How Much Does a Bespoke
Engagement Ring Cost in Australia?
Most jewellers answer this question vaguely. This guide gives you the honest breakdown — what drives cost, what the realistic ranges are in 2026, and what you actually get for your money at each level.
The Question Everyone Asks First
Before almost every consultation, the same question arrives: how much should I expect to spend?
It is a completely reasonable question. The frustrating reality is that most jewellers answer it with some version of "it depends" — which is technically true but practically useless. This guide gives you actual numbers, broken down by component, so you can arrive at a consultation with a realistic sense of what is possible at your budget.
What Is Possible At Your Budget?
Move the slider to your budget and see what stone, setting and creation path is right for you.
Your budget suits a Signature Creation — choose from our available stones and settings, and we handcraft the complete piece around your selection in Brisbane.
The Two Components
Every bespoke engagement ring has two cost components: the stone and the setting. They are priced separately and chosen separately. Understanding each one makes the total significantly easier to navigate.
The stone is almost always the larger cost. The setting — even a complex handcrafted one — is typically the smaller variable. Start with the stone.
The Stone
For natural sapphires — which is what Ruhuna specialises in — pricing is driven by four factors: carat weight, colour saturation, clarity, and origin. Of these, colour saturation is the most important. A vivid, deeply saturated 1.20ct stone will cost more than a pale, washed-out 1.80ct stone. Carat weight is visible. Colour is what you actually fall in love with.
- 0.80ct – 1.20ct — $1,200 – $3,500 AUD depending on colour and origin
- 1.20ct – 2.00ct — $3,000 – $7,500 AUD for quality stones
- 2.00ct – 3.00ct — $6,000 – $15,000 AUD for exceptional colour
- 3.00ct+ — $12,000 AUD and above for fine quality
These ranges are for natural, unheated stones — sapphires that have never been heat treated to improve their colour. Heated sapphires cost significantly less. There is nothing wrong with a heated stone, but the price difference is real and the distinction matters for long-term value.
Ceylon Blue · 2.47ct · Unheated
Teal Sapphire · 2.11ct · Madagascar
Ceylon Pink · 1.06ct · Rosewater
The Setting
At Ruhuna, all settings are handcrafted in 18ct gold in Brisbane. Setting prices vary based on design complexity — a clean solitaire costs less than a trilogy with baguette side stones and a hidden gallery detail.
- Simple solitaire — $1,800 – $2,500 AUD
- Solitaire with pavé or side detail — $2,500 – $3,500 AUD
- Trilogy or three-stone setting — $3,500 – $5,500 AUD
- Complex bespoke with multiple stones — $5,000 AUD and above
These prices include design, casting, stone setting, hand finishing and sizing. They do not include the centre stone.
Nelum Solitaire · 18ct Gold
Nelum Trilogy · 18ct Gold
Araliya Trilogy · 18ct Gold
What Does A Complete Ring Cost?
Combining a quality stone with a handcrafted 18ct gold setting, here are realistic total budgets for different levels.
Entry — $4,000 – $7,000 AUD. A beautiful 0.80ct – 1.20ct natural sapphire in a clean solitaire setting. This is not a compromise. At this budget you can have an exceptional stone in a ring that will last a lifetime and appreciate in value.
Mid — $7,000 – $14,000 AUD. A 1.20ct – 2.00ct stone with excellent colour saturation and a more considered setting. This is where most Ruhuna commissions sit. The stone has real presence and the setting reflects it.
Premium — $14,000 – $25,000 AUD. A 2.00ct+ stone with exceptional saturation — often unheated Ceylon or fine Australian origin — in a complex setting. This is a piece that cannot be replicated and will not depreciate.
"A bespoke ring at Ruhuna is often comparable in price to a mass-produced ring from a retail jeweller — but the stone is natural and unheated, the gold is certified Australian 18ct, and the piece was made for one person."
— Ruhuna GemstonesWhat You Are Not Paying For
Because Ruhuna operates without a retail showroom, you are not paying for commercial rent, floor staff, or retail margin. The budget goes into the stone and the craft — not the overhead.
The consultation is complimentary. There is no fee to explore, no deposit required to begin the conversation, and no pressure to commit at any stage of the process.
A bespoke engagement ring at Ruhuna starts at around $4,000 AUD for a quality stone in an 18ct gold setting, and most commissions sit between $7,000 and $14,000 AUD. The consultation is the place to understand exactly what is possible at your budget — and to see stones that match it.
