I Lost My Engagement Ring and Replaced it With a $5.99 One
So, I lost my engagement ring… 😳
Yup, no joke. As many of you may remember, I lost my engagement back in 2018. I frantically searched and searched for it with no luck. 😩 If you’re new around here, let me back up to tell you how this whole situation came about.
Remember how I moved back in 2018?
Well, prior to packing up the old house, I noticed that the diamond in my engagement ring was coming loose. In order to prevent it from fully slipping out of the prongs, I decided to take off the ring and store it until I had time to get the prongs tightened at the local jewelry shop. Oh, and by “storing it” I mean I put it in a Ziploc bag and tossed it in my purse. Not the most secure or smart method, I know. 🙄 I honestly have no clue what I was thinking, like no clue at all.
After we started settling into the new house, the ring popped into my head one night (you know, those wonderful thoughts at 2 AM when you’re desperately trying to fall asleep but the long to-do lists and those “what if” scenarios pop in your head!). After worrying about the ring for an hour, I got out of bed and sure enough, as I started to rifle through my purse searching for it, it dawned on me that I could have thrown out my ring! 😫 Since the move was so chaotic, I might have confused the Ziploc bag for trash and tossed it away when cleaning out my purse.
I KNOW — my beautiful ring may be in the garbage somewhere!
Now, I’m not fully certain if this is exactly what happened, but all I know is that I’ve looked everywhere and I can’t find it. 😢
My hubby surprised me with how understanding he was about my brain apparently not working properly when I decided to put a diamond ring in a Ziploc bag in MY PURSE. 😮 He really pushed me to begin the process of looking for a new ring, though I really didn’t want to go overboard with the cost.
Scroll to the bottom of this post if you’d like to see what I chose for my replacement ring. 🤔
If you’re on the hunt for a beautiful engagement ring, here are some of the ways I took a budget-friendly approach to search for a new one:
1. Browse Etsy for one-of-a-kind designs.
Beautiful, stunning, and one-of-a-kind ring options await on the handcrafted marketplace Etsy! I love knowing that my ring will come from an artisan rather than a major retailer. I think it makes the ring that much more sentimental. But more importantly, I can find both traditional styles as well as alternative engagement rings well within my budget since the ring comes straight from the source.
2. Check out pawn shops for steep discounts.
Searching through a selection of pre-owned rings not only means a less expensive price tag, but I may also come across some antique finds, making my engagement ring a statement piece of jewelry. Every ring that is pawned OR sold to the pawnshop has to be tested to make sure they are made with real gold and real diamonds so they use a diamond tester and acid to ensure authenticity!
3. Purchase a non-traditional stone for a unique touch.
Who says an engagement ring has to have a diamond? There are some gorgeous stone options that are just as beautiful and cost way less, like moissanite, sapphire, emeralds, or whatever your heart desires! Plus, it’ll be a unique and alternative engagement ring style that better represents the relationship between my fun-loving hubby and me!
Another option is to go with cubic zirconia. These “stones” appear in many sizing and display rings and often shine brighter than diamonds!
4. Stop at the jewelry counter at Wholesale Clubs.
Guys, I’m serious! Next time you’re in Costco or Sam’s Club, stop by the jewelry counter. Their selection is just as impressive as the prices.
5. Get practical with ring materials for versatility.
Silicone rings are not only super budget-friendly as an alternative ring style, but they’re also crazy durable. I won’t have to worry about ever having to take it off before I sleep, clean, or workout — I can keep it on forever. But should I ever lose it, it’s an easy, wallet-friendly replacement that I won’t lose sleep over.
And if you lead an active lifestyle and/or do lots of manual labor work such as – construction, military duties, renovation, painting and more, silicone wedding bands are also a great solution to temporarily replace your formal wedding band, keeping it safe from being scratched or damaged.
Already sold on the whole idea? We love shopping trendy Enso rings and also Groove rings. Both companies offer premium quality rings with custom designs or even different shapes such as beaded rings, braided, hammered and more!
6. Look at outlet stores for savings on popular styles.
If you have a jewelry outlet store nearby, plan to pop in to see what they have in store. They may not have a unique assortment to choose from as other retailers, but the prices are usually a lot lower.
