Straight answers
How much does a custom engagement ring cost?
Almost every jewellery site answers this question with “it depends” and a button. Here are the numbers, in the open, so you can work out whether this is happening this year or next.
The short answer
For a semi-custom ring with a 1 carat lab-grown diamond, about $1,380 in 14K gold, all in. That includes the stone, the setting, sizing it to her finger and the finish. Silver is about $480. 18K gold is about $1,620.
The full ladder
- Silver, 1 carat — $480. A real ring, and a perfectly good one if silver suits the design.
- 10K gold, 1 carat — $1,130. Tougher than 14K, slightly warmer colour.
- 14K gold, 1 carat — $1,380. The standard choice and where most people land.
- 18K gold, 1 carat — $1,620. Richer colour, softer metal.
- 2 carats, extra-thick band — $2,250. When the stone is the point.
What actually moves the price
Only three things matter much, and you control all of them:
- The metal. Moving from 10K to 18K gold is the single biggest jump for the least visible difference.
- The stone size. Carat weight is where the money goes. Dropping from 1.5 carats to 1 carat saves more than dropping the karat ever will, and almost nobody notices a quarter carat on a hand.
- The band. A thicker band uses more metal and costs more, and it is usually worth it — thin bands are what wear out and bend.
What does not move it, and you should know this
Shape does not. An oval and a round of the same weight are the same money with us, even though some shops charge more for fancy cuts. And the colour of the gold is free — white, yellow and rose are the same price, which is not true everywhere.
Where the rest of the industry hides things
- “From $X” that means a setting with no stone. Always ask what the number includes. A mounting with a one-tenth-carat stone is not the ring in the photograph.
- The setting charge. Some shops sell the mounting, then the stone, then charge to set it.
- Sizing. Usually free at purchase, frequently not. Ours is included.
- Appraisal and certification. Ask whether the stone comes with its own certificate. Ours does.
What you should budget, honestly
Ignore the two-months-salary rule. It was invented by a diamond company in the 1930s to sell diamonds, and it has no relationship to what a ring costs to make.
The useful version: most couples in Southern Utah land between $1,000 and $2,500. If your budget is $800, we will build you something real at $800 and not make you feel small about it. If it is $4,000, you will get a better stone rather than a bigger invoice.
Questions people actually ask
What is the cheapest custom engagement ring you make?
About $480 in silver with a 1 carat lab-grown stone, all in. It is a real ring, not a stripped-out loss leader.
Do I pay extra for the stone to be set?
No. Setting, sizing and finishing are included in the price we quote you.
Is a deposit required?
A $20 deposit starts the build once you have approved the drawing and the price. It comes off the final total. Nothing is payable before that.
Can I pay monthly?
Yes, that is something we can arrange — ask on the form and we will set it out.
Why are you cheaper than the mall jeweller?
Three reasons: no showroom rent, no floor full of stock sitting unsold, and no national advertising budget. The rings are made at a workshop we have worked with for years; the design, sizing, setting and finish happen here in St. George.
Free to ask. You get a drawing and an exact price before you commit to anything.