7 Reasons Why I Don't Want an Engagement Ring

1.) I don't tend to wear jewellery, especially rings. I will play with it and then lose it.

2.) Is it worth the money? It's not something I can use. And it's not even an investment like in gold, which when melted can be purified. it can be reformed, weighted and be priced fairly and uniformly. Diamonds on the other hand vary in weight, colour, cut and clarity, so it is very difficult to price without subjectivity. Apparently it is likely when you've purchased that diamon ring, its value will fall once you walk out the door with it.

3.) Are they even that rare? Apparently not, millions and millions are mined every year. The owners of these mines know to stockpile them up to restrict supply and therefore keep prices high

4.) Gifting a diamond ring to your fiance is not even a longstanding historical tradition or culture. It actually started from a highly successful marketing campaign by De Beers in the 1930s. They even advised that men should spend a month's wages on it (in japan they said 3 months!). 

5.) I do not like the idea of advertising my relationship status, or people having the thought that I must have an amazing boyfirend who is rich enough to buy me a diamond ring (he is brilliant by the way, but not because he'd buy me a ring).  My relationship should not be judged by the size of a diamond ring on my hand, and I should not be judged by my relationship status. My relationship status is for my family and friends to know, not by strangers.

6.) I'm aware that its mostly women who wear the engagement rings. And i do not like the connotations associated with that, that the women is now "taken", and that she belongs to a man. Why doesn't the man have to wear one then?

 7.) Blood diamonds. AKA conflict diamonds. Many diamonds are mined in war zones and are used to fund dirty conflicts involving child soldiers, slavery and labour. Do we really want to be funding this? No.