Lately I keep seeing ads for cheap, pandora level quality and price "engagement rings". They're $200 or less, have a very basic run of the mill design, and have cz stones or some other alternative.

Disclosing that if you are okay or want this type of thing, that is your choice but I am going on a rant because I am tired of this becoming "the norm" and being made to feel my friends and the jewelry industry that I have to personally lower the bar for these scrotes for a cheap pandora-esque ring.

It was the norm for a man to save up at least 3 times his months salary (or so I had heard growing up) and buy a diamond engagement ring with actual silver/gold/platinum not generic panadora cheap ring. Where is the magic? Why is society settling and then guilt tripping those who want something more? There is nothing wrong with having a standard of wanting an actual diamond or a ring that actually has a value. I personally think if you do prefer a cheap ring that he should give you something else in addition to it that is of value, but this is just how I feel.

What happened to dudes putting effort into making a ring more customized to fit her taste and saving up a little for a ring? Saving up 3 months salary gives him time to really think about what he wants to get you and he is WORKING for it. An engagement is special and one of your best memories, the ring should also be special.

I know people love mossanite alternatives and the like, and that is fine, but it's no excuse for him to just buy a cheap generic ring. If you want an alternative he still should be making it special for you, fitting your taste and style. The proposal itself should still be high effort.

My grandmother is having me sort her jewelry with her. My grandpa was working class, blue collar and he worked his farm when he came home from his job. She has a lot of nice jewelry- sterling and gold chains, pendants with real diamonds or rubies, earrings that are real gold. He bought her a few diamond rings over the years. They aren't super expensive but even with his budget he bought her good quality pieces she could wear again and again, be proud of, and how she is passing them down to us. She told me that I will be getting their engagement ring when she passes. It's Beautiful.

If my grandma can give me and my cousins all diamond pieces any man that wants to marry me needs to get me an actual nice, customized, ring. I am not settling for some cheap run of the mill pandora ring. I prefer lab grown diamonds and I like mossanite but it still needs to be customized and in a good metal and a stone I can actually see.