My husband actually asked me this when I changed my original wedding band, and the answer is...I don't know. While I can have sentimental feelings surrounding the circumstances in which I received or got a ring, it is not the ring itself I am necessarily sentimental about and I can have those feelings without wanting to wear the ring itself and without being "in love with it".

I was never a big jewelery person before wearing my wedding ring, and I have discovered that was actually because I was VERY picky, not because I was not picky at all and just did not care for it (as I thought beforehand!).

Kind of a moot point though really as my husband and I both are not for the "total surprise proposal". He tried going for that with an ex and while there were surprises to be had, it was not quite the happy ones!

It was very fun going shopping for rings together after we got engaged even though I never did end up finding one I liked, and my memories from that experience together, and the excitement we each had at being newly engaged and looking, are much greater than any memories a ring would bring me, whether it was a surprise or something we chose together.

To me the ring is a symbol to honour my commitment, it is not the actual commitment, or the actual "proposal", so to me it is more important that the ring I wear not only honours that but is something I enjoy and love looking at. I never THOUGHT I would feel that way until I was wearing a ring I did NOT love looking at and it did not REALLY reflect "me". So, to me I don't think it matters how I got the ring, as long as I love it. It is THEN I will develop some more attachment to it as I live with and enjoy it day to day and as it stands to honour my commitment.

I am a person that if something bothers me, it will really bother me. Like majorly so I can become a bit obsessive about it. Some women are able to really like rings that they do not like that much stylistically as their FI gave it to them. To them the two things sort of "blur" together or the emotion overrides the dislike. I myself can separate the emotions and joy of the experience of receiving a gift from my dislike of an item (and the resulting obsession over it!). Better for me to change it and have the wonderful memories AND the wonderful ring!

I am still in love with the sentiment behind it, even though my choice of stone shape and cut has evolved. I would never sell my original e-ring, and I can't even bring myself to put the diamond into a pendant yet, which is crazy as it just sits in my jewelry box.

DH and I chose my e-ring together, and he is totally okay with me and my sparkle obsession, wearing a completely different set than the original. The dear man gets me. As long as I'm not fickle with my affections, I can wear whatever I please with DH's blessing.

The set I wear now is remarkably similar to the original set except for the center stone shape.

And THIS exactly.

I'm sure I would if I still had it. I lost mine about 6 months after we were married . He picked it himself and was a simple solitaire with an amazing diamond. So bummed! We didn't own a house back then, so couldn't insure it.

In fact, I probably wouldn't have been on this board or had other rings along the way had I not lost it. I researched everything to death, so it's only natural that eventually I would find my way here lol. I'm not a big jewelry person otherwise. I like a simple necklace, a small pair of studs and a rockin ring and I'm good .

I'm all for guys being romantic and wanting to surprise their girl... But I am very picky in my jewelry tastes. I won't do milgrain, antique, high settings, peg heads (super huge jewelry pet peeve), so I think that on something that you get to wear day in and day out for many years if not a lifetime, I say choose together! He can surprise you with flowers or a dinner, or even the proposal!

100%. I don't have it anymore, circumstance required that I had to sell it but it was utter and complete perfection.

Why did you just put into writing EXACTLY the way I feel!! Holy cow, you hit the nail on the head!!! I'm not usually sentimental about "things", but I was starting to feel a little sentimental about my current e-ring. This just brought me back into reality...if I don't get the new ring, I will forever obsess over my current one. lol

Short answer: No, not in love with E-ring at all.
2nd question: Yes, if my husband made some sort of effort towards my jewelry, I'd have some sort of attachment to it.

This is such an interesting thread... We didn't do the formal proposal thing and I picked out and bought my original e-ring and our wedding rings myself. I wore the heck out of those rings, but they never meant much to me.

I got married with a simple 2mm white gold band ... like $25 at the time (13 years ago) ... and I had a 1ct diamonique stone set in a tiffany setting ($100 at the time) with a diamond / sapphire ring guard around it. So late 90's

If my husband had picked out my rings, I'd likely still have them. I'm not sentimental, but the effort that would have gone into it would have been something I would cherish.

I bought a platinum band about a year and a half in, and I still wear that. Husband bought a titanium band about 5 years in and said he never liked the ring I bought. No problem, he should have made his opinion known before I bought the gold one! I sold the gold. We don't really hold much regard for "things" ... but I'm having a nice sparkly "thing" made by DK I got the ball rolling and as of last night, I'm stepping out so my guy can have the pleasure of making a grand gesture.

My tastes have definitely changed. As I have matured from my mid 20's to late(ish) 30's, I like my settings simpler and the main stone, larger. I would have been all over a halo or french cut sides with a 1.5ct stone, 15 years ago. Now, I'm going for a 3ct with metal work in the basket rather than any additional stones.

(rereading this, I sound neglected. I am not, I swear. I'm a control freak who keeps telling my husband not to buy me things and he respects that. About 3 weeks ago I asked him to design a ring with DK ... I am not neglected; I am well respected.)

I love my original e-ring and wedding band. It's a family heirloom set with a very sweet story behind it. Only reason I eventually got something else was because I was soooooo paranoid about losing it. I wanted something I could wear and be a little more relaxed with.

Ha ha, yup.

My husband likes to tease me for how I can get fixated and obsess over something that is on my mind. But, I don't do this with everything. I am otherwise pretty laid back. It is just when something bothers me...it bothers me! I know my current ones are the ones for me, and my forever rings, as there is no obsession except for the "I love looking at them" kind!