If you’ve been gathering inspiration for your perfect engagement ring or starting the process of buying a diamond, chances are you have been pinning and liking the biggest and brightest. While we’re all inspired by rings from influencers and celebrities, they can seem unattainable on a typical budget. The good news is that you don’t have to give up on your dream engagement ring in order to get something that won’t break the bank!
Here at Bailey’s Fine Jewelry, we absolutely love diamonds and precious gems of all shapes and sizes and we are proud to carry engagement rings to suit every taste and budget. You absolutely do not have to spend outside of your budget in order to buy an engagement ring that you are both going to love! After all, the ring is a symbol of the love that you are going to share forever and it’s more about the meaning than the size, shape, or price tag.
Tips for Staying Within Your Engagement Ring Budget
You may have heard in the past that the 4 c’s of diamonds, cut, color, carat, and clarity, are a sliding scale when it comes to any budget. Diamonds are priced based on their rarity, and diamonds that are colorless, internally flawless, beautifully cut, or heavy in carat weight are more expensive because they are rarer. If you have a lower budget, you might have to sacrifice in the clarity or color department in order to get the carat weight that you want or vice versa. Finding the perfect engagement ring on a budget is all about figuring out which elements of the diamond are most important to you and spending your budget to get what you want, while you save on other aspects.
This round brilliant cut diamond is a great example of how to spend your money on the elements of a diamond that mean the most to you. A round diamond being categorized as a round brilliant cut means that they are exceptionally cut to make them as sparkly as possible. Only the top percentage of round diamonds are categorized as a round brilliant cut. The center round brilliant diamond is also a G color which means that it is near colorless. Near colorless diamonds are rarer than diamonds with faint yellow color, making them more expensive. In the case of this .58-carat round brilliant cut 3-stone engagement ring, you would be spending your budget on the cut and color while you save on carat and clarity. This stunning, exceptionally cut, classic style retails for $3,895 and would be a dream ring for anyone!
How to Get Your Dream Engagement Ring Within Your Budget
If you are in love with a certain diamond shape, a particular setting, or a specific style, focus on how you can recreate the elements that you love most within your budget. Focusing on one or two elements of an engagement ring that is out of your budget and scaling back the other details can be a great way to get the ring of your dreams at an affordable price.
If you love Lady Gaga’s 6-carat heart-shaped diamond engagement ring, you don’t have to shell out $500,000 to accomplish the heart-shaped look! A great, budget-friendly alternative is this 1-carat heart-shaped diamond on a classic, white gold band for $3,995. Lady Gaga’s ring has a pave band, a hidden halo, diamonds on the basket, and her initials on the shank but if you’re in love with the heart-shaped diamond, you can save money by scaling back on those details and focusing on the part of the ring that inspires you the most! This stunning 1-carat heart-shaped diamond is a beautiful option for someone with a classic style who loves a playful twist!
Pear-shaped diamond engagement rings have been so popular lately and if you are crushing on a pear-shaped sparkle, we understand why! We have seen celebs like Sophie Turner, Ariana Grande, and of course, Cardi B sport pear-shaped engagement rings and they are so stunning. If you love the shape and sparkly details on those celeb rings, check out this .40-carat pear-shaped diamond engagement ring for $2,195. This beauty offers a pear-shaped diamond complete with a halo of 72 round brilliant cut diamonds and a stunning open twist band. With this ring, you get the elements that you love from those celebrity engagement rings without the hefty price tag.
Creating a Big Diamond Look on a Budget
If your budget doesn’t allow you to purchase a large diamond, there are tips and tricks that jewelers use to create the illusion of a larger diamond, or as we like to call it, creating a “big diamond look.” Jewelers will use details like halos and accent stones to allow the ring to take up more space on the finger and create the illusion of a bigger diamond. Additionally, some diamond shapes will naturally take up more space because they have elongated shapes. Oval, marquise, and pear-shaped diamonds are great examples of diamond shapes that will appear larger on your finger because of their longer, thinner structures.
This stunning .46-carat marquise is the definition of a big diamond look! Marquise diamonds are naturally going to give a larger look than a round or cushion cut because they are longer and take up more space on the finger. It also has a halo which will give it a larger look as well. This ring looks so much larger than .46-carats and for only $2,595, it’s an amazing, affordable way to accomplish the larger look that you have been dreaming of for a fraction of the price! We are in love with the marquise shape and all of the sparkly diamond details.
