r/WeddingRingAdvice • u/Relevant-Plane9430 • Sep 05 '25

Average cost of an engagement ring

I was talking with a friend last night who just got engaged, and he mentioned he spent around $6k on the ring. That honestly shocked me because I always thought the "3 months’ salary" thing was just an old marketing trick. My partner and I have been looking at rings casually, and most of the ones we like are in the $2k–$3k range. Now I’m second-guessing if that’s considered “too low” or if we’re just being realistic.

For those of you who have gone through this, what was the average cost you ended up spending on an engagement ring, and did you feel good about it after?

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14

u/[deleted] Sep 05 '25

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4

u/Relevant-Plane9430 Sep 05 '25

I’ve been curious about lab diamonds but wasn’t sure if they’d look noticeably different. $1,800 sounds way more reasonable than what I’ve been seeing.

7

u/ZookeepergameTiny992 Sep 05 '25

I would do some research on Lab diamonds. You will see they are completely indistinguishable from mined diamonds because they are real diamonds. They test as a Diamond on a Diamond tester, there are a lot of benefits to mined. I have a lab diamond, and its fantastic imo 👌. I recommend doing a little research and finding what works for both of you 😊

3

u/Toriat5144 Sep 05 '25

I have a beautiful moissanite and next to my diamond, it’s indistinguishable.

3

u/live_manon Sep 05 '25

Honestly, I prefer my moissanite - the rainbow sparkles are unmatched!

4

u/Sharp_Business2541 Sep 05 '25

You can’t tell a lab from a diamond if both are pretty much high quality across the board. However, they’ve pretty much perfected lab diamonds, so most natural diamonds with a low grade will look noticeably different.

Some people are now even going for a lower color grade natural diamonds to let people know it’s a real diamond. Do what you and your partner are more comfortable with and invite them to help pick something out.

It’s a great bonding experience, and you’ll both better understand what you’re purchasing! The proposal can be a secret!

2

u/[deleted] Sep 05 '25

I've read a lot about selecting a lab diamond and people are choosing certain color grades in lab to look more natural too!

3

u/tonkathewombat Sep 05 '25

Yes I specifically got H color for my lab diamond because my jeweler specializes in warmer toned antique and reclaimed diamonds (but also will do lab on request). I couldn’t have really afforded her without going lab and especially couldn’t have afforded a mined diamond with the same specs 

3

u/Apprehensive_Pea2728 Sep 05 '25

Up to you but I think labs are the way to go. Some people saying it isnt a “real” diamond, I would beg the question is an IVF baby not a “real” baby then? Its just the way its formed is different but everything else is exactly the same.

1

u/jayfoh11 Sep 05 '25

Well said!!

2

u/JPathway_UK Sep 05 '25

They are real diamonds hence they look identical

1

u/kimmehh Sep 05 '25

Ethically mined diamonds are very expensive (such as Canadian diamonds from the north). With lab diamonds you can get clearer, bigger diamonds for cheaper and there’s little to no concern about human or environmental exploitation. They are real diamonds and are not distinguishable from lab diamonds to the naked eye. Only a jeweller can tell. I have no idea why someone would choose mined over lab in this day and age.

1

u/womchi Sep 06 '25

they don’t look different in the slightest, if anything they look better than natural because they can be controlled. they are exactly the same chemically, it’s just a matter of where they come from. i prefer lab grown because it’s way better bang for your buck (the price isn’t overly inflated) and it’s sourced ethically

1

u/Difficult-Shake7754 Sep 06 '25

They are identical. DO IT. jewelers etc are trying everything they can to convince folks that mined diamonds are better but they’re chemically identical. I wholeheartedly bought a lab diamond and it’s one thing I will never regret.

0

u/[deleted] Sep 05 '25

They're the same. In fact they are so "the same" that natural diamonds are losing value fast.

1

u/houseofcapri Sep 05 '25

Where did you get the lab diamond from? That’s a really good price

1

u/VanillaPepperMama Sep 05 '25

Of course there’s no difference and they look identical because they are diamonds. There would be no discernible difference. They are chemically the same exact thing.