Engagement ring cost

skinnyboy

Hi all,
Just a quick one thinking about popping the question,i have not got a shed load of cash,the ring im looking at,at the minute is 600 euros..is that to little i hear of my friends going off spending over 1200 or so.
Just trying to get a feel for what people think is the right amount.

Thank you

ChewChew

Spend what you can afford and on something she'll like. There is (or should not be!!) no set amount you should spend. There used to be some illusion to having to pay X amount of your salary etc but that's just nonsense and a pathethic assumption. Any ordinary Joe soap will spend what he can and his partner will be only happy to receive it, especially if she says yes! Best of luck op all of the above is just my opinion btw

Broken Strings

We got my engagement ring in New York after my fiance popped the question while we were on a trip to the States.

Cost only $300 and I've cherished it every day since. Got some criticisms when we came home but I couldn't give a monkeys what other people think.

Spend what you can afford and it certainly doesn't make it any less special!

Inspector Coptoor

I'd echo the sentiments above.
Spend what you can afford.

I spent $5000 on my wife's engagement ring.
I know guys who have spent an awful lot more - €15,000 and an awful lot less.

As long as you are both happy, that's the main thing.

Ruu

I think I spent about 100 euros on mine (11 years married). Save your cash for a nice trip or something else for the pair of ye.

irishgirl19

We got ours on sale for 400 I love it

cactusgal

I was engaged before and my ring cost about e500. I loved it, it was a small diamond but a lovely setting.
One thing that helps is if you have slim fingers / small hands. My fingers are very skinny, so a very small diamond looked just right.

skinnyboy

Thank you everybody for your replys,yes i guess its better to live within my means and not get into debt over it.feel a bit better now after those replys haha thank you once again

skinnyboy

ChewChew wrote: »

Spend what you can afford and on something she'll like. There is (or should not be!!) no set amount you should spend. There used to be some illusion to having to pay X amount of your salary etc but that's just nonsense and a pathethic assumption. Any ordinary Joe soap will spend what he can and his partner will be only happy to receive it, especially if she says yes! Best of luck op all of the above is just my opinion btw

Thank you ChewChew and a very good opinion i may say

Atomic Pineapple

I'd echo the same as others, don't spend beyond your means, you can get some really nice rings without spending a fortune these days.

I just bought a €150 promise ring with cubic zirconias for the proposal and then brought her shopping for a proper engagement ring the day after so she got to pick what she wanted and she picked a great set (engagement ring + wedding band) for €1100.

We've been engaged since Easter and she still wears the €150 promise ring and loves it (nearly) as much as the proper engagement ring.

SecretBride

We got engaged abroad and got our ring there....$45! It's silver and cz and I love it....and nobody has ever asked the cost and I let them think what they like which I would imagine is that it's real!! My wedding ring is the same and cost €60! Everyone will assume they are real and I love both of them!

manwithaplan15

Have to echo everyone else only spend what you can afford! One thing I'd like to point out, DeBeers (the diamond company) during a marketing campaign in the 1930's put out the idea it should be a multiple of your monthly salary! If anybody tells you that you should be spending a certain amount of your salary you can tell them that they are falling for a marketing campaign (its recognised as one of the best marketing campaigns of all time)

Toots

You could also consider going for something other than a diamond, maybe a Ruby, sapphire, or emerald. You would probably get more for your money. My eternity ring is sapphires and diamonds and it was about half the price of the exact same design ring which had diamonds instead of sapphires.

etymon

I was in Kearns pawnbrokers off Smithfield on Saturday looking for my wedding band. They have beautiful rings, surprisingly in the hundreds for some of them - so if you want to make the most of your money buy antique and I would recommend there as a good place to start. (Bring cash!)

SarahMollie

Yeah, I'd say buy what you can afford, definitly don't go getting into debt.

Do you know what she might like? Perhaps consider proposing with a token and taking her with you for the real purchase.

Chances are that the person you know well enough to propose to is somewhat aware of your finances, so I'm sure she wouldnt want you stressing about a expensive ring if thats not on the cards. At least you know shes not with you for your money!

Dodge

SarahMollie wrote: »

Chances are that the person you know well enough to propose to is somewhat aware of your finances, so I'm sure she wouldnt want you stressing about a expensive ring if thats not on the cards.

And if she does complain about the ring, get rid of her. And no I'm not kidding either. Couples have to be somewhat alligned on these issues or you'll have no chance of survival. Buy her the nicest, prettiest ring you can afford and if she loves you, she'll love it

shortie_chik

Toots wrote: »

You could also consider going for something other than a diamond, maybe a Ruby, sapphire, or emerald. You would probably get more for your money. My eternity ring is sapphires and diamonds and it was about half the price of the exact same design ring which had diamonds instead of sapphires.

Sapphires & rubies will be cheaper than diamonds, and are reasonably hardwearing (9 on the Mohs' scale vs 10 for diamonds), but I would not recommend emeralds. They're really brittle and not suitable for everyday wear. Your new wife will probably wear this ring every day for the next 70 years, so harder / tougher stones are the way to go! I'm a goldsmith and gemmologist, I know what I'm talking about!

Also don't mind the "three months' salary" rule nonsense. Spend what you can afford without breaking the bank. I'd focus on getting a style that suits your partner rather than the price tag. Almost any style can be made up to suit different budgets (within reason).

marckavanagh

[MOD SNIP]

Blazer

manwithaplan15 wrote: »

Have to echo everyone else only spend what you can afford! One thing I'd like to point out, DeBeers (the diamond company) during a marketing campaign in the 1930's put out the idea it should be a multiple of your monthly salary! If anybody tells you that you should be spending a certain amount of your salary you can tell them that they are falling for a marketing campaign (its recognised as one of the best marketing campaigns of all time)

interesting reading on that campaign...
http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/diamond-de-beers-marketing-campaign

Toots

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Thanks.

Crimsonforce

Has anyone gone to Antwerp to get a ring?

Although Im in Belgium a lot for work so could go there easily..

Blazer

A girl I work with got hers in Antwerp.Blloody thing is huge and she didn't mention a price but said it was about half of what it would cost here. The main stone itself must be 2 carats.
There's a few threads on it in boards if you search around.

badboyblast

Shes going to have it for the rest of her life, do afford what you can but saving up for something that your loved one will have for the rest of her life is worth it.

FluffyMcCardy

No idea but the woman I married wasn't taking any chances so she designed and ordered the ring herself. She has great taste. Same with the wedding rings.

Having said that I insisted on grabbing the the ring off her and formally asking her to marry me in the middle of O'Connell Street in Dublin. She said yes of course but as she had paid for it anyway......

SarahMollie

FluffyMcCardy wrote: »

No idea but the woman I married wasn't taking any chances so she designed and ordered the ring herself. She has great taste. Same with the wedding rings.

Wise move!

I think buying the ring without any consultation would be a brave move. I'm at that age where it seems like everyone around me is getting engaged and not one person I know chose the actual ring for the engagement, everyone went the token route.

Stoned Since 2011

SarahMollie wrote: »

I think buying the ring without any consultation would be a brave move.

For the reason of the party not liking is it?

SarahMollie

Stoned Since 2011 wrote: »

For the reason of the party not liking is it?

Yeah exactly. Taste is such an indiviual thing, and its something you want to love wearing for the rest of your life.

Sure my OH asks me to tell him what to get me for Christmas and Birthdays as he's deemed me too fussy so he'd never try to pick something that major for me!