Newcomer Do you wear a diamond engagement ring?

[ValeriaGring]

Hello everyone - I have plans to marry an Argentinian in the coming year and settle down in the city of Cordoba. On a recent trip back to the States, my mom gave me her diamond engagement ring to wear. It's just one small diamond on a thin gold band, nothing flashy, but it's still much larger than the traditional gold wedding band worn here.

I would like to wear the ring but I am nervous of being targeted for theft. My suegra and expat friends are freaked out by my desire to wear the ring everyday, and have advised me to save it for special occasions. I admit feeling nervous the few times I have worn it, but I think that thieves are more interested in my purse than any jewelry.

Should I wear the ring on a regular basis? Do you have an advice? If you wear a diamond engagement ring, have you been targeted by criminals? If you have a ring but don't wear it, why not?

Thanks so much for your replies.

 

[CremaIce]

If you like the ring, don't wear it unless you're going to generally safe areas... in a car, accompanied, to spend time with people you know.

Diamond rings are not common here at all and very expensive... I personally wouldn't want to risk loosing the ring or catching some chorro's attention. That said, I do wear my simple gold jewelry which consists of a couple rings and small earrings and never had any issues. Knock on wood.

Chances are the ring itself won't cause you to get robbed (I'm not sure how keen of an eye thieves have when it comes to jewelry, considering costume jewelry is quite popular here), but you never know when you will cross paths with a thief who simply takes everything you have... it happens rather often and unexpectedly... and your ring may end up lost along with your other valuables.

 

[MarkLia]

I wear a ring daily with diamonds in the band, but only halfway around, and I turn it to the plain side when I am on the train, subway, etc. When I've had friends visit, I always strongly suggest they leave their nice jewelry at home. I'm guessing you would be devastated to lose your mom's ring, so I would not wear it except in specific situations.

 

[MarkLia]

I wear a ring daily with small diamonds in the band, but only halfway around, and I turn it to the plain side when I am on the train, subway, etc. When I've had friends visit, I always strongly suggest they leave their nice jewelry at home. I'm guessing you would be devastated to lose your mom's ring, so I would not wear it except in specific situations.

 

[AronJust]

When my husband bought my engagement ring he asked if I wanted a big diamond that would then live in the safe except on very special occasions, or would I like a smaller, cheap diamond that I could wear every day. I decided on the smaller one, there seemed no point in having an engagement ring if I can't wear it!
I turn it around inside my hand when walking through areas I don't like so much and always leave it at home when going places like La Boca.
However, my ring was bought specifically to wear around BA. If it were a ring of sentimental value from my family, I would not wear it because I would just never be able to stop worrying about it.

 

[ValeriaGring]

Thanks for all the feedback, ladies. I would definitely be crushed if the ring was stolen...That was a good idea about getting a smaller ring just so you feel comfortable wearing it around town.

 

[TechNow]

I gave my wife a diamond engagement ring and she made me return it!!!!! She said she had no intention of being a target.

Only in Buenos Aires do women refuse diamonds. That just goes to show how F*CKED UP the whole crime situation is.

 

[earlyretirement]

I bought my wife a fairly large diamond ring when we got engaged many years ago in Buenos Aires. She wore it daily and didn't have problems but she never took the bus or subway at all. I also wore daily a diamond ring given to me by my parents. Haven't taken it off since I was in college and didn't want to change that living in Buenos Aires. I never had any problems.

Really, I've never heard about someone getting their ring stolen. However, I have known several friends and tourists that got their Rolex or Cartier watch stolen. Thieves seem to target Rolex and Cartier watches.

Probably smart to be cautious as things are getting worse and worse there but I never had any problems with my ring.

 

[AndriuUSA]

I am sorry but I am laughing a bit at some responses. I live in a good area of Palermo (as I have bragged previously) and knock on wood I have never had a tense moment here in three years. But my friend tells me she was once knocked down near here on the sidewalk by 3 men who took her nice high-heeled shoes and left her barefooted. No thanks. I won't wear diamonds here. If I were going to a private party or opera or something and took a taxi directly there, I might, if I even kept them here, which I don't. I'm happy for those who wear them though, and still have possession! That's great.