BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Wedding rings hold a lot of sentiment, especially diamonds.
Nick Cassady, the assistant manager at Rogers Jewelry Company, said, “What message do you want this to send? What do you want the look on her face to be when the first time she sees it?”
But where’s the balance between quality and affordability—especially with tariffs?
“You’re probably looking at around $5,000 for a one-carat diamond pre-tariffs just in January of this year. Right now, we’re seeing prices around $6,500 to $7,000 in August,” said Richard Gearhart, an economics professor at CSUB.
He says India and South Africa are some of the world’s biggest diamond sources. Now, he says there’s roughly a 30% tariff on South African imports and a 50% tariff on Indian imports.
“So you’re looking at the price of diamonds increasing by 30 or 40%,” said Gearhart.
How has this affected jewelry businesses here in Bakersfield?
Cassady says the Rogers Jewelry Co. family business hasn’t seen a direct impact, but this may not ring true for other stores.
“There’s a very real chance that the tariffs will end by the time it ever gets to us,” said Cassady. “But the danger is certainly out there for the majority of jewelers.”
There has been a shift in the type of diamonds customers have been purchasing.
“Last year, over 40% of the young men or older men proposed with a lab-grown center diamond,” said Tim Rico, a graduate gemologist at Rogers Jewelry Co.
He says lab-grown diamonds have grown in popularity, mostly due to their price.
“There’s a budget for everybody, but I’d just go smaller and go quality instead of some big, huge piece of ice that doesn’t shine or sparkle so that you can buy the best diamonds,” said Rico. “We just need to compromise and go smaller.”
And it’s not just rings.
Gearhart says the average U.S. wedding runs about $25,000. But now with tariffs, that adds another $4,000 to $5,000– strictly in wedding costs.
“That’s not the engagement ring or the diamond,” said Gearhart. “That’s just in the immediate having the ceremony and having the rehearsal after the fact.”
Gearhart estimates a 6% increase in food catering, 12% increase in flower prices, and a 6% increase in the price of domestic wedding dresses, but around a 20% increase in imported dresses from Europe.
So what can you do to save on overall wedding costs?
“The best thing to do if you are concerned about rising tariff costs is to utilize event spaces that already have all of the props and equipment available for you,” said Gearhart. “That reduces the need to import clothing or linens, or other things from abroad. You also might consider fake flowers.”
Whether you choose a lab-grown or a natural diamond, both options are offered at Rogers Jewelry.
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