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?

[boxtops]

How awful it would be if your friend spent £5K on a ring and a) she didn't like it, or b) she said no..... I wouldn't want a surprise, we chose my ring together.

[firewatch]

tell him to do it christmas day and make sure she ahs a cracker with a plastic one for him o propose with a joke strip saying will you marry me, if you say yes our first choice together will be your ringx

[ummmm]

Mine was quite expensive....but I would have been just as happy if it wasn't.

[karenmac60]

If she loves him and wants to marry him it won't matter what it cost. My mum was engaged before she met my dad and she had a very expensive flashy ring, but she was forever leaving it lying and nearly lost it several times. She wasn't really sure about the guy and they split up. My dad bought her a cheap wee ring and she has never let it out of her sight - it means far more to her than if it had cost 10 years' salary.

[Maydup]

25%? what nonsense - he should buy a ring that he can afford and which she will like. Nothing more and nothing less.

[Teddy_boy]

Do Elizabeth Duke make rings that expensive i wonder ?

[brenda]

Consumerism gone totally mad.
Is this how love is measured today ? The price ticket on an engagement ring?
How very sad.

[craft1948]

I've had er........a few enagagement rings but the one that meant the most cost nothing, as it had been his mother's ring.

[cathfromsaron]

i would get an answer first and then see what style she wants ...

[Messi_Ten]

...roxie_09 has got some spare gear!

[rsvp]

Depends on the perception of 'I want to marry you' - as far as I'm concerned it doesn't matter at all as to the value of the ring - what matters is the value of the proposal.

[Eve]

Probably depends on the women - I've never got the must be a huge expensive diamond thing! People have very different tastes in jewellery too. I like quite understated delicate silver jewellery - no big bling thing and I'd be too scared to wear anything expensive.

My old one cost next to nothing from Argos, we were young and broke but I loved it, we didn't stay together but I still have the ring due to the sentiment.

I would see spending a ridiculous amount of money on a ring as a waste considering other things you could use the money on, I'd rather have a nice but inexpensive ring and say a holiday we spent together and have lovely memories from (maybe to propose?).

[rowanwitch]

mine was not expensive by todays standards but it was bought with love and looks lovely on my short fingers I wouldn't want anything else to me its perfect

[bushbaby_de]

The rule of thumb for pricing an engagement ring is outdated for two reasons - firstly the engagement ring was originally intended as a financial security to the bride in case of a broken engagement, which simply doesn't have the same stigma or implications any more, and secondly the two-months 'rule' was a marketing tool by De Beers diamonds. He should spend what he is comfortable spending!

[Androcles]

Thank you all for taking the time to respond! I have taken your views and passed on some hopefully sensible advice. I await to see what he does with great interest......

[NOX]

My first wife's engagement ring cost £15, my second wife I proposed to and got her a ring as nice as I could afford at the time which was £80- I then replaced that with a far better one once I was more financially stable but she still wears the £80 not the expensive one even though she's with someone else now just because she likes it so money really shouldn't be a huge factor- just get her soemthing nice he thinks she'll like.

[JKay81]

Hey,

There is no "right" amount to spend on an engagement ring. Everyone has a different budget, so everything you have heard (25% of annual income or three months of annual salary) are just suggestions or traditions.

When buying an engagement ring, it is important that you stay within your budget. I would suggest checking out online engagement ring sites like James Allen. James Allen has an impressive selection of quality engagement rings at all prices. They also have a wonderful customer service team to answer all your questions.

Definitely check out James Allen, http://www.jamesallen.com/.

Hope this helps,
Judy