For wives: "Upgrading" engagement ring diamond

[Disney Doll]

I have a marquis shaped diamond and I did tell DH that when we are married 20 years, we can add a small diamond on each side of it (one for each ten years) if he wants.

 

[Fintastic]

I guess I'm not too sentimental. I'd upgrade in a second! I'd keep the setting but put in a larger stone. That way it's the same ring. But I never see me actually doing it, because I'd look at the price tag and think about how many months' worth of mortgage that would be, or how many times over that could pay off the credit card, or whatever. My heart wants to upgrade, but my head doesn't.

 

[1stluvispooh]

Well I have to admit that our Jeweler pulled the upgrade crap on us too. Not only did he did that but he tried to talk me out of having a heart shaped diamond! I had always wanted a heart shaped diamond and the night my DH proposed I told him just get me a heart shaped diamond and I'll be happy. It was the shape I had always wanted even though it's a bit corny I love my ring. Not many people have this shape and that's what I like about it. Now all that being said I have a story about upgrade vs original engagement ring. The first 5 years of our marriage I synchronized skated (think Ice Capads) anyway we were not to wear our diamonds for exhibitions or compilations. (I never got that because you practice with them on and you practice way more than compete or skate in a local show! ) Anyway we were in the dressing room when a friend and I notice anther skater still had her diamond on. We said "Jenny give your ring to coach." She just went Oh yeah, took it off and threw it in her skate bag!!! We both asked her if she was nuts and why she didn't just give it to coach while we skated (She always had the best jewelry ) She said well if I loose it I will just get another one. My friend I were beside ourselves. We both agreed we wanted to keep our original no matter what!!!

 

[DawnCt1]

I never wanted to upgrade, so my grandmother put my ring on her credit card. It took DH three years to pay her off.

I do want an anniversary ring for my fifteenth. By twenty years, I will be paying for college and I will never spend the money.

Dawn, the picture of your ring is nice, but I want to see the Mickey necklace. I need to show that to DH.

Here it is. I didn't want to take it off my neck so this is the best I could do. If I were going to do it again, I would mount the diamonds in a bezel type setting. It would look a little bigger.

 

[LadyZolt]

Here it is. I didn't want to take it off my neck so this is the best I could do. If I were going to do it again, I would mount the diamonds in a bezel type setting. It would look a little bigger.

Wow, that turned out very nicely! Thanks for sharing it with us!

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

 

[Nicsnick]

I went with my DH to pick out my engagement ring. I fell in love with a setting but he could not afford a diamond to fit the center stone. It was more inportant to him that the ring stayed the same (I could have had the ring or the diamond but he could not afford both) so I have a white sapphire as my center stone. We are going to save and wait until we can afford the "perfect" diamond until we replace the center stone. When we do purchase a diamond we will have the sapphire set in a necklace or something. We did not want to trade up.

I LOVE my rings

 

[LadyZolt]

Thank you to everyone who posted -- I have a better idea now of how to view the choices. I guess I'll post what I've decided for anyone interested -- my DH and I were first engaged in 1983, married in 1984, but we divorced in 1999 and then he courted me all over again, presenting me with a new engagement ring in 2001 and we re-married. So I have two "engagement rings." The first is a 1/4 carat one which is what he could afford at the time (we were both in the Navy). The second is a very high quality ideal cut 3/4 carat diamond. Today, I could trade in that stone for a full 1 carat one at the same place he bought it and they'd value it at over what he paid for it, so we'd only be paying the difference in price instead of having to pay outright for a 1 carat diamond. Part of me wanted to do that because we can afford to do that now and it would be nice to have a full carat stone, but I'd also have to have a stone I really liked.

However, in thinking all this over I realize that I really love the current stone -- it's absolutely stunning and I get compliments on it, plus it's the ring he picked out to ask me to be his wife all over again after all we'd been through. I had been wearing the new ring with my wedding ring (same wedding ring -- plain gold band -- that was used for the wedding in 1984), and he also got me an anniversary band (gold with 10 small diamonds), so I wear that on my left hand, too. But after reading all these thoughts, I'm going to keep the rings I have. I'm going to wear my original 1/4 carat diamond on my left hand with the wedding ring and the anniversary ring, and wear the 3/4 carat solitaire by itself on my right hand. All these posts reminded me of what we were like when we were first starting out, so the first engagement ring will symbolize that, and the new one shows how much he loved me and it reminds me of what all he did to win me back and give us a fresh start for our future.