7. Attend estate auctions for rare and vintage rings.
Similar to pawn shops, these are second-hand rings, though there’s a good chance the design and style could be rare or no longer produced. Since they’re sold at an auction, you could potentially get a ring for an insanely low steal as well.
Hip Tip: We also shared tips on how to save double when you shop at thrift stores!
8. Travel out-of-state if you pay a sales tax where you live.
Even though Americans are spending 7-9% less on engagement rings than 2 years ago, the average cost is around $5,900 on an engagement ring — quite the sticker shock! 😱 So based on that price, there’s potential to save hundreds by traveling out of state to another area that doesn’t charge sales tax. This is something to consider since Nevada (where I live now), unfortunately, has a sales tax rate of 6.85%… BUT Oregon (which is close by) has NO sales tax!
9. Also, be sure to get your ring insured!
Better safe than sorry, right? While I did have a warranty on my ring, loss, theft, and damage outside of normal wear and tear aren’t covered. This helpful post by The Knot outlines all the basics of purchasing insurance for engagement and wedding rings.
So what did I end up deciding on?!
I really loved the idea of silicone rings as an alternative to traditional engagement rings and since we’re often posting deals on them, I ended up buying a few! I was surprised how much I liked them and how comfortable they are to wear. I also like that I no longer have to stress about having an expensive ring on my finger. Losing it, which apparently I do have an issue with that, is also a non-issue for me now.
I also love that you can work out with them on, and they come in so many colors and styles. I have 2 stacked together right now and they didn’t break the bank by any means! I paid around $5.99 for each ring during a prior sale we posted.
I’ve purchased silicone rings from both Enso rings AND Groove. Both are winners in my book! 💃
My favorite part – I can easily swap out styles and colors since the rings are so affordable. In fact, I was just browsing the Enso clearance rings here and I’m tempted to buy a few more! 🙌
Happy Ring Shopping!
Save the most money on your wedding day with these awesome tips!
I’m wearing 2 silicone rings right now! I love being able to change out the colors but still look like I’m actually married : ) I’ve been washing my hands so much this just seemed like the most practical choice right now
Yes, I LOVE how practical these rings are. 🙌
Hi, Collin!! I also lost my engagement ring either in the plane or at a lounge at an airport several years ago. I remember frantically looking for it quite a while, but it was gone. I cried about it every single day and felt bad for my husband, so I understand and feel your pain. I ended up buying another one from an online store. I’m so glad you’re happy with your new ring (yes, it’s pretty!! ) !!!
Aww, Happy you could grab a new one. Thanks so much for taking a moment to share your experience! ❤️
Same thing happened to me luckily we had insurance on it we originally bought it from costco. Its crazy what they paid out on it and the difference in ring we were able to replace it with.
I am buying jewelry soon from Costco. Was the difference really huge from the insurance? Is it worth it to insure? I do not want to buy the insurance if I really wont be able to replace it moneywise if I were to lose it. I have bought insurance on my appliances through other retailers (Best Buy) and it is a joke! They gave me the runaround when my 1 year old washer broke and they went around and around, sent a repairman who said the part was discontinued and they could not replace for over 8 months, and meanwhile -No washer! We finally decided to purchase a different washer from Costco and no problems whatsoever! Same thing from another retailer with a refrigerator and also an over the range microwave (not buying Samsung anything anymore-especially appliances) So I am really hesitant to buy insurance any more!
I insured mine through my homeowners insurance and lost it a few months ago. They paid out no problem and gave more than $1000 Over cost
Like Cheryl said, if you own your house, just add a rider to your homeowners insurance policy. Just tell them you want it for jewelry to make sure you have the correct rider.
Absolutely! Like Cheryl said….I also have mine insured through our homeowners policy along with my husbands ring. It falls under our Personal Articles Policy with State Farm and is extremely inexpensive for that peace of mind!
BTW….I have to agree with you on the Samsung appliances! THEY ARE HORRIBLE AND SO IS THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE!! We are on our third Samsung refrigerator in only 5 years! And it’s only me and my husband using it. Samsung will keep giving you the runaround until you get worn out and give up. Not my husband😂He called every single day until they took care of it. We got a brand new one after a year. They all had the exact same issue! Duh! Plus, there aren’t any repairman that want to touch Samsung appliances in our area. I can understand why!
