i hate all my engagement ring options

If you are unsure of what you want now and don't want to spend too much on diamonds, have you considered just getting a cubic zirconia ring and then upgrading to a real diamond once you figure out what you want/can save up more money? My FH wanted me to pick out my diamond ring so he proposed with a cubic zirconia ring that he bought at Macy's for $40. About a month later we picked out the real diamond ring together.

You could also consider stones other than diamonds! Opals are really nice, and my cousin has a sapphire engagement ring that she loves.

I understand you're frustration, moreso with your feelings on diamonds. They're not rare, and they are incredibly marked up for profit, and worth less than half if you resell it the second you buy it. For those reasons, I didn't want one. I would look into alternatives! I custom-made my own engagement ring with morganite and white sapphires. NO ONE could tell they weren't diamonds! And what really matters most? Having people know they're real, or saving the money?

My engagement ring was very affordable, literally less than half than a friend of mine's who has all real diamonds.

Besides, it's not what stones you choose, or how expensive you ring was, it's what the ring symbolizes, which is his commitment to you. That's ALL that really matters!

What kind of ring are you looking for? I'd look at Etsy too. As long as you like the ring, that should be all you care about! His ex is his ex for a reason, she can say whatever she wants, he isn't her husband anymore, he's yours! I looked at a local jewelry store that was much cheaper than places like Zales, and found a beautiful antique design I loved.

I got my band from Local Eclectic. They have awesome and unique ring sets (and individual rings) for as low as $55, but they seem pretty durable and they ship out pretty quickly. They're definitely not traditional, but if anything, they make for beautiful temporary rings.

(And yeah, ignore his ex. You and your FH's relationship is the only thing that matters now.)

Why not an inexpensive band for now? No need to rush this--you'll want to find a ring you'll LOVE to wear everyday. My hubby proposed with a temp band I wore for six months until we had the time to go ring shopping (we went to several stores because I wanted to be confident I was making the right decision!). I only wanted 1 ring (2 rings together look too clunky on my fingers)--so I was debating between a fancy band or e-ring (went with e-ring). Happy I took time to look.

What style are you looking for? I was very picky...I wanted rose gold, I DID NOT want a halo (which 90% of what you see where we live are). I wanted the center stone to sit high, but not have the cathedral look that is also popular. And I wanted a cushion cut diamond. Which apparently, is not too popular either.

We went to a local jeweler and basically, had my ring made. I found a band I loved, they brought out numerous diamonds and different "heads" they could use to set them and we had a ring in less than a week. I was shocked at how great they were to work with and that the prices were comparable to online.

If money is an issue, consider a moissanite. You can always upgrade later.

I would go to a custom jeweler together and design the ring. That way you can incorporate both of you in it and it is 100% unique. Otherwise, maybe check out vintage and antique rings. A lot of the rings that you can get from jewelers that sell them are so unique and not like anything you see today.

I don't think you should buy something expensive if it's just temporary. I would go with something fun like a Qalo silicone band, or let your fiance pick something out for under $200. You also don't need to share it on social media if you don't want his ex to see it. You can share your custom designed ring when that's done.

For now, I'd do a small ring to try out styles not with a diamond. My FH and I built my ring on James Allen, and the entire process was super simple and when we had the ring appraised afterwards at the local shop it appraised for almost triple of what we bought it for.

I second Brilliant Earth. FH designed mine with them and they were great. They have a wide range of bands/styles to choose from and you can customize the setting and diamond shape. I wanted a vintage look and they did an awesome job. When we were looking for wedding bands we actually chose Art Deco bands from a vintage jeweler and it matches my ring perfectly, you would never know one is real vintage and one is just designed to look it! lol. They have showrooms in a few different states, if you have the chance to visit one it's fun and the associates are great to work with! Side note: FH changed his mind twice about the bands he ordered and both times they sent them back and exchanged them ASAP. Another option as PP's suggested is to go with something other than a diamond. Sapphires, rubies, etc are gorgeous and unique!