Behind every loving relationship is the daunting financial task of purchasing an engagement ring. But it doesn’t have to be. My engagement ring with 2 carats that had professional jewelers fooled with how perfect the diamonds were for the price was only $1,700. How was it so cost-friendly? Because I have a lab-created engagement ring!
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The average cost of engagement rings
The old bar that was set for the cost of an engagement ring was three month’s salary. Maybe it’s just my personal preference, but that’s pretty expensive! The average that American couples spent on an engagement ring in 2020 was $3,756, which is less than the $7,829 average couples spent in 2018! I am seeing other reports saying that $6,000 is also a fair, average price to pay for an engagement ring, and right now I am floored by those numbers.

So what are lab-created diamonds and why are they so inexpensive?
Well to be honest with you, they are exactly what they sound like. They are diamonds created in a lab. So yes, these diamonds are real, but no they were not dug up from the ground by someone. Everything about these diamonds has been perfected in a lab – color, cut, clarity, and carat. These can all be made to the exact specifications of what the buyer wants. Even when I took my ring in to a jeweler, the only reason they could tell that the diamonds were lab-created was because the inside of the band says “Lab Created”. Other than that, they said they would have had no idea. And if that isn’t validation without the price tag, then I don’t know what is.
Not to mention for my sustainability lovers out there, these rings are just that – ethically made and sustainable products! No need to worry about where your diamonds came from, or if mining workers were exploited or underpaid for their work. These diamonds are real, reliably sourced, and made in a safe environment. And who wouldn’t love the price difference on lab-created diamonds?
Where my fiancé bought mine
Kay Jewelers! Originally, I was looking at a very similar ring at Jared that was not made with lab-created diamonds, but somehow Cody knows what I like more than I do and picked this perfect one out for me with Kay. Even more so to compare pricing, the one I picked out at Jared was about $3,000 and was half a carat less in weight, and Cody bought my lab-created engagement ring at Kay for $1,700 and it also included a lifetime warranty on all the diamonds. Even looking at my ring right now on Kay Jewelers, it’s actually only $1,300.
Here are some other examples of lab-created engagement rings on Kay Jewelers (all are linked):
Overall, I adore my ring and I really don’t give a hoot about the diamonds being lab-created because they are perfect. And let’s be real, no one ever walks up to you and asks if your diamonds were created in a lab or if they were dug up from the ground. At the end of the day, they’re still diamonds!
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