The UK · buyer-reported prices in pounds · updated September 2026
Engagement Ring Cost in the UK: 845 Real Prices
Buyers paying in pounds spent a median of £850 on an engagement ring across 845 purchases, and half paid between £250 and £2,300. Prices stay in pounds: nothing on this page is converted.
£850median engagement ring, 845 purchases
£250–£2,300middle half of prices
£2,800natural diamond ring (38)
£2,000lab-grown diamond ring (64)
By center stone
| Center stone | Rings | Median | Middle half | Median carat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural diamond | 38 | £2,800 | £500 to £6,000 | 1 ct |
| Lab-grown diamond | 64 | £2,000 | £1,200 to £3,000 | 1.31 ct |
| Moissanite | 16 | £615 | £300 to £1,200 | 1.5 ct DEW |
| Sapphire | 15 | £700 | £500 to £1,900 | – |
| Other gemstone | 62 | £375 | £125 to £900 | – |
| Diamond, lab or natural not said | 26 | £650 | £300 to £1,500 | – |
Every ring bought in pounds
| Ring | Stone | Carat | Shape | Metal | Year | What the buyer reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £1 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer doesn't recall the exact price, thinks it cost either £1 or £2 |
| £1 | – | – | – | – | – | Proposal ring bought for about a pound at a Thai market on the way back home |
| £4 | – | – | – | – | 1999 | Still married 24 years after buying this very cheap ring |
| £5 | – | – | – | – | – | Deliberately tiny brass ring; writer says she dislikes jewellery and would have objected to more |
| £5 | No stone (plain band) | – | – | – | – | A cheap placeholder cat ring bought on Etsy while waiting to pick her own real ring |
| £5 | – | – | – | other | – | A copy of a Roman copper ring, used for the proposal itself |
| £6 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Bought from a maker at a local market; chose a favourite coloured stone instead of a diamond |
| £10 | – | – | – | – | – | Exactly as requested by his partner |
| £10 | – | – | – | – | – | Cheap eBay ring from a past marriage, writer says it wasn't just a placeholder |
| £11 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Black stainless steel with cubic zirconia, self-chosen |
| £14 | Other gemstone | – | – | other | – | Cubic-zirconia sterling-silver ring from Etsy, came as a 2-ring set with a £10 cashback deal; wedding bands are secondhand 9ct gold from eBay, hers thinner, his thicker/wider |
| £15 | – | – | – | – | – | Wife proposed on 29 February with a cheap ring first |
| £15 | – | – | – | – | – | Won on the 15th attempt at a claw machine |
| £16 | – | – | – | – | 2013 | Partner picked the ring herself; both wedding bands cost £60 each, bought about ten years before the comment |
| £17 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer says this is the amount she asked her husband to spend |
| £17 | – | – | – | – | – | Favourite ring ever despite the very low price |
| £20 | – | – | – | – | 1976 | Neither wanted to spend more while saving for a house, 45 years before the comment |
| £20 | – | – | – | – | – | Married in a registry office |
| £20 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer says he lives practically and rejects the idea that marriage requires an expensive ring |
| £20 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | – | – | – | A Harry Potter golden snitch themed ring instead of a diamond |
| £20 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer's partner would rather money went to their kids |
| £20 | – | – | – | – | – | A Disney-themed ring; partner liked it despite family disapproval of the low cost |
| £20 | – | – | – | – | – | Inexpensive placeholder ring used for the proposal itself; partner later chose the real ring |
| £20 | – | – | – | – | – | A cheap traveler's-choice ring bought for a proposal made in London |
| £25 | – | – | – | – | – | Meant as a placeholder until shopping together, but she kept it |
| £25 | – | – | – | – | – | Chosen together, silver, avoids the worry of losing something expensive |
| £30 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | A rare stone hand-picked from a Scottish beach, not a diamond |
| £30 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer says the couple prefers to spend money on shared experiences like holidays instead |
| £30 | – | – | – | other | – | Replacement silver ring after one of the original's small gems broke off |
| £30 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought in a gift shop; still worn almost 40 years later |
| £30 | – | – | – | – | – | Placeholder proposal ring bought recently; shopping together for an upgrade |
| £30 | – | – | – | – | – | Both students and broke at the time; needed custom sizing for small fingers |
| £30 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought secondhand at a jewellers while the couple had little money; never upgraded since |
| £35 | – | – | – | – | – | Partner picked it herself on Etsy |
| £35 | – | – | – | – | 1998 | No further details given |
| £35 | Other gemstone | – | – | silver | – | Moonstone and silver, bought from a retiring jeweller |
| £38 | – | – | – | – | – | Felt it was the right gemstone for her |
| £40 | Moissanite | – | – | – | 2022 | Bought the same roughly £40 Amazon 1ct moissanite solitaire the person asking had linked; highly recommends it |
| £40 | – | – | – | – | 1980 | Vintage gold ring with a small bezel-set diamond chip, chosen while ring shopping together |
| £40 | – | – | – | – | – | Prefers saving money over a shiny stone |
| £40 | – | – | – | – | – | Wife bought her own ring on Etsy |
| £40 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer picked it herself and says the price doesn't matter to her |
| £40 | Other gemstone | – | – | other | – | Recycled silver band set with a piece of seaglass, handmade in a town they had recently visited |
| £45 | No stone (plain band) | – | – | other | – | A wife proposing to her now-wife; sterling silver claddagh ring plus a simple silver wedding band, saved rest for wedding and honeymoon |
| £45 | – | – | – | – | 1998 | Sentimental value matters more than resale value 25 years on |
| £49 | – | – | – | – | – | So affordable that the writer bought two |
| £50 | – | – | – | – | – | Partner sat with writer and chose it themself |
| £50 | Sapphire | – | – | – | – | Small sapphire with two tiny diamonds, found on Etsy; only worn occasionally |
| £50 | – | – | – | – | – | Her husband paid this; she says it was the ring she wanted and was very happy with it |
| £50 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought a near-identical £50 lookalike instead of the £900 ring his ex wanted; she never noticed at the time |
| £50 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Cubic zirconia, bought as a cheaper proposal ring since sizing wasn't known |
| £50 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer would rather have put more toward a house deposit or car |
| £50 | – | – | – | – | – | She picked a second ring at almost half the price of the first |
| £50 | – | – | – | – | – | Money was tight at the time |
| £50 | – | – | – | – | 2004 | All the writer's student husband could afford at the time; later upgraded (upgrade price not given). |
| £50 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | 2001 | Cubic zirconia engagement ring bought about 25 years before the comment; still married and happy with it |
| £50 | – | – | – | – | 2016 | A birthstone engagement ring; the actual wedding ring was an heirloom |
| £50 | – | – | – | – | 1995 | A tiny solitaire from Index; that relationship didn't last but was happy with the ring at the time |
| £50 | – | – | – | – | – | A very modest £50 ring, all her partner could afford at the time |
| £55 | – | – | – | – | – | Made in a silver ring-making course; wedding rings later made from melted family gold |
| £60 | – | – | – | – | 1998 | Proposed while at university; all he could afford, still married |
| £60 | – | – | – | other | – | Novelty tungsten steel Doctor Who TARDIS ring with a custom engraved message inside; still worn after marriage |
| £65 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Original had to be cut off due to finger swelling; new silver and moonstone ring chosen for a 2-year anniversary |
| £65 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought as a student with a promise to upgrade later; wife preferred to keep the original instead |
| £70 | – | – | – | – | – | Wife chose it herself on Etsy |
| £70 | – | – | – | – | – | Wife loves it and says it looks like a real diamond |
| £70 | Moissanite | – | – | – | – | Replaced a white-gold diamond halo ring that tarnished repeatedly within months; moissanite solitaire still looks new after nearly 5 years |
| £70 | – | – | – | – | – | Could not afford more than this at the time, over 25 years before the comment |
| £70 | – | – | – | – | – | Still happily married |
| £70 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Peridot center stone with a trio of diamonds each side; cheap enough that a full replacement ring runs about £70 when the softer stone wears. |
| £70 | – | – | – | – | – | Engagement ring plus wedding band bought together from Etsy; chose the rings themselves |
| £75 | – | – | – | – | 2007 | Still going strong 14 years after the purchase |
| £75 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought online from a general retailer while at university |
| £79 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought a while back, called it inexpensive |
| £80 | – | – | – | – | – | She chose this one instead since the first didn't fit |
| £80 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Sterling silver with cubic zirconia promise ring; later melted down a grandmother's ring into a bespoke wedding-and-engagement pair, no separate price given |
| £80 | – | – | – | – | – | Covers two rings total, first disliked and second broke; now wearing one from her sister; considering a future £300 emerald ring, not yet bought |
| £80 | – | – | – | – | – | An earlier ring from a previous relationship |
| £90 | – | – | – | – | – | Her actual ring after a joke candy-ring proposal; combined wedding bands were roughly £300-400, his cheaper of the two |
| £90 | – | – | – | – | – | Partner picked her own ring on Etsy; people who asked the price were surprised how good it looked for the cost |
| £95 | – | – | – | – | – | Partner happy with the ring; no further specs given |
| £95 | Other gemstone | – | – | other | – | Sterling silver and green quartz engagement ring, chosen over diamond and gold due to lifestyle |
| £100 | – | – | – | – | – | Didn't fit her |
| £100 | – | – | – | – | – | Chose metal and gemstone over a diamond for ethical reasons; bought a fair few years before the comment |
| £100 | – | – | – | – | – | Same ring later reused as her wedding ring since she rarely wears jewellery |
| £100 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Aquamarine centre stone with a lifetime warranty included; often mistaken for a diamond |
| £100 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | – | – | – | Had a tiny diamond only visible under magnification |
| £100 | No stone (plain band) | – | – | other | – | Silver ring with no stone, bought when skint after buying a house |
| £100 | – | – | – | – | 1994 | Final year at university, funded by a work placement cheque |
| £100 | – | – | – | – | 2004 | Picked out together at a secondhand jewellery store; married 19 years at time of comment |
| £100 | – | – | – | – | – | First ring wasn't liked |
| £100 | – | – | – | white gold | 2008 | About 15 years before the comment; ring since lost after a house move |
| £100 | – | – | – | – | – | Money was tight at the time |
| £100 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | 2022 | Wanted a coloured stone, not a solitaire diamond; ring secondhand on eBay, matching wedding band later found on Etsy |
| £100 | – | – | – | – | 2024 | Writer says she doesn't wear it |
| £100 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought from Etsy; partner's matching ring cost the same amount |
| £100 | – | – | – | – | – | Her own engagement ring, bought when she proposed; also bought her husband's ring but didn't give its price |
| £100 | – | – | – | – | 2006 | Says an engagement ring doesn't need to be expensive |
| £109 | – | – | – | – | 1999 | Chosen by her after visiting several jewellers; she says it looks nicer than some pricier rings |
| £120 | – | – | – | – | – | Meant to be temporary but still worn 11 years later |
| £120 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought on sale |
| £120 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Buyer picked out her own ring herself; cubic-zirconia stone, liked its shape |
