How much should or would you expect a guy to spend on an Engagement Ring?

Terri26

Dudess wrote: »

Sweet Christ...

Lighten up, I was clearly being facetious. The clue was in the tone of the post, the fact I used lots of "oooooooooooo"'s and used a quote from "Friends"! It was very obvious I was joking.

Ickle Magoo

I have no idea how much my engagement ring cost...I didn't ask and frankly, I didn't care - it was the sentiments that came with it that made it special. Given that we were impoverished students at the time and it's an antique band rather than brand sparkly new rock, I don't think it cost an arm and a leg - but I love it because it's the ring he picked when he decided I was the women he was going to ask to marry him. All the chatter counting carats and costing the earth kind of miss the point, if you ask me.

Honey-ec

My first engagement ring was from H. Samuel and cost €1,200. I friggin loved it but you'd want to see the expression of horror on some women's faces when they heard where it was from. They were inevitably followed by the "Oh it's lovely and dainty" comment - i.e. "It's ****ing tiny, your boyfriend is clearly a pauper/doesn't love you very much/would peel an orange in his pocket."

I lost it about three weeks before the wedding and replaced it in New York (and yes, I paid for the replacement myself). Had it valued when we got home for the house insurance and the Irish valuation was over 2.5 times what I paid in NY, which should tell you everything you need to know about the mark-ups being charged by Irish jewelers.

AnneElizabeth

krudler wrote: »

I'd say 99% of the population doesnt know one person who's had their finger cut off from catching a ring in a door handle, you know several?

must know a lot of idiots.

That's a unfair - they're all middle aged/older people. The doorhandles (in my house anyways and I assume others are similar) are ridiculous, there's like a bit that sticks out and it's so easy to get something caught in it. Happens very regularly with clothes.

They have to go without a finger because of the stupid doorhandle's design. It's not idiotic to walk a little too close to a door.

Don't make up statistics just because you have never heard of anyone that it's happened to.

JupiterKid

The shallowness and naked greed of some posters on this thread is disgusting.:mad::(

For me, a tasteful and subtle ring is far better than some obnoxious overpriced bling any day.

But it seems that people believe love can be bought. Sad.

Kerikosan

What a load of toss. :rolleyes:

Kerikosan

JupiterKid wrote: »

The shallowness and naked greed of some posters on this thread is disgusting.:mad::(

For me, a tasteful and subtle ring is far better than some obnoxious overpriced bling any day.

But it seems that people believe love can be bought. Sad.

100% agree

hondasam

JupiterKid wrote: »

The shallowness and naked greed of some posters on this thread is disgusting.:mad::(

For me, a tasteful and subtle ring is far better than some obnoxious overpriced bling any day.

But it seems that people believe love can be bought. Sad.

It is a matter of opinion and choice, not to mention the small fact that it is up to everyone to decide for themselves.

buying a ring is not buying love.

Xiney

We were really poor when we got married. Actually... things haven't exactly improved over five years...

I don't have an engagement ring, unless you count the ring out of the fruit brack that he gave me. (I still have it, in my jewelry box)

My wedding band is a half eternity with channel set diamonds, I always get compliments on it. It's sparkly and so on. And despite scoffing at the idea of engagement rings, diamonds and so on... damnit I like it. I'm not afraid to admit that.





If, however, people are earning real money instead of the chump change we had at our disposal, and they spend it already on things like 300 euro a night hotel rooms, 80 euro entres, etc... then spending 1k on a ring would look a bit cheap, even though that might be huge money for some of us, for others it would mean a slap in the face. I mean, you're basically saying that the engagement ring (which despite protestations from people in this thread is still a pretty powerful symbol) is worth less than a weekend away. Personally I wouldn't be impressed.

