How Much Does a Wedding Ring Cost On Average?

The good news is that wedding rings aren’t even in the top-five most expensive wedding features, unlike the engagement ring.

A wedding ring’s price depends on the metal, gemstone, design, brand, and other factors, so the range is wide. Still, the average price can serve as a good reference point.

Most importantly, remember that statistical data doesn’t determine how much to spend on wedding rings. Every situation is unique, and only you can decide how much to budget.

For Women

The average price of a women’s wedding ring is about $1,200, nearly five times lower than the average engagement ring price.

However, the average price won’t help couples with a lower or higher than an average budget figure out how much to spend on a wedding band.

A different figure may be more helpful – most couples spend about 5% of the total wedding budget on their wedding bands, or 3% on the bride’s ring and 2% on the groom’s ring.

So, couples who’ve spent $30,000 on the wedding paid $900 on the bride’s ring on average, and those who’ve spent $40,000 paid about $1,200.

It’s important to note that some women spend as little as $50 on their wedding ring, and others are ready to splurge on the band five-digit numbers, so the 3% of the total wedding budget isn’t a golden rule.

For Men

The average price of a men’s wedding ring in the U.S. is approximately $600. Men’s rings are typically larger and heavier, so the cost of metal is higher. However, women’s rings more often feature intricate designs and gemstones.

Men in the U.S. prefer simple metal bands with minimalist detailing like engravings or a textured surface. On the other hand, women often opt for full eternity bands with diamonds and designer options.

Men also more often choose bands from alternative materials such as tungsten, titanium, steel, and silicone, which leads to the lower average wedding ring price.

Metal

The wedding ring metal plays a vital role in its price. Yellow 14-karat gold is the most popular wedding ring metal and one of the most expensive.

A narrow two-millimeter gold ring in average women’s size six contains approximately 1.6 grams of gold, while a ring of the same width in average men’s size nine weighs about 2.1 grams.

If 14-karat gold is priced at $35 per gram on average, the difference between women’s and men’s rings isn’t as big. However, men often prefer wider bands that can weigh significantly more.

Platinum is the second most popular wedding ring material in the U.S. Although platinum is priced about the same as gold per gram, platinum rings always weigh more because the metal is denser, thus the higher average price.

For instance, while the base cost of metal for a two-millimeter gold ring in size six is about $56, the base cost of metal for a two-millimeter platinum ring in size six would be $105.

Palladium rings are priced approximately the same as platinum. Meanwhile, white gold is the most expensive gold type because it typically contains platinum, and rose gold is the cheapest because it contains copper.

Couples on a budget often choose sterling silver rings. Silver rings typically weigh 3-12 grams. However, the low cost of metal of $0.80 per gram on average makes silver wedding bands very cost-effective.

Tungsten and titanium rings are other affordable alternatives to a gold wedding ring.

You may find tungsten and titanium bands for as low as $20, but the average price is about $300. Tungsten and titanium rings priced over $600 are rare.

Note that the indicated figures don’t include workmanship, design, gemstones, and other factors affecting the wedding ring price.

Gemstones

Women’s wedding rings often feature gemstones, thus the higher price. The gemstone weight in eternity bands typically ranges from 0.7 to seven carats in total, with each diamond weighing 0.05 to 0.20 carats.

For this reason, the price of eternity bands also varies drastically, from $500 to well over $30,000. Most brides pay slightly over $3,800 for a diamond eternity band.

Unsurprisingly, half eternity bands are significantly cheaper, priced at $1,600 on average. Of course, a diamond wedding ring’s price largely depends on the stone’s quality and size.

A one-carat eternity band with a dozen of small stones will typically cost less than a solitaire ring with a single one-carat stone because diamond prices grow disproportionately with the increase in weight.

A 0.5-carat diamond costs $610-$2,700 on average, so you may think that a one-carat gem would be priced at $1,220-$5,400. However, the actual price is much higher, ranging from $2,500 to $18,000.