| £120 | – | – | – | – | 2005 | Ring for current partner of 20 years, later replaced |
| £120 | – | – | – | – | 2021 | Original ring bought in 2021 |
| £120 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought from a high-street jeweller and has lasted 7 years; told her then-boyfriend she'd be disappointed if he spent more given other priorities |
| £125 | – | – | – | – | – | Gave a range of about £100-150; says prices have risen since he bought it some years back |
| £125 | Other gemstone | – | – | white gold | 2023 | Engagement ring about £125, wedding band about £150; writer separately estimated the whole set at about £375 in another comment; both need rhodium plating |
| £125 | Other gemstone | – | pear | white gold | 2021 | Tiny pear-shaped white gold and cubic zirconia ring; no one has ever asked about the stone or cost. |
| £125 | – | – | – | – | – | Deliberately went modest; saved money went toward a celebration holiday instead |
| £125 | – | – | – | – | 2006 | Secondhand engagement ring from a jeweller, went over budget after weeks of searching, bought about 20 years before the comment |
| £130 | – | – | – | – | – | Chosen together; young parents on modest incomes at the time |
| £140 | – | – | – | – | – | They divorced 23 years later |
| £140 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | – | – | – | Chose it together after proposing with a placeholder ring; wasn't fussed about anything fancy |
| £150 | – | – | – | – | – | All writer could afford; partner loves it and wears it everywhere |
| £150 | – | – | – | – | – | Proposed first with a haribo-sweet ring as a joke; the real ring, her own choice, was around £150 (he'd been considering one closer to £100) |
| £150 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Cubic zirconia replacement after the original diamond fell out and was lost on a trip to Turkey |
| £150 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Simulated 'fake diamond' stone made to look large, bought with a 15% discount voucher; writer earned about £35k and partner about £19k at proposal |
| £150 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Wife's account; not a diamond; ring later ruined in a washing machine, promised a new one at their 10th anniversary |
| £150 | – | – | – | – | – | Says rings today are priced far higher than needed due to marketing by big jewellers |
| £150 | – | – | – | – | – | Wife would have objected to a higher price |
| £150 | – | – | – | – | – | Kept it affordable to avoid going into debt |
| £150 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought using a voucher plus a discount |
| £150 | – | – | – | – | – | Saved from part-time student work |
| £150 | – | – | – | – | – | Wife-and-wife couple; writer's ring for her wife, both wedding bands the same price |
| £150 | – | – | – | – | – | Chose a modest ring deliberately, prioritizing other financial goals like IVF and a house |
| £150 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Opal engagement ring; wedding band, described only as 'over £1000', made custom since the dress-style ring didn't fit a standard band |
| £150 | – | – | – | – | 2018 | Worn almost daily for six years with no damage; craftsmanship valued over flashiness |
| £150 | Lab-created coloured stone | 2 ct | – | – | – | 2-carat lab-grown sapphire with white sapphire accent stones from a UK jeweller |
| £150 | Natural diamond | – | – | rose gold | 2000 | Handmade rose gold ring with a small diamond from an independent St Ives jeweller |
| £150 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | – | – | Still together; savings went toward the honeymoon instead |
| £150 | – | – | – | gold | 2017 | 7 years before the comment; original was 9ct gold, now needs replacing due to a nickel allergy; writer wouldn't spend more than £1k on a replacement even earning £150k now |
| £150 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer says she wasted no money and feels good about the low cost |
| £150 | – | – | – | – | 2016 | Bought from Ernest Jones about ten years before the comment; advises a cheap placeholder ring for the proposal if unsure of partner's taste |
| £150 | – | – | – | – | 2016 | Bought on sale at H Samuel about ten years before the comment; guesses it would cost £200-250 now |
| £170 | – | – | – | – | – | Separately spent £1,000 on the proposal itself |
| £175 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | – | – | – | Thinks £2k on a ring is excessive, noting their own ring cost far less |
| £180 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought from an independent jeweller |
| £180 | Other gemstone | – | – | other | – | Tungsten band with opal from Etsy for both of them; little budgeting needed at that price |
| £180 | – | – | – | – | 1986 | Wife picked it herself and still has it 35+ years on |
| £180 | – | – | – | – | – | Returned a first ring he knew she wouldn't like; wedding band custom made to match the replacement |
| £180 | – | – | – | – | – | Custom ring |
| £200 | – | – | – | – | – | Against the '3 months salary' idea; writer says the ring wasn't near their biggest purchase, unlike a fridge freezer or TV |
| £200 | Sapphire | – | – | – | – | Sapphire with small diamonds, worn for 9 years so far |
| £200 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | – | – | 2020 | Same ring served as both her engagement ring and wedding band; married 2 years, together 14. |
| £200 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought from an independent vintage jewellery shop for a better price than typical retail |
| £200 | – | – | – | – | – | First ring, for an earlier engagement that did not lead to marriage |
| £200 | – | – | – | – | – | Second ring, for a second earlier engagement that also did not lead to marriage |
| £200 | – | – | – | – | – | Wedding rings later made by father-in-law from gifted Formula 1 car parts, no separate cost given |
| £200 | – | – | – | – | – | Financial value only; sentimental value from being his grandmother's ring matters more |
| £200 | – | – | – | – | – | A later matching engagement-and-wedding set was bought for the wedding itself, price not given |
| £200 | – | – | – | – | – | Wife chose the ring herself |
| £200 | – | – | – | – | 2023 | The same writer's ring used to propose to their own partner |
| £200 | – | – | – | – | – | A struggle to afford at the time |
| £200 | Other gemstone | – | – | other | – | Silver band with an amethyst stone found at an antique shop; happy since partner was open to a non-diamond ring |
| £200 | – | – | – | – | – | First marriage's ring; didn't bother with one for the second wedding |
| £200 | – | – | – | – | 2000 | Set a budget that was affordable and matched partner's taste |
| £220 | – | – | – | – | 2015 | Thin white gold band with a small diamond and blue side stones |
| £220 | Moissanite | – | – | white gold | – | A custom replica ring with import tax included |
| £220 | Natural diamond | – | – | other | – | Salt and pepper diamond bezel on a hammered sterling silver band with a matching pebble wedding band, from an English Etsy maker; stone about 3-4mm |
| £220 | – | – | – | – | – | Gets compliments on it all the time |
| £225 | – | – | – | – | – | Partner spotted a secondhand ring online and shared the link before it sold; writer saved for weeks to buy it |
| £240 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | – | 2011 | Original ring had to be cut off due to swelling; writer loves the lab-grown replacement even more |
| £240 | – | – | – | – | 2024 | Picked ring together with fiancee with no set budget, chose the one she liked best |
| £240 | – | – | – | – | – | Proposed with a homemade oak/origami box and a 3D-printed placeholder ring; the real ring was found later in a secondhand shop |
| £250 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | 2017 | Handmade Etsy ring with cubic zirconia instead of a diamond; chose to spend on a Thailand holiday instead of a pricier ring |
| £250 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | other | – | Basic silver ring with a lab-grown stone, paid for together as a couple |
| £250 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought for a fiancee online, called the store reasonably priced |
| £250 | – | – | – | – | 1999 | Couldn't afford a pricier option looked at, at the time; still has it 24 years later |
| £250 | – | – | – | – | – | First marriage's rings were £250 each (pair); second marriage's rings were handmade from wood and metal, no price given |
| £250 | – | – | – | – | 2014 | Stated as roughly £200-300 |
| £250 | Other gemstone | – | – | rose gold | – | Her birthstone as centre stone with a few small diamonds around it |
| £250 | – | – | – | – | – | Small and dainty style |
| £250 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Wanted a coloured stone rather than diamond; husband surprised her, she found the receipt afterward |
| £250 | – | – | – | – | 1998 | Chosen and paid for together with her partner twenty-five years before the comment |
| £250 | – | 0.33 ct | – | white gold | – | Secondhand 9ct white gold with uncertificated diamonds totalling about a third of a carat |
| £250 | – | – | – | – | – | Chosen based on her favourite colour and a design he thought was neat |
| £250 | – | – | – | – | – | Wife originally wanted a cheaper £120 ring; wedding bands from an antique store |
| £250 | – | – | – | – | 2010 | Engagement ring picked alone, wedding rings picked together; his custom made at an independent jeweller |
| £250 | – | – | – | – | 2015 | Decided to propose the day after a casual conversation about getting married |
| £250 | No stone (plain band) | – | – | other | – | Tungsten ring with a whiskey-barrel wood inlay, bought for her partner |
| £250 | Natural diamond | – | – | gold | 2018 | Local jeweller melted heirloom family gold from both sides and set two salt-and-pepper diamonds bought on eBay for £88; leftover gold went into his wedding ring |
| £250 | – | – | – | white gold | 2016 | White gold engagement ring with a small diamond and surrounding stones (~£250) plus her white gold and his palladium wedding bands (~£300 each), all from H Samuel |
| £250 | – | – | – | – | – | Eternity-style band, cheaper than traditional larger-stone rings which can run a couple of thousand |
| £250 | – | – | – | other | – | Wanted a silver ring, saw it in a shop and loved it, didn't care about the price |
| £250 | – | – | – | – | 2005 | About 485 pounds in today's money by the writer's own estimate; says a 5,000-pound ring would have ended the relationship |
| £250 | Moissanite | – | – | – | – | Moissanite engagement ring for around £250; she loves it |
| £260 | – | – | – | – | 2014 | Bought while a poor student |
| £275 | – | – | – | – | 1993 | White gold with smaller gems in a clever setting, about 30 years before the comment |
| £280 | – | – | – | – | – | Second ring bought after her finger size changed following childbirth |
| £280 | – | – | – | – | 2022 | Handcrafted exactly to their specification |
| £300 | – | – | – | – | – | Spent far more on a holiday together than on the ring itself |
| £300 | – | – | – | – | – | Chosen together in person; writer rarely wears jewellery anyway |
| £300 | – | – | – | – | – | Chose something on the cheaper side so she'd feel comfortable wearing it without worry |
| £300 | – | – | – | – | 2008 | Whole savings at the time spent on an H. Samuel website ring, chosen by his now-wife |
| £300 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Chosen together; cubic zirconia instead of a diamond, bought while engaged in Italy |
| £300 | – | – | – | – | 2010 | All they could afford at the time, 11 years before the comment |
| £300 | Moissanite | – | – | other | – | Three-stone moissanite ring with a titanium band, custom made by a local jeweler |
| £300 | Other gemstone | – | – | gold | – | Lab-grown emerald, moissanite and moonstone combo on 14k gold from Etsy; most of the cost was the gold |
| £300 | – | – | – | – | – | Vintage ring she chose herself after the original proposal ring couldn't be resized big enough |
| £300 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | – | – | – | Knew his wife's preferred style; prioritized matching her taste over price |
| £300 | – | – | – | – | – | Paid using work vouchers |
| £300 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer says they aren't foolish with money |
| £300 | – | – | – | – | – | Shopped together at a jeweller with rings from £50 to £5000 |
| £300 | – | – | – | – | – | She didn't want an expensive one, worried about damaging it doing daily activities |
| £300 | – | – | – | – | – | Couldn't justify spending more |
| £300 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought just over this amount at Christmas |
