Are girls getting more greedy nowadays ?

[Dancing Fire]

do they expect a bigger diamond e-ring from their BF compare to 20 years ago?

 

[marcy]

DF, IMO - I think that is kind of universal these days. I notice people entering the work place want to start at the top, drive the best cars and have the nicest things. Many of them don't seem to realize or accept they need to work their way up to those things.

 

[Calliecake]

Many young women are getting larger diamonds @Dancing Fire. I don’t know if I would call it greedy though. If they can afford a large diamond and that makes them happy, why not?

 

[HappyNewLife]

do they expect a bigger diamond e-ring from their BF compare to 20 years ago?

We went to brunch today with a good friend who has a GF of 6 months. They’re both in their early 30s. The GF wants a large moissanite instead of a diamond. I was floored! We are in greedy LA, so I was shocked, lol!

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

I think for one thing people getting married 20 years ago were closer to early 20's when getting married vs. being in their 30's. They might have something to do with your observation. People are also skipping starter homes often enough.

 

[Bron357]

I think people are getting married older ie in their 30s instead of in their 20s so generally their financial position is more established and they can afford to spend more.
I got married (2nd time) at 38 and when straight to “max size” !
There are so many more options available today.
Even 10 years ago people where still more likely to choose from their local jeweller and choose a diamond. These days, any gem, metal and source is available.
A bit sad for the local jeweller, but a win for the purchaser who now can easily and safely shop anywhere, even internationally, and have a huge choice and get the best value.

 

[lyra]

I don't know. My girls aren't demanding anything. My youngest may not even go for a diamond at all. My oldest is getting a modest OEC. Oldest is 31 this year, youngest 28. I feel like not many of their friends have even got married yet. I thing the marriage age is closer to or above 30 these days, and people have different priorities. If you want a house here, you're not going to get a big diamond and a big wedding unless you have family money.

 

[MeowMeow]

I'm not sure about expect. I only got a diamond because my grandmother passed and it was just sitting around so it was given to me since my family member knows how much grandma and I love jewellery. I knew my husband wasn't going to be able to afford what I wanted so I just suggested we use it and get me my dream sapphire later when we are more settled in life. (Which hilariously is still going to be on the smaller end of what we see and drool over often here since I want one between 1 carat and 1.5 just with a pretty engraved band)
If we hadn't had this diamond I probably would have gone the aquamarine route again like last engagement. That ring wasn't more than 500. Probably more like 350ish and set in a terrible snaptite setting that gave me a rash lmao.
Now if my husband had a bigger budget then he did as jr enlisted I might have asked for my sapphire anyway but since he didn't I wasn't about to demand more than was feasible at the time :/

I think most women are reasonable and understand that just because we want, it doesn't mean it will happen. Especially if we aren't marrying a rich man lmao.

 

[bludiva]

I think it's bimodal almost. Many girls open to alternative types of rings, others wanting to keep up with the Kardashians. I wonder if social media has an impact, everything is photographed and shared and commented upon these days.

I didn't think I was going to get married tbh, when it came time to pick a ring ended up with something bigger than expected (which i love!) but that was more of a happy accident.

 

[Queenie60]

Depends on many factors

 

[arkieb1]

I agree I think there are those that want to be sensible and save money and those that want IG lifestyles like the Kardashians.... in general the pressure social media puts on young people probably doesn't help.

 

[nala]

The young girls I know are just content to get proposed to. So no.

 

[AprilBaby]

When I got married 1/2 ct was huge. My daughter, 30, doesn’t even want a ring if it ever happens. Two DIL got 1 ct diamonds and one got a .42/.85/.42 three stone.

 

[daneshpastry]

Definitely. I work in an office with mostly women - the ladies who have been married for 20-30 years all have modest, 1/2 carat solitaire diamonds. The young girls all look like they have an ice rink on their hands, although they still aren't being properly educated on what diamond is best.

On another note - I'm generally not impressed with most diamonds that I see. It seems like the majority of people just go to the mall and get whatever looks sparkly under the halogen lights.

 

[missy]

Generally I think it absolutely depends on where one is in life.

At what stage are you and where are you with your finances. When we got engaged we were both independent and owned our own homes and had disposable income. A far cry from a young couple in their early 20s just starting out or still in school.

You cannot compare one to the other and nor can you make sweeping generalizations. I don't think it matters what "generation" one is part of it really comes down to disposable income ad priorities in life. We were and are of the same thought one does not go into debt for luxury items. Home- check, car- check, health insurance- chec, fur babies-check. Enough left over to spend on diamonds. Check.

 

[doberman]

Thank you social media. Now you can compare yourself to ALL the Joneses.

Yes, rings are getting bigger and the entitlement is strong in some people. But there are plenty of younger people who are chill and to whom rings mean very little.

 

[oneam]

I think for one thing people getting married 20 years ago were closer to early 20's when getting married vs. being in their 30's. They might have something to do with your observation. People are also skipping starter homes often enough.

Yes, I used to watch House Hunters and so many young couples insisted on top of the line everything, instead of living w/ outdated kitchens/baths and updating as finances allowed.

Thank you social media. Now you can compare yourself to ALL the Joneses.

