The Best, and Worst, Months to Buy a Diamond Ring

Timing matters more than you think when buying an engagement ring. In this episode, I break down the seasonal cycles that drive diamond pricing, the surprising effects of tariffs in 2025, and the best months of the year to shop to avoid paying a premium.

Learn when to buy, when to wait, and how to make strategic choices, whether you’re shopping for a lab-grown or natural diamond engagement ring.

If you want the very best price on your dimond, shop during Melanie Casey Bridal Week, starting on October 18th, 2025, for the only time of year we host a sale on our core collection. 

Episode Transcript

Melanie Casey (00:00):
Diamond prices aren't random. They move in
cycles. Prices rise when demandis high and drop when demand
slows, and global events liketariffs can shift things
unexpectedly. So when is theright time to buy your
engagement ring? I'm MelanieCasey, and today on the
engagement ring podcast, we'retalking timing, how to shop

(00:21):
smart, avoid price spikes, andget the most value for your
budget.
Prices usually go up when lotsof people are buying, and they
come down when buying quiets.This year has been unusual
because of two big factors,tariffs and lab grown diamonds.
Lab grown stones have taken off,and as a result, natural diamond
prices have dropped over thelast few years. But there's more

(00:43):
to the story than just fallingprices. There are also seasonal
shifts you should know about.
Demand for engagement ringsalways surges in two key
seasons. Engagement season,which runs from late spring into
early summer, and the holidayseason, which runs through
November and December. Duringthose months, more people shop,

(01:03):
so prices can be higher. Isuggest shopping outside of
those peak months. Augustthrough the October is one of
the very best times to shopbefore the holiday rush begins.
January is also a great timebecause the holiday proposal
rush is over, and diamonddealers are often eager to move
inventory. Also consider Marchright after Valentine's Day, but

(01:25):
before the spring engagementring season begins. Shopping
during these windows gives you abetter chance of finding the
perfect diamond at the rightprice and with less competition.
Normally, September and Octoberare excellent months to buy. But
right now, in fall twenty twentyfive, tariffs have changed the
market.
Most diamond dealers have theirrough stones cut in India, which

(01:48):
is the global hub for diamondmanufacturing. Those diamonds
are now facing high tariffs whenthey enter The US, which adds
significant cost to the supplychain. And, yes, those costs are
passed right along to you as thebuyer. We prepared for this
shift by investing in ourdiamond inventory prior to the

(02:09):
tariffs taking effect. Thatmeans our in stock engagement
rings are still priced at what Iconsider the true market value
without the extra tariff fees.
Unfortunately, diamonds wesource in peak holiday season
will be priced to include thetariff surcharge unless the laws
change. We are watching closelyfor tariff exemptions, and there

(02:34):
are strong signals that naturaldiamonds may be exempt soon. We
don't yet know if lab growndiamonds will be included. Once
exemptions are in place, Iexpect prices to adjust quickly
and selection to open up again.If you can wait until after
tariffs are lifted, you'lllikely find better pricing and

(02:56):
more options.
Now let's talk about lab growndiamonds for a minute. If you're
buying a lab grown diamond,tariffs have less of an impact
because supply is stillplentiful and the dealers are
squeezing their margins to staycompetitive. You can still find
great pricing on most lab grownstones. The exception is rare
material like stones over fourcarats or those that are decolor

(03:17):
or internally flawless. Thoseare always in high demand and
hard to grow, so they stillcommand higher prices.
Natural diamonds, on the otherhand, have been hit hard by
tariffs and are more pricesensitive. Their pricing is tied
to the Rappaport price, which isthe industry pricing benchmark
based on real buyer purchasingdata. For decades, that price

(03:39):
only went up. But after labgrown diamonds entered the
market, natural diamond pricesbecame much more volatile.
Personally, I think naturaldiamonds are currently worth
less than what the wrap pricesuggests.
Much of the premium you seeright now is short term due to
tariffs. When tariffs end,pricing will come down right

(04:00):
away. The second reason I thinknatural diamonds are priced
higher than they should be issimply that this industry is
slow to respond. There is apermanent change, in buyer
behavior away from natural, and,pricing has been slow to reflect
that. Essentially, naturaldiamond prices should be lower,
but the market takes some timeto adjust to reality.

(04:23):
I expect natural diamond pricesto keep trending slowly downward
over the coming months and yearsuntil prices are close enough to
lab that buyer behavior changesand people start choosing
natural over lab again. We havea long way to go for that to
happen. I do have one tip thatcan make a big difference when
you buy a diamond. Considerchoosing a less popular shape.

(04:45):
Rounds, ovals, and marquise cutsare popular and expensive right
now, But if you look at princessor radiant, you might be able to
find a larger stone for the samebudget simply because there's
less competition for thoseshapes.
I love this approach because itsaves money and makes your ring
look more distinctive. If youwant to find out which diamond

(05:06):
shapes are the best value,compare the price of a standard
one carat diamond with the samequality across all cuts. You'll
see a wide range of pricing, andthe cuts to go for will be easy
to spot. So how do you buyconfidently in this market?
First, shop during those lowerdemand months, January, March,
and August through October.

(05:27):
Next, work with a jeweler, whooffers transparent pricing and a
live diamond feed so you cancompare stones side by side and
choose a cut that has greatvalue. Diamonds that are already
in The US won't have the newtariff fees, which means
slightly lower prices. So thereare still deals to be found even

(05:47):
while tariffs continue. Finally,consider, engagement rings that
are already finished and readyto ship. We buy our stock during
off season to ensure the bestpricing.
So our in stock engagement ringscan save you money when buying
during a high demand season likeNovember or December. If you

(06:08):
want the very, very best deal,buy during bridal week. It's our
only sale of the year on ourcore collection. Expect to see
promotions on natural and labgrown diamond rings, sapphire
engagement rings, gemstonejewelry, wedding bands, and
men's bands. Our in personpreview is Friday, 10/17/2025,

(06:29):
and the online event launchesOctober 18.
Follow us on Instagram forgiveaways, games, and behind the
scenes fun leading up to theevent. Here's my final thought.
The best times to buy are afterholidays and the spring
engagement ring surge. The timesto be most cautious are November
and December when demand andprices are at their highest. And

(06:49):
if you can wait until October,buy during our once annual
bridal week sale.
Diamonds are a market commodity,so prices will move, shop when
demand is low, work with atransparent vendor, and compare
carefully. In history, diamondprices would rise during the
holidays and stay upindefinitely. In 2025, market
forces have changed thisindustry, and prices are

(07:11):
unpredictable. So remember, thisis my personal opinion on the
industry, and it may change infuture years as the industry
responds to an ever changingworld. Thanks for joining me for
this episode of the EngagementRing podcast by Melanie Casey
Jewelry.
If you need help finding theright diamond at the right
price, email our team [e-mail], and

(07:32):
we'll be happy to guide you.