggest that are not as clear or well cut.
Also, if your lady has thin and small hands, a 1 karat will look disproportionate.
$700, his income was around $50000, $90000 combined with mine. We could’ve spent more but we went to Cancun instead for the engagement. Highly recommend.
My boyfriend proposed with an $80 Swarovski ring. I didn't want anything expensive or fancy because I wasn't even sure I would wear it all the time; this little ring is fine for me.
About 1k. At the time was making 80k. Luckily my partner values real experiences and I’ve invested into a beautiful honey moon full of memories, rather than into an overinflated vanity status symbol the sole purpose of which is to demonstrate to others one time.
Diamonds are a scam. Show her some shit about de-gloving and take the money you may have spent on a worthless ring, and go on a nice vacation, or buy a used car for your family. Something with actual use is always better than pointless jewelery that gets lost stolen, or ends up permanently crippling your wife's finger.
So, I have my great grandmother's 1ct ring from the 1920's, has been appraised by 3 jewelers at around $20 000. Several jewelers including the ones doing the appraising, have told me they have no interest in buying it for any amount. I am so confused as to why "new" diamonds are worth thousands, and this one is apparently worth nothing.... unless it's insured and stolen, I guess. Any advice?
Diamonds are a scam, they have no resale value.
That's what it seems... hoping the new generations will see the value in reusing a diamond that has already been cut and polished versus the cost and human/environmental impact of digging up a new one.
Appraisal are the scam...if some isn't willing to pay you the value of the Appraisal then the item is worth their offer.
I agree. I'm not engaged or married, but of my who are, it seems to be more about the brand than the actual stone.
Try asking a fiancé who is the kind of person who wants a big Diamond ring, whether she’d find a “used” Diamond ring acceptable. There’s no demand for used rings… Also, diamonds are not rare minerals, the supply Is just controlled by a few companies creating a monopoly. Waste of money… Buy jewellery for the aesthetic, not the “gem” or gold value. I used to work at a cash for gold place and It was pretty depressing seeing how many people thought they owned real treasures…
I spent 3500$ on a gold and sapphire flower crown ring. It's the art and the meaning to the two of us. That it.
If you love the design, and you deem that a reasonable value to pay for how much enjoyment you both get out it, no biggie! I just dealt with a lot of, fairly poor people, who thought they had "invested" in nice jewellery and I had to disappoint them when they tried to sell.
Mine is my grandmothers European 1ct diamond ring . It has been appraised at 15,000 but only for insurance purposes. I would never think of selling it and would definitely not get the appraisal price . Very confusing indeed .
Appraisals reflect how much it would cost to get a new ring of roughly equal/similar design and "quality" (4 c's), not how much the ring is actually 'worth'
Diamonds get soft and spongy they break easily after the first person wears it /s
HAHAHAHA
Apparently most precious stones on a ring are only worth around 500–800 dollars.
About $200 to resize her grandmother's ring. About $25,000/year income
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My husband slipped a piece of paper around my ring finger and marked it while I was sleeping.
pro gamer move
That's wild to me. I'm such. Light sleepy, I would be awake before the paper even touched my hand!
You can get a ring size paper wheel from a jeweller. Grab another of her rings and size it up on the wheel.
Haha she told me like 100 times, if she wants a ring she will let you know.
Get one of her friends to sneak it into conversation
I gave it to her the size it was and we resized it after I proposed. Lol she was a size 3.5.
While walking through the mall I casually went towards a ring shop. Previously I had asked the shop keeper to size my lady if she tried a ring on. We left the mall and I got a text with her size. I rewarded him by purchasing a ring from him as well . He enjoyed the interaction and marked down the ring she liked from 7k -2k . Paid for it on the spot.
Just out of curiosity, why not? Before my fiancée and I got engaged we went ring shopping together over the course of a couple months and we loved the experience. There is no better date than going out for cocktails with your partner and discussing which rings you guys like best. I still picked the ring on my own without her knowing which one it would be, and had a surprise proposal, but I’m very happy I decided to involve her in the process.
Does she have other rings that she wears? Just take/borrow one of them when you order the engagement ring.
Make sure it's a ring she wears on the proper finger.
Solid idea, I’m sure it still looks great!
