Is $6,000 Enough To Spend On An Engagement Ring?

From hearing countless sayings like “your engagement ring must equal the value of your three months’ salary” to wondering if you are underspending on your ring, you are simply confused. Finally, you decide on a price of $6,000, thinking it’s neither too high nor too low.

Still, is $6,000 enough to spend on an engagement ring? On average $6,000 is the right amount to spend on a lovely engagement ring. With $6,000, you can easily get a ring with a big diamond and an elegant setting made from the finest metal.

So how do you choose the right setting, diamond size, shape, or color? Consider this buying guide your best friend for helping you pick the perfect ring for your would-be-wife. From the right budget to the features, grasp everything you need to know to buy a $6,000 engagement ring.

Is $6,000 Too Much for an Engagement Ring?

No, $6,000 is just the right amount for a beautiful engagement ring. Within this budget, you can easily pick an Internally Flawless 0.80-carat diamond of a higher graded color, clarity, cut, and elegant setting.

Just like this 0.80-carat round cut diamond priced at $5,320 that you can pair with this pear-shaped diamond detail engagement ring setting. The total price of the ring will only amount to $5,875, which is well within your budget.

Know that this is not your only choice. You can pick a diamond with a lower weight of 0.70 Carat Round Diamond (F Color, IF Clarity, Excellent Cut) and choose a more expensive ring setting. For example, this Eternal Rivera Diamond Engagement Ring Setting displays the right amount of poise and quality. Its value is slightly higher than the value of the previous setting – $850.

Note that the diamonds I chose above are the finest quality diamonds, referred to as Internally Flawless (IF). These are extremely rare, perfect diamonds, not leaving room even for a small scratch.

So you can pick a setting ranging from $500 to over $1,500 and diamonds valued at $4,000 to $5,500. Besides, you can pick a shape out of the 10 standard diamond shapes and check what looks the best.

If you are looking for bigger diamonds, this 1.10-carat round cut diamond with a Very Good cut, H color grade, and SI1 clarity is the ideal option. Though it costs $5,600, you can easily pair it with a ring setting worth $200-$400.

Here are a few other options:

This 1.08 carat round cut diamond with a Very Good cut, H color, and SI1 clarity is priced at $5,130. It lets you pick a ring setting of $800-$900.
You can also choose this 1.11-carat oval cut diamond priced at $5,680, which will still leave enough room for a ring setting worth up to $300.

What Kind of Engagement Ring Can I Get for $6,000?

You can easily get a Very Good-quality 1.00-carat diamond ring with $6,000 as your budget. The settings can range from gorgeous halo, pavé, or classic solitaire.

You can choose a ring with a detailed setting and a slightly smaller diamond of 0.95 carats or pick a 1.2-carat diamond with a simple setting. The options are diverse, but here are a few examples:

1.16-carat marquise diamond with D color and S1 clarity priced at $5,420 will go well with this 14K rose gold scattered blooms ring setting of $570.

1.09-carat pear diamond with F color and VVS2 clarity costing $5,540 is a great option when paired with 14K white gold cable solitaire ring setting of $457.

To make the process effortless, we have described all the nitty-gritty you must be aware of while picking an engagement ring.

The 4 Cs of a Diamond

You will come across 4 prime characteristics to consider while picking a diamond – diamond cut, color, carat, and clarity. Let’s look at each of these briefly, along with the best option for a $6,000 ring.

Cut: The perfection with which the diamond is cut reflects its finish quality. You will come across options like Good, Very Good, Excellent, Ideal. For a $6,000 ring, you can easily pick an Ideal diamond cut for the perfect look. Here’s an example: 1.02-carat round cut diamond with Ideal cut H color and SI1 clarity priced around $5,000.
Color: A few diamonds have shades of yellow instead of being completely colorless. The color grade ranges from D to Z, where D is completely colorless while Z is dark yellow or brown. Your best bet is to pick a diamond with a color grade ranging from E to H. For example, the 1.10-carat oval cut diamond for $5,420 with G color, S1 clarity, and Very Good cut is a great option.
Carat: The weight of a diamond is measured in terms of carats. For a $6,000 budget, you can pick a 0.90-carat diamond with a high-priced, graceful setting. Alternatively, choose a 1-carat (or bigger) diamond with a cheaper ring setting. For example, the 1.25-carat Asscher cut diamond with Very Good quality, I color, and SI1 clarity priced around $4,400 is excellent.

Clarity: The clarity grade reflects the presence of blemishes on the diamond. Starting from Flawless (FL) to Slightly Included 2 (SI2), there are 9 clarity grades that reflect whether the inclusions are visible to the naked eye. You can easily pick a diamond with a clarity grade ranging from Very Slightly Included 1 (VS1) to Internally Flawless (IF). For example, a 1.20-carat princess cut diamond, priced around$5,600, has a Very Good cut, H color, and VVS1 clarity is a great choice.

