81. Hi Alisha:
It does not "bug" me and I am far, far from the edge of poverty. At one time in our lives, we barely had a roof over our heads -I am a WHOLE LOT SMARTER from that experience (duh read my tag line). I learned that love is not measured by carat size or "bling". I have a wonderful husband, no debt, perfect health and a strong marriage. If one of you ever loses your jobs (and it may happen - the economy sucks - read a newspaper instead of the gossip rags, ok?)you will not be able to bring your ring to the supermarket or give it to the oil company to fill your tank. For those who think they have "everything" it can disappear and a 3ct ring does not compensate for having your car repo'd. I am talking about good old fashioned common sense; I am not a million years old (I am 44) and have been there, done it and bought the T shirt and got to wash my BMW with it. I sold that car and passed by buying a lot of other things for security & peace of mind. I am not gloom and doom, but you have no idea what the future may bring. Companies close, layoffs occur and if you spend $25k in your checking account to buy new bling, you may need it someday for something else. Or, if you charge it and the day comes you cannot pay your credit card bill, that ring will be quite the subject of dispute.

Posted at 6:21PM on Jul 5th 2008 by awholelotsmarter

82. When my husband and I first got engaged we were just starting out, we couldn't afford much. he proposed with a $500 ring from Wal-Mart, which I still have and wear on my right hand occasionally. He made it clear in the beginning that he wanted so much more for me, something that expressed his love for me but we had to wait till we could afford it. We didn't want to buy on credit or be in debt. When he bought my new ring at our 5th anniversary the ring & band total 3 kts. My hubby has come from a family of jewelers, both his father & grandfather owned & made jewelry before they passed - so it's been in his nature to shower me with jewelry of all colors. At 2 yrs I upgraded his band to a hawaiian cut band, cause a plain ring showed the scratches caused by his technical work - now the hawaiian band still looks flawless after nearly 7 years. I am fortunate to have a man who wants to express his undying love and devotion in a huge way. He knows how I love jewelry and he loves the way his gifts make me happy. it is something we agree upon. I still wear my original ring, as well as his original band. We keep everything to pass along to our daughter. It's only natural to show how your love grows over time, and adding on or upgrading to that original commitment is just one of the many ways we do it. The upgrades are also of sign of my survival from cancer. He treated my remission, with something beatiful that I will always cherish. there is nothing wrong with doing this as long as you both agree. I don't demand one bigger or better - he showers me with such lavish gifts cause he likes to do it. I'm very lucky to have such a rare breed of men that like to spoil me and treat me as a queen. Some of the comments here have been so rude. who are you to judge the lives of others - not everyone is selfish or flashy or trying to keep up with the Jones'.

I would suggest trying to explain to your hubby just why you would like an upgrade - perhaps there is just a misunderstanding about your intentions. Best of luck to you on getting what you want. Everyone deserves to be spoiled now and again!

Posted at 4:36PM on Jul 6th 2008 by Angi

83. Change is a good thing. I loved my 1/3 carat diamond when I was 21 years old. I love my 1 and 1/2 carat diamond that celebrates 10 years even more. The original diamond became a necklace, the simple wedding band became a charm on my bracelet. Taste changes, as does financial status and ability to purchase bigger and better. Recycling is also a good thing! I am sure you have outgrown many things in your marriage together...from your first home, first car, first sofa, first mattress. I believe you upgrade with the times!

Posted at 6:57PM on Jul 5th 2008 by laura

84. My husband and I have been married for 51 years. When we married my hubby was in the Navy and all we could afford was a gold wedding band for me.Through the years we have upgraded my wedding rings and I now have a 2 carat diamond with a diamond ring guard. Last week my hubby gave me a 2 carat, flower design, 3 flowers to signify past, present and future for my anniversary. I will wear this ring as my alternate wedding ring. Of course I believe that rings should be upgraded. I do have my first wedding set of diamonds which were tiny and have kept them for sentimental reasons.

Posted at 8:17AM on Jul 6th 2008 by evelyn Woods

85. If the ring and the occasion for it actually meant something to the woman, why in the world would she want to "upgrade"? Anniversaries are a great reason to buy another piece of jewelry to mark the occasion, but I think I will always have a sentimental attachment to my one and only engagement ring and the memories it symbolizes. Get a right hand ring, a tennis bracelet, a gaudy diamond pendant, whatever is in style at the moment....but the engagement ring should hold a special place in a woman's heart.

