How are you deciding how much to spend on the ring?

[peonygirl]

Obviously the guy has more say in this, but for people who are looking into e-rings together how did you set your budget?

 

[allycat0303]

Well the budget was what he had saved up (in cash). Although I only ended up chossing something that was 30% of the actual budget. Aside from that I think it should be a compromise between what you want and what he can afford.

 

[MissAva]

I am staying out of this one, becuase I dont feel I ought to pressure him. I think it ought be whatever you are comfertable with. I have read postings where the guy was going to put it on his CC which would make me insane since I fear debt. But if that works for them then why not?
Alley used 30% of her budget but it made her happy. As long as you can both agree I think it is fine.

 

[appletini]

My BF told me what he wants to spend, which is his two months salary after tax. As much as I''d like to have bigger budget, unless it were twice as much, it wouldn''t make much of a differnce. Since we are in our mid-late twenties, we''d rather have more money for a house, the ring can always be upgraded later. Plus since I''m going with a halo setting, the diamond doen''t have to be ginourmous.

 

[Mara]

we didn''t know when we started looking, but fell in love with something and that kind of mentally set our budget (or it did for me) because he didn''t freak out when he heard the price. so i thought, okay well then that is not unreasonable!! so that is what i mentally used moving fwd for research etc. when all was said and done we spent about 50% more than the original firstfewdaysresearching budget.

 

[regalada]

My fiance started out with a budget in his mind but it got thrown out the window when I first saw the ring I wanted at the store and it brought tears to my eyes. I worked hard to find a similar ring at a lower price but couldn''t, especially because he wanted to see the ring before he paid for it and we could not find one like it in the B&M stores around here.

So my fiance spent twice as much as he thought he would but whenever he catches me staring at the ring he says it was worth every penny since it makes me so happy.

 

[Kim N]

Because we are young, and he''s still in grad school, I''ve mentally set a budget for what I want. He says his mental budget is higher, but I''m careful with money by nature and probably won''t go over my mental budget.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 11/6/2005 8:35:19 PM
Author:peonygirl
Obviously the guy has more say in this, but for people who are looking into e-rings together how did you set your budget?

ask him how much he has in his piggy bank.

 

[jorman]

I let him set the budget. I thought of what I thought was reasonable and told him and he agreed, so I guess we kind of set it together, even though he is buying it.
I didn''t want to go too crazy, but the point must be made that I will be wearing this everyday for the rest of my life. Value must be placed on that.

 

[researcher]

Date: 11/8/2005 8:27:05 PM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 11/6/2005 8:35:19 PM

Author:peonygirl

Obviously the guy has more say in this, but for people who are looking into e-rings together how did you set your budget?

ask him how much he has in his piggy bank.

You are awful, DF!

Too funny!!!

 

[ello]

I''ve shared my hopes and dreams with my boyfriend - hopefully reasonable - it''s a work in progress.

 

[ello]

I forgot to mention that anything over 1ct has made my boyfriend turn white - I don''t think most guys realize how much diamonds are worth so I feel very bad for all the boys out there...

 

[JulieN]

how much diamonds cost, not how much they are worth. water is worth very much, but costs very little.

Even Adam Smith never satisfactorily resolved the this paradox.

 

[peonygirl]

Yep, diamonds are actually not very rare in nature and the price is kept artificially high by DeBeer''s underhanded business strategies.


But I like diamonds anyway. *weeps*

 

[marvel]

My BF had a VERY generous budget, but when I found THE stone, we went over the budget

 

[snuga]

I definitely agree that it depends on what the guy is comfortable spending. My BF and I have a set budget in mind. It's not as much as some other people I know, but it is good for us and enough to get me what I really want, so that's what matters to us.

 

[elepri]

I had a size in mind that i wanted so when we started looking I did a search on Pricescope and showed him how much it would cost. He felt it was what he was planning to spend. We ended up going a little over the budget but not too much.

 

[ellewoods]

We''re not really deciding on the ring together, but we''ve been ring browsing. I just want him to know the types of settings I like, and we both wanted to figure out what kind of center stone we both like (luckilly we both like the same kind). He wants to take care of everything from here on out and I''m staying out of it. Unless 6 months go by and there''s no hint of a ring.

I have had a certain carat size in mind (2) and my boyfriend initially thought I was being outrageous, but luckilly when we looked a few weeks back and I tried on a beautiful Daniel K ring with a 1.03 center stone, and he said "oh no that''s way too small." Then I tried on a 2 carat and he liked that much better and thought it was the right size. So I am thrilled that he likes a bigger size and doesn''t think I''m so outrageous anymore.

Of course that doesn''t mean I''ll be getting a center stone that''s in the very ideal color and clarity ranges....we have to balance quality and price. I saw my dream setting (one of the Daniel K Rosebud styles) with a 2 carat center stone at Michael C. Fina, and he really liked it too. He did not like the price (about $26,000), but does think that buying a center stone in the size we like and having a similar setting custom made is within reality though, so I am very excited about that.

Of course nothing is in reality until there''s a proposal right?

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I had nothing to do with the budget. I suggested he get a tacori look alike made in WG (our jeweler offered to custom make one) and a 1 ct diamond. He really wanted me to have the "real" setting and said PLT was the best so I was very surprised with that. He also said once he saw the prices of 1 cts he realized he could afford more. I really felt like it was up to him because it is his money after all. All I really had say in was the setting.

 

[Caribou]

I don''t have anything to do with the budget either...I know how much he has in savings for the ring but other than that I had nothing to do with it. All''s I know about the ring is that it''s going to be either WG or platnium and the center stone will be round and the wedding band with be an eternity band.

 

[caligal]

I didn''t want him to feel like we had to "keep up with the Jones," since we clearly aren''t! I think it depends on your personal situation. We don''t own a home yet, and will be looking to purchase in the next few years in S. California- not cheap! So I asked him to keep the cost down by buying 1 carat- and a simple setting. I figure a 10 year anniversary upgrade will be the bonus- right?

 

[AlyceC]

My BF and I are having discussions on this very issue right now. Because of how law school financial aid is calculated, we''ve had to delay an official engagement until next summer at the earliest. He''s not comfortable lying on the applications that ask for a fiance''s information. My BF is very old fashioned and doesn''t consider us officially engaged until the ring is on my finger. We are having friendly arguments about the 2 month guideline. He says net, I say gross. I''ve never subscribed to the 2 month guideline, but his earnings next summer (gross) match up with the diamonds I''ve been eyeing.