| £300 | – | – | – | – | 2015 | Wife doesn't like diamonds anyway; small fraction of his monthly salary then |
| £300 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer's own ring, bought by her wife, looks pricier than it was due to large man-made stones |
| £300 | – | – | – | silver | – | Their birthstones, small and inconspicuous for her workplace |
| £300 | Sapphire | – | – | white gold | 2023 | Vintage ring from Etsy, 18k white gold with a diamond and pink sapphire |
| £300 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | – | – | 2023 | Hand-hammered band, writer only knows the center stone is a diamond |
| £300 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer spent about £300 on partner's matching engagement ring |
| £300 | – | – | – | white gold | – | Not into jewellery, spent more on the honeymoon instead |
| £300 | – | – | – | – | 2012 | Ring cost about £300; writer has been married 13 years as of the comment |
| £300 | Moissanite | – | – | – | – | The moissanite ring she wears now, replacing the original; would love a diamond copy but it's out of budget |
| £300 | – | – | – | platinum | – | Bought at an online antique auction thinking it was silver; a diamond fell out two weeks later and remoulding revealed it was actually platinum |
| £300 | Natural diamond | – | – | white gold | – | Vintage white gold ring with a diamond and an emerald, found through a vintage dealer |
| £300 | – | – | – | – | 2015 | Bought from a secondhand jewellers |
| £300 | Lab-created coloured stone | – | – | – | 2023 | Lab sapphire, chosen since diamonds aren't their thing; both partners spent about £300 on each other's rings |
| £315 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | 2024 | Settled for a tanzanite stone matching the lost cornflower sapphire's look, plus prong repair, on an old antique-bought ring |
| £330 | – | 0.62 ct | oval | – | – | Blind eBay purchase of a secondhand stone, later reset into a platinum solitaire with diamond shoulders |
| £330 | – | – | – | – | – | Partner spotted it herself at F.Hinds; insurance for loss or damage was cheap, all stones still set after about 4 years |
| £350 | Other gemstone | 1 ct | – | white gold | 2024 | 1ct AAAA-grade aquamarine in 18k white gold, picked online without her input; now second-guessing the choice after seeing cheap aquamarines online |
| £350 | – | – | – | – | – | Chose an option that avoided supporting exploitative diamond mining practices |
| £350 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | – | – | Dream ring with lab-created diamonds found on Etsy, preferred over the chain-store ring |
| £350 | Natural diamond | – | – | – | – | Discounted from £500 as previous-season stock; wanted a diamond which drove up the price |
| £350 | – | – | – | – | – | Fiancé is a USAF E5 earning about $5k/month; she doesn't want an expensive ring |
| £350 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Gold ring with an emerald and small diamonds, fiancée wanted emerald over diamond |
| £350 | – | – | – | – | – | White gold ring matches a same-priced band; his own titanium wedding band engraved with the proposal date |
| £350 | – | – | – | – | – | Chosen together in-store |
| £350 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | – | – | – | Either moissanite or lab-grown, writer can't recall which; avoided a natural diamond |
| £350 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | – | – | 1989 | Solitaire diamond ring; wife felt he 'knew her' because it was small and understated, unlike others spending up to £700 at the time |
| £350 | – | – | – | – | – | Could have spent more but his now-wife was happy it was heartfelt rather than a financial strain |
| £350 | – | – | – | – | – | Less than a month's salary; spent the difference on something they both cared about more |
| £350 | Natural diamond | – | – | gold | – | 18ct gold secondhand ring with natural diamonds and a ruby accent; price given as a 300-400 pound range |
| £375 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought from a small craftsman rather than a typical jewellery store |
| £380 | – | – | – | – | – | Never usually wears jewellery so an expensive ring didn't matter to her |
| £399 | – | – | – | – | – | Chose a vintage ring over pricier options her partner offered; price mattered less than fit |
| £400 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | – | – | Switched from a natural to a synthetic (lab) gem after initially buying natural; felt the synthetic gave far better quality for the money |
| £400 | Other gemstone | – | – | gold | – | Gold ring with a semi-precious coloured stone |
| £400 | – | – | – | – | – | Chain-store ring she didn't like as an engagement ring, now worn as a regular ring on her other hand |
| £400 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought from an Etsy seller |
| £400 | – | – | – | – | – | Had it custom made on a tight budget; appraised at £3600 for house insurance three years later |
| £400 | – | – | – | – | – | Spent £400 on the ring while young, living on minimum wage in Britain; income now about 12x higher |
| £400 | – | – | – | – | – | Searched for months then bought one seen in an advert |
| £400 | – | – | – | other | – | Silver band with a single stone, bought in February |
| £400 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | – | white gold | 2015 | Simple white gold band with a single small diamond; wife isn't the flashy type |
| £400 | – | – | – | – | – | A lot for the couple at the time; they also made their own wedding rings |
| £400 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought through a jeweller contact, well under its later estimated worth |
| £400 | – | – | – | – | – | Funded by selling a Warhammer 40k collection as a student with no income |
| £400 | Other gemstone | – | – | gold | – | Real gold, fake stone, by partner's explicit request; went ring shopping together |
| £400 | – | – | – | – | – | Spent every penny he had as a 20-year-old student; now earns far more and offered an upgrade but wife wants to keep the original |
| £400 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | – | rose gold | – | Small diamonds set in a leaf pattern on a rose-gold band |
| £400 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer says the old three-months-salary guideline was just a sales tactic |
| £400 | Moissanite | – | – | white gold | – | Custom ring with an olive wood inlay and a moissanite stone from an Etsy maker; fiancee was thrilled |
| £400 | Natural diamond | – | – | white gold | – | White gold ring with a diamond and a sapphire, bought online; fiancee loves it |
| £400 | – | – | – | – | – | Paid what he could afford at the time; married anyway without a ring until the eve of the wedding |
| £450 | – | – | – | – | – | Fiance wouldn't say the exact price of her engagement ring; she estimates it was in the GBP 400-500 range from seeing it before the proposal |
| £450 | – | – | – | white gold | – | White gold diamond ring from an independent jeweller in the Birmingham jewellery quarter |
| £450 | – | – | – | – | – | Rarely worn because the setting is large; writer has asked about selling it but partner is unsure |
| £450 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought together on sale, jointly funded |
| £450 | – | 0.5 ct | – | – | 2023 | Planning to add a 3mm wedding band next year |
| £450 | – | – | – | – | – | Income was about £90k at the time; a temporary ring since partner said she wouldn't wear it after the wedding |
| £450 | – | – | – | – | – | Monthly take-home was about £3-3.5k pre-COVID; wedding itself separately cost about £8k |
| £459 | – | – | – | – | 1999 | Writer found the original receipt |
| £480 | – | – | – | – | 2012 | Chosen together in the shop |
| £500 | Lab-created coloured stone | – | – | white gold | 2025 | 10k white gold engagement ring with a custom-swapped lab ruby center stone, bought on Etsy; matching wedding bands bought from the same seller but no price given for those |
| £500 | – | – | – | – | – | Custom-made engagement ring at a discounted rate through a jeweler contact; a very cheap wedding ring |
| £500 | – | – | – | – | – | Secondhand eternity ring used as a combined engagement/wedding ring, chosen together; never taken off |
| £500 | – | – | – | – | – | Antique ring; they decided against getting a fancier replacement afterward, happy with the original |
| £500 | Natural diamond | – | – | gold | – | Vintage Edwardian diamond and gold ring, bought secondhand |
| £500 | – | – | – | – | – | Wife's account; she chose the ring herself though a pricier one could have been afforded |
| £500 | Natural diamond | – | – | – | 2007 | Simple diamond solitaire; about £800 in today's money per writer; wife isn't into flashy jewellery |
| £500 | – | – | – | – | 2010 | Was a student with a part-time job at the time |
| £500 | – | 0.25 ct | – | – | – | 0.25 carat solitaire diamond bought together at an antique shop |
| £500 | – | – | – | – | 1999 | Still worn 24 years later at time of comment; due an eternity ring next |
| £500 | – | – | – | – | 2013 | Got a family discount through a jewellery quarter shop connection; recommends Birmingham or London jewellery quarters over high street markup |
| £500 | – | – | – | – | – | Wife's account; chose a less expensive option than they could afford to save toward a first house |
| £500 | – | – | – | – | – | Fitted perfectly despite being a guess on size |
| £500 | – | – | – | gold | 2008 | 3-diamond 18 karat gold ring bought in a sale |
| £500 | – | – | – | – | 2004 | Described how he wanted the ring to look to a jeweller |
| £500 | – | – | – | – | – | Wife is down to earth and doesn't wear much jewellery; writer feels modest spending is classier |
| £500 | – | – | – | – | – | Second-hand engagement ring bought in the UK |
| £500 | – | – | – | – | – | Thin gold band with a small diamond; wife strictly didn't want anything more |
| £500 | – | – | – | – | – | 23-year-old, income about £2400/month; kept the ring modest while saving for a house deposit |
| £500 | Sapphire | – | – | white gold | – | Handmade by a small local outfit; avoided a large or high-set stone that would catch on things |
| £500 | – | – | – | – | – | Partner loved the ring |
| £500 | Natural diamond | – | – | – | 1986 | Cluster ring with seven small stones, carat weight unknown |
| £500 | – | – | – | – | 2025 | Black Friday engagement ring, discounted from a listed 999 down to 500. |
| £500 | – | – | – | – | – | Brand-new unworn ring bought secondhand with original receipt and box; original buyer paid £2500 at Beaverbrooks |
| £500 | – | – | – | – | – | Current ring from current partner |
| £500 | – | – | – | – | – | Engagement ring was £500 of a £1,000 matching set; fiancé let her choose and she could have picked pricier |
| £500 | – | – | – | – | – | Chose her own ring, felt the amount was more than enough |
| £500 | Sapphire | – | – | other | – | Purple sapphire in a gold basket setting on a handcrafted silver ring by an independent Cotswolds jeweller; partner loved the handmade story |
| £550 | – | – | – | gold | – | Two diamonds either side of an emerald centre |
| £550 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought well under insured value through a personal contact in the jewelry trade |
| £550 | – | – | – | – | 2017 | About a third of one month's take-home pay at the time; says no need to overspend unless you have cash to spare |
| £600 | – | – | – | – | – | Secondhand ring cleaned up to look new; similar new rings cost roughly £2000 |
| £600 | Other gemstone | – | – | gold | 2015 | Vintage 18ct gold ring with opals, stamped 1892, bought from an antique shop in Brighton |
| £600 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | – | platinum | – | Second-hand platinum and diamond ring |
| £600 | – | – | – | – | – | Proposed without a ring and let her choose whatever she wanted |
| £600 | Other gemstone | – | pear | – | 2024 | Pear-cut emerald with diamond accents, bought under a £2,000 budget; matching band planned separately |
| £600 | – | – | – | – | – | Modest ring; contrasted with brother's costlier purchase below |
| £600 | Sapphire | – | – | gold | 2015 | Sapphire-and-diamond ring in 9-carat gold bought by husband; writer says cost never affects how much she loves it |
| £600 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | – | – | 2018 | Vintage diamond ring replacing the earlier £120 ring, bought 7-8 years before the comment |
| £600 | – | – | – | – | – | Older marriage; ex-husband later asked for the ring back for his new girlfriend but writer kept it |
| £600 | Moissanite | – | – | – | – | Says most people can't tell it isn't a diamond |
| £600 | Other gemstone | 1.5 ct | – | platinum | – | Blue topaz center stone with leaf filigree; price includes a later resize |
