Ask most jewelry salespeople this question, and they'll tell you that it should be around two to three months of your salary. That equates to 16.67% to 25.00% of your annual salary, which is a strange rule to us, personally. We don't think it's possible to equate your love to a specific percentage of your income, but as far as "models" go, it's a relatively well-accepted one.

Our opinion?

We think you should spend what makes you comfortable, and what will make her happy. We've found that some women like the idea of a near-flawless stone much more, and some like having something that's more substantial in size. These are tradeoffs you'll need to get insight into before making your final decision.

Whatever you decide, we'll have something that fits your needs. Just remember not to be over-pressured by the "societal need" to impress, or stretch yourself so thin that you'll end up regretting your purchase decision. Besides, you've got to make sure you've got enough left over for the honeymoon, right?