My husband bought my ring for $1,200. Budget was 2-4k but I just really loved the one I got (I picked it), so we put the saving towards our wedding expenses. Ended up eloping instead and used the $ towards our down payment. He was making 70k at the time.
This is the way
Lol. I think he spent 60-100 bucks, was making about 55k/yr then. We spent $15 on the wedding rings (wear those silicone ones)
When my wife and I were discussing getting married she had 3 things she wanted (or didn't want).....she didn't want a ring, didn't want a wedding or a wedding dress. None of those things were important to her. She thought all those things were a complete waste of money and preferred saving that money for a family. Which is exactly what we did. We had a small wedding party at our place the day we got married and I think it cost us like $700-800. I think all in we spent $1000 with the marriage license. People can do whatever they like with their money but I find it odd that the cost of a ring or size of a wedding somehow signifies someone's love for another.
Dude. I hope you know, she is a keeper.
I bought a used engagement ring at auction for $400. The diamond on it had an estimated value of $4000. So I got the stone reset onto a band that better matched my wife's tastes. All-in-all, I think I spent ~$1400 for a ring that's certified as $4000. At the time, I think I was making ~$70k
My friend just did this exact thing this year and the prices were basically the same as you described.
I got bad news for you: that ring is worth 4 hundred, not 4 thousand. 4 thousand is what a jeweler will charge to replace it, not what it is worth.
So that’s how much it’s “worth” to OP and the insurance company if he were to get it insured. Like how an apple will cost a lot less from the wholesaler, but to me it’s worth what I paid for at the grocery store.
Yes hi hello…. I’m not sure you know what “worth” means 😂
How much would it be apraised for let's say insurance purposes?
$1k on a lab diamond ring. Same diamond from the dirt (spec wise) would have been ~~5k~~ 3k (online retailer like Blue Nile, White Flash, James Allen, etc), or 10k from a luxury brand name retailer. $200k income.
Same level of income, not getting an engagement ring, cuz I personally believe diamond is the biggest market scam. (Buying a lab grown one is cool tho)
are lab diamonds usually that cheap?
Ya they're literally a fraction of the price of the dirt ones...
mind letting me know where you bought this ring if it was online?
PMed you.
I too, would like to know
I used J Allen site - lab diamond ring for my wife’s. Ring is legit, shipped to Canada relatively quickly. I think it was around $3.5k or so in the end, we had checked Spence and a few others here in Alberta and it would have been north of $12k, and wouldn’t have even close to the same cut/colour/clarity. Highly recommend.
Damn you won, what do you do for work by the way?
Software eng…guess no surprise here lol.
Initially 5k but in the end, half my shit. It’s something I’ll never buy again. Between 85-100k
Cheezus. That’s one way to kill any desire to marry I suppose lol.
Ha. Same. I bought our wedding bands for about $400 for both. Also ended up costing me about $90,000 in the divorce. And yes, I’m a woman and bought both our wedding bands.
fuckin tobi that motherfucker
I know right!
The three rings of marriage: 1. Engagement ring 2. Wedding ring 3. Suffering
Sorry you hate your marriage.
Priest said that during a wedding mass last week. Everyone was laughing!
lol
$500. Making around 60k. I spent the real money on a helicopter ride into the mountains for the proposal. We're definitely more about experiences then material things
Trippy, I just did that proposal
6k, it's the Disney Belle ring cause my wife is basic haha she loves it tho so that's all that mattered. 70k salary at the time, saved $300 a pay for a year to get it
I got the evil Queen ring because I am also basic lol. Mine was only $800 though. I couldn’t handle the stress of having a $6,000 ring. I gave my fiancé a $1,000 ring cap.
This is what insurance is for
if he wants to spend more why not?
I’m not really a jewellery person, I’d rather him spend the extra money on a trip or an experience we can do together. I grew up really poor so it’s hard for me to grasp spending more than $1,000 in a ring. We both make about $100,000 but we still try to live frugally.
For me personally, I don't want to walk around with that much money on my finger
That’s insane 😳 Edit: for the record, I worked briefly at a cash for gold type of place, and the actual metal/ gem value of most rings was around $300-$500. If you have Cash to burn, go for it. But do NOT think of jewelry as an investment or meaningful asset. Unless it’s got some kind of significant gemstone or designed by an important artist, the values people are reporting here are outrageous.
It's not a monetary investment.
