Hard to argue with above logic. Luckily, marriage norms dont often follow logic lol.
Probably all these questions are best to ask your lady/gent. You can get gold with diamond rings under 10k easily. You can also spend millions. I doubt if taiwan really differs much than most countries in this regard.
How does your partner live? Care about human rights, environment, poliucs, face, parties, comfort, being taken care of, investments etc? Probably aim the ring towards her morals, lifestyle and future is the best bet. Then find a place that matches said importances. Regardless of all those, custom does scream you care a lot…time investment on top of the monetary one.
My sister is a jewellery designer and one of her collections uses inlaid wood. Lots of people ask her to make engagement and wedding rings in the same style, but she always advises against it as they require much more care. You can’t take them in the shower for example.
It’s been a few years. I think it was around 90k ntd for both hers and mine. Her ring only has a small diamond in it. The material was either platinum or titanium, I can’t remember. They probably don’t have the prices on some of the rings because you can choose which diamond you want, which would change the price.
I’m glad you mentioned steel, because I wanted to get surgical steel rings. I can’t wear jewellery made from anything else, or I get a pretty bad allergic reaction. :C
Don’t have one to recommend, but local friend recommended (at time of engagement) a 金樓.
Worked out well. They’re since retired.
But visit 2-3 and you’ll get idea of prices.
No Everybody asks me that question. My parents pierced my ears as a baby and tried multiple kinds of earrings. All of them had the same reaction (my skin would hurt and turn greenish). I had the same issue trying to wear rings as a teenager.
And I can see the results of wearing a gold ring for years, because my grandma had the same reaction and the skin around her wedding ring turned green.
I would guess the gold you wore in the past had some nickel in it. Even 24k gold can have trace amounts of nickel. I guess you’d have to try it to know. How fast does your skin show the allergic reaction?
Stay away from any jewelry with nickel in it and you should be ok.
You may also want try 950 platinum or grade 4 titanium.
First of all, you need to know what your partner is looking for in an engagement ring. Some of them, especially in Taipei, just want the brand name, maybe even size, just so they can feel good when comparing with friends.
In that case, just go to Tiffany, Hearts on Fire, I-primo, Cartier… the kind of places that breaks the bank.
If your partner is the kind that hates spending too much on jewelry, has requirements other than brand, or don’t really have an opinion on this, you have more options.
If your partner has hard requirements on size, or the quality of the diamond, or both, then you might try places like DY jewelry (大亞), AMC, or Aluxe. There used to be a place near NTU where the diamond shop looked more like a boba place, I can’t find it on google maps anymore. If that place is still around, it’s probably one of the cheapest place you could find a GIA certified diamond.
You could also buy a diamond from one of the cheaper places mentioned above, and then buy the ring separately. In some places, such as AMC, you can rent a ring to go with the diamond you’ve bought, and they will glue the diamond on. You can propose with it, then go ring shopping together afterwards at places that makes custom rings. AMC, ALUXE, and countless others.
Are you marrying a Taiwanese? Traditionally, you also need to prepare a bride price red envelop for her family (probably around 300k at least). In return her family would probably prepare a 24k gold necklace for you.
Rings are more of a modern addition, if I understand correctly.
Have you tried Costco’s jewelry section? I’m not sure about here, but in the US Costco’s jewelry is high quality and has minimal markup, so I’d hope it would be similar here.
Everybody asks me that question. 
My parents pierced my ears as a baby and tried multiple kinds of earrings. All of them had the same reaction (my skin would hurt and turn greenish). I had the same issue trying to wear rings as a teenager.