WHAT SIZE DIAMOND SHOULD YOU BUY?

What size?

Guys ask this question almost daily:

“How big of a diamond should I buy?”

It’s a great question that’s not easy to answer.

I usually respond with:

“How much money do you have?”

lol Always a good ice breaker…

The truth is, I could sell you pretty much any carat weight on the market as long as money is no concern.

If money is an issue, then you have to look at other things like:

What do you feel comfortable spending?

This is probably the biggest obstacle you need to address. How much can you really afford to spend on a ring and still sleep comfortably at night?

Only you can answer that question.

Jewelers usually recommend 2 months salary for an engagement ring. For some, that may seem like too much. For others, it could seem like nothing.

The average diamond engagement ring sale is around $3000 (like these diamonds here). Some guys go all the way and buy an $8,000 diamond. Some stick around $1,200. It’s all over the board. You may have to ask yourself:

What size does she want?

Chances are good, if you asked her, she’d beat around the bush, blush and not tell you.

But, if you asked her girlfriend, she would quickly blurt out “A 1 carat diamond!” Funny, but true.

A 1 carat (1.00) diamond (or larger) is the ultimate dream for most women. It’s the cream of the crop. Just to own a 1 carat diamond is like a fantasy come true. Cinderella and Prince Charming…

Don’t worry though, they will take any diamond you give them. Just know that the average carat weight sold is only 38 points, which is actually a pretty small diamond weight.

Being that small doesn’t help the situation any. It seems like it just puts more burden and tension on you. Which brings us to…

Pressure to buy:

Some guys feel pressured to buy a big diamond. It may be because her girlfriend just got a $6,000 diamond ring, or it could be her mother owns a 1.50 carat diamond… But the pressure can seem immense.

Guys don’t want to look cheap or belittled by their purchase. It can become very overwhelming.

No matter what, you can’t let it affect you. You are not marrying her girlfriend or the mom. You don’t have to please anybody except your bride-to-be. She’s the only one that truly matters. Make her happy and you’ll be happy for the rest of your life.

To remove this weight of the world pressure, you need to look at affordability.

Buy what you can afford.

You have to be realistic with things. If you can’t afford a big diamond, then don’t buy one. Don’t go into major debt over a ring. It all comes down to payments and what you can really spend.

You don’t want to sacrifice the rent or the groceries just so she can wear a ring on her finger. It’s not worth it.

Don’t rush things. There’s no need to. If you can’t afford it now, wait. Wait until you can afford a ring, or take the easy way out: Put the ring into layaway so you can make smaller monthly payments on it. Plus, layaways are interest free.

If you two love birds are destined to be together forever, who cares if you have to wait another year or so?

In the grand scheme of things, it’s just a small delay. A little speed bump. No biggie. There’s nothing wrong with waiting.

Buy what you can afford, even if it’s only a tiny promise ring now, so be it. If she gets mad and leaves you, then be happy that you didn’t spend an arm and a leg on her.

Because it’s not about materialistic possessions. It’s about love and romance. It comes from the heart. Besides…

You can always upgrade later.

Sure everyone would love a large diamond that costs ten thousand dollars. But really, look at yourself, look at your situation and your pocketbook.

It’s all about making a smart buying decision.

You can always upgrade the diamond in the future.

Just about every single jeweler offers some kind of upgrade or trade-in policy. Check it out. It’s not so bad.

Nothing says that 3 years down the road you can’t trade it in and get her the next size up.

Guys do this all the time. They buy the best quality that they can afford now, then they bring her diamond back in a couple of years to get the next bigger carat weight. It’s taking it one step at a time. Someday she’ll own a 1 carat diamond. It’s all good. Plus, you have a great goal to shoot for.

The bottom line:

Don’t sweat it. Don’t feel bad or beat yourself up if you can only afford to buy her a half carat or even a quarter carat. Love is unconditional. Work on what truly matters in life: Each other!

If you have each other, that’s more priceless than any diamond in the world.

And that’s something you can truly buy into.

Cheers! :)