I am having trouble deciding what to spend on my girlfriend's engagement ring. My friends have told me not too spend a lot, but at the same time I want it to be something special. I know the old 2 month salary advice, but I am also saving money to purchase a house, so I want to be careful and not go over board. I am also having trouble deciding how to propose. She has hinted to my mom that she would like to have both of our families present. I know I can count on my fellow clutchcity members to help me out. I don't know what I would do without this website. I 'll hang up and listen. Thnx ahead of time guys and gals.
Two month salary is the standard, but other obligations can cut into that. Spend what you can afford. If the love is true, the $$$ spent on the ring won't matter at all. On another note....I keep driving by this new engagement ring store on the 610 North feeder near San Felipe. Anyone checked it out yet?
if i were to ever propose, i would only do it when we're both alone. that way her answer isn't in any way influenced by outside factors. i mean, how bad would it suck for her to say yes b/c she didn't want to embarrass you in front of people only to later tell you no.
Well, don't you buy an engagement ring, then a weddding ring? Get something nice, but not too nice, as you'll only raise the bar that can never be lowered... I would propose alone, no family, but that's just me...Is this for x-mas...Kill two birds with one stone...
I haven't been there, but it's a California store that just opened their second store here. http://www.robbinsbros.com/
If she's the one hinting that's how she wants it done, then I'm guessing he doesn't have to worry about that. Spend what you can afford. She'll be happy with whatever you choose. I would get her input on it, however. You don't want to spend that much money on something without her having any say in what it looks like. I proposed to my wife in front of friends and family. I wanted there to be more family there, but her Mom got sick right before the trip and they couldn't go. Her Mom had to beg my wife to leave to go to Vegas because she knew what I had planned.
Spend whatever you can afford to spend and want to spend on it. I\'m sure she will love whatever you get for her but if you don\'t already have an idea of what she likes or would like it would be good to ask her for suggestions. As far as the proposal goes, if she wants both families present then you can always choose an upcoming celebration like a birthday or the holidays to get both families together and do it. You could always have a cook out if the weather is nice and have both families over or just arrange a night out for dinner at a nicle place and invite your families. Congrats on your upcoming engagement! Hope you guys have a wonderful marriage and life together.
Is she serious? Man, I would never want to be proposed to with the families present. Maybe in front of 20,000 people at a Rockets game...but that's me. As far as the ring goes...she'll love you no matter what you spend. See, I lose stuff (jewelry) really easy, so when my boyfriend proposes, the ring better not be over 2-3 hundred bucks... The important thing is being able to spend the rest of your life with the person you love.
Spend what you can afford and if she loves you, it does not matter .... Baloney! You are asking a bunch of guys ... that is the answer you will get. Ask the girls ... they will tell you ... size matters ... The bigger the rock, the better !
Spend what you can afford is good advice and all, but I think you should overspend. Not significantly, but it IS important...very important. Moreover, there are only certain types of rocks/rings you can get at certain price ranges. I'd say pick a range where the high end makes you cringe, but you may be able to slip it in, then spend at the high end of the range. Oh, and finalsbound comment (losing jewelry) made me think. Remember that depending on your range, hopefully you'll be able to get something decent enough that you'll want to get it insured. Just keep in mind that yearly premium, too.
Congrats first of all. Don't most women want some kind of input on their ring, like the style and how it will look on their hand and all that jazz? My marriage rule is whatever I spend on your ring, I get to spend the same amount on electronic goods for myself.
$6000 no more, no less...and don't go to robbins bros. They really arn't in to negotiating with you. I went to a place call Karat 22 off of Hilcroft, very nice folks. I highly recommend.
If you shop around and learn how to shop for diamonds, you'll begin to notice big time differences in prices from store to store, area to area. There are the 4 Cs of diamonds. Color Cut Clarity Carat weight I'd go for a G or H color, very good cut, SI2ish clarity. Nobody without a magnifying glass would be able to tell the difference between a stone like that and a "flawless" stone. I'd have the bulk of the amount go to the stone itself and not worry about spending a ton on the ring and setting. A solid good sized stone will outweight a fancy setting for most girls. Also, I'd set up a proposal where it is just the two of you, but then have families standing by to come later. When I proposed, I proposed one on one, and had both families waiting at the neiborhood Mexican restaurant. One quick phone call and she was surprised by the families in 2 minutes. Then we went and celebrated.
Hitman CONGRATS!!! check out this thread... http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=117943&page=1&pp=20 Remember price isn’t important get something you can afford and are happy about giving her and don’t get caught up in the rock game.. If you are thinking about going large, I highly recommend getting a rider on your insurance for your ring or going to a different company that specializes in jewelry, Chubb is a great insurance company for jewelry .. Also, I found this thread I started when I first started looking too.. http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=98325&highlight=engagement+ring
I got a ring a few years back here in CA, and I looked there and they ended up being about 4 times as expensive as other family jeweler type places for pretty much the exact same ring (with same certifications and all). I'd avoid that place as they really remind me of a car dealership and car salesmen every time I walked in there. Agree with the person that says dont set the bar too high if you think your girl will also be expecting a wedding ring. Some girls would prefer to have a nicer engagment ring and forego the wedding ring so I guess it depends on your situation.
spend what you can't afford. take out a huge loan and get her the biggest ring you can get. One that has a diamon the size of a RingPop.