The reason for this is that larger diamonds are rarer than small ones. Furthermore, women are more willing to compromise on the clarity or color of tiny diamonds than of a big gem because imperfections are more visible in the latter case.

Note that the indicated prices are for round-cut diamonds. Other diamond cuts cost 20%-40% less than round gems because they aren’t as popular.

Therefore, if the average price of a one-carat round diamond is about $610-$2,700, a one-carat pear-cut or marquise-cut diamond will cost about $400-2,100.

Moissanite is favored by many modern brides due to its resemblance to diamond. The stone is nearly as durable but costs five times less per carat on average.

Many women nowadays opt for colorful diamond alternatives. Sapphire is a common choice for wedding rings, priced at $600-$1,600 per carat on average.

Emeralds are another popular choice, priced at about $200 per carat on average. Lab-grown emeralds can be even cheaper, while high-quality collector natural emeralds may exceed $12,000 per carat.

Amethysts are even more affordable, priced as low as $40 per carat on average, although particularly fine pieces can be significantly more expensive.

Design Intricacy

The wedding ring design’s intricacy also affects its price. The more complex is ring’s design, the more labor-intensive is its creation and the higher its cost.

Plain metal bands are the cheapest because making one is a relatively quick process. On the other hand, bands with fine engravings, filigree, or a high crown setting require expertise and patience from the jeweler.

Brand

The brand always plays a role in jewelry pricing. Some may say that people are overpaying for the designer’s name on the label and pleasant shopping experience; others that designer rings have better quality.

Regardless of the reason, famous designer wedding rings always cost more than similar rings by lesser-known brands.

For instance, Cartier wedding bands range from $760 for clean styles in rose or yellow gold to $57,000 for an exquisite multi-row diamond eternity band.

Tiffany & Co. women’s wedding bands range from $1,200 for clean styles in gold to $19,300 for a five-row diamond eternity band. Simple Graff wedding bands come at about $900, and full eternity diamond rings exceed $120,000.

Minimalist Chopard wedding bands in gold are priced at $800 and platinum at $1,750. Meanwhile, full eternity bands in platinum can cost over $16,800.

The lowest price range of such designer wedding rings may not seem that intimidating, but that’s until you compare it with similar styles by other brands.

A simple 14-karat yellow gold ring at a local jewelry store may cost you under $100, 8-12 times less than a designer ring.

Vintage & Custom Rings

The average price of vintage wedding rings largely depends on the condition, era, and designer. No-name vintage wedding rings typically cost less than new rings in a similar design.

For instance, you can find a 14-karat white gold diamond eternity band with engravings for $750-$1,400 if you don’t seek a famous designer name.

On the other hand, vintage designer rings can cost even more than modern ones, depending on the collection. That’s especially relevant for jewelry brands that are no longer in operation.

Custom wedding bands tend to be about 20% pricier than ready-made rings because each ring is unique. The creation process involves communication with the couple and design sketches.

Location

The average wedding ring cost also varies by state. Couples in Washington D.C., California, New York, Florida, Michigan, and Massachusetts are willing to spend significantly more on average than couples from South Dakota, Maine, Utah, Mississippi, or Indiana.

The difference can be explained by the cost of living and average wages in the area. The prices also differ among towns in the same state – couples in major cities tend to spend more than couples in small towns.

Season

Although the season doesn’t affect the wedding ring cost as much as the metal, gemstones, or brand, it still matters. Knowing when wedding bands are the cheapest can help couples save a large sum.

As a rule of thumb, jewelry retailers discount wedding bands twice a year, during the off-peak summer season and busy marketing periods in November and December. Sometimes, you may also encounter sales before Valentine’s Day.

On the other hand, late winter and spring tend to be the busiest periods for jewelry retailers, so the wedding band prices are higher on average.

Many couples strive to get their rings on time for the spring-summer wedding season, and jewelers know it.