Common Types of Ring Settings

Once you have chosen the diamond, let’s dive into the different types of ring settings that would work for a $6,000 engagement ring. You will also find an example for each ring setting to see how its prices change with the setting type.

Note: All the settings are in 14K white gold for the sake of consistency in comparison.

Prong/Solitaire: The classic option, the prong setting, comprises 4-6 prongs. These prongs hold the gem or diamond at the center and are thus suited for large, single stones. It is a timeless option that you must choose if you’re picking a large-size diamond. It is one of the cheapest ring settings as it is also the simplest. For example, the classic simple solitaire engagement ring costs $240.
Halo: Another standard style, halo settings comprise multiple paves around a seemingly larger central stone. This is the perfect option if you wish to give your ring a diamond-intense appearance. Though it is slightly more expensive than the other options, this setting makes for an exquisite ring, just like this petite floral halo diamond engagement ring costing $990.
Pavé: These ring settings comprise small diamonds embedded in the body of the ring. The metal beads hold these diamonds in place, making for a perfectly studded ring. These rings are a blend of vintage and modern look, like this lovely petite micropavé diamond engagement ring priced at $850.

Other standard settings include Bezel, Basket, Cathedral, and Bar settings.

Best Metals for a $6,000 Engagement Ring

Metals make for one of the most important factors to consider as they impact the overall look of your ring. The metal color also affects the diamond color to a great extent. You must consider the final price, ring setting, and diamond size while picking the right metal.

Gold (Yellow/ White /Rose): While yellow gold may be the most sought-after metal, its counterparts are the ones in trend. Besides, you must remember that the final price is based on the percentage of pure gold. White gold and rose gold have other metals, so their prices may differ. The average price of a 14K gold ring ranges from $100-$1,500. You must note that it will be different for various ring setting styles.

Silver: While you may not find silver ring settings for diamonds too easily, a mix of silver and gold is readily available. It may look like a gold ring but will be way cheaper in actuality. The most basic silver settings (without a stone) are priced at $10-$20.
Platinum: Though it is the most expensive metal, platinum does make for an ideal option for rings. It enhances the diamond’s look by giving it an icy color. Still, you must remember that investing in an expensive metal will leave you with a smaller budget for the diamond. The average price of a platinum ring setting can be anywhere between $200 and $2,000.

How Big of a Diamond Can You Get for $6,000? (How Many Carats Can You Get?)

The size and weight of the diamond vary among different shapes. For example, a round diamond is the most common, while its size may not be similar to the Asscher shapes. 1.51 Carats is about the biggest diamond of good quality you can get under $6,000. It will have to be an Asscher (see photo) or Cushion (see photo) cut diamond.

Make sure you pick the diamond after considering its setting. Additionally, the lower the clarity and color, the higher the carat weight you can choose within the same range.

Apart from that, picking a suitable range of ring settings can also greatly impact the overall cost of your engagement ring.

For example, this 14 K White Gold Presentation Solitaire Setting costs only $240. So, you can easily pick a heavier, larger diamond, costing around $5,500 – $5,700.

However, you must remember that diamond shapes can also impact their price. For example, this 1-carat diamond with H color, VS2 clarity, and Very Good cut costs $5,330 in the round shape and $3,560 in the princess shape. On the other hand, a Marquise diamond with similar characteristics will cost $4,730.

Here are the biggest diamond sizes of different shapes that you can get for under $6,000 (leaving room for the setting cost).

Diamond Shapes and Sizes for Under $6,000

Diamond Shape	Diamond Weight – Carat
Round	1.15
Princess	1.29
Cushion	1.31
Emerald	1.35
Oval	1.25
Radiant	1.26
Asscher	1.51
Marquise	1.21
Heart	1.31
Pear	1.20

Note: These diamonds are a minimum of I color with SI1 clarity and Very Good Cut, or higher – as measured by James Allen

Examples of Diamond Sizes and Shapes

The table mentioned above gives you an idea about the different diamond shapes and the maximum sizes you can bag for each of them.

Remember that $6,000 is a fairly large amount giving you enough room to experiment with the ring style. Here are some excellent examples:

This 1.01-carat round diamond is the perfect example of a fine-quality large diamond. It features an ‘excellent’ cut along with H color and VS2 clarity. It is priced at $5,360, leaving enough room for a ring setting of about $500-$600.

If you wish to go a notch higher with the diamond size, the 1.04-carat oval diamond makes for a good replacement. This elegant piece boasts excellent polish along with H color and VVS2 clarity. Even better! Since it amounts to $5,690, you can pick a cheaper setting of $200-$300 for this diamond.
This .90-carat marquise diamond with E color grade and VVS2 clarity clearly steals the show in maximum domains. It is priced at $5,210 and has all the diamond grades belonging to the higher category. Except, its cut quality is only “very good”. Nevertheless, it still makes a great option, leaving enough room for a beautiful setting.