FYI….The insurance you buy through your retailer is completely different than homeowners when it comes to jewelry. Call your insurance agent, you won’t be sorry.
I lost mine early on in my marriage. It was a two piece ring. My engagement ring fits into a studded wedding band. I had a bad habit of taking it off almost daily. I forgot to put it on for a few days. During that time I had cleaned house and got the trash out to the road for removal. A few days later when I went to put my ring back on I could only find my engagement ring. I couldn’t find my band. I concluded my toddler must have gotten into it. As I am bed I start going through scenarios in my head. I remembered hearing a big clank noise when vacuuming under my bed. I assumed at the time it was an M&M. I am pretty confident it was my band as I never found it. Sad part was the vacuum bag was full and I changed it and put it in the trash for trash pick up. It was long gone and to this day I have never found it. I solved my issue of continually taking off my rings from habit and put my engagement ring safely away. I tattooed my ring on so I would never lose it. 17 years later and still going strong.
I love that you tattooed your ring on! Does it go around your whole finger? I’ve been married over 3 decades and have been wanting to do that! Did it take very long and was it painful?
I had a great tattoo artist. He said it wouldn’t last if tattooed under the hand. I had a red band with black outline tattooed on the top and then on one side of the length of the finger I have my wedding date in numeral form and on the other side of the finger I have scripture Matt 19:6
It wasn’t any different pain wise than my other tattoos. You will need it to be touched up. Mine still looks fresh and it’s been many years.
I guess I don’t understand. My ring never comes off. 15 years I had it in the shop once for 3 days to add gold to the prongs that hold the stone in. I wear it in the garden, mow grass, doing dishes, shower, changing diapers, crafting, painting, using powertools, changing oil in my car, feeding my chickens, etc…
People should take rings off for hygiene purposes. Washing hands, cleaning, cooking, bathing, etc. Rings do not become clean when you wash your hands. Also, the area under the ring on a person’s hand will harbor more germs and leave one with unclean hands. Rings need to be cleaned in jewelry cleaner, especially if there are lots of stones, or it has an intricate design. It’s something to think about. Also, remember if your ring is made of gold, gold is a soft metal. If you wear it for all types of activities, you will wear down the gold.
My ring fits loose and moves around alot so maybe that has something to do with my being able to keep clean and always wear it.
Nonsense about wearing down the gold. I’ve worn my gold wedding band for 42 years, through raising children and running a daycare. It’s never been removed since my wedding day and no, it has not “worn down” at all. It does have room where I can wiggle it around and get soap and water underneath when washing my hands, which I do.
If you have never removed you’re ring, while changing diapers, handling uncooked food, etc, that’s highly unsanitary. We wash everything else we wear on our bodies, wedding rings need to be cleaned too.
*your
I think she referring to the prongs holding her stone, not the gold on her band. Prongs wearing down is not nonsense, I lost one of my diamonds a few years ago. When I had it replaced, they check all my prongs and I had several that needed to be repaired. I used to wear my rings all the time, now I take them off when I’m doing jobs that could cause damage.
I’m the same way. Never take it off.
I wore my ring all the time, too. Had the additional gold added to the prongs, too. Sadly, one of my smaller diamonds fell out after 19 years. The wedding ring was soldered to the engagement ring…I wish it wasn’t. I am looking for just a plain band to replace it for everyday wear.
Another mom at the bus stop told me she bought a cheap “diamond” set on Amazon when she lost hers. She paints it with clear nail polish to keep her finger from getting green. When it starts to look bad she gets another one for under $10!!
hello! friendly tax advice – please consult your state laws on use tax if you travel out of state to make a large purchase. in most (if not all) states, you are supposed to report non-taxed out of state purchases on your annual tax return and pay use tax on them. so technically the only way to avoid the tax is if you actually live in that state
Unless you regularly visit that other state or you live close to the border, the cost of gas would eat up the tax savings.
My husband lost his wedding ring that same way, I haven’t forgiven him 🙁 it means so much to me and for him it was just a piece of gold. Our 12th anniversary is coming up in a few days and he says just to get new ones, but I feel its not the same anymore. What are you guys thoughts?
I hear you, we had gotten his engraved with our date inside and it got lost taking off gloves while at work. It sucks, but have to move on. He’s had a silicon ring for about 4 years now. I found out I was allergic to nickel too. We got matching silicon rings from amazon.
