Get your minds out of the gutter!!
What I want to talk about today is engagement/wedding rings. It seems to me that many women of our generation are completely obsessed with their engagement ring....and "the bigger the better". Don't get me wrong, there is no doubt that diamonds are gorgeous and to some "a girl's best friend", but I am trying to figure out exactly why the size of the ring is so important to women or to the men who give them? Is it because of the status symbol? Do you think men or women equate the size of the ring to the size of their love? Does it measure the success of the husband?? Or is a big ring great just because it is so pretty?
Back in the day, our mothers and grandmothers did not have huge rings. In fact, 1/4 carat was the standard back then. Now it seems like I don't know anyone who has a ring smaller than 1 carat and those who do plan to upgrade down the road. One of my girlfriends even has a 5 carat ring! Rarely do you see women who wear just a simple band anymore.
These are just observations of mine, but I am curious to know if the size of your ring is really important to you? Why?
TFT posters this week:
i cant speak for the woman, but any man who thinks he has to spend a 1/3 of his salary on a ring to express his love isnt a real man, the woman or the man shouldnt care about the ring at all and be thankful someone truly loves her/him thats what it is supposed to be about. not showing off. if a man feels he has to spend 10g's on a ring to please his woman,he needs to look harder into penis enlargement and get better at oral cause he aint no real man.
Posted by: keith | July 17, 2008 at 12:19 PM
I think it's incredibly shallow when I hear a woman say things like, "I wouldn't marry anyone unless they gave me a ___ carat ring." WTF? I didn't get an engagement ring -- I got a wedding ring that has a diamond in it. For me, I wanted it to be unique -- I didn't want a ring that anybody else might have. I have a tension setting (which appealed to my engineer husband) with our birthstones set in it. It isn't huge (.53 carat) but it is a spectacular ring and while someday I might like more rings, I would never "trade up" the ring that we used in our ceremony. I didn't marry the damn ring, I married the man I love and want to spend the rest of my life with. The ring was a nice extra, but totally unnecessary in the grand scheme. (I was shocked at how many people actually questioned whether I was *really* engaged, though, since I didn't get a ring. Duh.)
Posted by: Jennifer | July 17, 2008 at 01:28 PM
I don't need anything HUGE but I want something that I can at least see.
Posted by: kim airhart | July 17, 2008 at 02:14 PM
HaHa, my mind was in the gutter at 1st and I was thinking OMG did she really post that! haha
Anyhow, size doesn't matter to me. Although, when Heath and I were talking about engagement rings he asked me to give him an idea of what I wanted. So, I gave him a picture of my DREAM RING. Well, little did I know he had a ring desinged exactly like the picture but with a larger center diamond.
I LOVE MY RING! But at time wish that I had a smaller more dainty ring because it snags on things, I am always worried about losing it and I never wear it on vacation in fear of it getting lost or stolen.
Posted by: Denise | July 17, 2008 at 05:49 PM
I like smaller rings. I don't really care for jewelry a whole lot to begin with, but I just don't like the way bigger rings can snag, scratch, etc. IMO, just get something you love that you can afford...it's just a ring, the important part is the vows!
I actually knew a woman who got a whole new set SIX times in their 10 year marriage, and she was complaining about the set she had at the time, telling me she was working on set number seven! Can you imagine?!?
Posted by: Jessica | July 17, 2008 at 08:18 PM
I don't have a ring yet, but ultimately the size does not matter. The ring itself is a symbol of your love but the size does not have to define how much you love someone. I have pretty small hands so I would not want a big ring as it would look gawdy on my finger. I think most women would be ok with a smaller ring but it is society and the marketing and advertising to both men and women that make us think that bigger is better or that the size has everything to do with how much you are loved. Good topic.
Posted by: Dana Sterner | July 17, 2008 at 09:17 PM
Ok so I"m apparently muy shallow and can't believe I'm going to admit this since you seem to have comments leaning mostly to size doesn't matter. . . but
Size does matter and also clarity. Although a 2 carat ring wouldn't look good on my finger I do wish that I had a full carat. I love my wedding ring because Dan paid for a higher clarity diamond versus a larger diamond and that made sense to me. Oh but a full carat would be muy bonita!
For me the ring size doesn't show anything more than how pretty it can be. My sil has a .5 carat and she has such tiny hands that it looks perfect on her. On me you have to search for it! So size does matter!
Posted by: Lori Gerten | July 17, 2008 at 09:19 PM
Well, I don't think I've ever demanded a huge ring but I'd say that mine is fairly large in comparison to a lot of women (not 5 ct). I think that whatever a man is wanting to give his future wife should be accepted and loved. In most cases, it was something that was extremely thought out and done with a lot of care. It's a gift of extreme love. I've often joked that I'd like an upgrade, but I honestly could never give up the ring I was given that day, it has too much meaning. Brian picked out the perfect ring and I wouldn't change a thing about it.
I do have to mention that it really bugs me when women actually go shopping with their guy to pick out the ring. That takes the surprise and fun out of the proposal.
Posted by: Michelle | July 18, 2008 at 07:27 AM
I must say, I do like larger rings... they are pretty. BUT... for myself, I prefer smaller ones.
Posted by: Dana | July 18, 2008 at 09:42 AM
I really think its the thought that counts on this. Its kind of a personal decision. I just think that it really comes down to what he can afford. I personally, don't care about size. My diamond is less than a carat, but it's beautiful! I don't think I could upgrade because I am too sentimental.
Posted by: amy | July 19, 2008 at 06:14 AM
Mine is .31 carats with 8 .22 bagets on the sides. J picked it out himself. I probably would have gotten a different cut, but I like it. I almost would perter just to have an eternity band, no snags. I think there is a point where it just looks gaudy as you get bigger.
Posted by: Robyn | July 19, 2008 at 10:14 PM