Buying Diamonds for yourself

[Luxxy]

I am not very old-fashioned, and I've always believed that a girl can do stuff for herself and doesn't always have to wait for someone else to do for her, and that includes buying expensive jewelry. What are your opinions on this? Would a diamond mean any less to you if you bought it for yourself?

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Haha. My favorite diamonds are the ones I buy myself!
Honestly I prefer buying my own expensive jewelry since I'm so picky and also the hunt is at least half the fun!

 

[dk168]

If I were to hold my breath to wait for someone to buy me jewellery or otherwise, I would have been dead a long time ago.

DK

 

[Madam Bijoux]

I have always bought my own diamonds. When you buy your own, you never have to return them if a relationship ends.

 

[Arcadian]

Less?

heck, no!! Any gem I purchase for myself is for ME. MEMEMEMEMEMEME I love that I have the ability of doing that. Yes I do indeed get gifts from the other half, and I treasure those....but gifts for me TO me? priceless.

 

[retroglam]

I agree with everyone else. I love buying diamonds, any jewellery infact, for myself! Guaranteed to get exactly what you want that way!

 

[soxfan]

I buy my own diamonds. My next project will be studs and I will just ask hubby for the money and buy them myself.

 

[stracci2000]

I buy my own diamonds and any other jewelry.
I am picky and have high standards---LOL
DH says he knows better than to surprise me with anything, jewelry or otherwise.

 

[PierreBear]

I tend to not like surprises as I'm a particular person and if there is something that doesn't quite fit my taste, I might not use it as often which feels like an inefficient use of funds. With that said, I think there is a romantic aspect that if your husband/SO could get you exactly what you would have picked out, then I would enjoy that more than picking it out myself. We picked out my first engagement ring together but with a future upgrade, I'm going to have specific parameters but still allow him to run with it. In essence, I'm picking out almost everything but he can still do the surprise factor on presenting it to me and deciding a few things. Hopefully this is a good compromise that you might want to consider? Good luck with buying the diamond regardless of the process!

 

[lyra]

My oldest daughter has bought herself diamonds. She has a very nice .44 OEC in a vintage illusion setting. She also has a few custom pieces. She loves jewellery. Her grandmother also gave her a ring that her aunt bought herself in the 40's. I guess we started this tradition a couple of generations ago, so it's nothing new.

 

[Dancing Fire]

I decide what diamonds to buy. My wife knows nothing about diamonds. All she cares about is how they sparkle...

 

[LLJsmom]

I'll just be torturing myself and my DH if I asked him to pick it out. I am too picky and too much of a control freak. And everything is a joint purchase anyway. So I guess I am buying everything myself.

 

[PintoBean]

I've been buying my own diamonds. I do love that my DH offers to pay for them - very sweet, but there is a sense of pride and of "making it" that comes from being able to afford my own bling.

 

[kenny]

I decide what diamonds to buy. My wife knows nothing about diamonds. All she cares about is how they sparkle...

+1 ...... but I ain't gots no wife.

 

[Gypsy]

It's interesting for me. I VERY MUCH value (emotionally) the pieces that are gifted to me. More so than pieces I bought for myself. So, honestly, I do prefer it when my husband buys me pieces. Even if they aren't what I would have chosen myself, because they are gifts I appreciate them more.

Strange but true.

I think the key is to do what is right for you. There is no right or wrong.

 

[missy]

I'll just be torturing myself and my DH if I asked him to pick it out. I am too picky and too much of a control freak. And everything is a joint purchase anyway. So I guess I am buying everything myself.

Exactly. My dh knows nothing about diamonds except that they make me happy and all our finances are joint finances so any purchase we make is together. Plus, the search process is a big part of the fun for me so I wouldn't want to give that up.

He did come with me when I was searching for a big OEC for my ER and he was a part of that whole process. And that did add to my enjoyment of the search and knowing he cared enough to be there with me made me happy too. And he and Adam had something special engraved on the ring without my knowledge beforehand that was a lovely surprise so that made the whole process and receiving the ring even more special for me. Got my dream OEC and a meaningful surprise too.

Buying diamonds is such a personal decision-what makes your heart go pitter patter is not by formula (for me anyway) so no way could anyone but me choose the "perfect" diamond for me. However I always get my dh's input before a (major) bling purchase because I trust his eye and he has good taste. But it really is completely up to me when it comes right down to it. And this is what works for me.

BUT I agree with Gypsy completely when she wrote what works for one might not work for another and there is no right way. It is what is the right way for you. And most importantly remember bling is supposed to bring joy and be fun. Not cause lots of stress and aggravation. So enjoy buying, receiving and wearing. And remember to share photos of any bling you get because we love sharing the joy!

 

[UrsTx]

I buy diamonds for me. DH doesn't mind. He knows I enjoy the whole process.

I have a friend who, when single, could afford to but would not buy any diamond jewelry for herself - not even earrings. She bought white sapphire jewelry though. She said diamonds are her future husband's role (she wasn't dating anyone at the time). Now she's married and her husband has no interest in diamonds or jewelry at all. She's still waiting on that diamond. (They did simple gold bands for their engagement/wedding, and I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that at all, but she wanted just a little more. She won't bring the topic up because she wants him to "think of it on his own.")

 

[AdaBeta27]

I think if a woman becomes aware of diamonds and can afford them, there is no reason why she should hesitate to buy her own, including larger solitaire or halo styles that would be appropriate as engagement rings. I was 31 when I bought my first diamond ring. Before that, I had colored gemstone rings and solid gold rings, but not diamonds. I dated a man who wore probably a 1ct cluster comprised of 6 diamonds, and I suddenly was awakened by the way it glinted and threw fire when were were out on the boat. Before that, I could not have cared less about diamonds, probably because I never saw many that were well-cut. After I bought my first full-retail ring, I bought some vintage diamond rings at pawn shops and hole in the wall shops that dealt in secondhand jewelry, and they were very affordable rings back then when "bold gold" (yellow gold) was in and the rings I picked were just some old outdated styles that someone's grandma used to own. Then vintage and antique made a comeback in early 2000s and everyone envies my collection that I got for peanuts.

Yes, if you can afford it, go for it. Life's too short to wait around for Prince Charming, who may never show up, especially for the Millennial generation and women like me who live in faded towns full of dirtbags who are marriage material. I figure if Prince Charming does show up later, and say he can't afford a big diamond that meets or exceeds the specs of what I bought myself, we just have him buy a dandy new mounting and port my diamond over. He'd get the credit, and nobody will know unless we tell.

 

[Luxxy]

Thanks for all the replies. I guess the verdict is in. It's totally OK to buy your own jewelry. In fact, judging from what a lot of people had to say here, it's actually a reason to feel good about myself knowing that I did that for myself. I guess I can still get the best of both worlds: Buy some for myself, and accept others as gifts