Beautiful, Ethical Engagement Rings Under $2,000

There's a unique engagement ring for every budget. Whether you're not sure what an engagement ring should cost (hint: we think that's up to you!), or you know the exact amount you want to spend, Bario Neal's handcrafted ethical engagement rings are ready for your proposal. Nervous about such a big special purchase? We make ring shopping totally painless. Even better, we make it fun. Our welcoming showrooms in Philadelphia and New York City are stress free. Budget talk with clients is friendly and down to earth.

Still think a trip to a jewelry store might be akin to sweating a final exam or being trapped in a Darren Aronofsky movie? We have plenty of advice and plenty of engagement rings under $2,000 for the budget-conscious shopper. Plus, there are four ideas for engagement ring + wedding band for under $3,000.

Your love is NOT measured by how much you're willing to spend on an engagement ring.

Ask us how much you should spend on an engagement ring, and we'll say, "Tell us about your partner". "I tell people it's important to find a ring that will symbolize your sentiment, and that often means a design that speaks to their partner's personality," says Sarah Rachel Brown, a Sales Assistant at Bario Neal. In the 10 years since Bario Neal started, we've loved seeing attitudes shift when it comes to how much "should" be spent on an engagement ring. More and more clients scoff at the notion that how big a ring is, or how expensive a ring looks matters. They care instead about the story of the ring. Our Aira Oko Morganite Ring ($560) erases the notion that you need to pay a staggering ring price for a happy-ever-after tale.

You don't have to talk price right away to find and engagement ring that fits your budget.

The Bario Neal team doesn't typically zero in on prices first thing. "It's not that we're not conscious of a client's budget, but we don't want it to be the only focus of the discussion immediately," Sarah says. "We naturally navigate our way there." If you or your partner starts to fall in love with a ring during an appointment, for example, Sarah might give a broad range of possible cost. An engagement ring price will go up or down depending on the metals or stones you choose. If you want to get a sense of how that works, check out any engagement ring on our site, go to "Build Ring" and play with the different options in the dropdown menus. You or your partner might be drawn to a diamond alternative, like the white sapphire in our Nikko Pear White Sapphire Ring ($1,360). A colorful gemstone like the one in our Myrtle Blue-Green Sapphire Ring ($1,920) might fit your style and budget perfectly.

It's totally fine to walk into our showrooms or email to tell us: "I want to spend $1,000 and no more"

First, know that at Bario Neal, under $1,000 doesn't mean you won't have plenty of engagement rings to choose from. Our sunny Cluster Opal Ring ($875) taps into the current cluster craze and has two pretty stones, an opal and a sapphire. Second, we're happy to hear upfront what you have to work with on spending. "I just worked with a client over email, and she really wanted a ruby ring, and she had $1,500 to spend, which isn't realistic for a ruby ring. So we went with a lab-grown ruby, which is a great option when you have a modest budget," Sarah says. If you're visiting with your partner but don't want to get into money during the engagement ring appointment, let us know your budget in advance by email or phone. "I won't steer your partner to a ring that doesn't fit your price range," Sarah says. "And if someone falls in love with a ring, we will work with clients and find a way to make it work."

Buying an engagement ring shouldn't come with sales pressure, awkwardness, or anything uncomfortable.

So many clients pay the Bario Neal team the best compliment by telling us how enjoyable "and easy!" we make the whole engagement ring buying process. Our sales associates don't work on commission, and they're completely committed to making every single visitor, every single couple,feel welcome regardless of budget. "We get clients who have had experiences at jewelry stores that are not ideal, and they come to us, and they just breathe a sigh of relief," Sarah says. "When we're working with clients, it's not about how much we can get them to spend. It's wanting them to find the right ring that's going to make them happy." Sarah has so much fun with clients, her love for stacking rings proves contagious. One of her "perfect" engagement rings is actually two rings: She stacks our Baguette Solitaire Diamond Ring (starts at $525) and Nikko Morganite Ring (starts at $630). Together, they're $1,155. "Not everyone wants one big ring," Sarah says. "Many clients with demanding jobs don't want a giant ring on their hand all day. And they don't want a ring that they can't actually wear."

You don't have to pay 100% of an engagement ring upon ordering.

You can make full payment right away, but a 50% deposit is fine at Bario Neal. You'll pay the balance when you pick up the ring, which is usually four to six weeks from ordering a bit of a breather.

You shouldn't have to spend a lot to get a high-quality engagement ring.

"At the heart of our collection is really great design," Sarah says. "With the Bario Neal aesthetic, you can often get a really beautiful ring for a price that will surprise you." You also have the assurance of knowing that Bario Neal works with recycled metals and ethically sourced stones to create your ethical engagement ring. Plus, we're a small company so your made-to-order engagement ring isn't being robotically manufactured with 15 other rings that look exactly like it. Instead, it will be handcrafted right in our workshop by skilled jewelers who make sure every aspect is executed precisely. "I do the final quality check on all engagement rings," Sarah says. "I take them under magnification and I'm looking for every little thing on the ring to be perfect. There are multiple steps along the way where we're ensuring that our rings are being made with attention to detail."

Yep, you can do an engagement ring + wedding band for under $3,000

No magic number of rings makes you married. If you're a couple looking for a pair of simple gold bands, we've got you. If you want an engagement ring and wedding band, and need to make sure the final total is under a certain amount, the Bario Neal team can suggest wedding bands that work with our engagement rings to fit your budget, like our Cluster Garnet Ring ($1,270) and Fishtail Band ($540), which tally to $1,810, or any of the ideas pictured here.

The experience of buying an engagement ring together can mean so much more than a price tag.

Sarah has worked with clients who have planned a surprise engagement ring shopping day that becomes a lasting memory. "They might not have a huge budget, but they'll create this day," she says. "They'll take their partner out for lunch and a walk, and then 'end up' at Bario Neal, and the partner is surprised with an appointment." For one full hour, your partner gets the full Bario Neal treatment and attention. We walk you through our collections and talk about what your partner really wants in a ring. You get all the credit for showing your partner you really care that he or she gets a ring to love. "It really takes the attention off of how big a ring is or how expensive it was," Sarah says. "The memory is this experience they had."

As a designer of ethical engagement rings, we don't just consider how our jewelry is made. We also value every client, and want you to feel fairly treated. "Caring doesn't cost anything," says Sarah. Shopping for engagement rings shouldn't be intimidating. We use a jewelry handcrafting process from start to finish that we feel good about, and our clients do too. That meaningful story has more value than anyone can count.