I wanted a diamond. Call me traditional -- but I did. My engagement ring is the only piece of jewelery that I own more expensive than $100. I don't buy fancy *anything* -- but I did want a nice ring.

The best we could afford, given that I was a student and he was in a start-up when we got engaged in 1997....was a $1000 2/3 carat diamond solitare of reasonable quality. And I love it. He offered to "upgrade" it for me when we got married last year, and I declined.

If we could have gotten the same ring at Costco for $900, I woulda been all about it. But I *did* want a ring.

BTW -- his ring (which he rarely wears, due to hating rings) is a platinum and 18K gold band. And it's lovely.

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Life is too short not to love and be loved....preferably multiple times in one night.

I think men talk to women so they can sleep with them and women sleep with men so they can talk to them. ~ Jay McInerney