Yes. For an engagement ring, 1.5mm is too thin.
It might look beautiful in photos. It might feel fine when you first put it on. But gold is a soft metal, and a band that thin will bend with everyday wear. It is not a question of if. It is a question of when.
Here is what you need to know before you decide on a band width.
Why Gold Bends
Gold on its own is one of the softest metals in jewellery. To make it stronger, jewellers mix it with other metals. That is what the karat number tells you. 14k gold is 58% pure gold. 18k is 75% pure gold. The rest is alloy metals added for strength.
But even with those alloys, gold has limits. A band under 1.8mm simply does not have enough metal to hold its shape through daily life. Gripping a steering wheel, typing, carrying bags, sleeping with your hand curled. These things add up. Over months and years, a very thin band slowly warps.
Once a band bends, it does not spring back. It stays bent. And a bent band puts pressure on the setting, which can loosen prongs and put your stone at risk.
The Minimum You Should Go
1.8mm is the minimum we recommend for an engagement ring.
At this width, the band has enough structure to handle daily wear without becoming a full-time maintenance project. It still looks delicate and slim on the finger. You are not sacrificing the fine jewellery aesthetic. You are just giving the ring a fighting chance.
If your lifestyle is active, or you work with your hands, lean toward the higher end of this range rather than the lower.
The Sweet Spot
2mm is where most people land, and it is a good call.
The difference between 1.8mm and 2mm sounds tiny. On your finger, it is visible and meaningful. A 2mm band sits confidently on the finger without looking chunky. It holds its shape well. It is slim enough to look elegant and strong enough to last.
If you are comparing options and are not sure which direction to go, 2mm is a safe, reliable choice that works for most hand sizes and most settings.
What About Pave Bands?
If you want a pave band, diamonds set into the band itself, you need to go at least 2mm.
Here is why. Setting small diamonds into metal requires drilling tiny holes and folding metal around each stone to hold it in place. On a band that is too narrow, there simply is not enough metal to do that job safely. The stones end up sitting too close to the inner edge of the band, and over time they pop out.
Losing a stone is frustrating. Losing multiple stones is expensive. Going 2mm or wider from the start avoids the whole problem.
Platinum Is a Little Different
Platinum is denser and harder than gold. If you are choosing a platinum band, you can sometimes go slightly thinner and still get good durability. But we would still recommend staying at or above 1.8mm. The difference is small enough that it is not worth chasing.
The Quick Summary
1.5mm is too thin. It will bend. Go 1.8mm at a minimum, 2mm if you want a clean sweet spot, and 2mm or wider if you want pave. Your ring will look better, wear better, and last longer for it.
View our full collection of beautiful lab-grown diamond engagement rings that are sure to get you excited!
Thanks for reading, Jared and Brie