Poll: Ultimate engagement ring price

[MonkeyMama]

I couldn't vote either - we picked it out together - basically the cheapest ring we could find - we were in college. I love it and I like that it is small. I love how the first thing some people said were "oh you can buy a better one later." The nerve. LOL.

I would have been so mad if my husband spent 2-3 months salary on a ring. We both think that is just ridiculous.

We splurged a little on my wedding ring, but at the time it was only 1/10 a months salary. I think it is pretty nice.

I have since met friends who didn't do rings and did some other creative things - sometimes I Wish we hadn't done the whole ring thing. I don't really care about diamonds.

[dmontngrey]

DH spent an acceptable amount on my diamond solitaire - approximately 1 week's pay. He went out of his way to make sure it was certified .22 carats since the number 22 has significant meaning to us. For some reason, the cut actually makes it look larger than most .25 carat rings I've seen anyways. I wouldn't want anything larger on my finger - for many reasons!! Together we picked out a wrap and I feel that was reasonably priced as well - much less than 1 week's pay. My mom gave me her plain gold band to tie it all together. I get so many complements on my rings and I spent a fraction of what the people complementing me spent! That's a nice feeling.

Oh, and we just celebrated our five year anniversary yesterday.

[PRICEPLUS]

Congratulations! Happy fifth anniversary!!!!

[Ima saver]

I didn't vote either!

[abowers]

I'm not sure what my fiance ended up spending, but he proposed to me first, then we picked out my band together, which was ~$500, then he bought the diamond from my uncle and had my uncle set it - i know my uncle sold the diamond for close to what he bought it for. My fiance and I were talking about something in the .75 carat range, but he surprised me and had it set with a bit over 1 carat! (He didn't sacrifice quality for the bigger stone). We live together, so I don't know that he could have gotten the ring from my uncle to surprise me without me finding out (My uncle lives 7 hours away, so we had to mail the band to him, then have my uncle mail it back after setting it).

We're both grad students - but Fiancee paid for it in full last month, as he saved up to have enough for the ring before proposing to me. He actually had more money than needed for the ring, as my uncle saved him about $3000 on the diamond (comparing to Blue Nile prices for the same size/quality diamond)

[BCHGRL]

I think my DH spent the right amount. Of course, I went to the jeweler, picked out the ring, and wrote the specs for him. We weren't already engaged. We had been dating for three years and were already living together. I gave him until the end of the month to propose or move out. I'd like to think he made the right choice - LOL!

We went for quality over quantity. My stone is flawless and rates very high in all of the "c"s. It is 1/2 a carat with a platinum band. Someone very hateful once made the comment that she had to squint to see my ring, but most people find my ring a refreshing change from the 7-lb rock most women carry around on their ring finger.

[amberbamber]

We were in college at the time my husband bought my ring. It's the only piece of jewelry that I wear so I wanted it to be nice. And he wanted it to be nicer than I wanted. Not as a status symbol but as a gesture of love to me. I was happy with a .75 carat and he ended up getting the full carot. We spent just enough on it and it's been paid off now for 5 years. We've been married 6.

[MarianneJ]

My DH also gave me an heirloom ring. It is a size 4.5... it fit until I had our DD and I don't think it ever will again. Because of the unusual style of the band it would be ruined if I have it sized, so I am putting it off. I may have it re-sized eventually. However, I bought myself a nice white gold band with pave diamonds and I wear that one now. I get a lot of compliments on it.

I love jewelry, especially rings, so I will probably continue to buy beautiful things for myself once we have some disposable income.

[disneysteve]

I didn't vote because there was no option for "I spent the right amount." I spent what I was comfortable spending at the time and bought a very nice ring that my wife is still very happy with 15 years later.

I don't recall the exact price, or what I was earning at the time, but I'm positive it was well under 3 months' salary. I would never have spent that much. That's a ridiculous rule of thumb devised by the diamond brokers.

[tinapbeana]

easy: didn't want a rock. specifically told DH to not by me a rock. therefore, didn't get a rock.

it was weird enough getting used to the white gold wedding band i picked out for $78, much less the thought of carrying several grand on one finger. and for me, a rock would just get in the way of things, i'd bang it around and feel like i was going to damage it, so i'd take it off and risk loosing it. woman i know lost a 10k engagement ring that her husband financed but didn't insure, so they had to continue making payments on it. UUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!

in retrospect, i should have waited and saved for a titanium band, because this one is getting scratched and will have to be replaced. i'll know for next time. the band that is, not the marriage!