Posted at 7:51PM on Jul 5th 2008 by Ell

86. Don't be ridiculous. A new ring at 10 years is TOTALLY acceptable... when I married my husband, I told him that (as long as finances where fine) I was probably going to trade up/or get a new ring every 5 years. He was fine with anything.... I have saved all of my rings and love them all. We are very happily married 25 years and although I didn't exactly hold true to the every 5 year thing, I do have 3 unbelievable rings that I call my wedding rings. I wear what I feel that day, and ALL the rings hold sentimental feelings. My attitude would be ... go for it!

Posted at 9:01PM on Jul 5th 2008 by wendy segall

87. my ring was chosen for me & although I loved it because my to be husband picked it just for me, the style I would chosen would have been much differant.
also change is good, styles change & so do we.

Posted at 8:04PM on Jul 5th 2008 by cldreyerdiaz

88. I have never been one to be obsessed by jewlery so perhaps I cannot understand why someone would want to "upgrade" something so filled with symbolism...especially when that upgrade would be hurtful to the person who had given the ring in the first place. If the setting is damaged or no longer fits, certainly it makes sense to replace it (the setting). Otherwise, get other fancy jewlery if you must have it. You'll have you baubles and your husband won't be hurt (except maybe financially.)

Posted at 7:57PM on Jul 5th 2008 by Lucy

89. From this ex-husbands' point of view, If she doesn't like the ring, she shouldn't have accepted it in the first place. Twenty years later? Buy a new one but the first should stay.

Posted at 8:06PM on Jul 5th 2008 by Oscar Warnstrom

90. when my husband and I married we had to borrow 20 bucks from the maid of honor for drinks.. needless to say we had no rings at all. They came later. I have upgraded 3 times in 27 years on the engagment part of it( yes.. paid cash) but kept the wedding band and wear them together. My husband has told me anytime I'd like to upgrade again... go for it! At this point I am terrifically happy with the one I have.. but know if at anytime I change my mind, he supports the decision 100%. I am still the luckiest girl in the world.

Posted at 8:05PM on Jul 5th 2008 by Ruth

91. People that buy diamonds should watch the movie Blood Diamond and I don't think anyone that has a heart would buy or wear a diamond again...But since most people just care about their self that that movie won't have any affect on whether or not the buy or wear diamonds

Posted at 8:05PM on Jul 5th 2008 by Mike

92. My husband and I have been married going on twenty years and I have upgraded twice. The first time was when we were married for three years.
When my husband bought my original ring we were both poor college kids and he bought a trio set ( Both wedding bands and an engagement ring with a diamond chip and illusion top ) I did pick out the set but was quite limited by what I knew he could afford the payments on. When he got the rings he told me that he would upgrade the chip to at least a 1/4 caret ( it had to be a round stone to fit the setting)down the road. Three years later he did just that.
Twelve years later we were in much better financial shape and he overheard me admire a friends marquise bridal set.He asked if I wanted one and I admitted that I did. I picked out what I wanted in a 3/8 caret and we got it . ( I kept the original with the 1/4 caret since it was my original set )My husband has mentioned going to a whole caret but I have declined at this time. Maybe once the kids are grown and on their own.

Posted at 8:18PM on Jul 5th 2008 by Diane

93. New ring/upgrade is not OK! Diamond earrings, another diamond, or saphire/ruby studded bracelet are OK. Also enhancing/locking rings are a wonderful addition w/o changing the original sentiment. My question is are you changing your "relationship" or "value added".

Posted at 8:19PM on Jul 5th 2008 by Dee

94. I remember when I got engaged and I saw the ring for the first time, I thought to myself, "Oh. It's small." (It was 1.5 karats) I really was disappointed, but of course I never let on. I put up with my disappointment for 10 years, then it was time to trade that puppy up! We can afford it, so why should I be stuck with a little diamond ring my whole life? I love my new rock!! And hubby is happy I'm happy!

Posted at 10:22PM on Jul 5th 2008 by Jane

95. Some of you ladies are pretty amusing. You go on and keep your teensy-weensy diamonds while the rest of us upgrade to something big and gorgeous. I suppose you live in the first house you and hubby ever bought, and drive the same car, and wear the same clothes. Oh, you don't? So you... upgraded, huh? What, you're not sentimental?? Snicker. I think you're just jealous because your man doesn't think enough of you to spend money on a better ring. So think of that while you're feeling so smug.

Posted at 10:35PM on Jul 5th 2008 by Helena

96. We knew from the beginning we'd eventually upgrade my ring when we could afford it and found one we liked. I wanted a heart shaped to begin with and we couldn't find one. He found a pear whose setting made it appear heart shaped and I thought it was beautiful. After our 2nd child, I told him i'd like to get a family ring one day. We drew it out and took it to our jeweler. Since we were on our 10th anniversary and knew within the next 5 years we'd be upgrading, we decided to take the stone out of my engagement ring to use for his birthstone in the family ring. Well, the jeweler mis understood our instructions and melted down my setting. Needless to say I was heart broken. She ended up getting the last setting for the engagement ring that the maker had left and having to remake my wedding guard. We had a cubic put in and i wore both rings.