| £600 | Natural diamond | – | – | platinum | – | Platinum ring with a diamond and a ruby, found secondhand on eBay; writer calls it unique and adores it |
| £600 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | other | – | Three-stone lab-grown (cultured) diamond ring set in silver; very sparkly, husband bought it for her |
| £600 | – | – | – | – | – | Got 50% off; partner's idea to seek a discount |
| £630 | Moissanite | – | – | gold | 2025 | Old mine cut moissanite set in 10k satin gold; second purchase from this Etsy seller, happy with quality both times |
| £640 | – | – | – | – | 2022 | Bought from a long-running family jeweler in Frome; couple earns a bit less than the person asking |
| £650 | Other gemstone | – | – | white gold | – | White gold ring with a blue topaz center stone surrounded by diamonds |
| £650 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | A morganite ring his partner loves |
| £650 | – | – | – | – | – | Paid from joint savings; worn every day for 9 years without loss or damage |
| £650 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | 2019 | Chose a coloured gemstone over diamond; new ring made in a vintage style |
| £650 | – | – | – | – | – | An ex had wanted a £3.5k Tiffany ring and refused a proposal without one; this ring was for someone else |
| £650 | – | – | – | – | – | Wife's account; wanted secondhand, he found it in the first shop after checking every other one too |
| £650 | – | – | – | – | 2015 | About 1% of a year's pay at the time; she'd told him which ring she wanted in advance |
| £650 | Sapphire | – | – | white gold | – | Partner picked it out herself |
| £700 | – | – | – | – | – | Future husband didn't think writer would want him spending 3 months' salary, and he was right |
| £700 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Peridot center stone with two small accent diamonds, custom made by an Etsy vendor |
| £700 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | – | rose gold | 1999 | Rose gold with three diamonds, custom made |
| £700 | – | – | – | – | – | Relationship ended before the wedding; writer says the ring wasn't the cause |
| £700 | – | – | – | – | – | Chosen by the writer within a £1000 budget her husband set |
| £700 | – | – | – | – | 2000 | Sold his car to buy it |
| £700 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer is picky with jewellery and says the choice was perfect |
| £700 | – | – | – | – | – | Shipped from Australia after writer found and shared the design online |
| £700 | – | – | – | – | 2022 | On offer at the time; the same ring rose in price a few months later |
| £700 | – | – | – | – | – | Partner spent about £700 on writer's ring; both work part-time, spent well under a month's salary |
| £700 | Natural diamond | – | – | – | – | Antique natural diamond ring bought after a stand-in proposal ring; inflation-adjusted would be just over £1,000 now |
| £700 | Other gemstone | – | – | other | 2018 | Custom-designed ring in palladium with an aquamarine stone, about seven years before the comment |
| £700 | Sapphire | 0.75 ct | – | platinum | 2025 | Custom design with 14 accent diamonds (0.25ct each) around the center sapphire; budget was £1,500 but the local jeweller's total came to only this, though delivery has been slow |
| £700 | Other gemstone | – | – | platinum | – | Custom platinum band-style ring with sapphires and diamonds from a local jeweller, offered as a cheaper alternative |
| £700 | Other gemstone | – | – | yellow gold | – | Aquamarine center stone with 14k yellow gold and 6 small side diamonds in a cathedral setting |
| £750 | Moissanite | – | – | platinum | – | Handmade platinum band with a moissanite stone from a Birmingham jewellery quarter maker |
| £750 | – | – | – | – | – | Antique ring split between the couple; original budget had been about £400 |
| £750 | – | – | – | – | – | Friends' rings ranged roughly £100-£300 by comparison |
| £750 | – | – | – | – | – | A lot of money to the writer; wedding itself cost about £3000 total |
| £750 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought at auction including VAT and fees |
| £750 | – | – | – | – | – | Plus a resizing cost; a ring she'd shown interest in before |
| £750 | Moissanite | – | – | white gold | – | Moissanite stone in a white gold band, bought online |
| £750 | – | – | – | – | – | Not entirely sure of the exact cost, estimates it was between £500 and £1,000 |
| £800 | – | – | – | – | – | Saved £300 one month then paid the remaining roughly £500 the next; total ring cost about £800 |
| £800 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Tourmalinated Quartz ring from a Delaware, US seller (Midwinter Co.), plus about £200 in import fees, roughly £1,000 all in |
| £800 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | other | – | Lab-grown diamond set in palladium, chosen for ethical reasons; price includes engraving |
| £800 | – | – | – | – | – | Fiancé proposed with a cheap ring first so she could choose her own; budget was about £1k |
| £800 | – | – | – | – | – | Wedding itself cost about £15k separately |
| £800 | – | – | – | – | – | Proposed on a holiday in Florida that cost £10k separately |
| £800 | – | – | – | – | 2003 | About a bit over a month's wages at the time |
| £800 | – | – | – | – | – | Proposed without a ring, found a vintage one together |
| £800 | – | – | – | – | – | Budget was £5000; found a ring on sale, reduced from £1200 |
| £800 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought abroad at source; guesses it would cost roughly triple in the UK; still has the same ring 10+ years later |
| £800 | – | – | – | – | – | Income was about £1800/month at the time |
| £800 | – | – | – | – | 2019 | She chose it herself on a shopping day out; couple's finances are joint so overspending would have caused trouble |
| £800 | Other gemstone | – | – | gold | – | Gold and morganite, morganite is writer's favourite stone |
| £800 | – | – | – | – | – | Partner saved for about a year, got 30% off the sale price |
| £850 | – | – | – | – | – | Was saving for a house at the time and delayed proposing partly over the cost |
| £850 | – | – | – | – | – | Paid using supermarket loyalty vouchers |
| £850 | – | – | – | – | – | Handmade ring designed by her husband |
| £850 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Nature/D&D themed ring with a purple amethyst |
| £850 | Lab-grown diamond | 1 ct | pear | platinum | – | Platinum required due to a gold allergy, adding to the cost; low-profile pear cut |
| £850 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | – | – | Range originally given as 800-900; bought at an Asian jewellery shop in Leicester |
| £870 | – | – | – | – | 2001 | Jeweller wrote an insurance certificate for a higher value than paid |
| £900 | – | – | – | platinum | – | Secondhand Edwardian ring with platinum filigree, chosen after proposing with a cheap cubic zirconia stand-in |
| £900 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | – | – | Writer (the fiancée) picked the band, setting and lab-grown stone herself |
| £900 | – | – | – | – | – | Not quite a month's wage at the time |
| £900 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought on sale, reduced from £1300; monthly salary then was about £2000 |
| £900 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer picked out her own ring before he proposed, without knowing it at the time |
| £900 | Other gemstone | – | – | white gold | – | White gold ring with an alexandrite center stone and two small diamonds; cost about £900 |
| £900 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | – | 2025 | Ring made by a London-based Etsy jeweler, with the stone set locally; total for stone and setting fee |
| £900 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought on sale, originally listed at £2,400; partner had spotted it herself online before the proposal |
| £900 | – | – | – | – | 1991 | Bank of England inflation calculator puts this at about 2200 pounds today; felt like a huge sum at 31 |
| £925 | – | – | – | – | – | His own wedding band was titanium with a koa wood insert |
| £930 | – | – | – | – | – | Husband's top budget was 1k pounds; final price included a resizing |
| £950 | – | – | – | – | – | Wasn't making much at the time; saved for a year for it |
| £950 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought on sale |
| £990 | Other gemstone | – | – | rose gold | 2025 | Handmade rose gold ring with diamonds and sapphires, bought a few months before this post |
| £999 | – | – | – | – | 2013 | About a month's wage at the time, paid via a deposit plus instalments |
| £1,000 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | – | – | – | Felt anything over £2k strayed into show-off territory; preferred a smaller stone and liked shopping independent jewelers |
| £1,000 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | – | – | 2014 | Just under £1000; roughly a 0.3-0.4ct diamond with about 0.1ct of surrounding tiny diamonds, bought 7-8 years before the comment |
| £1,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought at Grays Antique Market in London, funded by a work bonus; a roughly £500 alternative was also liked |
| £1,000 | Natural diamond | – | – | – | 2000 | Chose a relatively small but high-quality diamond over a bigger one; about £2,150 in today's money per writer |
| £1,000 | – | – | – | – | 2008 | Same ring model reportedly costs about £3,000 now per writer's check |
| £1,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Price includes a 5-year insurance policy already claimed on twice |
| £1,000 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Her birthstone set in the ring; avoided diamonds for ethical reasons |
| £1,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Style mattered more than price to the writer |
| £1,000 | – | – | – | – | 2018 | About 80% of monthly take-home pay at the time; design mattered more than cost |
| £1,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Most of the cost was the conflict-free diamond, setting itself was cheap; both wedding bands together were solid silver |
| £1,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Partner saved up to afford a ring writer had spotted years earlier; upgraded to higher-karat white gold |
| £1,000 | Moissanite | – | – | – | – | Handmade ring from an Etsy artist, one of the pricier options available |
| £1,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Not quite the style she actually wanted, but she kept it because he'd picked it |
| £1,000 | – | – | – | white gold | – | A simple single diamond on a white gold band |
| £1,000 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | 0.6 ct | marquise | – | – | Engagement ring bought for almost £1,000; wearer says it looks bigger and more elegant than its size |
| £1,000 | Lab-grown diamond | 0.7 ct | – | yellow gold | – | 18ct yellow gold with a platinum claw setting; designed together in-store at Diamonds Factory |
| £1,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Basic but classic ring; offered to upgrade later but partner chose to keep the original |
| £1,000 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Replacement ring with an aquamarine after the first was stolen; writer finds it more beautiful than a plain diamond |
| £1,000 | Lab-grown diamond | 0.7 ct | – | gold | 2025 | Tailor-designed lab diamond ring, 18-carat gold with a platinum claw setting, for about £1k; also bought a matching eternity ring there |
| £1,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Partner doesn't like diamonds; saved up and spent as much as could afford at the time |
| £1,000 | – | – | – | platinum | 2011 | Diamond solitaire; platinum band cost more than the stone at the time |
| £1,000 | Lab-grown diamond | 1 ct | – | gold | – | 18k gold with a 1 ct lab stone; the jeweler knew them from a cheer team and cut the price; many competing Jewellery Quarter shops |
| £1,000 | Lab-grown diamond | 1.7 ct | – | – | – | Heavily discounted because it was a custom ring someone else had returned; resizing afterward cost a separate £80 |
| £1,063 | Sapphire | – | – | – | – | Sapphire halo ring |
| £1,100 | – | – | – | – | – | Chosen together; writer says she wouldn't dare wear it if it cost much more |
| £1,100 | – | – | – | – | 2013 | Equal to a month's wages at the time; she still wears it and loves it |
| £1,100 | – | – | – | – | 2016 | Price included a warranty |
| £1,100 | Lab-grown diamond | 1 ct | – | platinum | – | Platinum solitaire with a 1ct lab diamond |
| £1,100 | Other gemstone | – | – | gold | – | A seafoam tourmaline center stone set in gold |