So I propose a new formula - take the price point of the hotel room you generally go for when you go away somewhere. Some people aim for a 50 euro room in a B&B, some people want nothing but the best, 4 star, and they get room service :P. If the engagement ring you're planning on buying your fiance isn't at least 10 times what your normal spend on a hotel is, it's probably going to land you in hot water. Unless she doesn't want an engagement ring and just wants a present... in that case you'll probably end up spending more :P

(What I'm trying to say is, it shouldn't be down to what a delusional girl expects she deserves, no average couple can afford to drop 10k on a bloody ring, and it shouldn't be down to what the couple earns, because if you're on the lower end you probably have more important things to spend that money on and if you're on the higher end the ring would cost so much that it would just be insane, but benchmarking against what the couple is already used to paying for things is probably the best way to determine both what they can afford and what is appropriate)

Helix

spent $2800 on my fiance's

looks about 5 times as pricey though. its not about how much you pay, its about what you get for the money. a nice ring will always look for more expensive than it was

Lumen

JupiterKid wrote: »

The shallowness and naked greed of some posters on this thread is disgusting.:mad::(

For me, a tasteful and subtle ring is far better than some obnoxious overpriced bling any day.

But it seems that people believe love can be bought. Sad.

I'd say shallowness and self-righteousness are about even so far. In fact, self-righteousness has a bit of a lead going into the late stages.

Still, won't someone think of the starving children!

Goal!

Tordelback

I've never told the missus what her ring cost, and I doubt I will. Seems a bit tasteless. I spent a month looking for the 'right' one (she's a lady of specific tastes), and eventually gave up and found a jeweler who would make one to my design for a reasonable price. I toted it round Europe for two weeks on a camping trip hidden in my socks (in my bag, not on my feet) before I found the right place to pop the question, and it seemed to do the job as she said 'yes'.

Then I talk people who spent 15k on a ring, or who proposed with a 'temporary' ring because they knew their intended would want to pick their own, and I reckon I picked the right one. Woman, that is.

Marcin_diy

just a quick question - if you buy e ring for 1,2,5,10 k - do you give your ring with receipt? or do you tell your woman how expensive it was? If not - whats the point for giving so expensive e ring? Probably she would't notice difference if it is worth 200e or 1k.

amy21

Marcin_diy wrote: »

just a quick question - if you buy e ring for 1,2,5,10 k - do you give your ring with receipt? or do you tell your woman how expensive it was? If not - whats the point for giving so expensive e ring? Probably she would't notice difference if it is worth 200e or 1k.

Oh she will know dont worry

Hells Belle

amy21 wrote: »

Oh she will know dont worry

Yes if she goes looking for the price, which is really rude imo. Its pretty hard to tell if you are not a jeweller or in the business.

I got engaged at Christmas and I couldn't tell you how much it cost and I don't care. It could have been a rice crispy on a piece of string and I still would have loved it.

watna

Hells Belle wrote: »

Yes if she goes looking for the price, which is really rude imo. Its pretty hard to tell if you are not a jeweller or in the business.

I got engaged at Christmas and I couldn't tell you how much it cost and I don't care. It could have been a rice crispy on a piece of string and I still would have loved it.

Mmmm - rice krispie engagement ring. That actually sounds quite nice. Especially if you could make it magic so the rice krispies re-spawned when you ate it. I'd pay good money for that, anyway!

kylith

As little as possible. As long as he'd really thought about what type of ring I'd like then I wouldn't care if he'd bought it from a stall on the side of the road.

If I found out that he'd spent the cost of a car on a ring I'd probably have second thoughts about marrying him since his financial management is obviously crap.

Orando Broom

Marcin_diy wrote: »

just a quick question - if you buy e ring for 1,2,5,10 k - do you give your ring with receipt? or do you tell your woman how expensive it was? If not - whats the point for giving so expensive e ring? Probably she would't notice difference if it is worth 200e or 1k.

If it's worth anything you be foolish not to insure it, so in that event you'd have to give a ballpark.

Sure anyway it's the woman you want to marry and she wants to marry you, money is irrelevant. If you spend €100 or €10,000 on the ring she'll be made up. Won't she?

