In many Western countries, the tradition of wearing an engagement ring on the fourth finger on the left hand, (the left ring finger on the ring finger guide below), can be traced back to the Ancient Romans. They believed this finger had a vein that ran directly to the heart, the Vena Amoris, meaning 'vein of love'.
Most countries prefer to wear the engagement ring on the left hand, but some others choose to wear on right. Most people prefer to consider all aspects of wearing the engagement ring because it is your most special and romantic jewelry.
Traditional Ring Etiquette
Traditional etiquette would require the bride to wear her engagement ring on her right ring finger to walk down the aisle. During the exchanging of the rings, the groom would place the wedding band on the bride's left finger.
General Rule: You should spend at least 2 months salary on the engagement ring. If, for example, you are making $60,000 per year, you should spend $10,000 on the engagement ring.
A Jewelry Box
One of the most secure places to store a diamond ring is a jewelry box. That way, you will always know where it is, making sure it's safe when it's not on your finger. Just make sure the jewelry box is fabric-lined and the inside isn't made from a material that can scratch your jewelry.
Your hands come in contact with plenty of surfaces and substances every day, which can potentially harm your engagement ring. While it's safe to keep it on for most activities, take it off when you know you'll be working heavily with your hands or if you could potentially expose it to harsh chemicals.
When washing your hands with gentle soap and warm water your engagement ring is totally fine; no need to stress about taking it on and off. You should definitely be taking your engagement ring off to apply hand sanitizer, however.
It's known as the "three months' salary" rule, and it implies that a buyer should put three months of their salary toward a sparkler for their future spouse. For context, The Knot 2021 Jewelry and Engagement study found that the average cost of an engagement ring in the US is $6,000.
According to a 2022 study from Credit Donkey, most couples reported wanting to spend between $1,000 and $5,000, though the average cost of an engagement ring was around $5,225.
The average engagement length of 1–2 years is right in the sweet spot. It's enough time to plan a wedding but not so much time that it drags out the engagement. However, it's not always so straightforward.
In general it's perfectly safe to wear your engagement ring every day. However, if you are doing any kind of rough work such as cleaning or gardening, sports or the gym. It's not advised to wear your rings in bed as the diamonds may loosen or catch on bedclothes and remove before showering.
Once you're married, tradition dictates that your engagement band be moved back to the third finger on your left hand. When you do so, your wedding ring should remain closest to your heart (where your spouse placed it on your wedding day) and your engagement ring is placed next to the wedding ring.
Place the engagement ring on her finger – the PERFECT one you chose out of ALL the other engagement rings – and tell her that she is the most special person in the world to you. It all depends on what's special to you and your partner.
How to Wear Your Engagement and Wedding Rings. Traditionally, you wear your engagement ring and wedding ring together on the fourth finger of your left hand. As far as how to stack them, tradition holds that you'll wear the wedding band inside the engagement ring so that it's closer to your heart (aww).
On your wedding day, your engagement ring should be worn on the third finger of your right hand. Then, once you've said your I-do's, your engagement ring should be placed back on the third finger of your left hand, on top of your wedding band.
According to recent surveys, most American couples expect to spend between $1,000 and $5,000 on an engagement ring. The actual average cost for an engagement ring is over $6,000. With all that said, most women are reasonable and just.
$10,000 is quite a generous budget for an engagement ring. It's certainly much more than the median amount spent on an engagement ring, which is generally less than $3,000 — something we've covered more below.
How Much Should an Engagement Ring Cost? A one carat engagement ring typically costs around $5,500, but most couples spend over $6,000—and 7 percent spend over $10,000.
Yes, $3,000 is definitely enough for an engagement ring. You can get a beautiful, high-quality diamond and a setting with this budget.
Basically it's considered that two years together in a serious relationship should be enough time to establish whether or not you want to commit to being with that person and getting married and if no such sign of commitment is forthcoming at that stage i.e. engagement, it's time to walk away.
The two-to-three-month-salary rule
For example, if you take home $4,000 a month, you should spend $8,000 to $12,000 a month on an engagement ring; if you take home $10,000 a month, you should feel obligated to spend $20,000 to $30,000.
Whether it be alcohol or non-alcohol based hand sanitizer, both can cause irreversible damage to your ring. Repeated use of alcohol based hand sanitizer can diminish the brilliance of your stones and metal shine, and loosen your engagement ring prongs. It can also cause buildup between your stones and metal.
Using hand sanitizer while wearing a ring won't cause immediate damage to diamonds or gemstones, but can leave a filmy residue on the stones over time, dulling the sparkle.
You may think you're doing your engagement ring a favor by taking it into the shower with you; in reality, your body soaps and hair care products can cause a dull finish on the ring itself. Soapy water can also make its way underneath the gemstone and gum it up with suds.