ieatcrayonz Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Isn't the unofficial rule 2 months salary? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acantha Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Only according to the diamond companies. It's like car companies coming out and saying you shouldn't spend less than a years salary on your next car, and everyone believing them. Only good answer...ask the (future) fiance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WVUFootball29 Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 If this is a serious question, since I just bought one, I'll help you out. Don't go overboard for your budget, and a good idea to save a little cash is to buy the ring with it's matching wedding band. I spend about 3.5k on my fiance's ring set at Zales and it was marked down like 45%. She loves it, i'm not broke so all is well. Make sure you get all the insurance you can on those things though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Live&DieBillsFootball Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 I would go with CZ until your 5 year anniversary. Then if it looks like things will last, swap it out at a jewelry store for a real diamond. If she has it appraised or calls you on it, just get mad and say that the guy you bought it from must have ripped you off for the $5k that you paid for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 I will never buy another diamond again. Besides the moral quagmire of buying blood diamonds and enabling the horrible atrocities that happen, De Beers is monopoly like no other. They control the world's diamond supply and pull back supply to artificially inflate prices. If I ever buy a ring it will be moissoinite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 I think it's ridiculous to go by any sort of "rule" for this sort of thing. Hopefully you know your fiance and understand what she is or is not expecting. To some chicks the ring is the most important thing in the world; to others (the level-headed ones) it's merely a symbol. You also have to take into account your own financial situation and stability. It's insane to put a gaudy ring on a credit card if you can't really afford it. At the time I proposed to my wife, my financial situation was much different than it is now. I spent what I could reasonably afford and focused on quality over "size." She loved it. Nowadays I make fun of the "little ring" I bought but to her, it's her most prized possession. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Isn't the unofficial rule 2 months salary? Right on the money. engagement linkage So, who's tying the note? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Go to a pawn shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Only according to the diamond companies. Actually, from the recent ads I've seen, they are upping the ante to 3 months salary. Go with what you can afford, but make sure she's happy with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmwolf21 Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Actually, from the recent ads I've seen, they are upping the ante to 3 months salary. Go with what you can afford, but make sure she's happy with it. Damn oil prices are hurting the diamond market now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmwolf21 Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 On a serious note, try going to a good, family-owned jewelry shop. You can usually find something a little more unique and not as expensive. My wife and I looked at a half-dozen chain stores before going to Whitenight's Jewelers on Buffalo Ave in Niagara Falls. She found a setting she loved, we got a very good price on it and they took excellent care of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebug Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 First of all I would take any money you were planning on spending on the ring and find your girl a good psychiatrist, because any girl thinking about marrying you has some serious fokcin issues.... Seriously though find out what she likes first.....good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Only good answer...ask the (future) fiance. And if they say 2 month's salary... You picked the wrong person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acantha Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 And if they say 2 month's salary... You picked the wrong person. In my opinion, yes. Any girl that would tell me how much I should spend on a ring by quoting a percentage of my income (not to mention that much of a zombie to TV commercials) would be out the door. But to each his own as far as that goes. More on point, asking anyone other than her is pointless. She's the only one that can give you an accurate answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 On a serious note, try going to a good, family-owned jewelry shop. You can usually find something a little more unique and not as expensive. My wife and I looked at a half-dozen chain stores before going to Whitenight's Jewelers on Buffalo Ave in Niagara Falls. She found a setting she loved, we got a very good price on it and they took excellent care of us. You can go the "etstate" jewlery and get something truly unique also... The can have any kind of stone match up... And have the "working band" built to match. For us, 14 years ago we went this route with a jewler down in Chicago and spent (if I remember correctly?) about 2k total for both of us. Prices shouldn't be that much more... Heck everything has fallen, they claim inflation is not a problem. What is up with precious metals? The engagement ring is an "estate" piece... Pt with fine interwoven "finial" work (if that is the word)... The main stone sapphire with 12 small diamonds (original to the setting, well at least I am told... ) around it. The built the band of Pt to nest against the ring. And mine? Heck, I got a solid Pt band and I think that was about 300 bucks. Of course precious metals do go up in price through time. It "works" for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 In my opinion, yes. Any girl that would tell me how much I should spend on a ring by quoting a percentage of my income (not to mention that much of a zombie to TV commercials) would be out the door. But to each his own as far as that goes. More on point, asking anyone other than her is pointless. She's the only one that can give you an accurate answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffal0 Bill5 Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 Combine two pieces of advice already stated: 1. Go to a pawn shop, and buy a diamond at cut rate. Jewelry store markup is outrageous. 2. Go to a family owned local jeweler, one that does custom stuff, and have them use the gold and diamonds from the pawn shop to fashion something for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 Combine two pieces of advice already stated: 1. Go to a pawn shop, and buy a diamond at cut rate. Jewelry store markup is outrageous. So, you want to start off your marriage on a lie, or are you going to tell your girl that her ring is recycled? You do realize that you have no idea who wore the ring previously, or where that ring has been in its former life; don't you? It's not like you can go to Ringfacts and pull up the history on the darn thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 Combine two pieces of advice already stated: 1. Go to a pawn shop, and buy a diamond at cut rate. Jewelry store markup is outrageous. 2. Go to a family owned local jeweler, one that does custom stuff, and have them use the gold and diamonds from the pawn shop to fashion something for you. Chicks like "estate" jewelry or the term "antique" rather than "pawn shop." Oh: My first car was a 1979 RX-7... Had the BMW stlye front fairing, 15" BBS rims, and more! Like driving a "slot car"... That was a cool little car! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffal0 Bill5 Posted June 22, 2008 Share Posted June 22, 2008 So, you want to start off your marriage on a lie, or are you going to tell your girl that her ring is recycled? You do realize that you have no idea who wore the ring previously, or where that ring has been in its former life; don't you? It's not like you can go to Ringfacts and pull up the history on the darn thing. The heat of melting the ring burns off any bad karma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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