The Ultimate Guide to Buying a $10000 Engagement Ring
So, you have reached that special moment that many have long for – the time to buy an engagement ring for that special someone. And you have a generous budget of $10,000 to purchase the ring of her dreams. But where do you start?
In this article, we will reveal useful shopping tips and insights for a budget of ten thousand dollars. We will also explore the unique possibilities of what a $10000 engagement ring design may look like.
Let’s dive in!
How to Shop for a Diamond Engagement Ring the Right Way
First of all, you need to understand that a diamond ring is made up of 2 components: the diamond and the ring setting. For people with a fixed budget, this would mean balancing the amount of budget for each individual component.
Personally, I would recommend allocating the bulk of your money towards the center stone before using the remainder towards the setting. Of course, this could go either way based on the preferences and expectations of the recipient.
Now, if this is your first time shopping for a diamond, a good understanding of the 4Cs will enable you to pick out the best possible stone for your stipulated budget.
Make sure you read the following sections before returning here:
1. The 4Cs of Diamonds That Buyers Should Know About
2. The Ultimate Step by Step Guide to Buying a Diamond Ring
3. Ideal Proportions and Guidelines for Round Diamonds
4. Why You Need to Avoid the Mistake of Buying Blind
5. A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding and Comparing Diamond Prices
6. The Best Places You Should Visit When Buying a Diamond
One of the biggest misconception that uneducated shoppers have is the belief that higher color and clarity ratings lead to a more beautiful diamond. When it comes to sparkle and beauty, CUT is KING. It is the most important attribute in the 4Cs that has the biggest impact on the diamond’s appearance.
Simple And Evergreen Designs for a $10000 Diamond Engagement Ring
When it comes to getting the biggest bang for your buck (literally), a minimalistic ring design would allow you to allocate more money towards the center stone. Variations of the traditional 4 or 6 prong ring settings offer different designs to choose from and provide the best value for money.
Let’s check out a couple of examples below. First, let’s start with this simple and elegant cathedral 4 prong setting from Ritani. At the time of writing, the setting costs $440 and with a budget of $10000, it leaves us with $9560 for the diamond.
I’ve handpicked a super ideal cut diamond with G color and VS1 clarity. In total, the completed ring costs slightly less than $10,000. Now, I strongly encourage you to click on the images and interact with the diamond listing and see full details of the settings.
If you are wondering how many carats you can realistically get for a ten thousand dollar diamond ring, this next example will offer some insights. By going lower in color and clarity (while maintaining eyecleanliness), you can maximize carat size for a fixed budget.
Compared to the previous example, you could get a significantly larger sized 1.4ct diamond by going down to J color and a VS2 clarity. Personal preferences on color/clarity/size will play an important role when selecting a diamond.
Our Favorite Pave and Halo Engagement Rings for $10,000
Pave and halo ring settings are the best designs for people who love bling and sparkle. Personally, I’m a huge fan of them and had previously bought several such rings from Blue Nile and Leibish.
Again, I want to emphasize how easy it is to create your own ring and to come up with an amazing design. Let’s check out a couple of pave and halo rings that other people had bought at Blue Nile.
For full details, simply click on the images…
This elegant French pave ring showcases melee diamonds that accentuate the main diamond. Made in platinum, the total cost of the ring is roughly $10,000 and features a 1.30ct oval diamond.
Shaped like a beautiful flower, this scalloped floral halo engagement ring has a vintage touch of class and feminine glamour. With intricately made floral motifs, the price of this setting is only $1,490! For a $10,000 wedding ring budget, it leaves you more than enough for a high quality center stone.
This breathtaking pave ring with a halo center is an epitome of beauty. Besides providing multi-dimensional sparkle, the halo also creates an illusion of a single large looking diamond when seen from a distance.
Best Designer Engagement Rings Under $10000
If you like a fancier looking diamond ring, designer brands can help you make a bold fashion statement. Some of our favorite brands include Tacori, Verragio and Danhov. Check out some designs below…
This Verragio ring is one of the most budget-friendly designer setting in the market. Not only does it offer a distinct look, it is also intricately made with superb craftsmanship. With this design, you have a remaining budget of $8,550 for the center stone and we’ve chosen a 1.14ct G color diamond for a total cost of around $10,000.
One of my favorite jewelry designers is Danhov and the brand has won several high profile awards by JCK’s Jeweler’s Choice. Their trademark rings feature swirly features and utilize elegant design elements.
While designer rings can offer a special and unique look, they also tend to cost more. Obviously, this would eat into the remaining budget for the diamond and we’ve selected an ideal cut diamond that costs around six thousand dollars.
Let’s Wrap Things Up And Go Shopping!
Now that you have had a chance to see beautiful options available for around $10,000, I hope this article has given you some ideas and insights to shopping for your perfect ring.
Which of these rings did you like best? Leave a comment and let us know!
As a reminder, the choice of center diamond is just as important as the setting and you should prioritize cut quality. Also, you should find out what your recipient prefers and her expectations of the ring.
