engagement rings
Discussion
Madness I know, but I would buy the ring you think your OH would like the best, by look, design, shape etc.
For reference, my wedding ring cost about £15. It was made of titanium, a classic shape and I liked it. If it didn't say on it, would anyone really be able to tell what mix of gold/silver/sawdust we were really wearing?
For reference, my wedding ring cost about £15. It was made of titanium, a classic shape and I liked it. If it didn't say on it, would anyone really be able to tell what mix of gold/silver/sawdust we were really wearing?
Rh14n said:
A tip - your wedding ring should be the same carat as the engagement ring otherwise the harder will wear down the softer (apparently) 
^That. And eternity rings etc.The other thing is get a design custom made that interlocks in the future for example. Custom rings really aren't that much more expensive than the overpriced rubbish you get on the highstreet.
Lazadude said:
Rh14n said:
A tip - your wedding ring should be the same carat as the engagement ring otherwise the harder will wear down the softer (apparently)
^That. And eternity rings etc.The other thing is get a design custom made that interlocks in the future for example. Custom rings really aren't that much more expensive than the overpriced rubbish you get on the highstreet.
There I was 30 odd years ago rolling out of the pub lunchtime Christmas Eve thinking it was about time I got the girlfriends pressie.
After staggering around for an hour not finding anything remotely suitable in my inebriated state I start looking in the jewellers window "ah, sod it I'll asked her to marry me"
At this point I need to add that whilst I was pissed I had been thinking of doing it for a while, even when sober. I was ready.
As it happens the Jewellers in question happened to be Ratners, yep he of the "we sell crap fame". Two minutes later dead chuffed with me self out I walk with the ring having spent the grand total of £14.99. Result.
Christmas day I popped the question, got a resounding "yes" and the ring was fantastic, I'd chosen perfectly, it was exactly as she wanted and it fitted so well.
Now the dilemma do I own up it was just a piece of crap from Ratners to tied her over until we chose a ring together or do I keep quiet and let her live in blissful ignorance.
I cracked, we went out and chose a proper ring which as it happened looked exactly the same as the rubbish I'd presented her on Christmas day only it cost me a hundred times more.
We're still married though.
After staggering around for an hour not finding anything remotely suitable in my inebriated state I start looking in the jewellers window "ah, sod it I'll asked her to marry me"
At this point I need to add that whilst I was pissed I had been thinking of doing it for a while, even when sober. I was ready.
As it happens the Jewellers in question happened to be Ratners, yep he of the "we sell crap fame". Two minutes later dead chuffed with me self out I walk with the ring having spent the grand total of £14.99. Result.
Christmas day I popped the question, got a resounding "yes" and the ring was fantastic, I'd chosen perfectly, it was exactly as she wanted and it fitted so well.
Now the dilemma do I own up it was just a piece of crap from Ratners to tied her over until we chose a ring together or do I keep quiet and let her live in blissful ignorance.
I cracked, we went out and chose a proper ring which as it happened looked exactly the same as the rubbish I'd presented her on Christmas day only it cost me a hundred times more.
We're still married though.
Edited by Harry H on Thursday 29th November 14:31
Harry H said:
There I was 30 odd years ago rolling out of the pub lunchtime Christmas Eve thinking it was about time I got the girlfriends pressie.
After staggering around for an hour not finding anything remotely suitable in my inebriated state I start looking in the jewellers window "ah, sod it I'll asked her to marry me"
At this point I need to add that whilst I was pissed I had been thinking of doing it for a while, even when sober. I was ready.
As it happens the Jewellers in question happened to be Ratners, yep he of the "we sell crap fame". Two minutes later dead chuffed with me self out I walk with the ring having spent the grand total of £14.99. Result.
Christmas day I popped the question, got a resounding "yes" and the ring was fantastic, I'd chosen perfectly, it was exactly as she wanted and it fitted so well.
Now the dilemma do I own up it was just a piece of crap from Ratners to tied her over until we chose a ring together or do I keep quiet and let her live in blissful ignorance.
I cracked, we went out and chose a proper ring which as it happened looked exactly the same as the rubbish I'd presented her on Christmas day only it cost me a hundred times more.
We're still married though.
20 odd years ago I was working in a high end jewellers on Christmas Eve. After staggering around for an hour not finding anything remotely suitable in my inebriated state I start looking in the jewellers window "ah, sod it I'll asked her to marry me"
At this point I need to add that whilst I was pissed I had been thinking of doing it for a while, even when sober. I was ready.
As it happens the Jewellers in question happened to be Ratners, yep he of the "we sell crap fame". Two minutes later dead chuffed with me self out I walk with the ring having spent the grand total of £14.99. Result.
Christmas day I popped the question, got a resounding "yes" and the ring was fantastic, I'd chosen perfectly, it was exactly as she wanted and it fitted so well.
Now the dilemma do I own up it was just a piece of crap from Ratners to tied her over until we chose a ring together or do I keep quiet and let her live in blissful ignorance.
