Oura rings have quickly become some of the most well-known and popular smart rings on the market, and that honor is well deserved. After all, it was listed as one of Time Magazine’s top 100 inventions of 2020. But many people are shocked when they see the price of an Oura ring, especially since there are many other smart rings with similar features for much cheaper.
It gets even more confusing when you look at the price range of Oura rings. The difference between the rings can easily be more than $200, which is not unheard of in the tech realm, but there is no real difference between the different models’ technical specifications. So, how does Oura explain this difference, and why are some Oura rings more expensive than others?
Key Takeaways
- Oura rings of the same generation have identical technical specifications.
- Prices could differ between current and older generations of Oura rings.
- Prices on new Oura rings mainly differ based on their style and finish.
- The only benefit you get from a more expensive Oura ring is aesthetics.
Do Technical Specs Make Some Oura Rings More Expensive?
Oura rings aren’t like most other smart devices. Modern smart devices often come in different models, even within the same generation of that device. Each model comes with different technical specifications and a matching price tag.
For example, within the iPhone 15 range, you can find the standard iPhone 15, the Plus, Pro, and Pro Max. The Plus, Pro, and Pro Max have more powerful hardware specifications or/and larger screens but are also more expensive than the standard model.
This is not the case with the Oura ring. It is currently in its 3rd Generation, and all 3rd Gen Oura Rings have identical technical specifications and capabilities.
In other words, even if you buy a more expensive 3rd Generation Oura ring, it won’t be more powerful or capable than the cheapest model.
Of course, the latest generation of Oura rings will be more expensive than if you were to buy a 1st or 2nd Generation model today, and the older models have lower technical specifications and will logically have lower prices. However, only the latest generation of Oura rings is currently available for sale on the Oura website.
What Makes Some Oura Rings More Expensive?
So, if the technical specifications don’t impact the price, what does?
Style
Current Oura rings are available in two styles: Heritage and Horizon.
The Heritage style is the classic Oura ring design. The ring itself is pretty thin and measures approximately 2.44 mm, but it has a plateau at the top, giving it a unique look and feel.
The Horizon style is sleeker and more uniform with an uninterrupted design. It is slightly thicker, though, measuring approximately 3.04 mm.
There is a price difference of $50 between the two styles. The Heritage style costs $299, while the Horizon style costs $349. The added thickness of the Horizon is one reason for the price difference since it requires more materials to manufacture. Still, uninterrupted design has become very fashionable lately, which is also a likely contributing factor.
Finish
The finish of the Oura ring is another significant factor that could affect its price. The two styles have a few different finishes, some of which can affect the price.
Finishes for the Heritage Style
The Heritage style is available with four different finishes:
- Silver. This finish does not affect the standard price of the ring.
- Black. This finish doesn’t affect the price, either.
- Stealth. The Stealth finish adds an additional $100 to the cost of the Heritage-style Oura ring.
- Gold. This one increases the standard Heritage price by $150.
Finishes for the Horizon Style
- Silver. Like the silver finish on the Heritage style, it does not affect the price of the Horizon, either.
- Black. The black finish doesn’t affect the price of the Horizon-style Oura ring in any way.
- Stealth. As with the Heritage style, the Stealth finish increases the price by $100.
- Brushed Titanium. This is a new finish that’s only available in the Horizon style. It increases the standard price by $100.
- Gold. The gold finish increases the price by $150.
- Rose Gold. This finish is only available for the Horizon Style, and it increases the price by $200, bringing it up to a total of $549.
Why Do Different Finishes Affect the Price So Much?
All Oura rings are made of titanium, which is a lightweight but strong metal. Even the most expensive Rose Gold Horizon Oura ring is made of titanium. However, the rings are all covered with different types of metal finishes.
Some of those metals are more expensive than others. For example, silver isn’t a very expensive metal compared to gold. So, even though it’s just a coating, the cost of those precious metals is higher, which will increase the prices somewhat.
But it’s also essential to consider the processes needed to apply the coating. Oura uses two different methods. The Black and Stealth finishes are applied using a Diamond-like Carbon (DLC) coating process, while the Silver, Gold, Rose Gold, and Brushed Titanium finishes use a physical vapor deposition (PVD) coating process.
The processes require special equipment and training, which will also affect the prices of the rings. The more expensive coatings also add a unique style, which many people are willing to pay more for.
Do Different Sizes Affect the Prices of Oura Rings?
Oura rings come in eight different sizes, with the smallest size being 6 and the largest being 13. There is no price difference between the sizes. Size 6 costs precisely the same as size 13.
This seems counter-intuitive since the thickness of the ring styles affects the price. However, this is a highly viable approach. Even though the bigger sizes may cost more to manufacture than smaller sizes, the price difference should eventually balance out in sales. This way, people aren’t penalized simply for having thicker or thinner fingers.
Conclusion
The most expensive Oura ring is the Rose Gold Horizon. It is almost double the price of the cheapest, which is the Silver or Black Heritage model. That’s a considerable price difference, but it all comes down to the quantity and value of the materials used to manufacture and coat the ring.
However, there are no technical differences between the cheapest and most expensive models as long as they are from the same generation. So, the price you pay will have absolutely no impact on what you can use the ring for. The only consideration is your personal preference in terms of style and aesthetics.
