Do you love your e-ring? Did you have anything to do with picking it out?

Sonicstef-

I don't know when having a 1 carat ring started to be considered 'small'... it's a shame, but it's just true I guess- especially in NYC/LI/NJ.

But like you, the money spent on my ring was 'ours' as well. Although my DH does work a 2nd job to pay off the ring, if he got something more expensive it would just take longer to pay for! Everything we have is 'ours' together- we have one bank account, one savings account, etc.

AND it probably wasn't too smart for him to not be able to pay for it outright anyway. But what can you do.

The point is it's not about size. But I guess in this age of over consumption, super sized meals, logos on everything and teenages walking around with Louis Vuittons, it does start to be about size. Maybe that is why 50% of marriages wind up in divorce?

LisaT- sounds like we have 'sort of' similar rings.... picture this- I have a channel set band- above that a diamond is bridged over it in a sort of tension setting- sounds a little similar?

Wow, so I am reading all of these 'size does matter but shouldn't' posts and thinking that we are some pretty mature women to realize that there is something wrong with the society we are in and as much as we are trying not to buy into it, we are finding ourselves wanting bigger and better too and we don't know how to stop ourselves. 1 Carat is NOT small and in a lot of ways it is the perfect size. It is big enough to be seen and appreciated but not so big that you feel self-conscious wearing it. Sometimes when I think of what it would be like to have a bigger ring I wonder if I would be afraid to wear it to work in the city everyday. Would I wear it turned around when I am on the subway? Would I be gawked at? Would people constantly grab my hand and ask how big?

FH spent what he could and 1 carat is enough. If he wants ever wants to buy something bigger, it will be because HE wants to give me something, not because I am asking.

If FH had wanted to, he could have gone back to his home city of Gdansk, Poland where they are known for the best Baltic Amber and he could have had an amber ring made for me for $50 or less and I would have been thrilled.

I love him and my ring is perfect even if it is smaller than I said I orginally wanted.

Maribelle, I meant that picture!

now i get ya! sorry! and it's georgeous yours that is!

I love my ring and inlaws too.

We went looking for rings and Fh asked what I wanted. I gave him like 5 different styles that I liked which p*ssed him off b/c I confused him!
But when he went to pick something out, he was able to get what he liked, knowing my taste so we'd both love it. I stressed that I wanted squarish (ended up with what I wanted- radiant) and a very thin band. I got it. I have thin fingers and my little band looks so dainty, I love it.

Although, FH honeslty loves the ring more than I do!!

Kim Ill answer your original question. Although I like my ring 1.5 ct its a great diamond. I would have liked something a bit larger, and although I said I wanted a solitaire, Im actually looking to change my setting.

Look there I admitted it, hubbys not happy. But hey

Call me ungratefull

The size of the stone doesn't matter at all. The LOVE behind it does! But, I also think it is understandable for a woman to want something bigger...in a world full of status symbols and 'keeping up with the Jones' mentality, what can you expect?

My ring is not 'extravagant' by any means...BUT, I love it sooo much. DH picked out the setting himself, but he did know what shape stone I wanted. It is 1.5 carat round solotaire, amazing clarity and color. My DH could have spent just a little more and gotten me a full 2 carat ring, but he said the clarity of the 2 ct. stone was not as good, and did not sparkle like I do when I smile at him! I could not be prouder of his rationale or his decision!

Large diamonds don't buy happiness...someone I know wears over 2 and 1/2 carats on her hand, and after just 4 and 1/2 years of marriage, she is headed for a divorce!

Well, I just had to join this 'conversation' because I recently found a picture of my e-ring. There was no picture of it anywhere, and finally I found one by total accident.
It came from Fortunoff's site, which is not where DH bought it, but it's exactly the same! I am exited because it's the first time I am posting a picture of my e-ring!

To answer the question: DH picked the ring by himself, although I did give him a few ideas of what I like and don't like. For example, I wanted a thick band, because I have big hands and very thin rings look really weird on me.
Perhaps, if it was entirely up to me, I would have picked something different, but I still think my ring is very beautiful! He things it’s the most amazing piece of jewelry ever created!

I was actually very pleasantly surprised when he proposed, because DH has terrible taste in jewelry (I am working on it though) and I was secretly really afraid he was going to get me something really gaudy looking! He likes very elaborate, overly-done, crazy looking thing, and I prefere simple and clean style! What a relieve it was when he put the ring on my finger!

