Engagement Rings

[Androcles]

A friend of mine is comtemplating "popping the question". He said to me that he had been told that the perceived wisdom is that he should spend about 25% of his annual income on the ring...... True or just a story put around by the hopeful?

[firewatch]

lol i dont have one, i did have an heirloom one from the in laws but it was hideous. You can buy some nice ones and they are relatively 'cheap' and if he sops round he can get a decent priced ring

[maggiebee]

If he does he has more money than sense. Or maybe I'm just a canny Scot?

[Barmaid]

I thought the tradition was a week's wages. I think mine cost about 20 quid. (A friend of ours who makes jewellery made it out of Swarkovski crystal).

[missprim]

I agree with barmaid.

[Fitzer]

The traditional amount is a months salary, before or after tax isn't specified :)

[missprim]

It was probably a weeks wages when I got engaged but I can well believe it's a months wages now.

[missprim]

Androcles did your friend say what 25% of his annual income is?

[micmak]

I proposed to Mrs MM with a plastic ring out of a Christmas cracker. We were married for 5 years before I could afford a decent ring. She still has the plastic one. Sentimental reasons she says.

[bednobs]

i too always thought it was a month's salary

[sara3]

me too.. a month's salary, but I'm sure it's not the law!

[bednobs]

deffo not the law! I think it used to be on the DeBeers advert about making a month's salary last a lifetime or something, so it was in their interest to make it a month's rather than a week's salary!

[Chinajan]

This was a 'tradition' started by jewellery manufacturers.

He should spend only what he can afford.

[firewatch]

i still dont have one-and left my wedding ring at our friends! still have a ring he gave donkey years ago plastic and tacky but tis sentimental!

[maggiebee]

Never had an engagement ring, but remember my wedding ring cost £4.7.6 (old money). All we could afford at the time.

[Androcles]

Thanks folks - these sound more reasonable! I never bought an engagement ring - the boss bought her own as I was cashless at the time, but promised to pay her back. Then other priorities got in the way, and now she won't let me buy her one - the story is too good to dine out on, despite many offers to put it right and she likes the one she chose.

I have no idea what 25 % of his annual income is but I suspect it is quite a bit. I am more worried about who told him this was the case..........

[starone]

My husband saved up for ages to buy me a ring. It was £12 old money and an enormous amount at the time. I am still wearing it 65 years later.

[Slapshot]

If she wants to spend more than you can afford, is she worth having??? Pay what you can afford.

The mem's cost me a £300 25years ago only because I had the cash at the time, she did offer to flog it years ago when times were dire

[boxtops]

To be honest, if someone's on say £20K a year, 25% would be £5K for the ring. I wouldn't want that - I'd be terrified to wear it. Bling doesn't demonstrate how much you love someone - we got my engagement ring at a really nice shop in a designer outlet centre, and we went back there for our wedding rings, too.

[Kathyan]

Surely it shouldn't matter how much the ring costs? It's what it symbolises that matters! I know how much mine cost, but it means more than money to know that my husband chose it for me.

[China Doll]

I'd say only spend what you can afford and make the effort to get the person in question something they like, I knew a person who had some sort of wood or something in her ring, she doesn't like sparkly gems and she had other broches that were animals in this wood stuff as well. ANd like boxy, a really expensive ring would scare the crap out of me when it came to wearing it. Hope your friend gets the answer they want!