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Woman’s Dream Ring Comes With An $18,000 Price Tag, Fiancé Has To Fork Out Or Walk Out
Man placing a woman's dream ring with an expensive diamond on her finger in a close-up engagement moment

Woman’s Dream Ring Comes With An $18,000 Price Tag, Fiancé Has To Fork Out Or Walk Out

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Marilyn Monroe famously sang that diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Apparently, for some, that friendship is a conditional, short-term contract with a very generous upgrade clause. You’d think a glitzy engagement ring chosen by two doting lovebirds would have a little more staying power, but love, like diamonds, can have its flaws.

One man recently learned this lesson the hard way. The ring his fiancée adored just one month ago suddenly wasn’t good enough. Her solution wasn’t the normal route of therapy or a heartfelt conversation. Instead, she opted for the more pricey option of retail therapy.

More info: Reddit

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    One can only hope that buying an engagement ring is a one-and-done deal, but it might not always be so simple

    Image credits: New Africa / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    A man and his fiancée picked out a beautiful $3,000 ring, a choice she was happy with at the time

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    Image credits: eugeneshemyakin9 / Freepik (not the actual photo)

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    But a month later, she hated it, claiming it reminded her of an ex and demanding an $18,000 upgrade

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    Image credits: frimages / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    Even her father had warned her not to be greedy, but her “dream” of a new ring was now non-negotiable

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    Image credits: Leivyxtbsubto

    The man, stunned by her audacity and her new, expensive demands, felt like he needed to reassess their entire future

    A man and his fiancée were happily engaged, having chosen a beautiful $3,000 ring together, a price they both agreed on. Even her father had given a word of warning against anything too pricey. It was a sweet, sensible, and seemingly perfect start to their new life. But that sensible perfection had an expiration date of approximately one month.

    Suddenly, the ring she loved was a source of great pain, a terrible reminder of a previous engagement that was broken off, a detail she had apparently forgotten to mention until now. But her solution wasn’t a trip to the therapist’s office; it was a trip to a high-end diamond website. She now wanted an $18,000 “heirloom quality” ring, a detail that was also new, considering she had previously said she never wanted children.

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    The man, understandably, balked. While the ring was technically “within his budget,” he wasn’t thrilled about spending more on it than he had on his entire education. He was now caught in a bizarre negotiation he had never agreed to, a one-sided “upgrade” that felt less like a request and more like a demand from his stay-at-home fiancée.

    But it seems this OP had an arm made of rubber, completely twisted to her bidding. After all his hesitation and a public plea to the internet, he caved and ordered the ring she had dreamed about. His fiancée is now “thrilled,” leaving the internet to wonder if this was a story of a man being a good partner or a man who had just failed a very expensive test of his own boundaries.

    Image credits: gpointstudio / Freepik (not the actual photo)

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    Do people even buy rings of this caliber anymore? The old “two-to-three-month salary” rule is largely seen as an outdated marketing ploy, a relic of a bygone era. The man’s initial budget of $5k was already incredibly generous, and the $3k ring they chose together was a perfectly reasonable and respectable choice that they both agreed upon.

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    Her excuse that she wants an “heirloom quality” diamond is also based on a popular myth. As jewelry experts explain, diamonds are generally a terrible investment, with a resale value that is often a fraction of the initial purchase price. An heirloom is about sentimental value, not a price tag, a fact her “dream” seems to conveniently ignore. This is simply a splurge with a cheap excuse tagged on.

    But it is impressive that this century-old marketing ploy is still hanging around. The idea that a diamond ring is a necessary symbol of love was a brilliant marketing ploy invented by De Beers in the 1930s. The fiancée is demanding her partner participate in a “sham” that has convinced generations of people to spend fortunes on a shiny piece of carbon.

    But what grinds our gears the most is the bait-and-switch tactic. A month after agreeing to a budget and choosing a ring together, she completely changed the terms of their engagement. This is a massive red flag about her respect for their agreements, her financial priorities, and her willingness to use emotional manipulation to get what she wants. Shame on you! Shame on both of you!

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    Do you think he should have caved like he did? Tell us what you would have done in the comments!

    In a frustrating final twist, he caved and bought the $18,000 ring, leaving the internet stunned at this parade of red flags

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    Louise Pieterse

    Louise Pieterse

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

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    This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself.

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    Louise Pieterse

    Louise Pieterse

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself.

    Denis Krotovas

    Denis Krotovas

    Author, BoredPanda staff

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    I am a Visual Editor at Bored Panda. While studying at Vilnius Tech University, I learned how to use Photoshop and decided to continue mastering it at Bored Panda. I am interested in learning UI/UX design and creating unique designs for apps, games and websites. On my spare time, I enjoy playing video and board games, watching TV shows and movies and reading funny posts on the internet.

    Read less »

    Denis Krotovas

    Denis Krotovas

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    I am a Visual Editor at Bored Panda. While studying at Vilnius Tech University, I learned how to use Photoshop and decided to continue mastering it at Bored Panda. I am interested in learning UI/UX design and creating unique designs for apps, games and websites. On my spare time, I enjoy playing video and board games, watching TV shows and movies and reading funny posts on the internet.

    What do you think ?
    Margaret Shannon
    Community Member
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    To those who are shopping for engagement rings: I strongly urge you to shop used, vintage, and antique. There are some truly amazing deals in those markets, and you bypass the monopoly that keeps diamond prices high. It’s also kinder to the environment. There’s an argument that it’s better for human rights as well.

    Lyoness
    Community Member
    10 minutes ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I second this (and 3rd and 4th it). Diamonds are a marketing scam anyway. If you need flashy you can get a 10 carat coloured stone (there are dozens to chose from) for a fraction of the cost of a 1 carat diamond. Why pay for bs bragging rights? Edit spelling.

    Load More Replies...
    Ace
    Community Member
    Premium
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sad to see that he caved in, should have walked away, preferably with the ring.

    Paul C
    Community Member
    59 minutes ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    $18K for a ring? Anyone wanting that, who doesn't have a job at all, is definitely digging for gold.

    Load More Comments
    Margaret Shannon
    Community Member
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    To those who are shopping for engagement rings: I strongly urge you to shop used, vintage, and antique. There are some truly amazing deals in those markets, and you bypass the monopoly that keeps diamond prices high. It’s also kinder to the environment. There’s an argument that it’s better for human rights as well.

    Lyoness
    Community Member
    10 minutes ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I second this (and 3rd and 4th it). Diamonds are a marketing scam anyway. If you need flashy you can get a 10 carat coloured stone (there are dozens to chose from) for a fraction of the cost of a 1 carat diamond. Why pay for bs bragging rights? Edit spelling.

    Load More Replies...
    Ace
    Community Member
    Premium
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sad to see that he caved in, should have walked away, preferably with the ring.

    Paul C
    Community Member
    59 minutes ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    $18K for a ring? Anyone wanting that, who doesn't have a job at all, is definitely digging for gold.

    Load More Comments
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