| £1,150 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought during a 40% sale plus an extra promotion, down from an RRP of £2500 |
| £1,200 | – | – | – | – | – | Financed on a 0% interest card, repaid over 10 months |
| £1,200 | – | 2 ct | round | – | 2016 | A 2-carat solitaire from a local jeweller |
| £1,200 | – | – | – | – | 2019 | Bought 4 years before comment; wife later lost the ring and a replacement now costs more |
| £1,200 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | – | – | Lab-grown chosen for ethics and lower cost; smaller stone since wife has tiny hands |
| £1,200 | – | – | – | – | 2022 | A woman proposing to her male partner; custom ring with a fox and moon engraving |
| £1,200 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer's own husband's spend on her ring |
| £1,200 | – | – | – | – | – | Ring for his first marriage |
| £1,200 | – | – | – | – | – | Earns £50k/year; ring cost about 3 months of disposable income by his own estimate; also bought a necklace and earrings |
| £1,200 | Moissanite | – | – | rose gold | – | 14k rose gold with moissanite instead of diamond; couldn't justify diamond prices |
| £1,200 | – | – | – | – | – | Budget was about £1k but she chose one at £1.2k; proposed initially with a hula hoop |
| £1,200 | – | – | – | – | – | Worn for work |
| £1,200 | – | – | – | – | – | Less than a 3-month take-home would have been; wife picked it after proposing to him with a sweet ring |
| £1,200 | Other gemstone | – | – | gold | – | Gold band with a centre emerald and a diamond either side; plain gold wedding band |
| £1,200 | – | – | – | – | – | An ex-fiancée's ring; relationship ended and writer let her keep it |
| £1,200 | – | – | – | – | 2023 | Wedding bands made to match; added 7 small diamonds to her band to match his ring's price |
| £1,200 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | – | – | Lab-grown diamond ring; writer says he and his wife can't tell it apart from natural; cost half a month of his wage |
| £1,200 | Sapphire | – | – | – | – | Commissioned locally; sapphire sourced from Hatton Garden set with diamonds; also spent £2.5k on an engagement watch for his partner (not the ring) |
| £1,200 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | platinum | – | Bespoke platinum trilogy with a lab diamond and sapphire accents matching her birthstone; free resize included |
| £1,200 | – | – | – | – | – | UK buyer |
| £1,200 | – | – | – | – | – | Wife picked it out and felt guilty it was too expensive; spent a lot more on the honeymoon |
| £1,200 | – | – | – | – | – | Says this is pretty average for the UK; also says US ring prices and the asker's 3k idea, let alone the actual 5k, sound like a lot |
| £1,250 | – | – | – | – | 2016 | Ring about a third of one month's take-home pay; her band and his titanium band both bought online; all three still look great 7 years on |
| £1,250 | – | – | other | platinum | – | Bought secondhand from a friend who originally paid £2.5k for his ex-fiancee; baguette diamond; had it professionally cleaned and polished after |
| £1,250 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought on sale |
| £1,300 | – | – | – | – | – | Single most expensive purchase besides house and car |
| £1,300 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | white gold | – | Spent months choosing style together; fiancé had it custom made |
| £1,300 | – | – | – | – | – | The price of a specific vintage ring his wife found and wanted; no salary calculation involved |
| £1,300 | – | – | – | – | 2015 | Designed based on her taste; funded partly by a PPI claim |
| £1,300 | – | – | – | – | – | Prioritised diamond quality over size |
| £1,300 | – | 1 ct | – | – | – | Planned to spend double but the right design mattered more than size |
| £1,300 | – | – | – | – | – | Budgeted up to £2000; partner joked about not wanting a 'cheapo' ring |
| £1,300 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer chose the ring themselves |
| £1,300 | Lab-grown diamond | 2.24 ct | oval | gold | – | Custom oval design bought at Hatton Garden while lab diamond prices were in a down market; kept the stone modest since a bigger one looked odd on small fingers |
| £1,300 | – | – | – | – | 2011 | About a month's wages at the time; bought the stone from a diamond wholesaler and had the ring made around it, choosing a high-quality colour and clarity |
| £1,400 | – | – | – | – | 2021 | Shipped from Australia; plus a £42 balance-transfer fee; writer was furloughed and on about £27.5k at the time |
| £1,400 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought in the Birmingham jewellery quarter; high-street equivalent value was about £3,200 |
| £1,400 | Natural diamond | – | – | platinum | – | Made near trade price via a friend's contact on Hatton Garden; insured for £9k but not revalued for a while |
| £1,400 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought on sale, reduced from about £2000 |
| £1,400 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Vintage-style ring with an emerald plus diamonds, bought after a ringless proposal |
| £1,400 | – | – | – | – | – | Proposed with a cheap silver placeholder from a high-street chain first, then took her to pick the real one; prefers vintage over new gold/diamonds on environmental grounds |
| £1,400 | – | – | – | – | – | Fiance's mother contributed £2,500 toward the engagement and wedding rings combined; would have spent about £800 without that |
| £1,400 | – | – | – | – | – | About one week of her husband's earnings |
| £1,400 | – | – | – | – | – | Could have gone cheaper but fell in love with this one |
| £1,480 | Lab-grown diamond | 1.2 ct | – | gold | 2024 | 1.2ct D VVS2 triple-excellent IGI lab diamond bought from a UK store that required buying the stone through them for their ring design; ring total in 18k gold with free shipping |
| £1,499 | Lab-grown diamond | 2.16 ct | pear | platinum | 2023 | Originally picked a 2.09ct pear lab diamond that sold before finalizing; switched to this 2.16ct via the same jeweller; hidden-halo pave platinum setting; earlier same-batch quote was 1,499 inclusive of setting |
| £1,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Paid only for materials; a professional-jeweller friend designed and made it without charging for her time |
| £1,500 | – | – | – | – | – | An unclaimed bespoke order bought from a chain store; writer thinks he paid over the odds for it |
| £1,500 | Natural diamond | 0.52 ct | – | platinum | 2012 | Platinum ring bought in the Birmingham jewellery quarter at about half typical high-street prices; certified value was around £2900 |
| £1,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Didn't want to overspend but wanted good quality and a style she'd love |
| £1,500 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Tanzanite and diamond ring plus a matching earring set, bought from an independent shop |
| £1,500 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | – | – | – | Felt overpriced for a diamond but it's what she wanted; his own ring cost £50 separately |
| £1,500 | – | – | – | – | 2005 | Got a nice ring from Tiffany's in the mid-2000s; she kept it after their later divorce, writer didn't mind |
| £1,500 | – | – | – | – | – | The only ring he liked, but she loved it |
| £1,500 | – | – | – | – | – | About a quarter of one month's take-home pay |
| £1,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer felt it was too much money |
| £1,500 | – | – | – | – | 2014 | Writer thinks a lab-grown diamond could have cost less for the same look |
| £1,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Fiancée picked a ring that was, in the writer's view, perfect for her |
| £1,500 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Main stone is a spinel (chosen over sapphire for colour variety); exact ring from a specific designer, husband picked the stone/customisations |
| £1,500 | – | – | – | – | – | About a month's salary; suggests looking one size increment below a round carat number to save money |
| £1,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Earns six figures annually; partner doesn't like expensive jewellery, both come from low-income backgrounds |
| £1,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Price matched what the chosen designer charges; original budget was £7k before narrowing to partner's actual preferences |
| £1,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer feels the cost was more than needed and worries about damage, but loves the ring |
| £1,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Insurance certificate valued the ring at triple what he actually paid for it |
| £1,500 | Moissanite | – | radiant | yellow gold | – | 18k gold, 2mm band |
| £1,500 | Lab-grown diamond | 1 ct | – | gold | – | 1ct lab diamond in 18k gold; vendor said cutting out the middleman keeps prices lower |
| £1,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Husband bought it secondhand on eBay; came with a valuation confirming market value, later re-valued for peace of mind |
| £1,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Paid for his wife's ring over ten years before the comment, specs not recalled; put ring savings toward a house deposit and band savings toward the honeymoon |
| £1,500 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | – | – | – | Ring type not stated; worn for over ten years in an active life with no problems |
| £1,600 | Moissanite | – | cushion | platinum | 2021 | Charles & Colvard Forever One stone, half eternity band with hidden halo and studded prongs, lifetime warranty; custom made by Etsy seller Amy |
| £1,600 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought at a physical shop, thrilled with it despite initial reluctance to spend that much |
| £1,600 | – | – | – | – | – | A specific type of diamond ring with personal significance, which explains the price |
| £1,600 | – | – | – | – | 1999 | Platinum wedding bands cost more, both heavier with more diamonds; rings no longer worn after weight gain |
| £1,600 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Green sapphire centre stone, bought at a 20% discount from a small family-run jeweller |
| £1,600 | – | – | – | – | – | Figure given as an inflation-adjusted 'today's money' estimate, not the original nominal price |
| £1,600 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | platinum | – | An equivalent natural diamond would have cost about £5000 |
| £1,600 | Moissanite | – | – | – | – | Moissanite engagement ring from a previous relationship |
| £1,600 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | – | 2024 | Just over 1ct, almost flawless-grade lab diamond with two smaller side stones; says an equivalent mined stone would run £7-8k |
| £1,600 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | – | – | Fiancee wanted lab grown, a pleasant surprise; roughly 40% of writer's take-home pay at the time |
| £1,600 | – | – | – | – | – | Paid over 6 months interest-free; monthly take-home was £2,100 at the time |
| £1,600 | – | – | – | – | – | Chose by design more than price; wouldn't have gone over £3k |
| £1,600 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought from an independent Indian-owned jeweller; says it would have been much more from a high-street shop |
| £1,700 | – | – | – | – | – | Picked out mostly by his wife; three months' salary would have been about £7,500 for him, which he calls insane |
| £1,700 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer wrote '1700k', read as £1,700 given context; just bought |
| £1,700 | – | – | – | – | 2013 | Bought at a vintage jewellery store which swapped the stone from another ring; a fancy retail shop wanted £5000+ for a plainer ring |
| £1,700 | Lab-grown diamond | 2 ct | – | – | – | Recently bought; advises shopping around |
| £1,700 | – | – | – | – | 2021 | Went in expecting to spend about £1k but fell in love with a pricier ring |
| £1,750 | – | – | – | – | 2022 | The same exact ring now costs £2250 online, blamed on rising gold prices |
| £1,800 | – | – | – | – | – | Researched table, cut and clarity carefully to get good value |
| £1,800 | – | – | – | – | 2008 | A master's student at the time; drove a very cheap car for over a year afterward |
| £1,800 | – | – | – | – | – | Partner picked her own ring at half price from a £2000 budget |
| £1,800 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought instead of the ~£9k ring partner really wanted due to budget; later bought that originally-wanted ring at a big discount during a closing-down sale, exact price not given |
| £1,800 | – | – | – | – | – | Chosen after a demoralising day comparing rings in Birmingham's jewellery quarter |