Tips for Staying within a $6,000 Budget

Despite all the information, staying within the $6,000 budget is rather challenging. Getting beyond the given price range is easy, with exquisite settings and lustrous diamonds glaring at you. Still, you can follow a few tips to avoid that bait.

Find Out What Your Fiancé Wants

First things first. It’s your fiancé who’ll ultimately wear the ring, which makes getting her opinion of the utmost importance. You can ask her about the shape of the diamond, the metal, and the kind of setting she would prefer.

If you wish to surprise your would-be partner, you can always involve her friends to confirm her taste. Knowing your partner’s preferences will help you be in the clear about the shape and metal – two very important features.

Cut Down on the Metal

Another great way of cutting costs is choosing a lesser expensive metal. If your partner does not have a particular option in mind, you can always opt for 14k gold instead of 18k gold. Similarly, you can opt for white gold or rose gold instead of yellow gold.

Another important point to note is choosing metal-heavy rings may not be the best idea. Pick settings with minimal metal usage.

For example, this Classic Six-Prong Solitaire Engagement Ring is made of platinum and still only mounts up to $990. Cutting it down to 14k white gold will also reduce the price to $390 and $600 for $18k white/yellow gold.

You Can Compromise on 3 out of 4 Cs

The diamond’s cut, clarity, color, and carat are the 4 crucial Cs. Still, you can consider reducing the quality grade for each of the Cs except the diamond cut.

Choosing VS1 over VVS2 and F over E will still be fine. Additionally, a 0.90-carat diamond looks almost as big as a 1-carat one. So, you need not worry about the looks or quality getting hampered even though the price will be significantly reduced.

Make sure that you still choose the best quality diamond cut possible, as that reflects the diamond’s overall finesse.

A 0.90-Carat Diamond is a Better Option

You may be wondering why I recommend choosing a 0.90-carat diamond instead of a 1-carat one? Let us understand with the help of an example.

This exquisite 0.90-carat round cut diamond measures 0.23 x 0.23 x 0.15 inches and is priced around $4,200. Now, if you look at this 1-carat round cut diamond with the same features – very good cut, H color, and VS2 clarity, its measurements are 0.24 x 0.25 x 0.15 inches, slightly higher. However, when it comes to the price, the latter costs around $5,700.

A difference of over $1,300 is rather large, while the sizes appear almost similar. Won’t you agree?

Where to Buy a $6,000 Engagement Ring?

Irrespective of your budget, always look for a highly-trusted jewelry store for all your purchases. A verified online store like Blue Nile or James Allen is your ideal option for picking the perfect diamond ring without any hassles.

Blue Nile

Blue Nile is an excellent jewelry store offering premium quality items that are completely worth it. The store lets you build your own ring by picking the diamond shape and features and matching it with a suitable ring setting.

Apart from the 10 diamond shapes, the site also offers 9 elegant ring setting styles to help you build a unique ring for your loved one. The e-store also offers multiple financing options for orders of $500, so you don’t have to deal with the pressure on your own.

James Allen

James Allen is another remarkable online jewelry store, offering competitive prices and premium quality. You can build your ring by choosing the diamond and the ring setting types or get inspired by other customers’ rings.

Another point that makes James Allen stand out is that they let you zoom in on the image and enjoy a 3D view to closely analyze the diamond.

Summing Up

Setting a budget and picking the perfect ring for your lovely partner can get overwhelming. However, you can choose the most beautiful engagement ring with a few insights and basic knowledge.

So, the next time you purchase an engagement ring, do not fret. Check out this in-depth guide on choosing the diamond color, clarity, cut, carat, and ring setting for $6,000. Here’s what you need to do:

Pick a credible online jewelry store
Choose your preferred diamond shape

Select a diamond size between 0.88 to 1.02 carat
Ensure the color, cut, and clarity are of high quality
Choose an elegant ring setting that compliments the diamond

What would I Recommend?

If I were to purchase a diamond engagement ring for $6,000, I would pick either of the following:

1.08-carat princess diamond of F color, VVS1 clarity, and Ideal cut from Jamer Allen priced at $4,950 with this elegant 14K rose gold twisted pavé setting costing $982, making the final ring price $5,932.
1.03-carat cushion diamond of H color, FL clarity, and Very Good cut from Blue Nile priced at $4,487 with 14K yellow gold new leaf solitaire engagement ring costing $980. This makes the final price of the ring about $5,827.

What’s the hold? Use our tips to pick the best $6,000 engagement ring today!