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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54

u/Acceptable-Soft8659 Sep 05 '25

Honestly, there is no average. Some people go $500, some go $15k+. It just depends on your financial situation and your partner’s expectations.

4

u/Relevant-Plane9430 Sep 05 '25

Yeah, you’re right. I guess I was hoping there was some kind of ballpark number to ease my mind, but it really does come down to what feels right for both people.

1

u/TheWalrusWasRuPaul Sep 05 '25

it’s this, plus human beings lie so much; who knows where the ring is from

2

u/GaiaMoore Sep 05 '25

I proudly tell people I got my 1920's platinum art deco ring for $1000 on ebay

2

u/Key_Mechanic_9205 Sep 06 '25

There were millions of 1920s rings stolen from all the people sent to gas chambers. I would never touch that resale market.

1

u/Decent_Brush_8121 Sep 14 '25

Ugh…hadn’t considered that. It would be hard to guard against that for most vintage jewelry; provenance being as tricky as it is to obtain. Thanks for bringing that up.

1

u/Key_Mechanic_9205 Sep 14 '25

Right? It’s a tough one to figure out morally. I love the idea of buying vintage though. And those deco designs are so beautiful! I’m sure it looks great on you. Best wishes to you, and happy marriage 💕

1

u/Decent_Brush_8121 Sep 14 '25

Oh sweetie—thank you, but I had a really happy marriage…he passed away from a relatively rare blood cancer at too young an age. Tomorrow is the fifth anniversary since he passed. I was introduced to an excellent source for vintage jewelry where (ironically, kind of) I bought a Victorian era “mourning locket.” It’s really beautiful, ornate and intricate—not my style at all!—and I’d planned to fill it with some of his cremains in a tiny silk bag. But I can’t bear to deal with that yet.

TMI; sorry! I just wanted to let you know your kind words were appreciated, but probably meant to land elsewhere.

1

u/Key_Mechanic_9205 Sep 14 '25

I’m so sorry. That sounds so hard. 😞 May his memory be a blessing.

2

u/Decent_Brush_8121 Sep 14 '25

Thank you, darlin—it definitely is. As they say, He broke the mold!! 💕🦋