A 30-year-old man who spent $20,000 (£14,000) on an engagement ring has revealed his fiancée doesn't think it's good enough.
The unnamed man posted on Reddit about his difficult predicament, asking: "AITA [Am I The A**hole] for buying my fiancée a lab grown diamond and refusing to exchange it for a natural stone?"
He explained his fiancée, 27, initially seemed happy with the ring, but then asked him how much he'd spent.
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"I told her that I had spent about $20,000 on it that I had been squirrelling away for the last 10 years," he said.
"She was initially floored that I had spent so much but later became suspicious that I had managed to get such a large stone (3.6 carats) for the price, and asked to see the diamond certificate I got with the ring.
"I, of course, showed it to her (I thought she was worried I had been duped into buying a fake) and when she saw it was lab-grown she got upset that I hadn't bought her a 'real' diamond.
"This reaction stunned me for a couple of reasons.
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"Firstly, I had always been open in my distaste for the natural diamond industry, and secondly because I had employed the assistance of her friends and mother and everyone agreed that she wouldn't care if the diamond was lab-grown."
The man said he'd trying explaining to his partner 'multiple times' about his reason for opting for a lab-grown diamond.
He said: "It is better for the environment, I know the exact origin of the stone, so I know it isn't a conflict stone, and ultimately it is better value for the money and I wanted to get her the most beautiful ring possible."
He also said she would have had 'no clue' had he not told her, saying that lab-grown diamonds are 'indistinguishable from natural ones unless you look at their certificate'.
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The man said his fiancée had since asked him to exchange the ring for a natural stone 'of equivalent value', adding: "The idea of potentially getting a blood diamond really does sicken me.
"So I said no, and said if she wanted to give the ring back and end our relationship, that is fine, but I would not exchange it.
"She called me an a**hole and went to stay the night with her parents. Since then I have received multiple texts from her friends telling me to just acquiesce and exchange the ring (and, ultimately, I will if it means saving the relationship) but I just feel like this is something worth being firm on."
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Many other Reddit users sided with the bloke, and concluded he was 'NTA' (Not The A**hole).
One commented: "NTA - I can't understand why you'd want to be with someone who is willing to actually end a relationship over a non-conflict diamond that was given to her out of love and a hope for a future together."
Another said: "NTA You spent $20,000 on a ring and she isn't happy? I think you have bigger fish to fry. What's going to be enough for her?"
A third added: "NTA. Jesus christ. Your fiancee sounds deeply materialistic."
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