Engagement rings: Europe vs. US vs. Asia?
- Thread starter Kathd
- Start date
I am from Kentucky and the e-rings here seem to be on average less than 1/2 ct. solitaire. The e-rings have gotten significantly bigger through each generation. My mom had her first ever diamond from my dad in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1979. He proposed with less than a 1/4 ct. clear round diamond solitaire on a thin white gold band. The band wrapped around the diamond and the matching wedding band was also thin white-gold and wrapped around the diamond.
When I was growing up in southeast KY the women usually wore a thick yellow gold band with a cluster of diamonds for the e-ring and a matching thick yellow gold band. A solitaire was rare, most likely due to cost but also due to fashion tastes in that region.
The trend just a few years ago was a square-cut solitaire on a white gold band. I haven't seen it much lately and a jeweler told me that it is now out of fashion. Ten years ago the trend was a marquis solitaire which is now out of fashion as well.
The trend I see for newly engaged women now is to have a white-gold band with small diamonds on the band and a clear solitaire in the middle surrounded by smaller diamonds. My cousin who is 21 has a ring like this and her wedding band will be a diamond band with small diamonds around the ring. She said the trend is to buy two diamond-encrusted bands and flank the engagement ring with those bands. Due to cost she has decided to go with the single band.
I recently got engaged and I wanted something unique. My fiance bought a 2-ct. round black solitaire and we had it set in my mom's e-ring setting. The 2 comments I get the most are, "Wow, that is huge!" and "What kind of stone is that?" I wanted my ring to be a statement of my personal style so I wanted something bold. We were able to go with a bigger stone b/c the diamond is treated to enhance color. We also saved money because we used my mom's engagement ring and her wedding band set. Price is usually what limits size here. It's a matter of choice between quality and quantity and most brides chose quality.
Also, I'm glad to hear about e-rings from abroad. I lived in Germany and my friend told me it was rare to get an engagement ring. When I told her it was common to receive a diamond e-ring in America she joked that she wanted to move to the states. LOL
When I was growing up in southeast KY the women usually wore a thick yellow gold band with a cluster of diamonds for the e-ring and a matching thick yellow gold band. A solitaire was rare, most likely due to cost but also due to fashion tastes in that region.
The trend just a few years ago was a square-cut solitaire on a white gold band. I haven't seen it much lately and a jeweler told me that it is now out of fashion. Ten years ago the trend was a marquis solitaire which is now out of fashion as well.
The trend I see for newly engaged women now is to have a white-gold band with small diamonds on the band and a clear solitaire in the middle surrounded by smaller diamonds. My cousin who is 21 has a ring like this and her wedding band will be a diamond band with small diamonds around the ring. She said the trend is to buy two diamond-encrusted bands and flank the engagement ring with those bands. Due to cost she has decided to go with the single band.
I recently got engaged and I wanted something unique. My fiance bought a 2-ct. round black solitaire and we had it set in my mom's e-ring setting. The 2 comments I get the most are, "Wow, that is huge!" and "What kind of stone is that?" I wanted my ring to be a statement of my personal style so I wanted something bold. We were able to go with a bigger stone b/c the diamond is treated to enhance color. We also saved money because we used my mom's engagement ring and her wedding band set. Price is usually what limits size here. It's a matter of choice between quality and quantity and most brides chose quality.
Also, I'm glad to hear about e-rings from abroad. I lived in Germany and my friend told me it was rare to get an engagement ring. When I told her it was common to receive a diamond e-ring in America she joked that she wanted to move to the states. LOL
Any diamond is unusual here
plain bands are the most common ring,and there isn't a big tradition on engagement here anyway.Most people just call "engagement ring" any ring given to them by their so at any point of their relationship.
In Taiwan, big engagement rings are not very common. My relatives, even the ones with money, did not buy very large diamonds (but my cousin did buy his fiance a Cartier ring, so the brand and quality were more important to them than size). Engagement rings also aren't worn on a regular basis by many people in Taiwan.
Any diamond is unusual here
It's the same here in the Czech Republic (a foreigner living here). I do, however have a sapphire engagement ring and a wedding band with 7 small diamonds. My friends asked why I'm wearing two rings... all I told them was 'It's my culture.'