Last year, we stopped in the jeweler to have my watch repaired and something cought my eye. I called my husband over and both of us sat there with our jaws open. There was the most perfect heart shaped diamond we've ever seen. We had been looking for one that was short and fat, not the typical long skinny ones you see all the time. It is 2 carets and near perfect. It looks absolutely stunning in my setting.

Others have mentioned trading in your diamond might mean trading in your husband. Not in my case, this new diamond re affirms our love and commitment to each other. The old diamond is still very special as now it is one very beautiful stone in a ring with 3 others that symbolizes each member of this family. So it began as a symbol of our love for each other and now it's part of a ring that symbolizes what our love for each other has accomplished.

Posted at 12:48PM on Jul 6th 2008 by Heidi

97. I think it's fine to do an upgrade if you can, after a few years of marriage (or whenever you feel its proper time personally for you). I love my ring now, it's a decent size (a 1 ct stone with additional pave stones all around it) and will always keep it and cherish it of course. However, in a few years...maybe 5 year anniversary or so I would love an engagement ring upgrade 4-5ct acsher cut diamond with pave diamonds around it or around the setting. For the wedding band upgrade to go w/ the new ring, a 2-3ct eternity band (my eternity band now equals 1ct total weight) in either brilliant rounds or baguette cuts. Maybe even have it mixed w/ both cuts to go w/ the style of the engagement ring, who knows, we'll see! Regardless...it's fine to upgrade if both husband and wife agree and can finacially do it. Love is....love. NOT a ring or ring size, so who cares, upgrade or not! It doesn't dictate on how you feel about the person. Thats INSIDE you...not on your fingers. If the "rings" where so vital in how a persons feels inside about one another....then there should have never been rings for a marriage to begin with, right!? People make more of a huge deal of things than need be....seriously, calm down people. And for the one's on here saying that upgrading rings larger means that there is no more love or care and if that's so, how some husbands should upgrade the wife for a better woman or younger or whatever....like, are you serious? That's utterly ridiculous in my eyes...one is a STONE, a GEM, a RING...the other is a HUMAN, with FEELINGS, with EMOTIONS, with a HEARTBEAT...to compare those 2 things...is, excuse my lanuguage...retarded. Chill out, it ain't life & death...it's an ITEM.

Posted at 3:52PM on Jul 6th 2008 by Lia

98. I will be married for 22 yrs. on Aug. 2nd. I would love to re-create my rings. They are currently in a gold setting and would love a platinum setting. My current engagement ring is 1/2 carat. I would love to take that, purchase a 1 carat and additional 1/2 and place that with my wedding band diamonds all aroung a wider band.. That way I keep the same stones, just add some and update the setting.

Posted at 10:50AM on Jul 7th 2008 by Michele C.

99. I am ok with upgrading wedding/engagement rings. I actually, think upgrading, if done in the right spirit, symbolizes growth in the marriage. For those of us who have weathered the storms of marriage and desire something bigger or more precious to symbolize an even stronger bond in the marriage- I say go for it!! I have been married for 7 years and I am looking forward to an upgrade soon!

Posted at 9:39AM on Jul 8th 2008 by Tasha

100. I to will like to say something on this subject. Upgrade to what?! You upgraded when you choose your husband just to the upgrade you want so why change something that was gift to you with so much love? If you want a biger diamond, go for it, get a new ring but you will never ever get the same satisfaction as you had when you first saw the ring you were given. Better possition and more money in life is fine, but your status who you are is not messured with carats of sparkling stones but who is loving you. We started from nothing, managed to get a lot, and divorced after 34 years with upgraded ring, Diamonds were never big enough. I got married again and this time my 3/4 diamond ring stay and the sparkle is in my new husbands eyes. No upgrade would have ever give me that.
I am not saying you should not do it, but kiss the ring given to you in faith and love, and maybe just maybe when chips are down you may even get a sentimental tear in your eyes thinking just how lucky you are. I am blessed, fortunate and lucky. I was diagnosed with lung cancer, my husband now was with me all the time and see sparkle in his eyes was worth more then I can tell you. He is honest and hard working man, he can afford to get me a big ring but all that I wanted was love and got it. So will I upgrade my ring? How could I? Upgrade will lose the sparkle................ wish you all the best Helen

Posted at 10:14AM on Jul 11th 2008 by helen