Modern Brides More Likely to Receive a Round Engagement Ring



A close-up look at the modern bride’s engagement ring.

Custom Job

Of the 87% of high-end brides who received a new ring, 52% described it as custom designed, while of the 89% of budget brides who received a new ring, just 31% said it was custom. Luxury brides were also slightly more likely to receive an heirloom ring.

Bigger is Better

No surprises here: The higher-end brides received larger engagement rings.

The average center stone for that group was 1.50 cts. Meanwhile, the average center stone for the budget bride was 0.90 ct. The engagement ring’s average total carat weight, including side stones, was 2 cts. and 1.40 cts., respectively.

A (Round) Cut Above

Round diamonds rule among all brides—but especially among high-end brides: 57% received a round diamond ring, as did 51% of budget brides.

When opting for a fancy cut, the well-to-do brides were more likely to favor cushion cuts than budget brides—and less likely to choose princess cuts: 20% of the high-end received a square-cut ring compared with 35% of the budget group.

$13,515

That’s the average cost/value of the engagement ring for the high-end brides. The average for the budget segment: $2,909.

White Gold vs. Platinum

White gold was the overwhelming favorite among all brides, but more affluent brides opted for another white metal: 38% of them went with platinum (versus just 10% of the budget segment).

Rave Reviews

Well-to-do brides were more likely to describe their engagement rings as:

  • “gorgeous”
  • “timeless”
  • “brilliant”
  • “flawless”
  • “extravagant”

Meanwhile, 19% of budget brides described their rings as “simple” (compared with 8% of the high-end category)

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