The price of a ring is determined by four things that can be added together: which metal the ring is made of, how much metal goes into it, which stone it holds, and how complex the setting and design itself are. A simple gold ring without a stone therefore costs far less than a ring with a large center stone in a detailed setting, even when both are made in the same metal. There is no single fixed amount, because these four factors vary from ring to ring.

If you want to understand what you are really paying for, it is easiest to take the factors one at a time and see how each of them pushes the price up or down.

What determines the price of a ring?

The metal is often what weighs most heavily in the calculation. Gold is traded at a daily price, and the purer the gold, the more expensive it is per gram. A ring in 14K gold contains less pure gold than a ring in a higher karat, and that shows directly in the material price. Both 14K gold and 14K white gold are the core metals in Longvé's range, and a 14K yellow gold ring and a corresponding model in white gold are close in price, because the gold content is the same.

The amount of gold is tied to how wide and solid the ring band is. A heavy signet ring or a wide band ring uses more grams of gold than a thin, slender ring, and more metal means a higher price. That is also why two rings in the same karat can cost vastly different amounts: one is light and delicate, the other is heavy.

The stone is the other major item. A ring without a stone costs only metal and labor, while a ring with a diamond adds the stone's price on top. Here the size, shape and type of stone all matter - and it is worth taking a closer look, because the choice between lab-grown and natural diamonds has a noticeable effect on the price.

How much gold goes into a ring?

The weight of a ring depends on the design, and together with the daily gold price it helps determine the material cost. An ordinary, fairly narrow gold ring typically weighs a few grams, while wide or solid models weigh more. For comparison, 1 carat equals 0.2 grams, but that figure refers to the diamond's weight, not the ring's - the gold weight is calculated separately in grams.

Because the gold price is set per gram, one cannot state a single fixed weight for "a ring." A wide signet rings in sterling silver weighs and costs something different from a fine ring in 14K gold, and even among gold rings the weight varies with the band's width and profile. If you want to know the weight precisely, it is tied to the specific design rather than to the ring type in general.

Stone and setting: how the diamond affects the price

The diamond is often what separates an expensive ring from a cheap one. The price of a diamond rises with size, and it does not rise linearly - a larger stone costs more per carat than a small one. The shape also plays a part: round brilliants, ovals, pear shapes, cushion- and marquise-cut stones are priced differently, partly because the yield from the rough stone varies with the cut.

The setting matters for the labor. A simple prong setting with one stone, as on a solitaire rings, requires less handwork than an eternity rings, where small diamonds sit all the way around the band and each must be set by hand. The more stones and the more detailed the setting, the more working time goes into the ring, and that is reflected in the price. A round pavé ring with many small, closely set diamonds is a good example of a design where the setting work itself takes up a lot.

Lab-grown or natural diamonds

Longvé carries both lab-grown diamonds and natural diamonds, and many designs are available in both variants, so the same piece can be chosen with either type of stone. A lab-grown diamond is a real diamond with the same chemical and physical properties as a natural one - both are pure carbon and rate 10 on the Mohs scale, that is, the hardest there is. The difference lies in where the stone was formed.

A lab-grown diamond is grown under controlled conditions, typically with HPHT (High Pressure High Temperature) or CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition), where carbon atoms are built up layer by layer into a finished crystal. Because the process does not depend on finding the stone in nature, the price of a lab-grown diamond is lower for a given size than that of a natural diamond of comparable quality. This makes it possible to choose a larger center stone within the same budget, if size is important to you. Both lab-grown and natural diamonds can be seen together in the collection for lab-grown diamonds.

With the naked eye you cannot distinguish a lab-grown from a natural diamond - telling them apart requires specialized equipment. The choice between the two is therefore mostly about how large a stone you want for your money.

What does it cost to have a stone set in a ring?

Having a stone set in an existing ring is a separate piece of work from having a new ring made. The price here covers two things: the stone itself and the setting work. A small diamond in a simple setting is cheaper than a larger stone that must be set in a more demanding setting, where the jeweler has to adjust prongs or mill a seat for the stone.

If a single center stone is to be set, the work is less than for a ring where several small stones must be distributed and set along the band. That is why it costs more to have stones set in a round trilogy ring with three stones than in a ring with one stone, even when the total carat weight is the same.

What can you have engraved in a ring?

Engraving is a common addition, especially on wedding and engagement rings. You can typically have a date, a name, initials or a short text engraved on the inside of the ring band. The price depends on how much is engraved, and whether it is done by machine or by hand - hand engraving costs more, because it takes longer.

There are limits to how much text can fit, and they depend on the ring's width. A wide band gives room for more characters than a narrow one. A flat, wide surface like that on a signet ring is well suited for engraving, precisely because there is space.

Engagement ring and wedding ring: two rings or one?

It is becoming increasingly common to choose two rings - one engagement ring and one wedding ring - instead of combining both meanings in one. This naturally affects the total price, because two pieces are then made. The engagement ring often has a clear center stone, while the wedding ring can be simpler, for example a narrow gold ring or a half eternity ring with diamonds halfway around.

If you want to keep the budget down on the whole set, you can let one ring carry the stone and the other be more understated. Longvé has gathered a selection of selected engagement rings and a corresponding selection of selected wedding rings, where you can see how the two ring types differ in expression and construction.

Why two identical rings can cost differently

Two rings that resemble each other can end up in vastly different price ranges, and the explanation almost always lies in the four factors. One may have a heavier band and use more gold. The other has a larger center stone, or it is set with natural diamonds rather than lab-grown. A third may have a setting with more stones that requires many hours of handwork.

When comparing prices, it is therefore more accurate to look at the specific design - metal, amount of gold, stone and setting - than to expect a fixed price for "a ring." The better you know the four factors, the easier it is to assess what you are getting for your money, and where you can dial things up or down.