This stunning ring also gives a big diamond look without the big diamond price tag. This ring features a .75-carat round brilliant diamond with a double halo and a three-row band. For only $4,500, this ring is a one-stop-shop and incredibly sparkly. The round brilliant diamond with two halos creates the illusion of a larger, cushion-cut diamond while the three bands give the illusion of an engagement ring, wedding band, and anniversary band. This would be a perfect option for a couple that wants to stick with one ring rather than stacking an engagement and wedding ring. However, this ring could also be stacked beautifully with a simple pave band or two! This ring has the most incredible sparkle and is a stunning option for any budget!
Keep it Classic and Plan for Upgrades
When searching for an engagement ring, it’s common for couples to buy a beautiful ring that fits within their current budget with a plan to upgrade it in the next few years. Whether you upgrade the size of the center diamond, add a halo, add side stones, or pick a completely different ring, we know how meaningful that first ring will be to you! When buying a ring with an upgrade in mind, it’s a great idea to start with a classic style so that you can preserve elements of the original ring if that’s something that is important to you. Buying a classic style not only sets you up for seamless additions in the future but also focuses your budget on one or two elements that will hold the majority of the value in your ring. Upgrades are an amazing way to celebrate all that you have accomplished together as a couple and how your love has grown!
This round brilliant diamond on a pave band is one of the most stunning, classic engagement ring styles. Engagement ring trends come and go, but this will always be a timeless look! This ring retails for $4,995 and is absolutely stunning! If you decide to upgrade your ring in the future, this ring could easily accommodate a bigger center diamond, a halo, accent stones, or an added band! When buying a ring that you are planning on upgrading in the near future, it’s important to spend your budget on quality materials that are going to hold their value and contribute to your trade-in a few years down the road. This round brilliant diamond is a perfect option for anyone with chic, classic style, whether you are planning for an upgrade or not!
Speaking of timeless styles, nothing is more classic than a solitaire. This stunning 1.00-carat oval solitaire on a yellow gold band by Forevermark is a beautiful, high-quality diamond at an affordable price. At $7,495, this ring is an incredible example of just how far a budget can go! An oval diamond is a more elongated shape, creating a bigger diamond look. With the diamond being the focus of this ring, this would be a great option for someone who is planning to upgrade their carat weight in the future because almost all of your budget is concentrated into one element. This ring is a beautiful option that is sure to wow anyone!
Vintage Engagement Rings at Any Price
The vintage look is so popular right now and we understand why! Celebrities and influencers alike have been flaunting their vintage or vintage-inspired rings on social media and the great news is that there are so many ways to accomplish this look at an affordable price. Whether you buy a pre-owned engagement ring or a ring that is new but vintage-inspired, you are sure to find your perfect antique engagement ring at your perfect price. Even if you aren’t looking for something with a vintage feel, it’s a great idea to explore the option of a pre-owned ring if you are budget conscious; just because something is pre-owned doesn’t mean that it has to look antique.
Celebrities like Penelope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson, and Mary-Kate Olsen all rock vintage engagement rings that are sure to inspire! This absolutely stunning white gold engagement ring with an oval-cut diamond center will give you the dreamy, vintage-inspired look that you have been wanting for under $2,000! This oval-cut diamond has a round brilliant diamond halo and a round brilliant pave band in a marquise setting. This antique-inspired setting creates a big diamond look and a unique shape without the big diamond price tag. Vintage-inspired rings are a great option for couples who love the antique look but can’t find the perfect antique ring for them.
If you have your heart set on something truly vintage, that could mean great news for your wallet! Often, rings that are pre-owned are slightly less expensive than comparable rings that are made brand new. This 1920’s art deco diamond and platinum ring from our Bailey’s Estate and Antique department is an absolutely stunning, affordable engagement ring with a storied history. This ring incorporates 1.20 total carats of Old European cut diamonds and features an openwork design that creates a huge look. Old European cut or “Old Euro” diamonds were primarily cut between 1890 and 1930 and they feature the same shape as a round brilliant cut diamond but the internal fascets are different shapes, giving the diamonds a different sparkle! This ring is so stunning, creates a big diamond look, and has an incredibly unique sparkle for only $3,950!
Finding your dream engagement ring is a possibility on any budget! You don’t have to sacrifice your dream style just to find something that won’t break the bank. It’s important to remember when buying an engagement ring at any price, to purchase quality materials that are going to last and be durable enough for everyday wear. If you are beginning the process of searching for an engagement ring on a budget, let us help! Here at Bailey’s Fine Jewelry, we are proud to offer lovely engagement rings and wedding bands that are sure to wow without breaking the bank!
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