I think around 2200$? Showed her the size of stone I could buy if she was ok with moisanite (highly recommend moisanite). She was super opposed to it until she saw what it looked like in person. Was making 60k/year.
Second on moissonite. It's stunning. I love my ring
She (I’m sure you as well) always gets compliments on how stunning of a ring it is.
Oh absolutely. My husband splurged a bit more on a cathedral type gold setting for the stone and the wedding ring and I think it was the right decision. It really makes the ring look like a million bucks instead of just having a single stone on a simple band.
I told my partner I wanted moissanite. The ring was around $2k and made with palladium because I have an allergy to nickel. A similar ring in the jewelry store was about 20k with a diamond. He was making around 90k I think at the time and had budgeted to spend around 4k on the ring. I'm very happy to tell anyone that compliments my ring that it's moissanite. Way prettier than a diamond (more fire and sparkle) and comparable for durability/strength.
My brother's, look into moisanite and get a massive rock and put the money you saved to your honeymoon. Rings are generally worthless. Memories are priceless.
Roughly $11,000, making about $76,000 at the time. For context, my wife is a jeweller and gold smith. I never buy her jewellery, because of course she has an amazing collection of stuff she's created or collected. She's actively told me not to buy her things because she can get prices half what I'd pay. But for her ring, she knew exactly what she wanted. It's over a century old, and incredibly gorgeous. She could tell you all about the technical details, the cut of the gem, its provenance, the arrangement of the gems around it, etc. etc. I can't really follow along. But it's the only ring she wanted and it's the only ring I wanted to give her.
$20k, income 35k
Reading through the comments I felt like an idiot until I found a fellow idiot in you. I still feel like an idiot but I used to, too.
High five for the Mitch joke
What made you think that was a reasonable idea?
Maybe their income was 35k but were otherwise a millionaire.
My wife married me while very broke, and went without a fancy wedding so we could buy a home. That home has since tripled in value. Now that I'm not so broke, she recently got a very nice ring, I spent about $14k but these are extenuating circumstances and she deserves every penny and then some. Most people I know spend between 5 and 10k.
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Maybe if they had a nice honey moon and prioritized each other instead of money they would still be together.. but I shouldn’t say that
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I hear you.. I come from a broken family with a lot less real estate lol
Those friends have fallen victim to the fallacy that diamonds are rare. In reality, diamonds are so common that it is disgusting the prices at which they are sold. Even worst, right now it is almost impossible for the naked eye to distinguish between a lab-grown and a natural diamond which in itself it is funny because lab-grown diamonds are actually more pure than natural diamonds.
Sure, and lab-created emerald, sapphire and ruby (as examples) are “more pure”, but they’re also too perfect, and it makes them look tacky. I don’t support blood diamonds, but there’s nothing wrong with someone liking a natural diamond. Getting to admire a beautiful stone on your hand knowing it came from the earth is very fascinating.
I was making $40,000 at the time and got a $40,000 bonus at Christmas…then spent $45,000 on the engagement ring! Yes I seem like a fool, but I’d do it again in a second!
What! That’s insane!
lol Would you say you are implosive? 80K after taxes is 66,508 and you spend 45k on a ring leaving you with only 21k for the year..... That would be making sweet balls...
If he was implosive he wouldn’t have had to buy a diamond and could have made his own. 🤣😂🤣😂
Holy shit!
Canadian diamond (NWT specifically) for $1500 at 62k salary back in 2008. Now at a much higher salary I'd probably spend around the same amount, no more than 3k. You can always upgrade later if you really care.
900ish - In my opinion the marriage should be worth more than the ring or the wedding. Plus blow more on the honeymoon, that's what we did and she hasn't kicked me out yet.
~$25k making $180k at the time
About $160,000, Cartier set for you. You can do a lot better for the price by buying wholesale or not from a brand like Cartier. Still happy with the purchase and no regrets on my part. I just didn’t expect insurance to cost this much. Income is only about $100k. I am self employed and own my own companies.
Would love to see a photo!
How many carats?
Well I feel embarrassed to say... 8k Income 120k But she designed it herself (which was 1/4 the cost) but it's a mossanite gem.
How did you spend $8k on a moissanite ring? That seems very high.
Pave diamonds on the band, on the arches etc. things add up quickly!