Figuring out what she wants before you go shopping will save you time and ensures that you buy something she will enjoy wearing.
Lastly, if you have any questions or need help with a second opinion, feel free to drop a message below or email me directly.
Have fun shopping!
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12 Comments
I have difficulty in finding a 2 carat diamond to fit a 10 thousand dollar engagement ring budget for my gf. I want to get a D-F color and VVS1-VVS2 clarity. All the diamonds that I’ve seen so far cost way more than I can afford. Do you have contacts for wholesalers to buy the ring at a discount?
Well, you can’t find one because they don’t exist and you have a completely unrealistic budget for a 10 000 engagement ring. To give you some perspective, the 2ct diamond by itself would cost upwards of $40,000.
For a 10 thousand dollar engagement ring budget (assuming setting cost not included), it would get you a 1ct diamond in the G or H color range. Go think about what you want to compromise on. But if you are insistent about buying a 2ct stone with such an impossible budget, then be prepared to get ripped off.
I was browsing at Tiffany the other day and was shown a 10 thousand dollar engagement ring with an H color diamond. If I remembered correctly, the carat size was roughly 1 carat. What do you think about shopping at Tiffany’s? I’m looking for the best quality and sparkle for a 10 000 engagement ring budget.
A 10 000 engagement ring from a branded store would cost about 40%-50% more than another from a non-branded store like White Flash. Beside costs, the issue of diamond quality also comes into play.
https://beyond4cs.com/reviews/tiffany/
With these big brands, the diamond quality is generally good but not great. If you are looking for truly well cut super ideal diamonds, there are only a handful of vendors in the world who offer them.
I am searching for a pink diamond with a 10000 engagement ring budget. Do you know where I can buy one that is mined from Argyle? I am mindful that pink diamonds are expensive but how big of a diamond can you get for $10000 realistically? Any information to guide me along this journey would be appreciated.
Leibish is a recommended vendor for a fancy color engagement ring. They specialize in Argyle stones and have consistently won the tenders for pink stones. Now, I don’t want to sound like a snob here but you have to be realistic about your wants and budget. If you want a pink diamond for a 10 grand engagement ring, you can only afford very small pink diamonds or the ones that are very low in quality.
Here are a couple of pink diamonds with GIA and Argyle certificates:
https://www.leibish.com/pink-diamonds/fancy-pink-round-31873
https://www.leibish.com/pink-diamonds/fancy-intense-purplish-pink-emerald-28793
Both are less than 0.3ct in size and that’s because pink diamonds are really really expensive!
I am looking for a matching pair of $10000 wedding ring and the engagement band. Where do you recommend shopping for such pairs? Also, is it better to wait for a sale to happen or is there any particular time of the year to buy at the lowest price point?
Depends on the design and type of setting you are looking at. The 3 vendors we showcased above all of limited designs for matching pairs. Start there first. If you still can’t find what you want, drop me a message and let me know again.
Now, I actually polled a number of industry experts and jewelers about the question of timing a purchase. The resounding response is; there’s no best time to buy diamond jewelry: https://beyond4cs.com/experts-reveal-the-best-time-to-buy-a-diamond-ring/
Do note that diamond values fluctuate overtime due to demand and supply (very much like a commodity). What may cost $10,000 last year might cost $10,500 next year (or less) depending on diamond price movements. Generally, you can expect costs to go up due to inflation.
How many carats can you get for 10000 a fancy diamond like a princess cut and I1 clarity? I was told by someone that it would be unsafe for the diamond and that an I1 stone could crack when the ring is dropped.
It’s pretty straightforward if you are wondering how many carats you can get for $10,000. Just head to Blue Nile or James Allen and play around with the filters to get a rough feel of how much it costs. I would warn against buying the largest diamond possible at the expense of an I1 clarity. The problem with such stones is that most aren’t eyeclean or have inclusions that hamper light performance.
As for cracking a diamond simply by dropping a ring, I think it is grossly exaggerated. It might be possible to chip the ring if you hit it at a drastic force at the right angle. This applies to both IF and I1 clarity ratings. And obviously, the lower clarity stone has a slightly larger chance of chipping or cleavage happening.
And FYI, if you are wondering what does a 10 000 engagement ring look like with a garbage tier clarity, this is an image to show you what to expect.
I visited Costco last week and there was a 10 000 dollar engagement ring for sale. It has a 1.50ct princess cut diamond in a plain white gold setting. The sales person told me that the IGI appraisal report values the ring at $17,000 and it seems like a great deal with a good degree of discount. What do you think?
The IGI appraisal report is not an accurate reflection of the diamond’s quality. I will put this bluntly. The appraisal report is as useful as a piece of toilet paper when it comes to protecting your interest. Stick only to GIA or AGS graded stones. Also, I can tell you that this “10 000 dollar engagement ring” is worth far less than $17,000 and not even worth the $10k price tag. Avoid the purchase and keep looking.