You might be curious why “2-months” salary is the quote-on-quote minimum to spend on an engagement ring (and by the way, that is definitely NOT the case anymore!). Pricing engagement rings can be tricky, but think of it in two parts: the ring and the diamond. The ring itself is a solid piece of precious metal and may or may not contain precious stones.  

​

Please note: This page should be used as a guide only. All prices within this page are generalizations or estimates and will not be 100% accurate. Please consult your jeweler for more accurate pricing.

​

Consider the price of gold or platinum, the time it takes to design, mold, cast, and refine the ring, and the expertise to source and set the accent stones. Most plain ring mountings in gold run between $500 and $800 depending on weight. An accented mounting with diamonds or other gemstones can start at $1000 and go up to $3000 or beyond, depending on the weight of the precious metal and the carat weight of the diamonds.  

​

The diamond can be any price – you name it. If you only have $1000 to spend on a diamond, it will be a smaller diamond with average color and clarity. It’s not possible to find a large diamond for that price, they simply don’t exist! This applies to stones of larger carat weight too – a 1ct diamond will not be lower than $4000, a 1.50ct diamond will not be lower than $8000. These are estimations, of course, and not exact but the principle still stands.  

​

Let’s take this ring for example:  

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 This is a basic solitaire engagement ring with one stone, probably in a 14k white gold mounting. The center stone appears to be at least one carat. Depending on the quality of the diamond, this ring could be near $5000. The mounting is simple, so it’s probably no more than $500-$600 – that leaves the rest of the price to the diamond!  

​

This ring could also be as low as $1500, if you choose a smaller diamond. Or, this ring could be as expensive as $17K if you choose a D/VVS 2.50ct diamond!  

​

There is no “one price” for engagement rings. If you have a budget, your jeweler can find you a ring. Everyone deserves their dream diamond – and it’s easy to decide on a budget if you know what to look for!  

​