Forgot to mention Qalo rings can be engraved/personalized on their website!
I understand that it’s hard to lose the ring but I deal with lots of people who have their husband’s wedding ring on a necklace because they have the ring and he’s gone. Try to focus on the fact that you’ve still got HIM. Why don’t you get a new SET of rings for the two of you and have a vow renewal, then you can put your “original” ring away for your kids and wear the new, matching rings?
Life happens. His love is not based on a piece of jewelry I am certain. Go shopping and help him pick out a new one and enjoy your time together. If it bothers you this much, ever considered matching ring tattoos?
My husband is prone to losing/misplacing things…keys, cell phone, wallet, etc. I knew this long before we were married and expected that he’d eventually lose his wedding band. He kept it much longer than I anticipated and when he did lose it, it didn’t bother me. We intentionally bought an inexpensive one so when we had to replace it we weren’t out a lot of money. I don’t think it means that he loves me any less or is any less committed, he’s just not good at keeping track of things.
My husband lost his after about 3 years of marriage. Took a baseball mitt off and it fell out in the grass, only we didn’t notice until later. We combed the whole park with a metal detector but I think someone must have picked it up. It was white gold to match mine and had a personal scripture engraved inside. He felt awful. We got a tungsten ring instead and had it engraved. He’s kept it for 11 years. It’s durable and “manly” and inexpensive.
I have to agree with you.
I don’t know…as the one who hardly ever wears the expensive engagement ring her husband bought her, I don’t think it’s a big deal, especially after 15 years. It’s not that I don’t love my husband, I just find it uncomfortable to wear, it snags on a lot of things, and it cost a lot of money so it’s a lot of pressure on me to not lose it. At the end of the day, it really is just a symbolic piece of metal, so don’t hold it against him.
I’ve been married for 25yrs. I have my original set. But my engagement ring lost a diamond 30 days after my husband gave it to me & the store had gone out of business so it cost him $100 to replace a small but noticeable missing diamond. Then at 10yrs of marriage no one was wearing yellow gold anymore and I really wanted a white gold one. Because we had 3 kids at that time, we have 5 now, I didn’t want to spend thousands. Oh and another diamond fell out of my engagement ring. So instead of buying another diamond I opted for a new set. I went to Walmart and got a beautiful 10kt white gold with a total of 1 karat diamonds, it has a lot of small ones on the band, for $300 on sale. I once had a jeweler try to tell me Walmart had low quality diamonds or they weren’t even diamonds at all. I didn’t tell him mine was from Walmart and my ring on my other hand was from J.C. Penney’s. He had a tester and told me the one on my right hand was worth about $200. I told him great because I paid $150. Then he checked my set. He told me that it was worth between $500 and $700 and was a decent quality. I couldn’t nicely resist telling him it was from Walmart but because it was a replacement I wanted something inexpensive. Of course, he told me I was very lucky getting what I got for the quality and price. 🤷♀️ Everything I’d looked at in jewelry stores that were very similar but only were a half of a karat diamonds total were $5000 and up! I was tickled pink!!! And it still looks and fits great to this day! It’s what’s in your heart not the item. After having a friend have hers that were very expensive stolen & I’ve had sentimental items stolen out of my storage unit from family members I was saving till the kids were all grown I’ve realized nothing in life lasts forever. It’s not the items that matter as much as the memories you have of those items. And I still have pictures of them to at least tell my children about. I cried for 2 months straight so I had to decide not to get emotionally attached to items. Just to the people and the memories. ❤️
My fiance wants a silicone wedding band because he can’t wear a traditional ring to work. I’m totally on board with him not wearing one to work because it could be really dangerous but I do want to have “real” rings. I’m negotiating to get gold rings to wear when we’re not working and a set of silicone rings for when we are at work so we can still be wearing matching rings.
Collin, I feel for you…I mean I really feel for you!!! I lost my engagement ring. (It belonged to my husbands great grandmother!!! No way you can begin to explain this to his family). On top of it, I’m Catholic so I’m filled with all sorts of guilt and need to repent. After searching high and low, visiting numerous pawn shops, I “punished” myself by not replacing it for @16 months still hopeful it would surface. Ten months after I replaced it (ring was gone for over 2 year), I found it in bottom of couch while searching for my daughter missing cell phone🥴. I’m telling you…I never screamed so loud and hugged my son so tight ( who happened to be standing next to me)! Good news too in that my inlaws are taking to me again 😂. I will pray you have the same good fortune but in the meantime, I think you chose a great replacement. 🙌🏻
Love your story!!:)
God is good!
