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In this article:

  • How do American engagement rings differ from European ones?
  • What is a Tiffany engagement ring and what distinguishes it?
  • How much money do you spend on the engagement ring in America?
  • Which side is the engagement ring worn on in the US?
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What makes a typical American engagement ring?

Engagement rings are an essential part of the proposal and engagement in most countries around the world. This also applies for the US, where a prestigious engagement ring is considered particularly important.   

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What Makes a Typical American Engagement Ring?

Are American engagement rings truly more extravagant than their European counterparts? Indeed, U.S. engagement rings tend to be larger and more eye-catching, reflecting the country's bolder aesthetic preferences. Popular American styles include halo settings with pavé diamonds, mixed metal combinations, and distinctive diamond cuts like oval, emerald, and pear shapes.

Americans typically spend about twice as much on engagement rings as Europeans do, partly because these rings serve as both emotional symbols and status indicators. The social pressure to purchase a ring that reflects one's financial standing is considerably higher in American culture.

Tiffany & Co. remains an iconic American jeweler, famous for its signature six-prong setting and distinctive turquoise boxes. Unlike Europeans, Americans wear engagement rings on the left ring finger, often stacking them with wedding bands after marriage.

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How do American engagement rings differ from European ones?

In the country of unlimited possibilities, many things are a bit bigger and flashier than in European countries. This also applies for engagement rings. Designs that attract attention are particularly popular at the moment, such as halo rings with additional small pavé diamonds around the central gemstone and on the ring band. This trend is slowly swapping over to Europe.

Engagement ring with American style design - A design drawing of a precious engagement ring with diamonds
The combination of different precious metals such as white gold and red gold, sometimes with additional accents by a coloured gemstone such as a ruby, sapphire or a coloured diamond is equally popular. Unusual cuts such as oval diamonds, emerald-cut diamonds or the pear shape are seen more often in the USA than in Europe.

Overall, American engagement rings are often a bit more playful and unusual than European ones.

What is a Tiffany engagement ring and what distinguishes it?

Tiffany & Co. is one of the oldest and most famous jewellers in the US, best known for its typical diamond setting with 6 small prongs, often referred to as the Tiffany Setting. The company was founded at the beginning of the 19th century by Charles Lewis Tiffany and grew from a small jeweller in New York to an international and listed corporation.

The American company's rings are sold in a turquoise box, commonly known as a "blue box", which is a trademark for a Tiffany engagement ring. The New York store on 5th Avenue, the world-famous shopping street, has also been an attraction for tourists from all over the world since the film "Breakfast at Tiffany's" with Audrey Hepburn was shot there in 1961.

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How much money do you spend on an engagement ring in America?

Looking at the average price of engagement rings, it turns out that men in the US spend much more money on an engagement ring than they do elsewhere in the world. On average, it’s twice as much as in Europe. Accordingly, the weight in carats, which determines the size of the diamond, is also much higher.

A selection of different engagement rings - Engagement rings with different cuts and settings
The reason lies above all in the social significance attached to the engagement ring. In the US, the engagement ring is not only a sign of appreciation and recognition, that is stated through the most beautiful engagement gift with high emotional value, often it is also an expression of one's social status. The pressure from family and friends to buy an engagement ring that also symbolizes one's income and that can be proudly shown off to everyone is high. Buying a rather unremarkable or fine engagement ring is seen as stinginess rather than understatement.

However, this fact is not to be seen negatively, rather it corresponds to the more extroverted nature of many US Americans, who like to present their own wealth to the outside world. An extravagant engagement ring can still be highly elegant and give the designer scope for unusual shapes and colours to create a truly unique engagement ring.

Which side is the engagement ring worn on in the US?

In contrast to European countries, the engagement ring is worn on the left ring finger in America, just as in Switzerland, for example. On the wedding day, the bride puts the ring on either the right ring finger or another finger of the left hand, so that at the wedding ceremony the groom can put the wedding ring on the left ring finger.

Later, the engagement ring is put back to the left ring finger and is usually worn as a stacking ring to the wedding ring.

Are you looking for an engagement ring and need help choosing the perfect design and matching diamonds? The expert team at BAUNAT will be happy to advise you and looks forward to hearing from you.