Admittedly I did stretch myself for herself's engagement ring. I knew what she wanted I could have gone cheaper but I am a firm believer in doing it right the first time and that in the long run doing it right the first time is cheaper and there are no regrets.

It was expensive but it was the best thing I ever did to be honest, I do feel for a lot of fella's out there at the minute, there is pressure on the girls from peers.

There are alternatives, buy the diamond in Rotterdam and get a Jeweller in Dublin to make the ring.

The majority of reputable Rotterdam diamonds are all Kimberley certified (very important).

J K

amy21 wrote: »

Oh she will know dont worry

That's one less worry then.

How exactly will she know Amy.

Azureus

Id like him to spend MAX €1500, but if I saw something that I loved cheaper then fantastic! Anything between €500-€1500 I reckon. I would have said any price before but I already own a diamond ring from him that cost a couple of hundred, so would like a bigger diamond if I was gona wear it for the rest of my life

(Not spoilt, just diamonds)

Orando Broom

kylith wrote: »

As little as possible. As long as he'd really thought about what type of ring I'd like then I wouldn't care if he'd bought it from a stall on the side of the road.

If I found out that he'd spent the cost of a car on a ring I'd probably have second thoughts about marrying him since his financial management is obviously crap.

I find this hard to believe. He steps up with the perfect ring, you'll berate him for that. You'll make some man very, very happy, (gritted teeth).

kylith

Orando Broom wrote: »

I find this hard to believe. He steps up with the perfect ring, you'll berate him for that. You'll make some man very, very happy, (gritted teeth).

Ah, look at you, trying to act like you know me. It'd be sweet if it wasn't so offensive.

Orando Broom

kylith wrote: »

Ah, look at you, trying to act like you know me. It'd be sweet if it wasn't so offensive.

Right on sister, who needs bras.

Zebra3

seanmc1980 wrote: »

same could be said about anything again, why buy a dcent shirt for 60 euro when you can get one for a euro. reason, euro on looks **** and will fall apart.

There's a difference in buying yourself a decent shirt for sixty notes and spending ten large on a poxy ring for some shallow bitch who ain't buying you anything back in return.

Orando Broom

Azureus wrote: »

Id like him to spend MAX €1500, but if I saw something that I loved cheaper then fantastic! Anything between €500-€1500 I reckon. I would have said any price before but I already own a diamond ring from him that cost a couple of hundred, so would like a bigger diamond if I was gona wear it for the rest of my life

(Not spoilt, just diamonds)

Question: what type of diamond do you think you'd get for €500?

kylith

Orando Broom wrote: »

Right on sister, who needs bras.

Men and women with large bosoms?

What a delightful non-sequiter.

ETA: I do apologise. I read your post as though it were a question rather than a statement on my bra possession habits. I'm not going to say that I need bras, but if you're offering to buy more for me then M&S do some rather good 2 pack deals. Just don't spend too much.

dory

kylith wrote: »

If I found out that he'd spent the cost of a car on a ring I'd probably have second thoughts about marrying him since his financial management is obviously crap.

Exactly!! I would never marry someone who spent a few grand on a ring. What next? Do they then think it's ok to spend €250 on a tie? I would like to marry someone less into material crap and more into spending money on a safari in Cameroon.

no1beemerfan

My GF didn't want an engagement ring

























she was happy enough with just me

kylith

dory wrote: »

Exactly!! I would never marry someone who spent a few grand on a ring. What next? Do they then think it's ok to spend €250 on a tie? I would like to marry someone less into material crap and more into spending money on a safari in Cameroon.

That's a good point. Why spend that much money on a ring when it can go on the world's most kick ass honeymoon instead?

hondasam

dory wrote: »

Exactly!! I would never marry someone who spent a few grand on a ring. What next? Do they then think it's ok to spend €250 on a tie? I would like to marry someone less into material crap and more into spending money on a safari in Cameroon.

you think it is ok to spend money on a holiday but not on a diamond that you will have forever.


How much would a safari in Cameroon cost ?