Yes, $50,000 is a significant amount for an engagement ring, placing it at the higher end, potentially getting a large or rare natural diamond or an exceptional lab-grown piece, but whether it's "good" depends entirely on your budget, partner's preferences, and financial goals, as averages are much lower (around $5k-$15k) and personal values matter more than old rules like the salary guideline.
The “Two-Month Salary Rule” suggests spending two months of your income on an engagement ring. For example, if you earn $45,000 a year, this rule says you should spend $7,500.
The average amount spent on an engagement ring in Australia typically ranges from AUD 5,000 to AUD 7,500, with variations depending on the region and specific market trends. This budget often allows for a quality diamond and setting, balancing carat weight and clarity to meet the buyer's preferences.
Size is subjective and varies depending on personal preference and budget (and even things like finger size, if you're looking at engagement rings!). However, diamonds of one carat and above are typically considered large.
Your budget should reflect your financial situation and personal preferences. $10,000 is often cited as a substantial amount to allocate for an engagement ring, but it's essential to consider the average and median amounts spent by other couples to put things into perspective.
There are no legal requirements dictating how soon after an engagement you must get married. Some couples choose to marry just a few months after getting engaged, while others wait several years. On average, couples get married within 1 to 1.5 years after the proposal.
For $20,000, you can typically get a significant diamond, often ranging from 1.5 to over 2.5 carats, depending on the Four Cs (Cut, Color, Clarity) and shape, with choices like a 2ct H VS2 or a larger but less perfect 2.5ct I SI1 being common, or even larger lab-grown options. A strategic approach balancing quality (excellent cut, near-colorless) with size allows for a visually stunning, large stone that sparkles brilliantly, rather than overpaying for perfect color/clarity invisible to the naked eye.
A 2 carat diamond works the same way. It's large enough to catch the eye but still practical for everyday wear. Part of the decision depends on finger size too. A 2 carat diamond might look more dramatic on someone with smaller hands and more understated on someone with a wider finger.
Swift's stone is large—industry experts have estimated anywhere from seven to ten carats, or about the size of a rounded-oval press-on nail.
Michelle Obama has two engagement rings: her original was a 1-carat round diamond, but in 2017, she received an upgrade to a larger, estimated 2.5 to 3-carat princess or cushion-cut diamond in a pave setting, with reports suggesting the new one is worth significantly more.
According to our data, the average engagement ring cost in the US is $6,504 in 2025. This reflects a downward trend in spending on engagement rings, as the 2024 average was $6,775, down from a five-year high of $9,025 in 2022.
A realistic wedding budget in Australia typically falls between $36,000 to $41,400 on average, though costs vary significantly by location and size, with many couples spending more than planned. Key expenses include venue, catering, photography, attire, and styling, with urban areas generally costing more. It's crucial to set priorities, discuss finances openly, and build a buffer for extras to avoid significant overspending.
Yes, $5,000 is a very reasonable budget for an engagement ring, often allowing for a quality natural or excellent lab-grown diamond with a nice setting, fitting near the national average spend and providing options for style and customization. While some trends suggest higher spending, $5K provides access to beautiful, well-crafted rings without needing to follow outdated "salary rules," with factors like diamond quality (Four Cs) and metal type influencing final price.
As one might expect, as the carats, or weight, of a diamond increases, so does the price. The larger the carat size, the more dramatically the price can increase. This is because it is more difficult to find larger diamonds than it is smaller ones, and so the larger ones are worth considerably more.
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Another big difference between 1 and 2 carat diamonds is the price. There is a dramatic increase in cost from 1-carat diamonds to 2 carat diamonds. While 1-carat stones cost anywhere from $2,000 – $20,000, 2 carat stones range from $8,000 to $50,000. This is because, the larger the carat weight, the rarer the diamond.
Q4: Is silver or gold on trend in 2025? Both metals are popular, but gold is taking center stage. Gold's timeless appeal, combined with new design twists, makes it the most in-demand metal this year.
Two-three-quarters to three-carat diamonds are in limited supply in many shapes and qualities. The average cost for a well-cut round brilliant diamond SI1- VS2 clarity and F-H color (the most popular qualities) ranges from around $40,000- $50,000 depending on the specifics of the individual stone.
Among the Kardashian sisters, the most expensive wedding ring belongs to Kim Kardashian, whose husband Kanye West reportedly spent around $4.5 million on a 20-carat emerald-cut diamond ring for her.
With a $15,000 budget, you typically can get a high-quality earth-grown diamond in the 1.5 to 2 carat range, but again, this will vary depending on the other 3 Cs. In some cases, you could get a 2.5-carat or 3-carat natural diamond, but at this size you would have to make major sacrifices on cut, color, and clarity.
The 7-7-7 rule is a structured method for couples to regularly reconnect, involving a date night every 7 days, a weekend getaway every 7 weeks, and a kid-free vacation every 7 months.
But it does provide some rough guidelines as to how soon may be too soon to make long-term commitments and how long may be too long to stick with a relationship. Each of the three numbers—three, six, and nine—stands for the month that a different common stage of a relationship tends to end.
The 2-2-2 rule for marriage is a guideline to keep a relationship strong and connected: have a date night every two weeks, a weekend getaway every two months, and a week-long vacation every two years. This system encourages regular, intentional quality time, breaks from routine, and deeper connection by ensuring couples prioritize each other amidst daily life, work, and family, preventing stagnation and fostering fun.