A custom engagement ring is an investment that should be understood and trusted. With knowledge about how engagement rings are priced, you’ll feel confident making decisions during the custom design process. Let me help you understand a few of the important factors that impact the final price of your diamond engagement ring.
Diamonds are priced on the 4 Cs. First, read a bit more about the 4Cs of diamonds here.
The bigger the carat, the more the price will fluctuate.
Carat weight is often thought of as the characteristic that will affect the price of the diamond the most. Although it is not always true, there is some truth to this belief.
Diamonds are priced by their carat weight, so two diamonds that have identical quality grades but are different carat weights will have very different pricing. For example, a top quality 2 carat round could be $50,000, whereas a 1.7 carat with the same quality markers could be $20,000 less! If you have some flexibility in size, going just under full carat weights like 1, 2, 3 etc., can add tremendous value.
The larger the carat, the more evident some imperfections or inclusions or color changes can be to your eye. If you have a 1 carat diamond, the smaller ‘downgrades’ or sacrifices won’t show as clearly as when applied to a larger stone.
The color impacts price. Jumping color grades, especially above 1.5 or 2 carats, can greatly impact pricing. For example, a D color 1.5 carat diamond versus a G color 1.5 carat diamond could be a $5,000 difference.
Likewise, color is graded from the stone flipped upside down, which means that some stones will look whiter than their grade when they’re flipped rightside up (in the industry we refer to this as a “J+”). I always try to source these stones for my clients, as they can provide tremendous value!
Online mass retailers offer different prices than a private jeweler. Why? Some may think that a private jeweler is marking up a stone more than another mass retailer. In reality, the jeweler is simply pre-qualifying the best quality gems to present to their client. When you’re marketed a ‘good deal’ by a large retailer, oftentimes you are told to take the GIA certification at face value. But the Certification won’t outline all the factors that are indistinguishable but reflect the true quality of the stone - including oily films, color tints, cloudiness and where inclusions are located and how noticeable they are. Only a trained professional private jeweler will be able to identify these weaknesses in a stone and understand whether a stone carries the true value. I will only show my clients stones that truly are the best, and nothing less.
During your personalized experience, you’ll receive a diamond education that will provide you with the answers you’re looking for answers to. Ultimately, you’ll be able to make the right decisions for you, without pressure, with transparent information at your fingertips.
Ready to design your custom diamond engagement ring? Let’s get started.
