Ryan Seacrest questions ‘worth' of engagement rings

Ryan Seacrest has sparked a conversation about the value of engagement rings, and made clear that when his time comes, he will be spending the money on experiences rather than jewellery.

The American Idol host, 51, raised the topic on the 7 April episode of On Air With Ryan Seacrest, questioning whether the traditional engagement ring still makes sense in the modern world. 

"A lot of couples are saying, 'Hey, is the engagement ring really worth it?' What's the average cost? $10,000?" he said. 

"Average cost of an engagement ring in the U.S., $10,000. Think about what you could do with your partner for $10,000."

Co-host Sisanie Villaclara added some historical context, pointing out that engagement rings were once simply plain bands rather than the elaborate stones that have become the norm. 

Seacrest was clearly persuaded by the practical argument, and applied it directly to his own future plans. 

"When I meet my human, and it's that time, we're gonna have experiences together," he said. 

"We're gonna focus on building our bond. Doing things together. We're gonna go on adventures together. That's what we're gonna think about. We're not thinking about jewelry. We're thinking about adventures and building something together, and that should be the priority."

Seacrest split from girlfriend Aubrey Paige in 2024 and has had previous relationships with Julianne Hough and Shayna Taylor. 

Marriage has always been something he has wanted but approached carefully. 

In a 2017 appearance on Live With Kelly and Ryan, he admitted he had come close to proposing once but held back. 

"It was the right move, but I love the idea [of marriage]," he said at the time, adding with characteristic self-awareness: "I have this thing that I don't want to screw it up, and a lot of times, they get screwed up. I figure the longer I wait, the older I'll be, the closer to death I am — so I can get it in and not screw it up."