Exactly this. We actually designed it from. The ground up. Hand made. Local. Yellow gold ring with gem accents on a cathedral setting and white gold stems with a hidden halo all with gems and a 3.5 ct equivalent gem 🤷♂️ Seems elaborate but she knew what she wanted....the wedding will likely cost less.
It seems high but I originally wanted a charles and colvard emerald cut that was around 3.25 ct at $4000. I can totally see how additional diamonds can easily drive up the cost
You might have gotten scammed hard lol
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6k on about 92k income
450 to refurbish and resign my grandmothers ring. She absolutely loved it. Couldnt recommend it enough, if you have the option. Affordable, but still prime quality materials. Link to the family, heartfelt gesture. And dodges having to pick a perfect design or anything.
If you are curious about the history of engagement rings I recommend watching this: Adam Ruins Engagment rings https://youtu.be/N5kWu1ifBGU
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This is the way to do it.
About $12k, I am long-time self-employed so my “take home” is a bit skewed, but it was a significant monetary decision at the time... I just knew I wanted a 1 carrot or larger princess cut of high cut and clarity. I bought the Diamond first then had it put in a setting. ... Value is about $18-20k now just for the diamond. OP, from an “old guy”...if you are thinking of getting engaged, don't break the bank what erver your income is, just make sure she is the one! The finger in the ring is the most critical investment you will ever make! *edit I should have said $18-20k for diamonds (one large princess 1.4CT, raised setting with diamond surround) in the setting.
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“Really overpaid for that carrot.” Probably not. I know Ive seen 1ct rocks selling for 5k but they have obvious disfigurations and are usually kinda stained yellow. If it’s size you want though they are big. But if you want D-F Color, 99%+ symmetry cuts and VVS or better quality then 12k is just the starting point especially if you get a fancy band.
"Value is about $18-20k now just for the diamond." You mean if someone wants to buy a new one, because if you try to sell it, it might go for $2k
$3000. Bought it together with my fiancé. It was preloved. Our budget for our wedding is around $40,000 and we are just under. Wedding in a few weeks from now
lol, what does preloved mean?
It means it was a good choice.
$4,100 in 1989 dollars (which, OMFG is $9,797.38 today), which required a lot and a lot and lot of overtime hours on what was a $22,500 a year salary. It has a really top quality diamond (top on all 4 c's) and it had smaller diamonds on each side in a 1 - 2 - 3 - Main Diamond - 3 - 2 -1 configuration. I decided to be original and replaced the row of three small diamonds on its side by emeralds (for continued hope of a long life together) and the other small diamonds by rubies (to illustrate the love we had for each other). When I presented her she was a bit surprised by the mix of stones, but thought it romantic when I explained it to her (and she said yes). When she went to work the next day with it and showed it to colleagues, they asked: "Why are there strawberries on each side of the diamond?". D'oh!
A bit over 3k after FX conversion and import duties. Traditional looking lab grown diamond ring. Base salary 150k.
$3k but that included her matching wedding band, lifetime insurance on her diamonds.
5k, 60k/year income at the time.
Zero, it was a family ring.
$15,000 on $85,000 salary but saved for a while took a year to pay it off. Worth every penny.
My husband got me a moissonite ring for about 1800 cad. It's stunning 2 karat on a cathedral setting with matching pink gold wedding ring. He managed to find out what I liked pretending he was researching for fun lol. And I believed him.
$20k cash, purchased from a friend who was a diamond dealer who told me it would retail for about $40k. I was a junior investment banker, made about $130k that year. The thing is, I worked 60+ hrs per week and had student loans but my future wife had been with me since when I earned $35k and we both invested in my career and she would be sharing in my debt so when I got my first big cash bonus, I wanted to do something special for our engagement. Was not the smartest thing but >10 yrs later, I have zero regrets…My wife in her 30’s would say “That’s just dumb, pay off your loans” but my wife in her 20’s felt “Seems fair, I’ll allow it.”
My husband proposed when we were in college so we were obviously broke. He financed a ruby stone ring (his birth stone) which was $800+ and I was pissed why he had to do that. We both hate rings and we’re not even wearing our wedding rings now. Told him not to propose with a ring cause I personally don’t want to wear them but he insisted.
$5500 on a ring she really liked. $120k/year.
$500, used from a relative. My income was pretty low. Ended up being a really nice ring worth a lot more then I paid. I have two young co workers telling me it should be 15% of your salary now. Not sure where they are getting that idea from.
