Engagement rings under $100: how to choose one you love
5 min read · True Vow Rings
A proposal is about the question, not the price tag. Many couples now choose an engagement ring under $100 so they can spend on the wedding, a trip or a first home instead.
A low price should never mean a guessing game. Here are the four choices that decide how the ring looks and feels, so you can buy with confidence.
1. Pick the stone
At this price, the stone is almost always cubic zirconia (CZ): a lab-made crystal that is clear, bright and cut like a diamond. Every ring in our engagement rings under $100 collection uses cubic zirconia, and each product page says so in plain words.
Read every listing closely. If a ring under $100 is called a "diamond ring" without saying the diamond is lab-made or how big it is, ask before you buy.
2. Choose the shape
Round stones give the most classic sparkle. Oval stones look a little larger for their size and make fingers look longer. Think about the jewelry they already wear: classic or modern, simple or detailed.
Our Six Prong Solitaire is the classic round choice. The Oval Cut Solitaire is the softer, modern one.
3. Look at the setting
A solitaire setting holds one stone on a plain band. It suits every style and pairs easily with a wedding band later. Six prongs hold a round stone securely and give it a rounder outline than four.
4. Get the size right
A ring that fits is a ring that gets worn. Use our ring size guide or measure a ring they already wear on the same finger. Between two sizes, pick the bigger one. All sales are final, so measure carefully.
Questions and answers
Are engagement rings under $100 real diamonds?
Usually not. Most rings at this price use cubic zirconia, a lab-made crystal. Every True Vow ring names its stone clearly on the product page.
Will people be able to tell it is not a diamond?
Cubic zirconia is cut like a diamond and looks very bright. Most people only notice the difference under close inspection by a jeweler.
Can I upgrade the ring later?
Yes. Many couples keep their first ring as a keepsake or wear it as a travel ring once they upgrade.
More ring guides
What is cubic zirconia? A plain guide for ring shoppers
What CZ is, how it compares with diamond, and how to keep it bright.
Read the guide →
Oval vs round engagement ring: which shape suits her hand?
Sparkle, finger shape and personal style, compared side by side.
Read the guide →
How to find their ring size without asking
Six secret tricks to get the size right before you pop the question.
Read the guide →