WHAT DO AUSTRALIANS SPEND ON ENGAGEMENT RINGS?

I would say, in my 15 years in the diamond and jewellery industry, the most commonly asked question by  far from my clients is how much are people spending on their engagement ring these days? And my answer is always a welcome surprise!

Gone are the days where it was considered acceptable for the partner wanting to propose to spend at least 3 months’ worthof wages. There is always the ‘latest survey’ outling the current annual average spend on engagement rings, which I feel really takes the romance away from such a beautiful and romantic process. Price is important of course, but even more so is knowing that you have done your homework, the effort of searching for a piece with her style in mind. A family heirloom that has been crafted locallyensuring quality, craftsmanship, ethically sourced gemstones, and of course a lifetime manufacturers warranty.

Putting a timeframe on the worth of the love of your life never sat well with me or many others and this notion of putting an expected figure in many ways has become outdated, our society has become smarter when shopping, searching for more of a bespoke, meaningful experience, looking more for a unique and sentimental piece rather than some sort of financial expectation. When shopping for an engagement ring, whether you are spending $1000 or $100,000 it should be a personal, wonderful experience, the universal symbol and daily reminder of your love for each other and the life you both share- the only expectation should be of course- will she say yes!

In terms of the question ‘what do Australians spend on engagement rings these days? I always rephrase it to what do Australians value when purchasing an engagement ring these days? And it’s never been so true: in a World with information at our fingertips the way in which we shop is a completely new experience-  other  than  focusing solely on price, attention has shifted to the quality of the gemstones, where they are from and are they ethically sourced. Clients educate themselves on the grading of diamonds and with our guidance are able to select that perfect stone to suit lifestyle, budget and of course style.

 Most people have a budget in mind  when looking for an engagement ring, but in my experience 99% do not stick to the budget once the journey is undertaken, that’s not to say they end up spending more, but yet it becomes more a journey of meeting in the middle with the balance of the diamond ring of her dreams and the right, competitive price.

 At Artelia we pride ourselves on honouring the process of searching for that special diamond ring, whether you have a strict budget in mind or are just starting the process and need some more  information our qualified team are  here to assist and make that dream engagement ring a reality.