Are you hoping to buy your partner an engagement ring that looks expensive with a big diamond, but also hoping to get the best deal for it? We can help. Our goal at Brillianteers.com is to provide you with diamond ring options that won’t break the bank but still look like a piece of luxury jewelry. The key is to find the right affordable engagement ring that looks expensive.
As you shop for engagement rings, you’ll find that bigger diamond rings will cost you thousands of dollars that you most likely don’t want to spend. But of course, you also want to give the love of your life a ring that she has always wanted.
Pro Tip: Learn more about the 4C’s of diamonds to help you navigate through the buying process
You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars for a diamond ring that looks expensive. This is where we can help you.
Tips to Shop for Affordable Diamond Jewelry that LOOKS EXPENSIVE
You may be wondering just how it is possible to shop for affordable diamond engagement rings that look expensive. It’s all about the approach to a ring’s design. There are a few engagement ring designs that will give you the look of a luxury ring, but that won’t exactly break the bank. Have a look at our tips on how to do just that!
The Diamond Should Look Bigger!
We all know that the bigger a diamond is, the more expensive it is. There’s a reason why big diamond engagement rings on celebrities get all that attention that they do. It’s all about the value. If the goal is to shop for a ring that looks expensive, you should be shopping for engagement ring designs that make the diamond look bigger. One ring design does a great job of this; the Halo Setting.
The Halo Effect
The Halo Engagement Ring Design is one of the most popular engagement ring designs on the market because it looks expensive, without the expensive price tag.
The center diamond is designed with a halo of smaller diamonds around it, giving off the illusion of a larger diamond ring. A 1 Carat halo engagement ring could look as if it has a 2 Carat diamond on its center because of the halo of diamonds that surround it.
You can also do a double halo ring design where you have 2 layers of accent diamonds surrounding a center stone, creating a larger diamond effect. A 1 Carat diamond ring can look like a 3 Carat diamond ring!
The great thing about halo diamond ring designs is that there are many designs to choose from. Here are just a few under $3,000.
The Thin Ring Band Effect
Another design approach that you can take is to choose engagement rings with a thin ring band. When you have a diamond set on a skinny ring band, no matter what size it is, the diamond immediately looks bigger when worn. Have a look at these three rings to compare.
This works particularly well with a solitaire engagement ring design. The solitaire setting is when a ring is set with one diamond. As it is the only focus on a ring, the diamond stands out and therefore looks bigger. The best part about choosing a solitaire diamond ring design is that you can shop for engagement rings for under $1,000. Here are a few popular designs you can choose from.
The Round Cut Diamond Effect
This is a little insider’s tip if you want a diamond on a ring that looks big and expensive. When compared to other diamond cuts, a round cut diamond looks larger because of its shape. It has more surface area for light to reflect off, and therefore, it shines brighter and looks bigger. Also, it has no pointed or sharp edges. This too creates the effect of a larger diamond.
If you can compare a 2 Carat Round Cut diamond to a 2 Carat Princess Cut diamond, the Round Cut diamond will look bigger. You can buy a lower carat weight, and it will still have that ‘big diamond’ look to it.
Have a look at a few of our popular round cut diamond engagement ring designs.
The Lab-grown Diamond Choice
If you are hoping to shop for a larger diamond, for example, diamonds that are 2 Carats or more, it’s time to consider a lab-grown diamond ring. Lab-grown diamonds are identical to earth-mined diamonds. The only difference is how they are made. The traditional earth-mined diamond forms deep within the earth’s core. Lab-grown diamonds are formed by mimicking the same conditions of the earth’s core, to create a diamond in a laboratory. This makes lab-grown diamonds far more affordable to purchase than earth-mined diamonds.
You can save up to 40% on the price of a lab-grown diamond compared to an identical diamond that has been earth-mined. For example, a 2 Carat earth-mined diamond ring can cost you around $5,000. The same identical ring design, but one that’s made with a lab-grown diamond, will cost around $3,000. That’s a significant difference in price for two rings that look identical to one another.
If your partner isn’t specifically looking to have an earth-mined diamond ring, you should definitely consider a lab-grown diamond ring instead. Here are some affordable options from Brillianteers.com.
The Alternative – Moissanite
Another option for an engagement ring with a diamond that looks significantly large, but at a lower cost, is a Moissanite engagement ring. The Moissanite gem is favored by many cost-conscious jewelry collectors as it looks almost identical to a diamond to an untrained eye. This makes it a great alternative to a diamond.
A moissanite gem is approximately one-tenth the cost of a mined diamond of equal size and quality. It is a great choice if your goal is to have a bigger-sized diamond, but at a fraction of the price.