Most are upgrades, unless the quality is poor. The average age of marriage in the US is 28 for males and 26 for females. At 28, most men cannot afford a $30,000-80,000 ring, at least without some family assistance or a trust fund they have access to. There are exceptions, of course... But generally, even young attorneys and doctors can't drop 30% on their annual income on a ring when there's high student loans (which unfortunately is the norm) or the high cost of living in cities like SF, NYC, or Chicago where you'll find higher paying jobs.
Same here in Austria. Although (solitaire) diamond engagement rings are becoming more and more popular and most women wear wedding bands with just one or maybe more tiny diamonds.
Nice interesting info!
As far as I know, people from Asian (not all, some..) they voted to have necklaces rather than engagement rings
Thus, the reason their engagement rings may not as big as U.S.
Had been living part of my life in Asia and another part in the U.S , i found many cultural diff related to engagemrnt procedures and all ...
But as far as i know, in Asia people are usually getting necklaces, in addition to that some also giving ring, earrings as a package like that
In this case, the necklaces usually have diamonds (varied from .1 to unlimited lol) ,but some giving gold necklaces without diamond, it is all depend on the so called discussion between them
As far as I know, people from Asian (not all, some..) they voted to have necklaces rather than engagement rings
Thus, the reason their engagement rings may not as big as U.S.
Had been living part of my life in Asia and another part in the U.S , i found many cultural diff related to engagemrnt procedures and all ...
But as far as i know, in Asia people are usually getting necklaces, in addition to that some also giving ring, earrings as a package like that
In this case, the necklaces usually have diamonds (varied from .1 to unlimited lol) ,but some giving gold necklaces without diamond, it is all depend on the so called discussion between them
So, I came across this article online, which I found very interesting:
Today, the national average for the diamonds chosen for engagement rings with regard to carat weight is 0.38 carats. In general, the carat weight averages of engagement ring diamonds are increasing. However, in order to truly understand the average relating to diamond carat weight for engagement rings it is important to look at the specific regions in which the engagement rings are being purchased as trends can be seen throughout these areas as well.
Larger cities such as Boston, Philadelphia and New York City have an average of 1.6 carats as it relates to diamond engagement rings. When viewing diamond carat weight averages in some of the Southern states and "Bible Belt" regions, the carat averages are anywhere between 0.25 and 0.40 carats. The state of Alabama has an average of 0.50 carats when it comes to diamond carat weights for those who are about to be married. When considering the entire state of California, the diamond carat weight average has been seen as over 1.0 carats. Focusing in on a more specific region within California such as the La Jolla/Del Mar area, the carat size is quite generous and is stated to be around 2.75 carats. When looking at carat weights with respect to engagement rings outside of the United States, such as in Europe, the average there is 0.30 carats and the stone within the engagement ring is not always a diamond gemstone.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1034380
I'm from Europe, but I have studied at UPenn in Philadelphia during one year and one of the things that struck me most during that year was the size of the engagement rings I saw there! Lol!
I've posted my ring in this thread before (page 82, #1224) and I'm always perfectly happy with it, except when DH and I are in the US (ever since we've lived there, we like to travel back to the States, since we both miss it a lot) and I'm surrounded by waaaay bigger stones!
Seriously, I have some very wealthy friends here, but none of them have the kind of rocks I see when Im in NY, Phily,
Of course, I do also know people with huge e-rings, but seriously not half as much as I see in the States
Moreover, I feel like an upgrade is really not that common over here and most wedding bands are still plain versions instead of diamond ones
Where do you ladies think this comes from? I find all this very intriguing
With respect to the differences between the several states in the US, do you think its all just related to where the moneys at?
And how do you Asian ladies see this?
I would love to hear your opinions!
I am from India living in Cali and in our weddings the entire cost and expense ends up to the bride's parents. I am sure you should have heard that Indian weddings are pretty lavish. My wedding had 1000 people and it was 3 days of celebration that included breakfast, lunch and dinner for around 1000 people.
