What is the norm size and price for an engagment ring?

[candlelite80]

Obviously I know that engagement ring diamond sizes vary greatly and I know the old addage of X # month''s salary but my question for the experts is what is the idustry norm or average in diamond size and price currently?

 

[JulieN]

Largest online retailer: http://www.bluenile.com/diamond_recentpurchase.asp

 

[candlelite80]

So based on the information at Blue Nile''s recently purchased diamonds the average size is around .9 average price is around $5500. Does that sound like the industry norm?

 

[avlis]

WOW, thats really like asking what kind of car is the industry average of what people buy. Honestly, as far as i know, the average of what people buy is crap. and just the fact you are here means you are already above the norm because now you know better than buy a badly cut diamond. on this site, i would guess the average is an si1, g, superideal, 1ct. but that is a total guess by me.

honestly, you must decide what you can afford, and more importantly, what you feel comfortable spending.

 

[JulieN]

Date: 1/27/2007 10:18:52 PM
Author: candlelite80
So based on the information at Blue Nile''s recently purchased diamonds the average size is around .9 average price is around $5500. Does that sound like the industry norm?

better to use mode than median.

average income in the US includes Bill Gates.

 

[Adylon]

I read somewhere once that the "average" was something like $1200 and the #1 seller in the US for engagement rings was Walmart suprisingly, with something like 2-3% market share, Bluenile came in #2 I think at 0.8% or something... just goes to show you how fragmented the jewelry niche is with lots of smaller players. But this was 3-4 years ago, I'm sure it's different now. And I'm sure BN averages much higher then $1200

 

[candlelite80]

Avlis, thanks for the reply. I know it is a difficult question but I am just looking for a general concensus, I appreciate your information.

 

[E B]

The national average definitely isn't .9ct and $5500. I posted what I'd found on another thread a while ago (and can't find it!), but I think the average $ spent is a little over $2000.

 

[E B]

This website says the following:

8. I don’t want to be a cheapskate but I also don’t want to go overboard; what is a fair amount to spend on an engagement ring?

I’ll leave “fair” up to you but let me give you some averages. Out of all the women who will get engaged this year 76% will get a ring. Sixty-six percent of those will get a brand new ring and approximately 6-10% will wear an inherited ring. The average size of a new engagement ring is .38ct (less than a carat) and the average spent is $1,500 to $1,700. I find a good rule of thumb to be about one month’s gross salary.

 

[avlis]

Date: 1/27/2007 10:27:15 PM
Author: candlelite80
Avlis, thanks for the reply. I know it is a difficult question but I am just looking for a general concensus, I appreciate your information.

ya, honestly, i have seen people here ask about how to spend a $1500 bugdet, and also people asking abouty which $30,000 stone is better. at about the same frequency. dont feel pressured into spending more than you feel OK with. personally i spent a little over $10k, but i am in my early thirties on my first engagment, and a great job.

 

[kcoursolle]

Average size/price varies substantially by city and one''s social networks. For example, I''m from the midwest where a .50 is above average, but now where I live in LA...average is much much larger (maybe 2 carats?). Depends on who you run around with as well, some of my social networks like the granola types just wear a band and some of the other upwardly mobile friends of mine wear quite large stones.