| £1,800 | Sapphire | – | – | – | – | Large pale sapphire with lab-grown diamonds either side, from Hatton Garden |
| £1,800 | – | 1.1 ct | – | platinum | – | Colourless stone with a sapphire either side; wife loves it |
| £1,800 | – | – | – | – | – | Partner planned to spend £2,000-£3,000 but found the perfect ring for £1,800, less than one month of his take-home pay |
| £1,800 | – | – | – | – | – | Antique Victorian three-stone engagement ring |
| £1,800 | – | – | – | – | – | A vintage ring both partners chose together, cost split 50/50; thought it would be pricier than it was |
| £1,800 | Lab-grown diamond | 1.8 ct | – | gold | 2026 | Got a discount as sister had bought a ring from the same shop the year before; no extra diamonds on the shoulder unlike the asker's |
| £1,900 | Sapphire | – | – | – | – | Custom-make shop; picked the sapphire stone, girlfriend designed the rest |
| £1,900 | – | – | – | – | 2019 | Found plenty of good options in the £1-2k range; recommends lab diamonds as cheaper and free of child labour concerns |
| £1,900 | – | – | – | – | 2019 | Close to a month's post-tax pay at the time |
| £1,950 | – | – | – | – | – | Custom made; a lower-purity gemstone would have cost about £1,500 |
| £2,000 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | – | – | – | Picked the specific diamond's size, cut, colour and clarity online; felt it gave about 50% more ring for the money than a high-street shop; bought a while before this comment |
| £2,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Husband designed the ring and chose the diamond at Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter; described as ethically sourced by the jeweller |
| £2,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Husband upgraded the ring a few years later as an anniversary gift |
| £2,000 | – | – | – | – | 2012 | Got a discount |
| £2,000 | – | – | – | – | – | A little over one month's salary; also a lasting keepsake piece she's unlikely to buy for herself |
| £2,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Ring for his third marriage; writer says there won't be a fourth |
| £2,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Comparable to the cost of watches he was buying at the time |
| £2,000 | – | – | – | – | – | In hindsight spent too much; she didn't expect or want it; would skip diamond if redoing |
| £2,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Was in college at the time; she later declined a bigger or pricier upgrade |
| £2,000 | – | – | – | – | – | About one month's salary at the time; picked the ring based on the diamond rather than worrying about price |
| £2,000 | – | – | – | – | – | About one month's take-home salary; writer designed it himself |
| £2,000 | – | – | – | – | 2018 | Letting her choose within a set range mattered more than the price |
| £2,000 | – | – | – | – | – | About one month's salary at the time |
| £2,000 | Lab-grown diamond | 1.1 ct | – | platinum | – | Platinum band with a 1.1ct lab-grown solitaire |
| £2,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Husband proposed without a ring, they shopped together afterward |
| £2,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Took his partner along to pick the ring together after their own individual choices were both rejected |
| £2,000 | – | – | – | – | 2008 | Custom-made ring; a later insurance appraisal valued it lower than the price paid, which felt like a letdown |
| £2,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Total spent; no specs given, says the salary-multiple rule is diamond-industry marketing |
| £2,000 | Lab-grown diamond | 1 ct | – | gold | – | 18ct gold lab-grown ring, a natural equivalent would run £4-5k; her wedding band matches with diamonds and rubies, his is 18ct inset with 7 diamonds |
| £2,000 | Lab-grown diamond | 1.3 ct | oval | gold | – | One very minor inclusion helped keep the price down; writer calls it extremely sparkly |
| £2,000 | Lab-created coloured stone | – | – | platinum | – | Originally budgeted £5-6k; found a large lab-grown pink sapphire for less, partner loves pink/lilac |
| £2,000 | Lab-grown diamond | 1 ct | – | platinum | – | Independent Etsy jeweller made it exactly as requested |
| £2,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Custom design by a favourite artist including sandcasting with sand from her favourite beach and heritage-significant gems; she helped design and create it |
| £2,000 | – | – | – | two tone | – | Antique five-stone gold and platinum ring from a London antique jewellery shop, chosen after being unable to afford the solitaire she wanted |
| £2,000 | Lab-grown diamond | 2 ct | – | yellow gold | – | 2 ct lab diamond, D colour, VVS2, excellent cut, on 18k yellow gold for 2k pounds; surprised by US prices |
| £2,000 | Other gemstone | 1 ct | – | – | – | Natural pigeon-blood ruby about 0.6ct plus a natural 0.3ct diamond, total weight given not center alone; jeweler sized the diamond smaller to suit the ruby |
| £2,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Engagement fell through |
| £2,100 | – | – | – | – | 2020 | Wife too scared to wear it most days for fear of losing it, wears her wedding band instead |
| £2,200 | – | – | – | – | – | Cost split with his fiancée; bespoke design based on a couple of existing designs, chosen together after getting engaged |
| £2,200 | – | – | – | – | – | Ring for his second marriage |
| £2,250 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought while in the UK for about £2,000-2,500; earned a similar salary to the person asking |
| £2,250 | – | – | – | – | – | A Cartier-style diamond solitaire that his wife didn't like; suggests a cheaper secondhand sapphire would have suited her better |
| £2,250 | – | – | – | platinum | – | Art Deco style from an antique dealer, chosen because partner is into old things and wanted something with history |
| £2,300 | Lab-grown diamond | 1.1 ct | – | platinum | – | Learned the 4Cs via beyond4cs.com before buying |
| £2,300 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | – | 2026 | Lab grown trilogy-style ring bought as a surprise a couple months before the comment; fiancé's monthly income is £4,000 |
| £2,400 | Lab-grown diamond | 0.98 ct | – | gold | – | Writer's own ring; also guessed the asker's requested specs would run about £3000-3500 or more |
| £2,400 | – | – | – | – | – | Income was £135k pre-tax at the time |
| £2,500 | Natural diamond | 0.52 ct | oval | platinum | – | Bought wholesale; insurer valuation for the small halo setting is above the purchase price |
| £2,500 | Lab-grown diamond | 0.8 ct | – | platinum | – | Paid 2-3k for a 0.8 ct lab diamond on a platinum band; said it was much cheaper than high street stores |
| £2,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Replaced the returned £4999 ring; the price difference funded a holiday |
| £2,500 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | – | – | Sourced the lab-grown stone themselves and had a local jeweller set it, well below a comparable retail ring |
| £2,500 | – | – | – | – | – | A one-off purchase the writer worked hard to afford |
| £2,500 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | – | – | Paid via an instalment plan |
| £2,500 | Other gemstone | 2 ct | – | platinum | – | Tanzanite centre with lab-grown pave diamonds, hand made within a week with a requested discount |
| £2,500 | Natural diamond | – | – | platinum | – | Chose platinum and a natural diamond with eye-clean clarity and a strong cut over a cheaper lab option |
| £2,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Originally bought a £6k ring wife didn't like, returned it and got this one instead, saving £3.5k |
| £2,500 | – | – | – | – | – | First ring bought before a marriage that lasted only six months |
| £2,500 | – | – | – | – | 2024 | A stretch financially but partner loved it; bought the year before the comment |
| £2,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Proposed at home with candles and champagne; partner would have been happy with a cheaper ring too |
| £2,500 | Lab-grown diamond | 1.8 ct | – | gold | – | 14 karat gold, partner paid; says the asker's roughly 5k sounds high for a similar lab stone |
| £2,500 | Natural diamond | 2 ct | – | platinum | 2025 | Bought at a jewellery fair; clarity wasn't great but says it was about half of retail price for a comparable new ring |
| £2,600 | Lab-grown diamond | 1 ct | – | platinum | – | Haggled down from a £3,000 asking price at a national chain store; lab grown reportedly saved about £5k versus natural, funding a trip to Italy |
| £2,611 | – | 0.6 ct | – | – | 2025 | Swapped the diamond a couple weeks after the initial purchase; final total after research and reconsideration |
| £2,700 | Lab-grown diamond | 2.6 ct | oval | – | – | Total carat weight, not center stone; similar oval style to the asker's ring but without pave diamonds under the center stone |
| £2,700 | – | – | – | – | 2019 | Paid off over about 18 months; proposal delayed to late 2021 by Covid |
| £2,750 | Natural diamond | 0.65 ct | round | – | 2025 | Boyfriend spent between roughly £2,500 and £3,000 on the ring he plans to propose with |
| £2,750 | – | 1.5 ct | – | – | 2024 | Says the asker's ring sounds a little on the pricier side by comparison |
| £2,800 | – | – | – | – | – | Less than most of his friends spent |
| £2,800 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | – | – | Second lab diamond ring, could have been cheaper but wanted certain details |
| £2,800 | – | – | – | – | 2014 | Would not choose a natural diamond again knowing what she knows now |
| £2,800 | Lab-grown diamond | 1.5 ct | oval | yellow gold | – | 18k yellow gold setting, certified but the certifying lab isn't named; dealt with a staff member named Khadija |
| £2,850 | Natural diamond | 0.65 ct | round | white gold | 2023 | Boyfriend surprised her with an antique 3-stone ring from an English antique jeweller; a bad travel-card exchange rate made it feel like about 6,000 AUD |
| £2,900 | Lab-grown diamond | 1.31 ct | – | – | – | Five-stone/half-pave design from a pricier jeweler, chosen for quality after a bad experience with an earlier proposal ring; a similar solitaire or pave would have cost less |
| £2,950 | Natural diamond | 0.91 ct | round | – | 2025 | 0.91 ct D SI1 excellent round natural diamond solitaire in a cathedral setting with band, bought ahead of a proposal; the person asking compared it to a friend's larger lab oval bought for less |
| £3,000 | Lab-grown diamond | 0.75 ct | oval | – | 2025 | Fiance picked the ring without her trying styles on; oval trilogy style with smaller side stones; she feels the 0.75ct centre stone is small for her hand |
| £3,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought on a finance plan |
| £3,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Was told the traditional rule of thumb is 3 months' salary, though this was closer to one month's |
| £3,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Almost £3k, saved up so the ring would be durable enough to pass down; partner later said a £60 ring she saw would have been fine |
| £3,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Partner later voluntarily contributed extra toward the wedding |
| £3,000 | Natural diamond | 0.6 ct | – | – | – | Diamond ring later resold for far less; diamonds reportedly trade around £1,000 per carat on resale |
| £3,000 | – | – | – | – | 2018 | Picked stone online then viewed and collected at their London boutique; about 25% cheaper than typical retail |
| £3,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Loves the ring itself but dislikes how much was spent; would have been fine with £30 |
| £3,000 | – | – | – | white gold | 2003 | Marriage ended badly; rings were later thrown into the sea by his ex |
| £3,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Cost split with her partner; worked with the maker to choose each stone; planning wedding bands from the same maker |
| £3,000 | – | – | – | – | 2017 | A lot of money at the time but no regrets |
| £3,000 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | – | – | – | Later resold secondhand for £900 after some haggling; cites this as evidence natural diamond resale value is poor |
| £3,000 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | – | – | – | Writer's partner spent this on her ring; she says she'd have been just as happy with an £85 antique-store ring she had hinted at |
| £3,000 | – | – | – | – | 2013 | Over a decade before the comment; about 1.5 months' salary; picked the stone/setting and vendor made the ring |
| £3,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Wife wasn't interested in a big diamond; something small but tasteful |
