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When someone asks me what a ring costs, the price usually isn't the real question. The real question is: am I about to be taken for a ride, and would I even know? Nobody has broken it down for you. You don't know what goes into a ring, so you walk in with no control. That's a lousy way to spend this kind of money.
The short answer
A custom engagement ring costs the sum of its parts: the centre stone, the gold, the setting details, and the work to build it. At Vero, no single part carries the price. Each one is priced on its own, so you see exactly where your money goes before anything gets made. No surprises at the end.
What actually drives the price?
The old way of pricing a ring puts most of the number in one place, usually the diamond, and it's hard to tell what you're really paying for. We do it differently. Every part of the ring matters, so every part gets its own price, from the diamond to the setting itself.
The centre stone. Lab-grown is $1,195 per carat, flat. Natural is priced stone by stone, because every one is different. Lab-grown specialty cuts and specialty colours are priced separately.
The gold. We alloy our own 18K here in Ottawa. How much goes into your ring depends on the design, labour and materials involved.
The details. Want accent diamonds down the band? That's about $500. A tulip basket under the stone? About $400. You add what you want, you see what it adds, and you decide. As we work together building your ring, you will understand pricing as we move along. Nothing is hidden, and nothing is a surprise.
The work. Casting, setting, finishing, done by the people in our workshop. That's Canadian labour, and it's worth paying for.
How that work actually happens, from the first render to the final polish, is its own story.
Put those together and that's your ring. Nothing hidden, nothing inflated to make up for something else.
Here's a real example. Our solitaire with a 1-carat lab-grown diamond: $1,195 for the diamond, plus $2,750 for the ring. That's $3,945 + HST. All our prices are shown + HST, so you always know what's coming. (Prices as of fall 2026.)
Lab-grown or natural: how do they compare on cost?
We're diamond nerds. We love both. We love coloured gemstones too. Every one of them has something to offer.
But I'll tell you what I tell everyone at the table: none of them hold their value. Not natural, not lab-grown. A diamond isn't an investment. Buy the one you love, not the one someone told you will pay you back.
Lab-grown is simple: $1,195 per carat, all the way up to 6 carats. A 2-carat lab diamond is $2,390. The exceptions are specialty stones, like antique cuts and special colours, which we quote on their own. Natural diamonds are each one of a kind, so we price them one at a time.
Price is only part of the choice. If you're weighing the two, I go deeper here.
Where does your money go?
A lot of rings out there are mass-produced overseas, and often not made very well. That's not what you're paying for here.
We're a small studio. We don't pay for a retail floor. Our money goes into our workshop and the people in it.
That includes what happens after you pick up your ring. It's never sent out. Resizing, repairs, polishing: all of it is handled here, by the same people who made it.
Where shouldn't you cut corners?
Here's the honest version: going cheaper usually ends up costing you more.
The common example is 14K gold instead of 18K. Yes, 14K costs less today. But this ring gets worn every single day for decades. 18K is denser and more malleable, and it holds up better to the work a ring needs over its life: resizing, re-tipping, polishing. Why compromise on the one thing you'll never take off? That's why 18K is our standard for engagement rings, with VVS2 clarity as our minimum.
What's included that people forget to count?
This part rarely shows up in a price comparison, and it should:
- Lifetime care, most of it done while you wait
- Insurance appraisals
- Resizing
- Polishing
- Knowing it will be looked after
Nothing is ever perfect. Rings get knocked, claws wear, fingers change. We're here for that. Almost all of our clients are in Ottawa, so it's a short drive to the workshop, and the people who built your ring are the ones who take care of it.
Do you need to tell us your budget?
No. We don't ask for one. Our pricing is upfront, so you'll understand it right away and can build the ring around what makes sense to you.
See it for yourself
Every V-series ring is priced the same way: part by part. Open any of them in the ring builder, change the stone, add the details, and watch what each choice adds.
What I'd do
Don't start with a number. Start by understanding what you're paying for. Once you can see the parts, the number makes sense, and you're the one in control. That's the whole point of how we price.
If you're in Ottawa, book a time at the workshop. We'll break it down for your ring.
Quick answers
How much is a lab-grown diamond at Vero?
$1,195 per carat, up to 6 carats. Specialty cuts and colours are quoted separately.
Do diamonds hold their value?
No, neither lab-grown nor natural. Buy the stone you love.
Is resizing included?
Yes, for life, along with polishing, cleaning and insurance appraisals.
Why 18K instead of 14K?
18K is denser and holds up better to decades of wear and bench work. For something worn every day, it's worth it.
Do I have to share my budget?
No. Our pricing is transparent, so you can see the cost of every part and decide for yourself.
Are your prices plus HST?
Yes. All our prices are shown + HST. A solitaire with a 1-carat lab-grown diamond is $3,945 + HST.
