<human>: Can you summarize the given text in a few sentences?

So, my lovely boyfriend of two years proposed and I'm a giggly school girl.  However, upon telling my mother, she immediately told me I need to get a new ring.  For background, the ring we were planning to use as an engagement ring is a ring he got me last year.  It's white gold with a large ruby as the center stone and two side diamonds.  I love it and am more than happy to wear it the rest of my life.  It helps that just using this ring will really help with the financial situation - we are both still dealing with college debt.  However, my mother told me point blank that my family (traditional Southern) will absolutely not accept that we are engaged until I have a diamond on my finger.  (So, she is the only one who knows on my side of the family so far; my partner's family all know would be just fine if there were no rings and we just eloped without inviting anyone.)  She even went so far as to say there is a minimum size for the diamond!  She probably won't be happy until as much money is spent on the one ring as we are hoping to spend on the whole wedding.  That said, I think she might be right about my family looking down on my SO (who they currently think is great) if I don't have a center diamond.  I'm currently planning on testing the waters with my family (subtle questions, mentioning that diamonds only became popular relatively recently) to see if her beliefs are correct, but I can't stop worrying about it in the mean time.  Any advice or stories to share?
<bot>: Have a ring with a center ruby I'd like to use as an engagment ring. Mother dearest says nothing but a diamond will do for my family to accept the engagement.  Advice?