Rings - the bigger the better

When it comes to engagement rings, it's a case of the bigger, the better for Tauranga brides.
While the most famous bride-to-be in the world, Kate Middleton, sports a sapphire engagement ring, a solitaire diamond is still most popular here.
As with Miss Middleton's sizeable ring, brides are liking their jewellery bigger and flashier.
"We are definitely selling more bigger rings than we were 10 years ago," said David Peet, of David Peet Manufacturing Jewellers.
John Tullock, of Diamond Design, said there was no doubt that bigger diamonds were more in demand. "What I'm selling seems to have got bigger and bigger and bigger over the years."
An Australian survey found most men across the Tasman are spending $2000 to $15,000 on an engagement ring, or the average of two months' salary.
Mr Peet was told by a diamond salesman that the New Zealand average was more like $4000.
"I think people are a little bit more conscious of their budget ... It was easy come easy go before, where they could run up a lot of debt."
Tania Lilly, who owns Diamond and Co with husband Greg said customers were spending anything between $2000 and $15,000 on an engagement ring.
The average spend was $2000-$6000. She did not believe there was a set rule on how much to spend.
"Not many people can afford to spend two to three months' salary. That's a lot of money.
"I think people are just doing what they can afford. They are not getting so much into debt for it."
It's no longer just the man shouldering the responsibility for the ring's cost.
"They are both paying for the ring. A lot of the time it's a combined effort," Mrs Lilly said.
"Couples are sharing the budget they have got for a ring. That's really important. There's no use him having a budget of $2000 and her having a budget of $5000.
"They are talking about it because they are living together first.
"They know where they are at with their price range."
Most couples are choosing the engagement ring together and some women are already scouting for rings before their man's popped the question.
"The woman is definitely like 'I think he is going to propose to me in a couple of weeks, because we are going on holiday and we have been together a couple of years.'," Mrs Lilly said.
But the jeweller likes to encourage a man to pick a ring out himself and surprise his fiancee with it when he pops the question.
"I say to the guys that the moment you pull out the ring, when she knows nothing about it, you will never get that look on her face again.
"It's a real treasured thing. You can always change the ring."
Mrs Lilly said she tried to help a man choose the right ring by asking plenty of questions about his partner's lifestyle and taste.
The most popular choice of engagement ring was still the classic diamond solitaire, in a round brilliant or princess cut, she said.
White gold and platinum were increasingly popular.
Although a sapphire was good enough for Kate Middleton and Princess Diana, the jeweller did not recommend coloured stones for engagement rings.
"Coloured stones are lovely but you won't get the same wear out of it as a diamond," she said.
"For everyday practical wear, you are going to get issues with coloured stone engagement rings. You are going to get marks on it and have to pay to get it repolished.
"[Kate Middleton] is not going to be wearing it every day doing the house work and tidying up after the kids."