average engagement ring diamond size today?

[Skippy123]

Date: 7/15/2008 6:59:05 PM
Author: denverboy
thanks everyone for your great info, opinions, and advice! =D

just to throw in an answer to my own question... most of the couples I know who are married are older (near 30''s) and have pretty big rings (probably over 1 c.). If I was engaged when I was that old then sure I''d be able to afford that. But for me (1 yr of full time work after graduating w/ student loans) I am pretty sure I''ll be spending around $3,500 give or take a few hundred which should get me a diamond between 0.65-0.8 c. And after reading multiple posts on the topic, I''m totally fine w/ that cost/size. =D

Denverboy that is a great size diamond.

 

[kcoursolle]

Date: 7/15/2008 10:59:41 PM
Author: EBree
If I had to guess, I''d say ~.60ct is the average.

I bet this is about right too. After a little google search the average seems to be around $2500-4000, but I bet this is even slightly skewed by higher priced diamonds.

 

[stonehunter]

1 ct is probably average these days.....but I agree with RxTechRN2b (Terry) credit is a likely culprit when it comes to being a young 20 and "middle class" and making such a large purchase. my first ring purchase a .5 ct well cut, high clarity colorless stone, at that age range and my focus was finding something of high quality over size, while maintaining a reasonable expense that would not endanger any plans for our future, i.e. house, debt, retirement etc....there are a lot of costs that come post marriage. plus as everyone says a high quality stone will outshine a larger lower quality one anyday!

good survey!

 

[arjunajane]

I had just turned 23 when got engaged, and my ring reflects what most people have suggested here. ~0.75ct - but is a 3 stone, not solitaire.
This was exactly what I wanted and, although there was more in the budget, I wouldn't have advocated spending more.

I know that the typical size in the US is larger than in Australia, but seriously, 1 to 2 cts?
If a 24y/o has that kind of disposable income, all the more power to 'em - but personally, I wouldn't feel right up in the double digits for an ering unless the "rest" was already sorted (ie. home, car, savings, etc).
Hope I don't offend anyone, just mho of course

 

[pyramid]

I remember reading something about 0.75 being average for US. Here in the UK 0.25 is about average.

 

[vespergirl]

I think that 1 ct is the sweet spot. If you go for a 1 ct G-H SI1 in a simple white gold setting you''ll end up with a gorgeous ring.

 

[Mama2Two]

Just a piece of advice, don''t be so stuck on the size of the stone. Think of trying DIFFERENT shaped stones in varying sizes because some smaller sizes in different shapes look larger than other stones you may be considering presently. Pick a stone that you can afford and one that, most importantly, fits your GF''s style and will last a lifetime (or until an upgrade is possible).

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 7/15/2008 11:03:50 PM
Author: Lynn B

Date: 7/15/2008 8:06:45 PM
Author: Dancing Fire
my guess...
avg in the U.S....1ct
avg PS......1.25ct
avg NYC....2.75ct
avg No.Ca & So.Ca.......2.5ct
avg in the mid west....70ct

70 carats?!!!

WooHoo, I wanna live THERE!!!

only if you live in the mid west.

 

[spike13]

I live in SF and work in the hi-tech industry. Most women I work with or fellas who bought their wife to be rings were at the 1 ct range. There''s one woman with a 2 ct and hers is definitely on the larger size.

The age range is in the mid-30s or late 20s.

 

[RxTechRN2b]

I''ve noticed -- and it''s an argument I can''t win and so I give up and will just stay out of those threads (just gets me in trouble for sounding rude/snide/judgemental) -- that expectations for the engagement ring has changed considerably over the years.

Some (not all) girls/women expect to receive a diamond of at least a carat, 2 carats, even bigger! And she feels she should get it because it''s okay for a woman to know what she wants and go after it (not my words but I''ve seen that statement in at least two other threads). In addition, the quality and size/cost of the diamond carries a message about how much she is loved and valued by her boyfriend and how well he will treat her during their marriage.

Now I don''t want to get ripped apart again, and to anyone reading this who is offended -- I got the message that I have no business thinking there is anything wrong with that mentality, and I will indeed stay out of those threads concerning an actual person and her ring.

What I''m talking about is just an observation that I never noticed in my circle of women back in the 1980''s, and I find it disturbing that so much power could be endowed on a such a small but expensive gift. My observation has nothing to do with jealousy or bitterness on my part or a fixation on size per se, it is all about the mentality.

How do the guys feel when their girl/woman (I''m not saying it''s just the young ones) knows what she wants, and it has to be ? carats. She should get it because it''s alright for a woman to know what she wants. Oh, and don''t forget, the quality he pays for will reflect how much he loves her and how well he will treat her in the years to come.

If the guy is on a limited budget, but goes the extra mile to get something nice, does tons of homework and spends time in choosing just the right ring, is he a better guy than the one that can afford it but doesn''t even strain his pocketbook at all? Or what if he has no money? If the family offers to pay, is it appropriate for the girl/woman to get what she wants if she wants a bigger diamond than the one offered? What does that say about the boyfriends love for her? He didn''t strain his budget or even give of his own heart (or time) in choosing the diamond he thought would please her.

The female places great expectaions on the ring, with the emphasis on what she gets and what it means about how her guy loves and treats her. But what does the girlfriend''s expectations say about her? It''s not fair to have that ring say so much about the giver but nothing about the reciever. Is she gracious in the way she recieves her gift? Is she comparing what she got to what her friends got? Is she jealous because someone else got a bigger or better ring? Does she want to exchange it because it''s not good enough for her? Or does she love and cherish it because her boyfriend chose it for her and it symbolizes their committment to each other for the rest of their lives?

What else does an engagement ring symbolize to the giver, reciever, and it''s observers? Is the ring about a relationship, or is it a status symbol to tell the world what social class you reside in (or wish to be in)?

 

[JSM]

Terry, all I can say is that this situation will differ from person to person, and relationship to relationship.

As someone who got a half carat diamond, I can get angry when someone expresses anything less than jubilation upon receiving a two carat ring. But honestly, it IS jealously. And I shouldn''t be jealous because I don''t know ANYTHING about their life - I don''t know their financial status, I don''t know the terms of the relationship. There could be a million reasons why the girl deserves to be upset - and a million more why she doesn''t.


Expectations have changed a lot in society, not necessarily for the better. I agree with you wholly on that. But as we can''t know all the circumstances surrounding the issue, I just try to stay out of it!

 

[2Artists]

Diamond size does not equal love. There are many great love stories with a ring and many great love stories without. A woman with grace and class can carry off just about any size ring. From no ring, to the most humble ring, to a royal ring. How it is worn makes the ring. A blade of grass could be made queenly by a dignified wearer.

Mrs.2Artists