The Diamond Clarity Secret
Did you know that if you shop for a diamond, the clarity doesn’t necessarily have to be perfect? When you have diamonds that are completely clean, meaning it doesn’t have any visible inclusions or cloudiness, then it is most likely sold at a very expensive price. Even a 1 Carat diamond ring with a high clarity grading can cost you up to $5,000.
When a diamond is graded for its clarity, experts often use a magnifying tool to be able to see these imperfections. The more imperfections there are, the lower the value of a diamond is.
Here’s the big secret: You can buy a bigger diamond with a lower clarity grading for a significantly lower price. There are diamonds that are called eye-clean. This refers to diamonds that have inclusions and marks that are not visible to the naked eye. Their inclusions can only be visible under a bright light and through a magnifying tool.
Eye-clean clarity gradings to choose from:
- VS2 to VVS1 diamonds are eye-clean
- SI1 & SI2 are mostly eye-clean
Despite the fact that these diamonds have inclusions, they will look clean and still shine beautifully to the naked eye. And they will be significantly cheaper than perfect clarity-graded diamonds, giving you the opportunity to shop for a bigger diamond without the added expense.
The More Diamonds on a Ring, the More Expensive it Looks
A diamond ring can look even more expensive with accent diamonds around it. Multiple diamonds add more texture to a ring and add more elements to its design. The diamonds collectively reflect more light, therefore making the ring shine brighter.
Smaller diamonds are relatively inexpensive. You can have 10 smaller diamonds that complement a larger center diamond, and it can still be budget-friendly.
Here are some popular Engagement Rings with accent diamonds you can choose from.
An Additional Diamond Ring Band will Feel More Expensive
Another great choice to make your engagement ring look even more expensive is to add a diamond ring band as a wedding ring. A diamond ring band is affordable as it is usually made with smaller, inexpensive diamonds.
You also have a choice of shopping for Bridal Sets where a ring band and engagement ring come as a set. Both rings are designed to be worn comfortably together.
A great advantage to shopping for bridal sets is that they are priced as one ring and they are often more affordable than buying two separate diamond rings. It’s two for the price of one. You’ll be surprised just how affordable these are, regardless of how expensive they look. And for most soon-to-be brides, this is definitely a preferred style.
Here are a few of our diamond bridal sets you can choose from.
A Unique or Modern Ring Design Can Feel Custom Made
Traditional solitaire or halo ring designs are popular, but they may also feel very basic. They are something you see every day, and thus, won’t feel so special. If you look for rings that stand out and look different from your traditional engagement ring designs, these can feel a lot more expensive than they are.
A ring design that’s more towards a modern look can feel customized and expensive. A great example of this is our Sieva ring in White Gold. It has an asymmetrical design that holds the diamond as if it is floating in between the ring band. It has that wow factor that’s appealing to the eye and a ring design you don’t see every day.
Another great example of a unique ring design is our Centennial in White Gold. Its twisted ring band looks beautiful on your finger and is a definite conversation starter. It can feel customized as if it was a ring designed specifically for the person who will wear it. This gives it that luxurious feel and look.
Re-create a Design That You Think Looks Expensive
You might be browsing through different ring designs and stumble upon a specific ring design that you get excited about, but then realize that it is priced far beyond your budget, it’s time to consider re-creating this design and having a ring custom made.
Different ways you can customize an engagement ring to make it more affordable
- Find an expensive ring design and have the jeweler copy it
- Choose a Moissanite or Lab Grown Diamond instead of an earth-mined diamond
- Have your ring made with affordable metals such as Titanium and Stainless Steel
- Use affordable Gem Stones such as Moissanite, Rose Quartz, or Amethyst instead of a diamond.
A great thing about custom-made rings is that you can give the jeweler your desired budget, and they can work around that number. For example, when you have your diamond ring customized at Brillianteers, you will work hand-in-hand with our team to create the perfect design at a specific cost. We will provide options for affordable diamonds that you can choose from and build your ring with our quality craftsmanship.
Pro Tip: It’s important to have your ring custom-made by an established jewelry designer to guarantee that your ring is made with quality craftsmanship and materials.
Conclusion: A beautiful ring doesn’t have to be Expensive
The biggest misconception most engagement ring shoppers have is that a diamond ring that is stunning and looks expensive MUST also be expensive. But in reality, there are many different ways for you to shop for affordable diamond engagement rings that look expensive, without actually having to spend a fortune on them. It’s all about finding the right affordable design, looking for affordable alternatives, and working with a jeweler that specializes in affordable diamond engagement rings.
Have a look at our great collection of Affordable Diamond Engagement Rings that Look Expensive Here >