Warren Buffett Tried Convincing Bill Gates To Pay Nearly $400 Million For An Engagement Ring — The Marriage Ended In A Divorce With No Prenup

At the time, Gates’ net worth was estimated at $6.2 billion, which meant following Buffett's advice would set the ring’s price at $370 million. Despite the suggestion, Gates did not indulge in the recommendation. Instead, he chose a more understated approach, ultimately proposing to Melinda with a 1-carat diamond ring. Reflecting on the day's less-than-extravagant outcome, Buffett later said, “We didn’t have quite as big a day that Sunday as I had hoped.” The proposal led to a marriage in 1994, and the Gateses were together for 27 years before their separation. Their union was managed without a prenuptial agreement but through a separation agreement when they parted ways. Reports circulated that Melinda Gates received around $76 billion, though this was not officially confirmed. If Gates had taken Buffett's advice, today’s equivalent of such a purchase would be around $800 million, accounting for inflation. With such a budget, Gates could have acquired some of the world's most famous diamonds, like the 59.6-carat Pink Star or the 14.62-carat Oppenheimer Blue. While Gates may not have been keen on spending millions on an engagement ring, he did not hold back when it came to his residence. His Medina, Washington, estate, known as Xanadu 2.0 after the fictional home of Charles Foster Kane from “Citizen Kane,” represents a significant investment. Gates bought the land in 1988 for $2 million and spent $63 million building the expansive 66,000-square-foot mansion, now valued at around $130 million. Buffett, who still resides in the modest Omaha home he purchased in 1958 for $31,500.