Before or after taxes?

[Racer X]

FWIW, when I got married in '97, the rule of thumb was 2 months. DeBeers is getting even MORE greedy.

[M A V I C]

[quote Paul F.]MAVIC;

Do some googling on DeBeers. There IS no one else (for all practical purposes).

There are some Russian and Canadian outfits mining diamonds, but mostly industrial grades. If you want a nice gem quality diamond, you're dealing with DeBeers.


Besides, there are so many nicer looking stones than diamonds....
When I was shopping a few years ago, a local jeweler was selling the Canadian ones. Maybe they don't come up easily with Google, but they are out there and in the consumer jewelry market.

[Chupa Chupa]

The REAL rule of thumb is: Buy the least expensive diamond that will make her friends insanely jealous. Jealous friends = happy fiance. Hopefully for you her friends shop at Target, not Harry Winston, for jewelry. Also, remember, the engagement ring is just the first down payment Seriously though congrats.

[gabester]

Then again, if your potential future wife is the kind to want to make friends jealous, well, that's not the kind of girl for me.

My wife doesn't believe in the diamond cartel's generations old marketing hoopla and went for a natural pearl.
g=

[Petro]

[quote Paul F.]I think that "3 months" number is insane also...

But if you MUST... then definitely make it AFTER taxes, AND after 401K contributions. I'm going to go with a 2 month cap... definitely after taxes/401k/EPP/IRA etc. :-) When we went looking for rings a little while ago, she gravitated towards the .5 carrot rings. I guess its a good thing she doesn't know how much I actually make. :-) From what I've gathered from talking with the girlie about previous jewelry gifts I've bought for her, its definitely about making her girlfriends jealous. Good thing they shop the outlet malls and not on Rodeo Drive... :-)

Thanks for the replies...


[quote Paul F.]Haven't seen you around much! Still working where they don't let you carouse with the Mac using riff-raff, and potentially talk about things you can get fired for revealing?

(if you can't answer that, just wink and nod... we'll understand...) Wink, Wink, Nudge, Nudge... ;-) Its not that I can't, its that I just don't have the time anymore. Especially lately with WWDC coming up. I pop in now and again to see whats going on though.

[Numo]

There are entire industries that depend upon people believing that the size of the diamond or the wedding are important to a marriage.

[Stephanie]

Let me just say congrats. I'll keep my .02 about the ring to myself. I've never cared much about diamonds...after all, they don't have cleavage! (um, that's my favorite geology joke)

[Felix]

Congratulations to you and best wishes to her.

Either pick a ring out together, or at least, as you have done, get a good idea of what she wants. Then get her something better. Seriously.

This is not the time to cinch.

Loosen up the wallet.

Happy wife, happy life.

[testcase]

RYF!!!

[Mike Sellers]

I followed the three-month salary guideline. Of course, the rules don't say it has to be my salary (thank you, Kroger bag boy).