Yes, rings are getting bigger and the entitlement is strong in some people. But there are plenty of younger people who are chill and to whom rings mean very little.

This, seeing all this big bling seems to have some people think this is the norm and expected...

 

[dk168]

My first e-ring was a 3-stone EC about 0.7ct in total.
I bought myself a 1.19ct EC as a significant birthday present to myself nearly 10 years later.
If I were to have another e-ring, I'd like it to be bigger than my EC. It can be a diamond cluster totalling more than 1.19ct.
If that makes me greedy, then so be it!
What I am trying to say is this: I can buy my own diamonds and jewellery, and am not prepared to compromise for anyone who is not at least my socio-economical equal.

DK

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

I don't think young women are more greedy. In fact, I think most have debt and want to see a bit of the world first and would fore-go a diamond. I think less woman want diamonds.
Annette

 

[Asscherhalo_lover]

Yes, I used to watch House Hunters and so many young couples insisted on top of the line everything, instead of living w/ outdated kitchens/baths and updating as finances allowed.



This, seeing all this big bling seems to have some people think this is the norm and expected...

Just a note on house hunters, it's completely fake. What I'm talking about regarding skipping starter homes is a bit as follows: My student loan payments cost more than my rent. I cannot afford a mortgage right now because of this. In the meantime I have started my family, by the time my student loans are paid off I will have much more income available to me, I will be able to afford more than a starter home and will have the family to fill it up. This isn't the case for everyone but it happens often enough.

 

[oneam]

Just a note on house hunters, it's completely fake. What I'm talking about regarding skipping starter homes is a bit as follows: My student loan payments cost more than my rent. I cannot afford a mortgage right now because of this. In the meantime I have started my family, by the time my student loans are paid off I will have much more income available to me, I will be able to afford more than a starter home and will have the family to fill it up. This isn't the case for everyone but it happens often enough.

Yes, I read that in most cases the home had already been purchased and everything else was sort of filled-in - I was quite disenchanted.

Yeah, I got your point about starter homes after the fact. I was too excited to get on my starter home soap box the first time around.

 

[lyra]

I think a good proportion of the "ice rinks" we see on newly engaged fingers are not real diamonds. There is a huge push for moissanite these days because it is relatively cheap and you can get a bigger look with it. Some women think no one can tell, but I bet everyone here can.

 

[doberman]

I think a good proportion of the "ice rinks" we see on newly engaged fingers are not real diamonds. There is a huge push for moissanite these days because it is relatively cheap and you can get a bigger look with it. Some women think no one can tell, but I bet everyone here can.

Yes. And they're marketing them by emphasizing the environmentally conscious aspect to millenials. Genius.

And yes, I can tell. To each her own.

 

[Dancing Fire]

I heard the norm now is 1.5ct or bigger.

 

[Jambalaya]

You can't just say an entire sex/age group is getting more greedy. People are individuals. For every woman that wants a large diamond, there'll be another who doesn't, and all shades of desire in between "massive rock" and "hates diamonds." People vary.

 

[RunningwithScissors]

Maybe the availability and acceptance of lab created diamonds has something to do with this trend (if it is a trend.)

 

[yssie]

The boys are getting greedy too - they want diamonds now! Why, back in my day a good boy worked the land with his hands, he toiled in the soil whilst I turned the churn...

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

Curious if anything in particular triggered bumping this thread from April 2018?

Twenty years ago I had a different social circle in a different geographical location. So I am having a hard time comparing how large or expensive people’s diamond engagement rings were back then to now. When I was a girl growing up in a small Midwestern town, middle class women had 0.5 ct diamonds in their engagement rings and sometimes got a 1 ct diamond or a 1 ctw three stone ring for a rhr later in life.

Interesting that the assumption is that a greedy girl will expect a bigger diamond from her BF rather than expect a better quality diamond from her BF. Or a bigger, better quality BF.

I have a husband, not a boyfriend, so I buy my own diamonds most of the time.

FWIW, these days, girls who expect diamond rings from their GFs seem to get traditional engagement rings more often than ten years ago when diamond bands were more common. Maybe that’s because U.S. law universally recognizes their marriages now. But I don’t have data, just what I see personally. Presumably the traditional rings are more expensive than the bands were so I guess girls are just greedy in general.

Especially compared to boys. Boys are not yet universally demanding diamonds from their BFs OR their GFs. This fact cannot be explained by the lack of engagement rings for boys because Tiffany makes them. Maybe Tiffany just is not making them boyish enough. I am not a boy and I love the designs and would happily wear them.

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

The boys are getting greedy too - they want diamonds now! Why, back in my day a good boy worked the land with his hands, he toiled in the soil whilst I turned the churn...

Aw shucks… I haven’t seen boys wearing engagement rings even though rings-for-boys exist. What area do you live in? I want more boys near me to wear diamonds.

 

[yssie]

Aw shucks… I haven’t seen boys wearing engagement rings even though rings-for-boys exist. What area do you live in? I want more boys near me to wear diamonds.

I'm near (not in - but near) NYC - first or second stop for nearly every trend one could possibly imagine! Some - like men rocking jewellery - I'm all in on!! Others... well, right now super fancy popcorn is the #It thing, and the reality is every bit as absurd as the idea suggests...