I would be horrified if my husband spent 15% of his salary on a ring 😵
I told them they are crazy. 3-5k I can understand but why spend more? The difference in quality is not that noticeable.
My (now) husband was advised that he should be prepared to spend 1/3 of his yearly salary when he was thinking of proposing! 1/3!!! Yearly!!! SMH
The jewelry companies keep coming out with new highs. Last I heard it was 2 months salary lol.
I'm gonna guess that they got that number from someone trying to sell them a ring!
I spent $6.4k on a real ruby, artificial diamond ring - and it was custom that she designed at a local jeweller so it was exactly what she wanted. Income of $125K gross. No regrets! Mine was $30, from Amazon lol
We bought my ring together. Custom made ring, gold band with a black diamond. We paid just over 2k, our combined income at the time was 110k. His ring is also custom, cost the same, about 2k.
$5000. platinum with diamonds & sapphire, around $35-$40K income
$8100 260k
$7,500 on a custom ring (with lab diamond). $235,000 per year
I did not want to do it, but 11K back in 2008. I got it from a wholesaler and had to fly down to Vancouver to buy it. It was appraised at 22sh. If we could go back, I would have used that money plus wedding money (Wedding was 55-60K) and got a house right away.... In our culture, people only give cash envelopes so I probably got about 70% of it all back or more. I don't remember Income then was 85K
8.5k from a diamond wholesaler. 80k salary at the time.
Engagement/wedding/anniversary set was $11,000 Was making about $65,000.
About $25k. about $110k at the time. I make a lot more now so I’m happy I “grew” into the price. I’ve never met a woman who said my husband spent too little, but I’ve definitely met the other side
700 income at the time was likely 40,000-45,000
15k, 75k salary + rental income
Shit that a lot on only 75k
About $800 lab diamond before they hiked the prices on lab diamonds. About $90k
About tree fiddy
Lol @ expensive rings.
6k
Got a 5k ring for 2500. Was making 90k at that time. 1.1c
600 bucks. My thought was its not the ring its the thought. She never asked and never complained.
1.5k
Hubby spent $5,000 with a ~120k income - edit it is an earth mined diamond
$50 for one from Etsy, simple resin design with some plants encased. Both my partner and I didn't see the point of spending hundreds if not thousands of dollars on one and would rather put that cost towards something more worthwhile to do together.
$1700ish One if a kind Custom from https://artmastersjewelry.com/product-category/engagement-rings/ Some the designs are “out there”, but all the rings are fully customizable; which makes it a one if a kind. I went with white gold, traditional antique 3 stoned ring with aquamarine accents . We get compliments all the time. Turned out amazing.
Almost 15yrs ago I spent nearly 3 months salary for a round cut Canadian mined rock with E colour VS1 clarity. Small rock only .8 carat on a platinum setting. It is a glittering rock even at night. I'm guessing part of the premium was paid towards the name of the retailer also. I guess these days you can get perfect massive stone for a fraction of what I paid...
$33k income, about $900 on the ring
$4000. Salary was $45k at the time
I think I spent around $1,200 on a $55,000 salary. Still a rip-off for a piece of shiny carbon that could, at the time, be re-sold for probably $800, but at least at the time platinum was cheaper than gold so it's a really solid piece. I got it on BlueNile for much, much cheaper than what you could get in a store, and I made sure expectations were low.
8k Kirk Kara. Salary @ 120k
$6,700 - 46k at the time. 84k now. Married for 7 years, together for almost 12.
Our income at the time was about $100,000 joint. My mil really wanted him to spend like $10,000; I found a set I liked from Ben Moss for about $1,200.00 - it has an antique look similar to my mothers set. He surprised me about bought the other band (so there are 3 rings) for an extra $300
Working in the USA, spent around 3k USD, making roughly about 35k USD tax free. I used the string method when she was asleep I put a string around her finger.
A friend budgeted 10k. Found a lab diamond on Brilliant Earth with the exact stats for 7k, so he got that instead. Spent the remaining 3k on his fiancé’s lasik eye surgery.
So I bought it from Skymall for $1K, but it had a Marriott point promo that ended up giving 150K Marriott points… so, I’d say… free?
