As many a chauvinist would say, the engagement ring is your downpayment for world of hurt. But for many guys, the process of procuring a ring alone is already a world of hurt.

The whole three-month’s pay rule is basically a marketing ploy but that’s how rings are viewed these days. And how much you earn in a month would dictate the kind of ring (based on color, clarity, and carat) that you can afford.

Here’s one of the most expensive engagement rings out there – the De Beers platinum ring. The diamond on this one’s 9 carats. Not really the biggest but is almost flawless and tops in clarity.

It’s valued at $1.83M.

Now that’s how many decades of work before Mr. Average Joe can buy this ring?