The price of a diamond ring covers a wide range, because it depends on several things at once: how large the stone is, how it is cut, which metal the ring is made of, and whether the diamond is lab-grown or natural. Two rings can look alike from a distance and still be far apart in price, precisely because these factors pull in different directions. Below, we go through the elements that really determine what you end up paying, so it becomes easier to understand the price differences when you compare.

Carat: the stone's weight weighs most heavily in the price

A diamond's weight is measured in carats, where 1 carat corresponds to 0.2 grams. The weight is the single factor that affects the price most, and it does not increase evenly. A 1-carat stone typically costs more than double a comparable 0.5-carat stone, because larger stones are less common and therefore sell at a higher price per carat. This means that a small jump in carat can result in a noticeable jump in price.

This is exactly why carat is a good place to adjust the budget. A solitaire ring with a 0.5-carat centre stone falls into a completely different price category than the same model at 2 carats. If you want a look with a larger centre stone without going all the way up in weight, the cut and setting can make the stone appear larger than the weight alone suggests. Longvé offers, among other things, a round solitaire ring in several carat sizes, so it is possible to see how the price shifts with the weight.

The cut affects both appearance and price

The way the diamond is cut matters for the price for two reasons. Firstly, certain shapes require more of the rough stone and more precise work; secondly, it varies how large the stone appears at a given weight. The round brilliant cut is the most widespread and is set up to give as much light play as possible, while fancy shapes such as oval, pear, marquise and cushion each have their own character.

Round and brilliant

The round brilliant-cut diamond is the classic solution for a solitaire ring and is also used in tennis bracelets, where a row of identical round stones sits in settings all the way around. The round shape uses light effectively and appears lively from most angles.

Fancy shapes

Oval, pear-shaped and marquise-cut stones cover a larger surface at the same weight and can therefore seem larger than a round stone of comparable carat. Cushion-cut stones have soft, rounded corners and a calmer look. If you are looking for an elongated shape, there is, among other things, an oval solitaire ring and a pear solitaire ring, while a marquise solitaire ring gives a striking, pointed look.

Colour and clarity in the diamond

In addition to weight and shape, a diamond is assessed on its colour and its clarity. The colour indicates how colourless the stone is, with the most colourless ranking highest. The clarity describes how many and how visible the small natural inclusions in the stone are. A designation such as Top Wesselton/Wesselton SI covers a colourless to near-colourless stone with very small inclusions that are typically not visible to the naked eye.

Both properties matter for the price, but the effect is not always visible when the ring is on the hand. Many small differences in colour and clarity can only be seen under magnification, and therefore you can often get a calmer price level by choosing a grade where the difference is not visible in everyday use, rather than going for the absolute highest grade on paper.

The metal and the ring's design

The ring itself also contributes to the price. The core metals at Longvé are 14K gold and 14K white gold, and the choice between them is mostly about which tone you prefer. A wider ring band or a more elaborate design uses more metal and more handwork than a simple, narrow band, and this is reflected in the price.

The number of stones plays a role in the same way. A solitaire ring has one centre stone, while a trilogy ring has three stones, and an eternity ring has small diamonds all the way around the band. More stones mean more setting work and, overall, more carat. If you want sparkle all the way around, there is, among other things, an eternity ring, while a half eternity ring has diamonds halfway around and therefore uses fewer stones. A round pavé ring gathers many small diamonds closely across the surface for a sparkling look without a single large centre stone.

Lab-grown or natural diamond

A diamond ring often comes in two versions of the same design: one with a lab-grown diamond and one with a natural diamond. Lab-grown diamonds are grown in a laboratory using either HPHT (high pressure and high temperature) or CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition), where carbon is built up layer by layer into a crystal. The result is a diamond with the same chemical composition and hardness as a natural diamond - both rank 10 on the Mohs scale, the highest level, and cannot be distinguished from each other with the naked eye.

In terms of price, there is usually a difference between lab-grown and natural diamonds at the same carat, shape and quality. This means that the choice between lab-grown and natural diamonds is one of the most direct ways to manage the budget: for a given amount, you can often choose between a smaller natural diamond and a larger lab-grown diamond. Because many of Longvé's designs are available in both variants, it is possible to compare the same model side by side and see what the difference means for both look and price.

Engagement ring and wedding ring within the same budget

The question of price often becomes concrete when choosing rings for an engagement or a wedding. It is becoming more and more common to choose two rings - one engagement ring and one wedding ring - and the two purchases can advantageously be considered together when the budget is set.

An engagement ring is typically built around a distinct centre stone, as with a solitaire ring or a trilogy ring, where the centre stone is flanked by two side stones. A wedding ring often leans closer to a simpler ring with small stones all or halfway around, where an eternity ring or a half eternity ring is an obvious choice, because it sits flat alongside the engagement ring. By distributing the carat between the two rings, you can concentrate the look where it is seen most, and keep the total amount where you want it.