cheap engagement ring ok?

Question

boyfriend proposed a month ago but had no ring at the time. current financial situation meant we bought a £5 silver cubic zarconia ring from argos, just meant to be temporary. but i'm thinking, is keeping this ring all that bad? i love it and really, does it matter if it's some expensive white gold carat diamond? i'd feel awful if i lost it and i really am happy with this one. advice please!

Answer 1

I didn't want a fancy schmancy ring, to tell you the truth -- if you read up on the diamond industry, you'll be sickened by what's going on there and you won't WANT a fancy ring. As long as you love your ring, that's enough. If you decide to upgrade 10 years from now, that's OK, too. The main thing is that you love the guy, not the jewelry.

We ended up with a simple sterling silver band with the Hebrew words for "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine" on it. I used it as the wedding band as well. I'm wearing it as I type this, and I love it just as much now as I did when I picked it out 4 years ago :-)

One last thing: if you end up having the ring stolen or you lose it accidentally, at least you won't have lost a lot of money, too... though it would still hurt for sentimental reasons.

Answer 2

If you are happy with the ring then why change that. I only had a cheap engagement ring when we got engaged as gold prices had reached an all time high and we just couldn't afford anything else. I had that ring for 11 years and one day lost it while out sailing. I had left it in my shoe and then forgotten it was there. When I picked the shoe up it must have fallen out. I was devastated! We got a metal detector and tried to find it but couldn't. So my husband eventually took me shopping for another ring. It did end up being a bit more expensive than the original ring, but I would have thought I would pick something different. The ring we settled on was so much like my original ring that it could have been the same one. Just goes to show when you like something it really doesn't matter how much it cost!

Answer 3

You've gotten a ton of responses!

The cost of the ring means nothing. Granted, a few years down the line a cheap ring is going to show some wear and tear, but so what? It's all about how YOU feel about it.

We paid $100 for my ering and I adore it. It's all we could afford at the time. Sure, we could have gotten into debt for a diamond, but we decided we'd rather start a family.

Having said all of that, at some point, when things are better, we do plan to "upgrade" to something a little more permanent, but I will always keep my original. I'm thinking of passing it on to my daughter as a gift when she's older.

Answer 4

The value of anything is in its sentimental value surely. You can have an extravagant gift form someone you don't really like and it is worth far less than something from Argos from the one you love. I think you feelings towards this ring shw how true your love is. Remember that when you get to your vows on your wedding day you will be promising to love one another 'for richer for poorer'.

My parents got engaged when they were just 17. Obviously my father couldn't afford an expensive ring at the time but for their 20th wedding anniversary guess what he gave my mum? Yes, a really expensive ring that meant just as much as the first but was actually more like the one he wishes he could have given her the first time around. Maybe you guys could do the same?

Answer 5

As long as it comes from the heart then is should not matter where the ring came from, hoe much it cost, or what the carat is....if you love it then keep it. My first set was very cheap but because it came from the heart it made it special, I eventually got a much nicer and much more expensive set. So, yes if you love the ring he bought you shortly after he proposed then keep it, cherish it. One day he will surprise you with a much better one.

Answer 6

When my fiance proposed I got a £10 ring. I love it and I wouldn't trade it for the world.
It make not be the fanciest of things ever but it means everything. I know that he bought the ring because he loves me. He could have put a hula hoop on my finger and I would love it just as much.
It doesn't matter what the ring's like it's the fact that he loves you enough to want to spend the rest of his life with you.

Answer 7

i have read every answer before giving you my words of wisdom there have been only a couple of people say negative things the rest off them i applaud the reason we get engaged or married is sometimes lost and many people manly the women focus on the huge extravagance of it all debt is a serious issue and like many answerer's they will tell you dont go there its a slippery slope you can be happy in the knowledge that your ring was bought out of love. you chose it together just think of the most romantic love story to tell your children and there children nanny and grandad couldn't afford a ring but we loved each other so much we chose a simple inexpensive ring as a symbol of our love. in years to come i bet you and your then husband will get the ring out once in a while and say do you remember buying me this? it will bring a fond and life long memory my very best heart felt wishes to you both xxx

Answer 8

You can keep that ring forever if its what you want. An idea is instead of replacing the ring save up the money and just replace to a diamond. That way you have the setting you want and your first ring. We did that and I wouldn't have it any other way. I look at it as an upgrade.

Answer 9

of course it's ok!! If you love it and want to keep it it doesn't matter if it came out of a cracker. It what it symbolises to you that counts, not what it cost.

Although, maybe zarconia is some rare valuable jewel I've never heard of coz I always thought the stuff was called cubic zirconia - hee hee!

Answer 10

Of course it is okay. I like your thoughts, and I would do the same. I have a small, inexpensive ring, too, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. The guy can always just buy you another pretty ring at some future time if he wants to.