Average engagement ring / diamond in NYC?
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I live in the DC area and I have seen a mixed of both large and smaller rings. My FI chose color, cut, and clarity over size and I'm thrilled with my ring. Someone made a point about the size of one's hands. I wear a size 4, so my 1.19 carat ring (with a halo around it) looks much, much larger than it actually is. You should probably try to get a sense of what your girlfriend's friends/colleagues have - you don't want to get her something that may embarass (too big or small) her.
I also really think you should check out Pricescope.com.
Good luck!
I also really think you should check out Pricescope.com.
Good luck!
I think this is a function of a number of things (assuming you're referring to center stone, and not total carat weight):
- it's hard to judge a stone's carat weight just by a cursory glance at the ring because the depth of the stone is obscured by the setting. There is no standard depth and so a guess at the carat weight of the stone without seeing how deep or shallow it is will be off, maybe by alot.
- the stone's shape also plays a major role in the perception of carat weight. A brilliant cut round diamond of 2 carats looks very large, even by itself. But a 2 carat emerald cut diamond hardly looks as impressive. Similarly, a round diamond of under 1 carat looks quite fine, but an emerald cut 1 carat diamond looks substantially smaller. This can be misleading when trying to judge carat weight.
I'm a Manhattanite and I worked at one of NY's most successful corporate law firms. I can say without a doubt that engagement rings
in the professional set you are referring to are definitely usually over 1.5 carats, and yes, Yes, YES closer to 2 carats than they are to 1 (the other C's aside).
But of course, choosing an engagement ring to present to your SO should constitute more thought than how large the stone will be perceived by others.
I live in NYC and speaking from personal experience and friends, the average center stone is 3 cts with none of the 4 C's being skimped upon. I don't know anyone with a smaller stone. Like I said, this just my experience.
^---- Hubba, I'm ITA. None of my engaged/married friends have center stones of less than 2 carats. But of course, I'm not sure how representative my set of friends is.
Your friends are all spending at least $70,000 on the center stone by itself???
LOL @ sticker shock
I can't see why this is so hard to believe. On an island of DINKs, where just rent is easily $5K - $20K, and lunch is easily $30 a day, why is $70,000 (or more!) hard to swallow for a piece of jewelry that is supposed to last a lifetime?
It's not hard to swallow that one would or could pay so much. I paid a substantial amount myself. What I find harder to believe is that one's friends exclusively wear $70k+ 3+ carat diamond engagement rings.
Even in wealthy circles, 3 carats is very, very large. For example, in Cartier's bridal display case at their 5th Avenue location, very few diamonds reach 3 carats in size. Most are between 1 and 2 carats. There is a 3 carat Asscher-cut, but it is set aside in a special display.
i used to live in NYC and women have big rings.
i do agree to check on the style that your gf likes. a round solitare looks so much bigger than my ring which is close to a princess cut. most people ask if mine is 1.5 carat but in reality it's bigger. so round is actually a good choice.
i do agree to check on the style that your gf likes. a round solitare looks so much bigger than my ring which is close to a princess cut. most people ask if mine is 1.5 carat but in reality it's bigger. so round is actually a good choice.
Let me give you a little background first. I was born and raised in NYC. Now in my early 30's w/ friends in the late 20's to mid 30's range. When I got engaged 5 yrs ago, the norm was about 1.5ct. Most people I know now get rings that are 2cts. or more (center stone only & good quality). Most of friends are financially stable and have prominate professional careers. Seems everytime someone gets engaged, thier ring is bigger than the last person. I think in NYC, everyone tries to ***** each other. I would say the "acceptable" norm would be 2 cts.
Not my friends, their fiance's. LOL My ering had a center stone of a little over 5 cts. oval with 1 ct heart stones on the side. So it was over 7 cts. I don't know the exact price of the ring but I know it was over $120K for it. Sadly, the relationship didn't last but I still have the ring. I am actually going to sell it over the weekend to the person that sold it to us. Here is a pic of it. Not the best picture, but you can get an idea of what the "average"Manhattan ring might look like. You can see it is almost the size of my thumbnail.
Also I bet you wouldn't have a problem if a guy spent that much money or more on say a luxury car.
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It kinda seems like you are trying to start an argument of sorts...you asked for people's opinions/observations and they gave them to you.
Why start a thread asking for an average engagement ring/diamond size in NYC and then make these kinds of statements to some of the replies, especially from the ladies who are from NYC?
Based on the statistics you give in the last paragraph, you seem to be very sure that you know the answer to your own question.
I lived in NYC for a time.
Everyone I know who got engaged in their late 20s-early 30s had a center stone ranging from 2 to just shy of 2.5 cts.
My friends that married younger, in their early to mid-20s, all had rings closer to the 1-1.5 carat range.
Just from being out and about though, shopping, eating out...2+ cts is definately "average" in Manhattan.
Everyone I know who got engaged in their late 20s-early 30s had a center stone ranging from 2 to just shy of 2.5 cts.
My friends that married younger, in their early to mid-20s, all had rings closer to the 1-1.5 carat range.
Just from being out and about though, shopping, eating out...2+ cts is definately "average" in Manhattan.
I have 2 neices that live in the city (NYC). One has a 3ct ring(center stone is 2ct and sides are .50 each. My othe neice has a center stone of 1.5. I am also from NYC and when I got engaged I had a center stone of 1ct and two side stones totalling .30pts (that was a longgggg time ago). My ring has been updated to a 3ct center stone and .80 of side stones. I think the average stone size is 1.25 to about 2.25. All the stones I have mentioned are stunning and to the naked eye look gorgeous. I have not examined my neices stones with a loop. Also u must take into consideration u have various degrees of wealth in NYC, so it is really what u can afford.
It kinda seems like you are trying to start an argument of sorts...you asked for people's opinions/observations and they gave them to you.
Why start a thread asking for an average engagement ring/diamond size in NYC and then make these kinds of statements to some of the replies, especially from the ladies who are from NYC?
Based on the statistics you give in the last paragraph, you seem to be very sure that you know the answer to your own question.
ITA!! I would say average among my peer group (Ivy League lawyer-drones at big soul-sucking firms
is about 2ct center stone, with smaller stones on smaller hands and larger stones on larger hands. Pave definitely can make smaller stones look bigger, as well. And if you're judging "average" by Cartier, then you're running in different circles than I am, my friend. Everyone *I* know, myself included, knows someone in the diamond business and didn't buy their e-rings for much above cost. I don't think I know anyone with branded e-rings (although a lot of people go for the branded wedding bands); most people I know (again, me included) have commissioned pieces from jewelers that are connected through family ties. And if you walk down 47th, you'll see a LOT of REALLY. BIG. ROCKS.....just like you will at Graff. Cartier seems like a very strange standard by which to measure "average".