| £3,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Custom made through an independent; insurance valued it at roughly double what was paid |
| £3,000 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | – | – | Custom design with 3 small ruby accents |
| £3,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Found the exact ring wife would love; would buy the same again even earning more now |
| £3,000 | Lab-grown diamond | 1.2 ct | – | platinum | – | High level on the 4Cs per writer |
| £3,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Income was about £13k/month before tax |
| £3,000 | Lab-grown diamond | 0.9 ct | – | – | – | A diamond-covered band; recommends choosing a carat just under a whole number |
| £3,000 | – | – | – | – | – | First diamond ring, later stolen |
| £3,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Saved small amounts over 2 years; agreed that amount would be their spending limit |
| £3,000 | Sapphire | 2.54 ct | – | – | 2025 | Teal, heated, eye-clean sapphire; plain band with two small diamond accents; writer estimated about $4000 when converted |
| £3,000 | Other gemstone | – | – | platinum | 2025 | Custom platinum ring, aquamarine center stone inspired by their ragdoll cats' eyes; designed with a jeweller over a year across 7 visits |
| £3,100 | Lab-grown diamond | 1.5 ct | radiant | – | 2026 | Trilogy setting totaling 2.16ct across three stones, center stone 1.5ct; proposal in Cape Verde |
| £3,200 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | 2020 | 0.7ct sapphire centre with two small diamond side stones |
| £3,200 | – | – | – | – | – | Described as about two months' salary at the time |
| £3,250 | – | 1 ct | – | yellow gold | – | Pre-owned ring with pear-shaped diamond shoulder stones on a 24 carat gold band, found at a local jeweller rather than a chain; monthly income after tax was about £1,800 |
| £3,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Funded partly by inheritance from writer's late grandmother; chosen together with her father |
| £3,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Saved up over a few months beforehand; writer thinks financing a ring is a bad idea |
| £3,500 | Sapphire | – | – | – | 2022 | Chose a sapphire over a diamond; partner's salary is £80k |
| £3,500 | – | – | – | platinum | 2016 | Platinum solitaire, well-cut diamond |
| £3,500 | Other gemstone | – | – | – | – | Sapphire centre with diamonds around, similar style to Princess Diana's ring |
| £3,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Saved for a few months; not considered necessary but liked the ring |
| £3,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Avoided high-street chains because of quality and allergy concerns; bought from Liangs |
| £3,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Custom design based on a style partner had sent him; about 1 week's gross pay rather than the touted 3 months |
| £3,500 | Lab-grown diamond | 3 ct | – | – | 2023 | Proposed the year before the comment; earns about £12k/month after tax; 3ct already looks borderline obnoxious per writer, a natural equivalent would run about £40k more |
| £3,500 | Natural diamond | 0.6 ct | – | – | – | About two-thirds of a month's take-home; insurance certificate valued it higher than the price paid |
| £3,500 | Lab-grown diamond | 2 ct | – | gold | 2024 | Bought a few months before the comment; 18ct gold band; describes it as ethical and identical to natural |
| £3,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Bespoke design; turned out partner didn't actually want a diamond |
| £3,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Proposed on Brooklyn Bridge in New York |
| £3,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Picked the stone himself; wanted something that represented the couple, not the price |
| £3,500 | – | – | – | white gold | – | A white gold trilogy-style ring |
| £3,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Bespoke ring; the maker offers both lab-grown and reclaimed stones, stone type for this ring not stated |
| £3,500 | – | 1.75 ct | – | platinum | – | Hidden halo, pave band; dealt with a staff member named Miles |
| £3,700 | – | – | – | – | 2017 | Did not go into debt for it |
| £3,700 | – | – | – | – | 2016 | About 8 years before the comment; was earning roughly £45-60k at the time |
| £3,800 | – | 0.33 ct | – | other | 2014 | Custom palladium ring, wife chose the high-quality third-carat diamond herself; writer wasn't a HENRY then |
| £3,800 | Lab-grown diamond | 4 ct | round | – | – | 4ct lab-grown round diamond bought with a 30% discount from Diamond Factory UK, an online mass-market retailer with limited showrooms; positive buying experience |
| £4,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Bespoke design by a one-man jeweller, close to wholesale price; worked out to about a month and a bit's salary |
| £4,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Ring returned to the writer after the couple divorced |
| £4,000 | – | – | – | – | – | A custom-ish ring; smaller stones around the centre diamond fell out three times but were fixed under the shop's service |
| £4,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Includes a new wedding band needed after weight loss |
| £4,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Wanted something specific she'd love; she doesn't care about the value |
| £4,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Made to order; would have been over £7000 bought off the shelf |
| £4,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Got the diamond at trade price through an industry contact; bespoke design to complement a sapphire ring she already wore daily |
| £4,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Followed a one-month-salary guideline; says he would not do it again |
| £4,000 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | – | – | Wife designed the ring herself after realizing lab grown let her get a bigger stone/better 4Cs |
| £4,000 | – | 0.53 ct | – | platinum | – | Bought on a December sale (25% off plus extra 10%); full price was £6k; her wedding band is a platinum half-eternity at 0.5ct total; a jewellery maker separately quoted £2k for the same style |
| £4,000 | Lab-grown diamond | – | – | – | – | Chose lab grown given poor resale on either type; recommends 77 Diamonds and avoiding high-street jewellers |
| £4,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Paid trade price for the diamond; about a month's salary at the time |
| £4,000 | – | – | – | – | 2017 | About a month's salary at the time; had to be resized later; recent insurance valuation came out far higher than the price paid |
| £4,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Custom design in Hatton Garden; avoided round carat weights like 0.5/0.75/1ct since those carry a price premium |
| £4,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer's own ring was smaller than the large stones shown here; no regrets, curious how others afford bigger stones |
| £4,000 | – | – | – | – | 2012 | Had it custom made since similar rings at jewellers were double the price; matched an antique style missed at auction; a little less than a month's salary |
| £4,100 | Natural diamond | 1.07 ct | – | – | 2025 | Bought from a family friend/jeweler who claimed SI1 triple-excellent with only a personal appraisal, no GIA report; buyers believe the visible inclusion means it grades lower |
| £4,300 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | 0.51 ct | princess | platinum | 2020 | Listed about 6,500, cut to 4,300 by a December sale and January discount; partner upsized the 0.3 ct stone they chose to 0.51 ct |
| £4,499 | – | 2 ct | – | platinum | – | 2ct centre diamond with quarter-carat diamonds either side; writer, who collects precious metals, felt overcharged relative to intrinsic value |
| £4,500 | Natural diamond | 1.98 ct | – | platinum | 2025 | Custom CAD-designed ring with a 1.98ct natural/mined sapphire center plus about 1.5ctw natural diamond accents on a platinum band, paid GBP 4,500 (about $6k) at a local jeweler |
| £4,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Paid over several 0%-interest instalments; custom made; post-purchase valuation came in well above the price |
| £4,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought on finance; she chose a different style than he expected |
| £4,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Worn almost constantly for 9 years except during pregnancies and cleaning |
| £4,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Chosen together after discussing it at length; wants to pass the ring down to their children |
| £4,500 | – | 1 ct | – | – | 2007 | Wife negotiated the price down from £5000 |
| £4,500 | – | – | – | – | 2017 | Bought on 0% finance |
| £4,500 | – | – | – | – | 2012 | About 12 years before the comment; has held up well since |
| £4,500 | Natural diamond | 1 ct | round | two tone | – | An Art Deco ring with a 1ct old-cut diamond and triangular sapphire side stones in platinum and gold, bought later in the marriage with an inherited budget |
| £4,750 | – | – | – | – | 2006 | Relationship later ended; writer says the proposal moment was still worth it |
| £4,999 | – | – | – | – | – | Take-home was just under £2,000/month then; wife made him return this ring for being too expensive |
| £5,000 | Natural diamond | 1 ct | radiant | platinum | – | Natural radiant-cut diamond ring in platinum |
| £5,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Chose based on carat weight, thinking it might hold value slightly better than a smaller stone |
| £5,000 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | – | emerald | – | 1997 | Bought on discount, just over 1 carat emerald-cut diamond; never worn now |
| £5,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Custom made abroad and imported to the UK, a little over this amount |
| £5,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought abroad, not from the UK; estimated equivalent to about £7500 at UK prices; writer switching to a rubber band for manual work |
| £5,000 | Natural diamond | 1 ct | round | rose gold | – | D colour, eye-clean SI1, round solitaire in 18k rose gold; UK buyer describing their own purchase |
| £5,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Used a family heirloom as a placeholder first, then bought this from a designer partner loves |
| £5,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Spent this mainly because his mother insisted; wife would have been happy with a ring around £100 |
| £5,000 | Lab-grown diamond | 1.6 ct | – | platinum | – | Pave platinum band; wife later wanted a second ring in gold to match outfits |
| £5,000 | – | – | – | – | 2013 | About 2 months' salary at the time; would still spend about the same today but choose lab grown |
| £5,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Did not buy from Kimai but recommends them for custom sustainable lab-diamond pieces |
| £5,400 | – | – | – | – | – | Says it's all relative to what you can afford |
| £5,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Wife specifically wanted a Tiffany ring; funded with a loan |
| £5,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Exceeded his budget by about £2,000 |
| £5,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Picked the exact diamond with custom touches; valued well above cost; guesses a high-street jeweller would have charged around £10k |
| £5,500 | – | – | – | – | 2017 | Wife rarely wears the ring |
| £5,500 | – | – | – | – | 2023 | Writer unsure of exact ring cost, estimated at about 5500 pounds |
| £5,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought through a wholesale trade contact, below the estimated retail price |
| £6,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Paid from savings; wanted a stylish, classy ring meant to be passed down |
| £6,000 | – | – | – | – | – | About a month's income at the time |
| £6,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Got help from a friend who worked in the jewellery trade |
| £6,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Prioritised clarity and quality over carat size |
| £6,000 | Lab-grown diamond | 1.7 ct | round | platinum | 2024 | Fiancé bought a 1.7ct D IF round lab diamond in a platinum setting; she wasn't fully sure of the exact price, giving it as about £6k / $7,500 |
| £6,000 | – | – | princess | – | – | Includes yearly complimentary cleaning; vendor offers a 10% referral discount |
| £6,000 | Natural diamond | – | – | – | – | Switched from an initially chosen £4k lab-grown stone to a natural one after disliking the idea |
