Couples Postpone Proposals Because Gold Prices Are More Volatile Than Their Relationships
KEY POINTS
- •Peter Manka Jr. of Ben Garelick reported a 47% price jump in engagement rings between 2024 and 2025 due to soaring gold costs.
- •About 25% to 30% of ring shoppers are delaying purchases and proposals, hoping gold prices will drop.
- •Industry players like Tiffany & Co. and Pandora are shifting from silver to platinum or gold to stabilize prices amid market volatility.
Gold prices went on a rollercoaster from $5,500 a troy ounce in January 2025 to a still-eyebrow-raising $4,650—up 70% since the start of 2025—forcing NYC jeweler Peter Manka Jr. to witness 'true sticker shock' at Ben Garelick. Engagement rings with lab-grown diamonds leapt from $1,633 in 2024 to $2,408 in 2025 despite diamonds dropping 40% in price—because gold's gold, and gold is expensive, apparently. Around 30% of shoppers are hitting snooze on proposals hoping prices drop, while some are raiding their parents' jewelry boxes as if it's a family episode of 'Gold Rush.' Meanwhile, Tiffany & Co. and Pandora are pivoting to platinum and silver alternatives, because nothing says love like hedging precious metal bets in uncertain times.
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(1 of 3)Gold prices got so high proposals got postponed, vintage moms' bling repurposed, and Tiffany considered dating platinum instead of silver. Engagement rings now require a spreadsheet and a crystal ball.
Engagement rings jumped 47% in price while diamonds dropped 40%, proving even in love, schedule your cheddar wisely.
Couples delaying proposals over gold prices: Love may be blind but wallets are brutally clear-eyed.
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 4/6/2026 | Author: Huileng Tan
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