I am always so shocked by people who don’t insure their jewelry. Why wouldn’t you?
Because most of the time insurance will not even cover half of what you paid for the jewelry. So you are paying out extra money and if you are lucky you may just get the money back you paid for the insurance. That is why most insurance is not worth it.
You have to submit a jewelry appraisal to your agent in order to the full value in case of loss or damage. That’s how our policy works with State Farm, but make sure you read your insurance policy (ie.fine print). Don’t buy ins. coverage from the seller either.
I’m married to an insurance agent so it was covered. In my case, it was more the sentimental value than financial coverage.
Love your silicone bands, Collin! Super cute. I never take my rings off because I’m totally irresponsible and would lose them. Like….for sure would lose them. My SIL works for Cartier though and scolded me for not cleaning my rings, so I started doing that just recently. Been married 20 years though so I went a long time not cleaning them 😂
I had loose prongs on the biggest diamond on my wedding set. I still wore it and lost the diamond somewhere on vacation in California.
My horror, when I realized it was gone.
We replaced the one diamond, but’s it looks different now. Had insurance on it, but we think they replaced it with lower grade diamond.
And the prongs are getting loose again.
I really like Primrose rings from Kohls. If you want an inexpensive. sparkly option, check them out.
I still have my rings thankfully in our safe, but can’t wear them as I have a bad reaction to anything I put on my fingers (almost like very bad Eczema that’s painful too). I bought 7 different Qalo rings on sale and love it 💗 I change it up either with my mood or my outfit.
I had a Tiffany solitaire I received when I got engaged. He had put it across two credit cards (had I known, I never would have allowed that). In China, I bought a lookalike for $20. I called it my “travel ring” and I figured if I was traveling I would wear it in case I was mugged. In 2010 I suffered post partum pre-eclampsia, and I had swelled so much they were forced to cut my Tiffany ring off. I have never looked back. The ring I wear now I bought on aliexpress for $4, I always get complimented on it, and if I lose it, I’m out $4. I’ll save my diamond for my daughter, if she wants it, but I’m not going back to real ever. The responsibility was way too great.
Thanks collin might have to get me some silicone rings, I farm with my husband and have not had a ring on my finger in 25 years. I seen what happens to a finger when working with moving equipment.
You’re so welcome, Karri! Hope you love yours too if you decide to grab one!
I have been wearing a .99 cent ring I bought in Florida last year at a small tourist shop. Not sure what it is made of but it is a simple black band and very comfortable. I had the main diamond fall out of my wedding ring at work a few months ago. I work in manufacturing and saw something fly off. When I looked down I saw the diamond was gone. Took me about 10 minutes, but I found it. We just don’t have the money to get it fixed now, so I wearing that .99 cent ring. It is much safer anyway, very little chance of it getting caught on anything. My other was constantly getting snagged on strings.
Someday when we have a little extra cash I will have it fixed. Probably will only wear on special occasions then. We do have it insured with our homeowner policy, but they don’t cover repairs, just lost or stolen. Check your home policy, maybe they have a special rider like mine does.
Years ago when we had our son in 2012, I opted to take my wedding ring off and not wear anything because I didn’t want to scratch my newborn son. I was also cloth diapering so I was washing my hands more than normal. Flash forward to today and 4 kids later, I just wear silicone rings. I have a newborn again and it’s been best for all my kids to do this. Its also is great for working out since I run and lift weights and do pilates. I like preserving my real wedding ring for special occasions or going to church. My husband doesn’t even wear his original ring. We bought him a $5 ring so he doesn’t scratch his original ring. You are not alone! Love is not about “things” or outward signs, its heart deep 💛
This is exactly why I won’t wear expensive jewelry anymore because i would most definitely lose it. Nowadays there are so many cool easy swap outs and beautiful inexpensive jewelry, it doesn’t make sense to risk losing a valuable sentimental piece..unless you’re super careful, but even still the stress of it is not worth it lol.
