What woman doesn’t dream of her man dropping to one knee and putting a sparkling diamond on her ring finger?
While some say it’s the thought that counts, many women secretly really care about the ring their significant other decides to propose with.
Size definitely matters and according to research published by Angara, the preferred average size for an engagement ring center stone is 1.3 carats.
With 92% of shoppers purchasing rings priced at $1,000 or more, it’s no wonder one woman was stunned when her significant other of eight years proposed with what might be the tiniest diamond known to man.
The woman considered rejecting her boyfriend’s proposal over the size of the diamond ring.
In a subreddit called r/weddingshaming, a user shared a post where an unknown woman displayed a picture of her hand with her minuscule engagement ring on it.
The image was captioned, “We [have] been together for 8 years and talking about getting married for 3. [This is the] ring he saved up to buy me. Am I being shady or materialistic if I tell this MF (motherf-cker) [I don’t] want this little a—ring?”
Image Credit: Reddit
Readers were split between the belief that the size of the man’s heart is much more important than the size of the diamond and the opinion that his lack of effort was indicative of his potential as a husband.
The first person commented, “Not gonna lie. I’d be more concerned about his ‘saving up’ to buy something that little. Simply because it shows that a wedding is probably not in the budget.”
“I agree,” someone else replied to the previous comment.
“While I have no idea what this costs, it doesn’t look like a ring one would need to save up for. They have been talking about marriage for 3 years, but have they gone window shopping for engagement rings?”
“Have they discussed style, size, and budget for the ring as well as a wedding?” continues the user.
“If not, she should gently let him know this is not her style and go with him back to the jeweler and show him what she would like. This will hopefully lead to a budget discussion and set priorities.”
Many people believed that the future wife should have a say in the ring he proposes with.
According to the study, 80% of women admit to subtly mentioning what they wanted in an engagement ring to their future spouses.
On top of that, 7 out of ten future brides actively participated in the ring selection process.
Another poster offered a great suggestion, saying, “I’d just exchange it for a ring I like. Preferably a cheaper stone that you can see with the naked eye.”
Other commenters threw out ideas like purchasing an amethyst or cubic zirconia ring, while others found the idea to be tacky.
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However, not everyone brushed off the concept of a replacement for the microscopic diamond.
One Redditor offered, “These days lots of people are against diamonds due to the unethical mining practices and inflated prices of the diamond industry.”
“It’s totally acceptable to get a ring you like, and have it not be a diamond,” another user wrote. “A friend of mine recently married with a sapphire [because] it was her and her husband’s birthstone. I would totally do a colored stone if I ever got married again.”
There was no word on whether or not the perturbed soon-to-be bride threw the engagement ring back at her frugal fiancé’s face or put her pride aside and proceeded with the nuptials.
NyRee Ausler is a writer from Seattle, Washington, and author of seven books. She covers lifestyle and entertainment and news, as well as navigating the workplace and social issues.