And now, drum roll, please! DRRRRRRRRRRR:

I am in love with my ring!!!
I told him I wanted a princess cut ring (b/c I love the square look) but then changed my mind once I knew about Cut...they just don't have as much sparkle as a round b/c of less facets.
Anyway, he researched and found the Dream Cut by Hearts on Fire. It looks like a square princess but sparkles like a round. Best of both worlds. I loved it even more than the one I picked out!
We agreed on 1ct with 2 1/4ct sides and I ended up with 1.5 center and 2 1/2ct sides. So he defintely surprised me! My FI nevers buys anything without a ton of research so he made sure he got the 'ideal' diamond by jeweler's standards for the 3 other C's. I am very happy.

As for his family, I love them just as much. They are incredible to me and make me feel like a daughter. Being 1000 miles away from home, they have become my home away from home

LOVE MY RING. I had orginally wanted an emerald cut but my FH picked out a beautiful radiant cut stone and he had a little help from one of my girlfriends with the setting. I had nevvfer even heard of a radiant cut before I got it.

For the most part, I agree with what many of you said on the board - a ring does not = a good marriage!

However, in the society we live in today, having a ring of a certain size 'supposedly' means security within your marriage. Now, I know that to be otherwise, but there's a huge emphasis on the wedding and the ring! Like one of the posters on the board said: with young people wearing LV, Gucci, Prada etc and having PDA's and cell phones, why would people look at a 1 carat diamond and think you're financially secure? One carat or smaller seems to be nothing these days. Most people don't admit it, but when we focus on the ring, the size and extravagance of the wedding, in essence, aren't we saying that money and security is what matters most? All these material things are in the forefront of most peoples minds, the marriage itself is an after-thought!

I've seen so many people ostracize others because they didn't have all the right 'trimmings' at their wedding. It wasn't in a classy or extravagant enough location, the dress wasn't designer, the center pieces were not lavish, every single detail was not PEEEEEEEEEEERFECT! No one stops to think that the couple might not have had the money or they just plain did what they could. People don't even enjoy weddings anymore because they get so caught up in the little details. Forget about the fact that the couple just made a committment for life before God, family and friends. Forget that they will need all the support, friendship and love they can get; Forget that they are going to be building a future, having children etc....it's always about the wedding, the ring, the honeymoon and what other material possessions they have. This is why the divorce rate is so high! I don't know why people are perplexed by the statistics - ithe issues are right in our face.

People don't feel happy with what they have anymore if it isn't 'confirmed' by society's standards and everyone isn't oooohing and aaaahing their possessions. These days, it's common place for couples to go into thousands of dollars in debt to put on a wedding.

I'm certainly not exempting myself from any of this because I've found myself wrapped up in this cycle on many occassions looking for confirmation from others - not anymore though! I love all the best and finer things that life has to offer and if I was Puff Daddy who could rent a Yatch for a couple hundred thousand, wear 10 carat yellow diamonds, furs, Bentlys etc., then by all means, I'd enjoy myself - but that's not the case. I have to work like everyone and I have bills - I know my limitations and I don't try to impress people, I just live!!!

I can write volumes on this, but the bottom line is material things will come and go, but love, respect, warm welcome arms, companionship, a shoulder to cry on, someone you love making love with and coming home to is priceless, not even the rarest, colorless diamond that costs millions can top that!



sorry about the book!

I was really surprised by my ring. My FH shopped for over a year all by himself. I told him a I wanted a princess cut but he wound up designing a totally different ring himself. I LOVE IT. It is a little over 3 carrots. A 2 carrot radiant cut stone with 2 emerald cut stones on each side. The band is had engraved, looks antique.

I think that some people do go over board with rings, but if you can afford why shouldn't you have it? I think it is all what you can afford and I agree that you should not go into debt over a ring. MY FI saved for a long time in orer to pay for it and he felt that this was something I would have forever and hopefully give to my child someday so he wanted it to be perfect.

Keeping in true tradition of my spoiled self, I picked my own ring, and I LOVE it

I picked out my ering and while I do love it and prob would never change it, I have seen so many diff ones lately that I like just as much some times maybe even better. I sometimes think , and almost take the plunge on getting a diff ring but then I remeber how excited me and dh were when we finally found mine that I couldnt- not just yet, Maybe for an anniversary or something I would like to have it reset in Platinum- made to look just the way it is now in white gold. But I figure buying a new house is much more important at this point