So, once again thanks for all the replies!

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

 

[PaulaSue]

I'm not into the "memories" that much and wouldn't mind upgrading the ring but NEVER would upgrade the Hubbie.

 

[mickeyboat]

Dorothy -

What a beautiful story. I love what you decided to do.

DH and I got engaged when I was 19, he was 20. I wanted a pear shaped diamond, and he picked one out, a little over 1/2 carat. I still love it today and would never upgrade or change it.

 

[quentina]

A few years ago, I got the platinum set I always wanted....it sits in the jewelery box and is not worn.

Although I would love a BIG diamond, I love the one I was give 20 years ago. I would never part with it.

 

[C.Ann]

Well - my DH passed away in 2005 - but personally, I never would have chosen to upgrade.. To me the "sentimental" aspect could never be replaced or "upgraded"..

 

[Ember]

I have no issue with upgrading. I adore my setting (chose it myself) and am not sure a bigger stone would look good with it, though. It's an art deco, antique type setting. So I guess I'll just have to go with a giant right hand ring one day!

 

[tinatark]

I've upgraded, but kept the other set (s) - my first engagement ring was a .25 pear solitare, in a simple setting with a plain gold band on each side. I love the look of the set. The second was a wide gold band with a .50 round with a .10 marquis set on each side of it. Got that after 10 years of marriage. For our 15th, I got my "last" (as DH says it and I agree!) wedding ring - it's a little over 2 carat radiant cut in a setting with rounds and baguettes, total around 3 carats. I still have my other 2 sets. Our dilemma is, when I die, which of our sons gets the 3 carats, and which one gets the others?! I think hubby will have to get me a really nice 3 stone right hand ring!

 

[suzannen]

Thank you to everyone who posted -- I have a better idea now of how to view the choices. I guess I'll post what I've decided for anyone interested -- my DH and I were first engaged in 1983, married in 1984, but we divorced in 1999 and then he courted me all over again, presenting me with a new engagement ring in 2001 and we re-married. So I have two "engagement rings." The first is a 1/4 carat one which is what he could afford at the time (we were both in the Navy). The second is a very high quality ideal cut 3/4 carat diamond. Today, I could trade in that stone for a full 1 carat one at the same place he bought it and they'd value it at over what he paid for it, so we'd only be paying the difference in price instead of having to pay outright for a 1 carat diamond. Part of me wanted to do that because we can afford to do that now and it would be nice to have a full carat stone, but I'd also have to have a stone I really liked.

However, in thinking all this over I realize that I really love the current stone -- it's absolutely stunning and I get compliments on it, plus it's the ring he picked out to ask me to be his wife all over again after all we'd been through. I had been wearing the new ring with my wedding ring (same wedding ring -- plain gold band -- that was used for the wedding in 1984), and he also got me an anniversary band (gold with 10 small diamonds), so I wear that on my left hand, too. But after reading all these thoughts, I'm going to keep the rings I have. I'm going to wear my original 1/4 carat diamond on my left hand with the wedding ring and the anniversary ring, and wear the 3/4 carat solitaire by itself on my right hand. All these posts reminded me of what we were like when we were first starting out, so the first engagement ring will symbolize that, and the new one shows how much he loved me and it reminds me of what all he did to win me back and give us a fresh start for our future.

So, once again thanks for all the replies!

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)

What a sweet story - and, it sounds like you've found the perfect solution for you!

 

[C.Ann]

Here it is. I didn't want to take it off my neck so this is the best I could do. If I were going to do it again, I would mount the diamonds in a bezel type setting. It would look a little bigger.

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Very pretty necklace, Dawn!! Just don't ever wear it around my adult DD.. She's a MM fanatic and would probably rip it right off your neck..