We dont quite often spend on huge diamond rings, but spend on diamond necklaces that are atleast 1 ct - 10 ct. Most of the money is spent on gold. The usual norm is between 6000-8000 gms equivalent to more than 10 lb (which is obscene) but hey thats how it still works in India.
I was lucky to get a cute ring with a .75 ct , VS1, D from my DH. Guess it is different in different countries.
We dont quite often spend on huge diamond rings, but spend on diamond necklaces that are atleast 1 ct - 10 ct. Most of the money is spent on gold. The usual norm is between 6000-8000 gms equivalent to more than 10 lb (which is obscene) but hey thats how it still works in India.
I was lucky to get a cute ring with a .75 ct , VS1, D from my DH. Guess it is different in different countries.
Interesting article!So, I came across this article online, which I found very interesting:
Today, the national average for the diamonds chosen for engagement rings with regard to carat weight is 0.38 carats. In general, the carat weight averages of engagement ring diamonds are increasing. However, in order to truly understand the average relating to diamond carat weight for engagement rings it is important to look at the specific regions in which the engagement rings are being purchased as trends can be seen throughout these areas as well.
Larger cities such as Boston, Philadelphia and New York City have an average of 1.6 carats as it relates to diamond engagement rings. When viewing diamond carat weight averages in some of the Southern states and "Bible Belt" regions, the carat averages are anywhere between 0.25 and 0.40 carats. The state of Alabama has an average of 0.50 carats when it comes to diamond carat weights for those who are about to be married. When considering the entire state of California, the diamond carat weight average has been seen as over 1.0 carats. Focusing in on a more specific region within California such as the La Jolla/Del Mar area, the carat size is quite generous and is stated to be around 2.75 carats. When looking at carat weights with respect to engagement rings outside of the United States, such as in Europe, the average there is 0.30 carats and the stone within the engagement ring is not always a diamond gemstone.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1034380
I'm from Europe, but I have studied at UPenn in Philadelphia during one year and one of the things that struck me most during that year was the size of the engagement rings I saw there! Lol!
I've posted my ring in this thread before (page 82, #1224) and I'm always perfectly happy with it, except when DH and I are in the US (ever since we've lived there, we like to travel back to the States, since we both miss it a lot) and I'm surrounded by waaaay bigger stones!
Seriously, I have some very wealthy friends here, but none of them have the kind of rocks I see when Im in NY, Phily,
Of course, I do also know people with huge e-rings, but seriously not half as much as I see in the States
Moreover, I feel like an upgrade is really not that common over here and most wedding bands are still plain versions instead of diamond ones
Where do you ladies think this comes from? I find all this very intriguing
With respect to the differences between the several states in the US, do you think its all just related to where the moneys at?
And how do you Asian ladies see this?
I would love to hear your opinions!
BTW I looked for your ring, and it is beautiful!!!
http://forum.purseblog.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=1489173&d=1316463726
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I live in Germany, but im from Brazil. I also see more plain bands in Germany AND in Brazil.
Its tradition for the couple to wear identical wedding bands in Brazil. And that is something that is deep into my head. when I started to see wedding forums and show off your rings thread and saw some women wear diamond bands or totally different bands from their husbands, I was shocked.
So mine are custom made plain 18k white gold wedding rings, with engraving on the inside. And they are just perfect!
I would love some diamond rings like eternity rings and such. but to stack, never to wear as my wedding band, for me its important for it to be an umbroken circle, and identical to my husbands ring. to each their own. for those that like the diamond wedding bands, they are really really beautiful! (just not for me, in this situation)
I plan on getting something between 1 and 1.5 carats for my tiffany diamond, will be for the other hand that doesnt have the wedding and engagement rings. (in Germany you wear the wedding band on the right hand, but in Brazil and USA on the left hand... I am still deciding wich hand we will wear them on)
Thank you, Engel, so sweet of you!!
Where I live (Belgium) people used to wear their wedding bandS on their right hand - if you wore it on your left, it meant you were going trough a divorce. However, nowadays, I see more and more people wearing it on their left hand.
Actually, I think the size isn't as important as the quality of the diamond...I've seen 3-4 carat diamonds for half of the price of a 2 carat diamond.