I cracked, we went out and chose a proper ring which as it happened looked exactly the same as the rubbish I'd presented her on Christmas day only it cost me a hundred times more.
We're still married though.
Edited by Harry H on Thursday 29th November 14:31
As we were closing, a very intoxicated chap came in with a much younger lady. He was all over her and wanted to buy her a Rolex, but was advised against it by the store manager. He was insistent and agreed to sign the receipt to state he would not be entitled to a refund after Christmas.
The day after Boxing Day he returned sheepishly, to exchange the watch for a gift for his wife.
bristolbaron said:
20 odd years ago I was working in a high end jewellers on Christmas Eve.
As we were closing, a very intoxicated chap came in with a much younger lady. He was all over her and wanted to buy her a Rolex, but was advised against it by the store manager. He was insistent and agreed to sign the receipt to state he would not be entitled to a refund after Christmas.
The day after Boxing Day he returned sheepishly, to exchange the watch for a gift for his wife.
Ha! Did they get a refund? As we were closing, a very intoxicated chap came in with a much younger lady. He was all over her and wanted to buy her a Rolex, but was advised against it by the store manager. He was insistent and agreed to sign the receipt to state he would not be entitled to a refund after Christmas.
The day after Boxing Day he returned sheepishly, to exchange the watch for a gift for his wife.
I'm looking at engagement rings for the future...its a f
king mind field! Popped into a shop last week with her and thank god she is sensible when it comes to prices! LosingGrip said:
Ha! Did they get a refund?
I'm looking at engagement rings for the future...its a fking mind field! Popped into a shop last week with her and thank god she is sensible when it comes to prices!
Nope! Exchange only.. can’t remeber what he swapped it for, he was far less interesting without the drunkenness/escort! I'm looking at engagement rings for the future...its a f
king mind field! Popped into a shop last week with her and thank god she is sensible when it comes to prices! I’ve been out of the game a while but if you want someone to run through the basics let me know.
Rh14n said:
A tip - your wedding ring should be the same carat as the engagement ring otherwise the harder will wear down the softer (apparently)
Our engagement rings were silver $100 apiece from a lovely little shop in Manhattan, bought in the snow at Christmas time.We still both treasure them.
I'll start by stating I'm poorly qualified in buying engagement rings, but can offer an alternative view...
When me and MrsPB decided to wed, we had little money and neither did our families. Instead we decided to elope, taking two friends as witnesses. We bought each other a wedding ring before the event, Mrs PB has a 14ct Russian band, I've a plain yellow gold 9ct band. The rings to us are entirely symbolic and were bought for that reason, total cost was about GBP75.
What this meant was that when everyone was told of the wedding, post-event, we got on with the serious duties of planning a big piss-up for all and then a honeymoon. Having spent no money on engagement rings, and other items for a wedding day and the lead up to it, we found that our friends and families were happy to chip in for presents we really needed (we had just also bought our first property - a small 2-bed flat but were using garden furniture in the lounge...) and also for a decent honeymoon. We went to Crete during a World Cup - it was fecking ace, esp as MrsPB likes footie.
We dragged out the really good bits of a wedding for around 6 months, with almost none of the pre-wedding day angst.
We've been married 21 years now, and occasionally MrsPB will make a 'joke' about not having an engagement ring, but everytime the serious offer of getting one is discussed, she always finds something else to buy - a new wetsuit, or a bike, or trainers, or something that she really wants and needs. I bought her some bespoke jewellery for her birthday a few years ago, and it proved to be a great idea, was less than an engagement ring, and she mixes and matches often.
So, what I'm getting at is, there is another way of remembering each other and any symbolism an engagement ring might stand for, it doesn't have to be 18ct gold.
When me and MrsPB decided to wed, we had little money and neither did our families. Instead we decided to elope, taking two friends as witnesses. We bought each other a wedding ring before the event, Mrs PB has a 14ct Russian band, I've a plain yellow gold 9ct band. The rings to us are entirely symbolic and were bought for that reason, total cost was about GBP75.
What this meant was that when everyone was told of the wedding, post-event, we got on with the serious duties of planning a big piss-up for all and then a honeymoon. Having spent no money on engagement rings, and other items for a wedding day and the lead up to it, we found that our friends and families were happy to chip in for presents we really needed (we had just also bought our first property - a small 2-bed flat but were using garden furniture in the lounge...) and also for a decent honeymoon. We went to Crete during a World Cup - it was fecking ace, esp as MrsPB likes footie.
We dragged out the really good bits of a wedding for around 6 months, with almost none of the pre-wedding day angst.
We've been married 21 years now, and occasionally MrsPB will make a 'joke' about not having an engagement ring, but everytime the serious offer of getting one is discussed, she always finds something else to buy - a new wetsuit, or a bike, or trainers, or something that she really wants and needs. I bought her some bespoke jewellery for her birthday a few years ago, and it proved to be a great idea, was less than an engagement ring, and she mixes and matches often.
So, what I'm getting at is, there is another way of remembering each other and any symbolism an engagement ring might stand for, it doesn't have to be 18ct gold.
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