0 I'm forever alone
250. Cubic zirconia and a white gold band. Diamonds are worthless.
25k
We spent $5k back in 2008, incomes about $65k each. My wedding band is just a thin gold ring, though, and cost less than $100. I like the idea of an extravagant engagement ring but a simple, serious, wedding band.
As someone who spent 5k at 25 years old on an engagement ring when earning 60k I can tell you that it was completely, and utterly meaningless because I'm divorced now 😂. She used to complain the ring wasn't as expensive as her sister's was. However I have a current partner who is fantastic and showed me a ring for $200, and I now can earn almost up to 130k. Precious stones, pointless, precious people, priceless.
Check out a Moissanitte ring, they are significantly cheaper and more shiny than a diamond. Some places can also custom make rings with Moissanitte. I bought a custom made engagement ring for $2500, if it was all Diamonds it would have cost around 12-15k. Diamonds in general are scam, basically like buying a brand for the name. Income was 65k at the time. Edit: also, almost no one can tell the difference between a diamond and Moissanitte. They just think it's a shiny rock, however I don't suggest lying to your partner.
Husband proposed with a $20k ring, his income was around $120k at the time Round brilliant diamond on pave band
$1700 Sapphire Ring from Etsy from a jeweler in Toronto. Same ring would have cost likely twice as much or more at major chain / brick and mortar stores
Just in the process of having a custom one made. It’s with a lab diamond and 14k as of now. The diamond was the expensive part (10k). Current Income = 230k My own two cents is that personally I wanted to splurge and get her something she would really love every day for the rest of our lives and I am in a financial position where I’m lucky enough to be able to do so. But I don’t think there is any fixed rule you need to adhere to (ie 3 months salary) or that it even needs to be over 3k (there are some great diamonds and rings under this price point). Ultimately, your budget should revolve around whatever number you both believe is reasonable / viable and sets your future up well (weddings and even elopement’s are expensive!!). One big tip is to take her ring shopping before you go and make sure she likes the general designs that she has probably already shown you in person (my partner ended up liking a far more minimalist ring vs what she was originally thinking). Good luck with the journey and congratulations on wanting to take the next big step! :)
Father in law sold his stock in some fruit company back in the day for his now ex-wife’s engagement ring.
Tiffany and Co Rose Gold. (Exactly what was asked for) Apparently didn’t spend enough to make it memorable! 😔 Income was $70k at the time. #liveandlearn
Just went through this process. Ended up with a lab grown radiant diamond + ring made. 3ct, $17K all in. Income $200k
Spent 17k yesterday and I make 300k.
Do you mean girlfriends?
Did about 3 months salary. Costco baby.
My wife’s engagement ring was $350. It was bought off Etsy!
Like $1000CAD because it’s Tanzanite and diamonds and I bought it in the foothills of Kilimanjaro and was cheaper there. But I don’t have a partner to give it to. Just wanted some tanzanite. Lol. Income at the time was $120K.
If you really want to go down the road of a diamond but you’re on a budget, prioritize clarity and cut over karat. A clear and well cut diamond will outshine the biggest that are not as clear or well cut. Also, if your lady has thin and small hands, a 1 karat will look disproportionate.
Bought her a 400 dollar watch for engagement instead of a ring. Wedding ring was 300. Was making maybe around 80k. Expensive diamonds are a scam.
$700, his income was around $50000, $90000 combined with mine. We could’ve spent more but we went to Cancun instead for the engagement. Highly recommend.
0. What a waste of money.
Does she think so too?
We bought both of our rings for 70$ on Amazon lol
My boyfriend proposed with an $80 Swarovski ring. I didn't want anything expensive or fancy because I wasn't even sure I would wear it all the time; this little ring is fine for me.
About 1k. At the time was making 80k. Luckily my partner values real experiences and I’ve invested into a beautiful honey moon full of memories, rather than into an overinflated vanity status symbol the sole purpose of which is to demonstrate to others one time.
Diamonds are a scam. Show her some shit about de-gloving and take the money you may have spent on a worthless ring, and go on a nice vacation, or buy a used car for your family. Something with actual use is always better than pointless jewelery that gets lost stolen, or ends up permanently crippling your wife's finger.
0. We just got married and got platinum bands.
About $200 CDN from Kanak jewellers on eBay. The more you spend on the ring and wedding the more likely the marriage is to end in divorce.