This post is sponsored by James Allen, a company that we love and think you will too!
Three years ago this week, there was some major celebrating going on in the LC.com offices. Lauren had just announced her engagement to William on the website, and all of us editors were uncorking champagne and toasting to our editor-in-chief. It was definitely a day to remember, and one of the most romantic moments we’ve ever had here on LaurenConrad.com! With that happy time in mind, today we thought we’d chat about one of our favorite topics: engagement rings.
James Allen 14K Yellow Gold Pave Halo Diamond Engagement Ring (Oval Center)
When it comes to engagement rings, one of the most frequently asked questions we hear is how much money is appropriate to spend on a ring. For most couples, picking out the perfect engagement ring is an important decision and quite the investment as well. After all, this is the ring you’re going to wear on your finger for the rest of your life, so you want to be absolutely in love with it and have it be an heirloom quality piece of jewelry. But exactly how much you or your partner spends on a ring is an extremely personal decision. You often hear rules about spending X number of months’ salary, but if you ask us there are no hard and fast rules you need to adhere to (just a few questions you should to ask yourself—which you can check out below!).
James Allen 14K White Gold Open Split Shank Diamond Engagement Ring
But before we get to that list of questions, let’s start with our biggest tip for buying a dream ring on a budget: the online jeweler James Allen. With James Allen, not only can you browse through their inspiration gallery of hundreds of rings (all created with conflict-free diamonds), but you also have the option to build out and design your dream ring from scratch—which makes it much easier to stick within the dollar amount you decided on. You can easily adjust carat weight, clarity, and the other Four C’s to suit your budget and taste. Plus, no matter what ring you end up purchasing, James Allen will get you the most ring for your money—saving you 30 to 50 percent versus traditional retail prices, since everything is online. This means that no matter what your budget is, you can find a gorgeous ring to wear for the rest of your life.
James Allen 14K Rose Gold Pave Rope Engagement Ring
To get you started with some engagement ring inspiration, we thought we’d share a roundup of rings we love from James Allen, broken down by price point. Each setting below is shown with three diamonds that are the same Four C’s (F color, VS1 clarity and Very Good cut) except for the carat size, to show you how the price tag changes as the carat size changes. Check them out below…
James Allen 14K White Gold 2mm Comfort Fit Solitaire Engagement Ring | James Allen Sapphire Setting | James Allen 14K White Gold Cross Over Trellis Pave Diamond Split Shank Engagement Ring | James Allen 14K White Gold Tapered Baguette Diamond Engagement Ring | James Allen 14K White Gold Open Split Shank Diamond Engagement Ring | James Allen 14K Rose Gold Pave Rope Engagement Ring | James Allen 14K White Gold Perfect Pave Engagement Ring | James Allen 14K White Gold 2mm Comfort Fit Solitaire Engagement Ring (Six Prong)
If you and your partner are still deciding on an engagement ring budget, here are a few questions to help you narrow down a number…
1. If I get a less expensive ring now, am I just going to want to upgrade in a few years? If the answer is yes, you should splurge on the best ring you can realistically afford so that it will last you a lifetime.
2. Are we saving for a house, a big wedding reception, or another expense that we value more than a ring? If so, it might make sense to go with a more conservative piece of jewelry.
3. Since a ring’s price is dependent on them, which of the Four C’s do I value the most and which am I willing to compromise on to fit within our budget? (Ie. Is it more important that I have a bigger diamond if it means that it may have some flaws?)
4. Is this going to put us in debt or can we pay for it out of pocket? If we’re using credit, how fast can we pay that debt off? (Team LC Tip: We wouldn’t recommend spending any amount that would still have you in the red when you start your life together as a married couple.)
5. Will one person be paying for the ring entirely or is it worth both partners chipping in to afford a pricier ring? (Hey, ladies—there’s no reason why you can’t chip in too in order to get your dream ring!)
James Allen 14K Rose Gold Pave Rope Engagement Ring
James Allen 14K White Gold Cushion Outline Pave Engagement Ring
James Allen 14K Rose Gold Falling Edge Pave Diamond Engagement Ring
James Allen 14K Rose Gold Falling Edge Pave Diamond Engagement Ring
James Allen 14K White Gold Open Split Shank Diamond Engagement Ring
We hope those tips help anyone who might be ring shopping in the near future (what an exciting time!).
Whether you’re getting engaged or not, let us know which James Allen ring featured in this blog post is your personal favorite!
XO Team LC
This post is proudly sponsored by…
Photos: Valorie Darling Photography for LaurenConrad.com