| £6,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought through a family friend's jewellery business with no tax paid; guesses market price elsewhere would run about 20% more |
| £7,000 | – | – | – | – | – | More than budgeted but felt worth it |
| £7,000 | Lab-grown diamond | 1.8 ct | – | – | – | An equivalent natural diamond would have cost closer to £10k |
| £7,000 | – | – | – | – | – | About 1.5x net monthly pay; prioritised colour over clarity and stayed under 1ct |
| £7,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Stone not huge but good quality; her family is very into jewellery so it had to be right |
| £7,000 | Natural diamond | 0.78 ct | – | – | – | Writer says a future upgrade would likely be lab-grown to avoid paying for the brand name |
| £7,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Earning in USD at the time, roughly double UK pay |
| £7,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Funded from a dividend from writer's own business at the time |
| £7,500 | – | – | – | – | – | Not a big diamond but got exactly what was wanted |
| £8,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought the diamond separately from the setting for a better overall price, using savings set aside for this |
| £8,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Upgraded later once circumstances changed; both rings meant a lot |
| £8,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Wife picked and designed her own ring; writer proposed with a ring his grandfather had made for his mother |
| £8,000 | Lab-grown diamond | 4 ct | – | – | – | Main stone over 4ct plus two 0.5ct side stones; a natural diamond with the same specs would run almost six figures |
| £8,000 | Natural diamond | 1.8 ct | – | – | – | Fancy light yellow diamond; close to a gross month's base salary at the time |
| £8,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought via a personal connection at a discount; the equivalent stone would cost £21k at a high-street chain |
| £8,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Bought a few years before the comment, exact year not given |
| £8,600 | – | – | – | – | – | Also converts to about $11,200 USD by the writer's own reckoning |
| £9,000 | – | – | – | – | 2011 | Value has risen sharply since; writer saved up for it |
| £9,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Second ring bought on a US trip, doubling as part of a wedding-band set; worn on days off |
| £9,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Bespoke foreign jeweller; avoided VAT by collecting the ring in a country with no tax; self-insures rather than buying dedicated ring cover |
| £9,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Husband spent £8-10k; 2.5 months' take-home pay each; lived in a low-tax jurisdiction at the time |
| £9,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Designed from scratch; coincidentally three months' salary at the time though writer didn't know the rule beforehand |
| £9,000 | Natural diamond | 1 ct | – | – | – | 1ct mined diamond engagement ring originally cost £9000; tried to resell after divorce for a fraction of that |
| £9,800 | Natural diamond | 1.9 ct | – | – | – | Antique ring with the diamond (8k) plus added diamonds (1k) plus a custom platinum band made from scratch (0.8k); avoided VAT versus a new ring |
| £10,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Paid from savings, what he could comfortably afford |
| £10,000 | – | – | – | – | – | An ex-fiancé's ring, bought outright not on credit; writer says she'd have said yes for far less; ring was returned after the breakup |
| £10,000 | – | – | – | – | 2023 | Wedding band was still being made; small 50-guest UK wedding with open bar, self-funded |
| £10,000 | Lab-grown diamond | 2.84 ct | round | platinum | 2022 | Day trip to Hatton Garden with his mother; a similar natural stone would reportedly cost over 3x as much |
| £10,000 | – | – | – | – | 2012 | Was 28 years old, 12 years before the comment; had cash reserves and expected higher future earnings |
| £10,000 | – | – | – | – | 2021 | Engagement ended about 3 years after buying; advises not overspending on someone who cares about ring cost |
| £10,000 | – | – | – | – | 2011 | Husband wasn't budget-constrained and bought what he liked |
| £10,000 | – | – | – | – | 2026 | Paid closer to £10k for the ring but the jeweller's insurance valuation came in at £20k; considering declaring it at £15k instead |
| £11,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer describes the cost as slightly under this figure; comfortable spending this much and unconcerned about resale value |
| £12,000 | Natural diamond | 2.5 ct | cushion | – | 2020 | Colour recalled uncertainly by writer as probably F; bought when UK lab-diamond suppliers looked untrustworthy |
| £12,000 | Diamond, lab or natural not said | 1.46 ct | round | platinum | – | Engaged in Sydney; ring bought in Australia; a similar but lower-quality stone was quoted at 23k at a UK chain |
| £12,000 | Natural diamond | 1.81 ct | round | – | 2023 | Triple-excellent cut with medium fluorescence; found listed on James Allen but ordered and sourced through a local jeweler, shipped from India |
| £12,000 | – | 2 ct | – | – | – | 150-year-old antique ring, picked in person at Hatton Garden, with 3 main diamonds and 4 small accent diamonds; insurance valuation came in £5k above the price paid |
| £12,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Custom Hatton Garden jeweller connection via a friend; independent valuation came in well above the price paid; pays a lasting annual insurance premium |
| £12,000 | – | – | – | – | 2003 | Not quite three months' salary at the time; appraised value has grown substantially since |
| £12,500 | – | 1.25 ct | oval | platinum | – | Income was about £250k/year; describes the stone as extremely good quality |
| £14,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Together for 9 years before proposing |
| £14,000 | Natural diamond | 1 ct | oval | platinum | – | Bought a few years before the comment from a well-known British jeweller, not named |
| £15,000 | Sapphire | 10 ct | – | – | 2026 | 10ct unheated Ceylon sapphire for a Diana/Kate-style halo ring; ring still being made, total expected 15k+; no lab report yet |
| £15,000 | – | – | – | – | – | A strong blue diamond, wife had heard of the three-month rule |
| £16,000 | – | – | – | – | – | A big diamond, well looked after |
| £19,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Writer now lives in New York City, where ring-spending expectations felt much higher than in the UK |
| £20,000 | – | – | – | – | – | Engagement ended after an affair during the engagement |
| £20,000 | Natural diamond | 1.8 ct | emerald | gold | – | Has smaller side stones; dedicated insurance runs about £400/year; self-imposed cap was 5% of net worth and no more than 2 months' salary |
| £22,500 | – | 1.5 ct | – | – | – | Real engagement ring, about $30K USD equivalent; writer prefers understated European sizing over larger American-style stones |
| £950,000 | – | – | – | – | – | She has no idea how much it's actually worth |
Sources and method
Price reports on this page come from 96 public discussions where buyers answered in their own words. Each comment that stated what someone paid became one row; notes are paraphrased, never quoted.
The largest discussions used here (60)
- 2024-08: Ugliest rings? Show them! (1162 comments)
- 2026-01: Update on 30k ring. See last post for more details (1100 comments)
- 2023-06: Husbands, how much did you spend on the engagement ring? (1083 comments)
- 2023-01: How much would you spend on an engagement ring? (909 comments)
- 2026-04: my girlfriend told me she wants a 2 carat natural diamond or she'll say no. i already bought this lab diamond ring. am i crazy for thinking shes a red flag (898 comments)
- 2026-08: Mom says I need to spend three months of my salary on an engagement ring. I found one for way less. Is that wrong? (792 comments)
- 2023-08: $20 Amazon ring? (740 comments)
- 2025-01: Conflicted on shape! Thoughts? (593 comments)
- 2025-03: Do people actually spend 3 months salary on a ring? (539 comments)
- 2026-01: I don’t mean this rudely at all but is everyone posting here marrying rich guys or are my standards just not attuned to what the norm is these days? (533 comments)
- 2023-08: Show me you inexpensive rings! (475 comments)
- 2024-10: How much spent on engagement ring? (446 comments)
- 2026-03: Am I crazy for wanting a $6k ring? (412 comments)
- 2022-10: How much y’all paying for your engagement rings? (399 comments)
- 2026-07: PSA: do not buy an engagement ring from Tiffany’s (372 comments)
- 2025-03: Did I mess up? (369 comments)
- 2025-08: What's the most expensive piece of jewelry you have and do you regret it or not? (343 comments)
- 2026-09: Anyone else pay for a portion of their engagement ring? (328 comments)
- 2024-08: Picking/buying an engagement ring today on low enough budget. (310 comments)
- 2026-05: How much should a man spend on an engagement ring? (300 comments)
- 2024-05: Thoughts as an engagement ring (273 comments)
- 2025-04: What are people spending on engagement rings? 💍 (265 comments)
- 2021-11: How did people go about budgeting for an engagement ring? (259 comments)
- 2023-03: How do people afford engagement rings?! (258 comments)
- 2022-12: Is it just me or is everyone rich on here? (256 comments)
- 2025-01: Is this ring boring? (254 comments)
- 2025-02: A natural diamond dealer challenged me to a debate (250 comments)
- 2025-05: With the caveat that the actual answer is “however much you’re both comfortable spending”, how much did you spend on an engagement ring? (242 comments)
- 2025-03: Update: it’s been over 1-year of trying to sell inherited jewelry with an insurance valued price of over £25k (238 comments)
- 2026-07: What do you think about my 4 carat stone ? (212 comments)
- 2019-05: How much to spend on an engagement ring? (210 comments)
- 2025-06: got my ring but am feeling weird about it (203 comments)
- 2024-05: Proposal without an engagement ring? (194 comments)
- 2023-11: Opinion/Advice (190 comments)
- 2025-11: Is my diamond too small for my hand? (183 comments)
- 2025-07: How much did you spend on an engagement ring ? (165 comments)
- 2026-08: Is the plan to wear travel rings on honeymoon or your real rings? (151 comments)
- 2025-07: Non-diamond rings? (150 comments)
- 2024-08: I think the lab diamonds disruption of the diamond industry as a whole is so fascinating. Even though now we can reach for the stars basically and get our dream rings, why hold back? Is it due to old stereotypes and prejudice? (147 comments)
- 2022-12: Manage expectations (146 comments)
- 2025-12: Designing an engagement ring for my girlfriend. (143 comments)
- 2025-03: Should I have went with a diamond? (135 comments)
- 2026-02: Cheap engagement ring below 500 (135 comments)
- 2026-07: Bf asking me to not be cheap for qn engagement ring (128 comments)
- 2026-05: How much are people generally paying for engagement rings in UK? (125 comments)
- 2025-04: I just noticed i lost the centre stone from my engagement ring. (124 comments)
- 2025-07: Question, what does an average American Man spend on an Engagement Ring? (114 comments)
- 2023-09: Ring price in relation to wedding / dress price? (105 comments)
- 2026-02: Wedding Ring Cost - How much did you actually spend? (105 comments)
- 2024-06: Engagement Ring Budget vs Wedding Budget (100 comments)
- 2024-08: Thoughts on this as a first affordable engagement ring? I work for the store and get a discount. (99 comments)
- 2022-03: Where can I buy an engagement ring that’s not stupid expensive? (97 comments)
- 2022-07: Hi guys, I need help. How much does your fiancé/husband spend on your engagement ring? I feel shy about my husband. He wants me to buy around $4000. I think it's too much. (92 comments)
- 2026-06: Engagement ring costs? (92 comments)
- 2025-04: Proposing in 2 weeks. How did I do? (88 comments)
- 2026-02: Wedding Ring Cost - How much did you actually spend? (84 comments)
- 2020-07: Do people really spend about two months of income on just rings? (81 comments)
- 2025-03: How to work out what my budget should be for an engagement ring? (78 comments)
- 2026-04: Do people really spend the same amount as RENT on an engagement ring? (77 comments)
- 2024-09: How much should I spend on an engagement ring? Considering lab diamonds. What suggestions are there? (74 comments)
- and 36 more, all in the dataset
A price counts here when the buyer paid in pounds: the community's own currency, or one the buyer named. Quotes not taken, price bounds and rings reported second-hand are left out.