Planning on Proposing Soon: Am I Overpaying for the Ring?
Hey, everyone!
As I gear up for one of the biggest moments in my life—proposing to my partner—I’ve been doing a ton of research on engagement rings. But with all the options out there, I can’t help but wonder: Am I overpaying?
Budgeting for Love
Before diving in, let’s talk about budgets. Traditionally, many suggest spending two to three months’ salary on an engagement ring. While that can guide some, I believe it’s important to focus on what feels right for you and your partner. Do they prefer something extravagant, or are they more into minimalist designs? Knowing their style can help you determine where to allocate your budget.
Gemstones, Cuts, and Settings: What Really Matters?
When it comes to choosing the perfect ring, there are so many factors. Different gemstones, diamond cuts, and settings can radically alter the price. Are you leaning towards a classic diamond, or are you considering alternative stones like sapphires or moissanite?
Here’s a quick breakdown of some elements to consider:
- Gemstone: Natural diamonds often come with a higher price tag. However, lab-grown diamonds and alternative gemstones can be just as beautiful and are often more budget-friendly.
- Cut: The cut of a stone impacts its brilliance. Popular cuts like the round brilliant tend to be pricey, while emerald and princess cuts might give you more bang for your buck.
- Setting: Simple settings are often less expensive than intricate ones. A solitaire setting can put more prominence on the stone without breaking the bank.
Sharing & Learning Together
I’d love this community to come together to share our experiences, especially when it comes to pricing. Let’s discuss our purchases, ask questions, and gain insights!
- Have you compared prices from different jewelers or online retailers? Did you find a favorite?
- What gemstone and cut did you choose, and why? Was it worth the price?
- How did you factor in your partner’s style when making your choice?
Show Off Your Rings!
I’ve attached a picture of the ring I’m considering! 🌟 It’s a [insert details about the ring: gemstone, cut, setting]—what do you think? I’m nervous about the price tag, but I want to ensure it reflects my love and commitment.
Share your rings and thoughts below! Let’s support each other on this romantic journey. Whether you’ve already popped the question or are preparing to, your stories and advice are invaluable!
Looking forward to hearing your experiences!
Happy posting! 💍✨
It would be easier to answer with more details—like the band width and the gold percentage, but I think this is way too expensive regardless. Lab grown diamonds go for like 200-500/ct depending on the color/clarity etc.
That seems pretty expensive compared to some online jewelers. Same quality for almost half the price.
Yes that is very overpriced
I think it’s super dependent on the jeweler you go to. (We went to a family owned place not a big chain)Mine looks kinda similar and is lab, I think my fiance paid about $2500 but when we got it appraised for insurance they said it was worth more.
https://preview.redd.it/b45835b514vf1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5bda3fc5076347ff5c3470499bc631313dbc6d49
Extremely. Check DMs
Yes, $3000 would still be overpaying but more reasonable from an in person jeweler
More than overpaying, you’re getting outright hozed. That’s a $600 lab diamond in a thin gold band. It shouldn’t cost half what you paid.
Not 100% apples to apples but I picked up a 2 ct round lab stone with the exact same specs set in a simple bezel setting for $800. I did get it in a bit of a fire sale from a vendor closing shop, but I think the original price was under $2000.
This looks exactly like my mom’s ring and my dad still complains they over paid lol. I would take everyone else’s advice!
You’re definitely paying way too much!
Look at calavera New York / Aurelinne / Jewelry by Cleo / Ruby Harper /
Hope that helps… also Rare Carat will price match.
Absolutely you can get natural for that price almost
Yes way way overpaying
Go to local jeweler ☺️
My husband paid about $4,000 usd for my 4.2 carat vvs1 D color. Lab grown of course! With 6 prongs and floral diamonds underneath. Pave 75%
Yes, you overpaid by a lot. I paid around $1800 for a 2.7ct D vvs2, triple x with a 2.2mm platinum, half pave band. And even I overpaid by a little. Can you return this ring and use the money you save to upgrade your honeymoon?
I purchased my ring online from a US based store. The ones mentioned frequently in r/labdiamond are rare carat, calavera, dreamstone, luvansh, ruby harper…I’m forgetting some. You will be okay with any of the online places as long as they price match AND accept returns. They all have the same virtual inventory which is why you’ll see the exact same diamond on multiple websites for different prices. You know it is the same diamond because you can compare the IGI/GIA certificate number. Some of the popular online sites also have physical locations you can visit.
I have purchased complete rings from rare carat and dreamstone and have also done returns with both of them with no issues. Rare carat prices for diamonds seems a bit high because you have to price match the diamond to another, less expensive site. I purchased from them because they had the setting I wanted for the least expensive price. So my diamond was listed for over $5k on their site and then they price matched down to $1k.
Most folks seem to price match to calavera or auralinne because they have the lowest prices on loose diamonds. So you could also browse those sites to see what the prices of loose diamonds are like. But, if you purchase a complete ring from either of those sites, the ring isn’t returnable. That is why most people use them for price matching but purchase a complete ring from somewhere else.
I said I overpaid on my ring a little and that is because I didn’t price match to Calavera, I price matched to another site because it was easier for me to search by the diamond certificate# on that site. On calavera, you have to search by specs and narrow it down and then compare certificate #s.
Look on Etsy!! My husband paid $450 for a beautiful moisonite emerald cut ring (2 ct) with a gold band and it’s gorgeous!! Moisonite is known for having similar properties and hardness as a diamond, so that’s why I chose that gem instead of a diamond, just incase I break or lose the gem/ring he can easily just buy the exact same ring again and not have to break the bank too much! I’m sure Etsy also has lab grown diamonds, but if your future finance is okay with a non-diamond ring, moisonite is a great alternative for cheap and there’s also other gems like sapphires, emeralds, and unique antique/handmade rings on there as well!
For reference, this stone has the same specifications and retails for $700
https://calaveranewyork.com/?id=03cea8ee-4707-4eef-b452-9d13c07d6431&stoneType=diamond
Not me seeing if any of these men’s hands are my bfs every time lol. But yea, overpriced imho.
$5,400 for supposedly less expensive is a laugh. Yes I agree too much for only a ring.
Definitely over priced
Check my recent post. I got that for roughly 2k and that’s a 3.55 carat oval color F vvs2
It’s overpriced
100% YES
Waaaaaaaaaay over priced. I could get that made custom for $800. There’s hardly any gold and the diamond is worth about $400.
Very overpriced. There are so many online jewelry stores that can definitely get you a better price. And these small shops are honest and reputable.
I have a similar ring, same cut and similar size, with a thicker 18ct band and it was around 2000€ and i still feel like it was overpriced but we wanted to get it from the eu and not a chinese vendor. 5000$ is a terrible deal even if the ring is beautiful
Here’s the advice I got from engagement ring shopping from a very kind lady;
Get your diamond sourced out from somewhere else if you can. Go get it made or even sourced out as well from a smaller/family owned business.
Bigger franchises will overcharge you.
Not sure if your in CAD or US but – I’m from CAD. We got quoted 6k for a custom made. With a protection plan & free cleaning & tightening for life included. 3.5ct Oval Diamond (lab grown) – custom antique engraving. With a whole bunch of extra stuff. This is with a small family owned jeweller – they are willing to source out a diamond for us to custom make it. I was very particular on how the facets look on the Oval cut.
Absolutely overpaying, my fiancé paid a little less than that for a 4.5 ct diamond. F clarity. He got it from a Chicago based jeweler called GageDiamonds
That’s a $2800 ring
Price aside, what a BEAUTIFUL ring and you got taste
Yes you are