I lost my band and also lost the stone out of another ring. Fortunately, neither were terribly expensive. It’s. important to me to make sure that I don’t inadvertently support unethical practices associated with a lot of diamonds, so I have always worn colored stones (real and simulated sapphires) instead of diamonds. I love that you pointed out so many great alternatives. I definitely won’t ever be walking around with thousands of dollars on my finger given my absent minded ways!
Sorry you lost your ring! ❤
lost my stone the day I found out I was pregnant w my third child. Oddly calm was I, thinking this is an omen that the worst thing that could happen is monetary and not health related. It was insured but I didn’t replace it until we’d had our level 2 ultrasound and his fetal echo (we have a heart baby) and then only because my poor hub was upset that when we went out to eat a server asked if we wanted separate checks . Hub guessed it was because he had a ring on and I didn’t …not to mention was very pregnant at that point lol
We have my ring insured on a separate policy on our home insurance. I lost a ton of weight and my rings can’t be sized from a 9.5 to a 7, so they’re currently at a jewelry store until I decide what to do. This gives me some ideas and perhaps I will look at Etsy for a whole new set. Thanks!
You’re very welcome, Hilary! SO glad these ideas are helpful!
My aunt lost her diamond in her ring and we live in the midwest (MN), through 3 seasons with a rough winter she found the diamond shining at her while she was in front of her donut shop in the summer. A year after! We think it was her beloved husband who made sure the diamond shined for her attention. She went to her jeweler and the serial # matched her missing diamond.
❤️
Wow! That’s amazing! Thanks so much for letting us know how she found the diamond! SO awesome! 💗
For those looking for an alternative to an expensive ring or to replace one. I would suggest you buy a 14kt. or 10 kt. setting. It won’t turn your finger colors, it won’t tarnish and the prongs are strong enough to hold. You can get beautiful looking czs that look like the real thing or even better! No one will know the difference! 😉
Thanks so much for the helpful tip! 🙌💍
After my last baby my set no longer fits. I’m determined to loose the weight (….4 years later—that’s another story). But I replaced it with a $12.99 sterling silver set from Amazon. And, guess what…I love it more! It’s taken all the abuse I can give it and still shines years later. I get compliments on it from strangers. I’m a big fan of jewelry…but I think today’s norm of $6k (or whatever) on an engagement ring is pretty wasteful and insane.
And, can I just say, I’m OBSESSED with that blue emerald cut right hand ring. <3 So so pretty!
I also lost mine and also think I threw it away in ziploc bag. This was wedding ring and emerald cut engagement ring too. It makes me super sad and panicky when I think about it. I have never bought anything else. Part of me just thinks I only want the original.
Collin….I’m so sorry! I totally understand your pain….I put my diamond earrings in my napkin one night while eating dinner. They were my wedding gift from my husband and meant so much to me.
I thought I had put them in my jewelry box after dinner, but I must have fallen asleep and the napkin got tossed. It was too late by the time we realized it.😥 I replaced them with nice faux diamond earrings😬
Oh bummer! SO sorry to hear about how you lost your earrings. Happy you could find some nice replacements!
I lost my engagement and wedding rings back in 2018 too. While the sentimental value of what’s gone still bothers me from time to time, I’ve had to move on. When I was still looking and hoping they’d turn up, I bought a CZ set from Amazon (they really do sell everything). For the $60 I spent, no one has ever thought they weren’t real and I don’t have to stress about losing them. I may get a new ring at some point, but for now they work just fine, and it’s the commitment, not the ring that matters. 🙂
I have a cheapie stainless steel band that could pass for silver/white gold/platinum. I’m in healthcare and it’s super simple to keep clean and doesn’t get in the way during my daily activities. I like having something on my finger because I look very young and this is a good option for me.
You’re not alone in this. I lost my wedding band 20 years ago and my husband can no longer wear his. Let’s just say that the rng got smaller over the years.😉
Aww, Thanks for sharing that, Denise. 😉💕
I’m so glad to hear that people are using stand-ins. I remember when women would upgrade and/or modernize their original rings as an anniversary gift to themselves (my mom included). After my third child and some weight gain many years ago, my rings were too uncomfortable to wear. I started to wear plain, cheap bands but felt like I was breaking some kind of unwritten marriage law! Love the silicon idea.