Where to buy an engagement ring?

Chat Forum

Where to buy an engagement ring?

49 posts & 38 voices | Started 10 months ago by lunge | Latest reply from xiphon

Tags:

No tags yet.

Pages: 12 Next »

lunge - Member

Afternoon all,
After 8 1/2 years of going out I have decided that it is about time I made an honest woman of Miss Lunge and so need to procure an engagement ring.

I have a good idea of what I (and more to the point she) wants (a thin gold band with a single square diamond) and I also have some money in hand to help with this. What I don't have is an idea of suitable retailers to buy such a thing. I live near Birmingham so would guess that the jewlery quarter is a good place to start but I have no idea who there is good, bad or indifferent.

So STW hive mind, can you help? Where should I be looking and what makes a jeweler good or bad?

Thanks in advance.

Posted 10 months ago #
CHB - Member

You have just described a goldsmith millenium diamond. These were sold in the early noughties by goldsmiths and the cut is amazing and unique. Mrs HB is a fan of them. They come up on ebay periodically. The cut and clarity of these is always at least vs1 and clarity is virtually colourless. I know thats not romantic, but for 450 you could pick up a 0.45 carat 18ct gold ring. You will not buy anything close to that retail.

Posted 10 months ago #
ciderinsport - Member

When I read the title I thought you meant for a hub

I now have no interest in this thread.....

Posted 10 months ago #
CHB - Member

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/18ct-Rare-Millenium-Emerald-Cut-0-40ct-Diamond-Ring-/260827312645?pt=UK_JewelleryWatches_WomensJewellery_Rings_SR&hash=item3cba84f205#ht_500wt_922

Heres one, no connection to seller.

Posted 10 months ago #
Daffy - Member

Do some research, get the brightest (not biggest) most ethically sourced diamond and metal you can get for your budget, from a Jeweler that you like and trust. Visit a few. Don't forget to haggle and save some cash for the proposal. Memories of the deed are as important as the rock intended to announce it.

Good luck.

Posted 10 months ago #
CaptainFlashheart - Member

Daffy - Member
Do some research, get the brightest (not biggest) most ethically sourced diamond and metal you can get for your budget, from a Jeweler that you like and trust. Visit a few. Don't forget to haggle and save some cash for the proposal. Memories of the deed are as important as the rock intended to announce it.

Mostly +1! The proposal need cost you nothing more than the thought behind it. You don't have to go to a tropical beach at sunset or any such loblocks. Just do it where feels right to you both. Could just be somewhere that means something from your past.

Otherwise, spot on! Clarity, cut and colour are more important than mere size.

Oh, and congratulations!

Posted 10 months ago #
grantway - Member

What i did was to go to a diamond broker and bought a square diamond
then sat down and designed the ring part and had them make it.
This was in the Eighties.

I had it valued and was worth more than buying from a shop
But you do have a true original Engagement ring.

But depends on how much you are going to spend.

Posted 10 months ago #
emma82 - Member

Argos. Can't go wrong good luck

Posted 10 months ago #
WorldClassAccident - Member

+1 Argos

14 days return policy might be handy

Posted 10 months ago #
ti_pin_man - Member

Congrats... I went through this last year. The rock is the most important bit. Get the cut she wants, I.e. Shape, then the best quality and size you can, certified of course. After that if she doesn't actually love the setting then worse case the rock where most of the value is, can be moved to a new setting. Maybe even selling back the old setting. I would pop into a jewellers that has been around forever in/near you and talk to them about it, build a relationship and talk to them about all the what if, what if the setting ain't right, what if she says no, not that she will but you have to ask. I would avoid the massive high street chains if you can, the can easily blind you with sparkles.

Oh ... Congrats mate, good luck with the whole thing.

Posted 10 months ago #
TheBrick - Member

Argos.

Posted 10 months ago #
v8ninety - Member

B'ham jewelery quarter FTW bud... Shop around, keep your money in your pocket until you are sure.

Posted 10 months ago #
larrythelathe - Member

kinder surprise?

Posted 10 months ago #
SprocketJockey - Member

Go bespoke. It's not that much more expensive (if at all) and you get exactly what you want. Take her off for a romantic break somewhere with a good diamond quarter (Birmingham doesn't count), choose your stone carefully and find a jeweller you like to design the ring and setting.

We found a guy in Amsterdam who was both a diamond trader and a jeweller and managed to do both under the same roof - he also did our wedding rings.

Antwerp is also a good destination for that sort of thing.

Posted 10 months ago #
iain1775 - Member

We (I proposed before having the ring, bit of a spur of the moment thing in irelnd - top of gap of dunloe co Kerry) went down to jewellery quarter in brum made a day of it, treated her to lunch on way down (ok diner on a38)
After a few hours wandering up and down we settled on a ring from a plce called Marlows, excellent service got exactly what she asked for (3 diamonds princess cut) rather than sales people trying to convince her to go for something else and more importantly a decent price compared to others
There is also a pub right opposite the shop so you cn recover!
Since had wedding rings from same place, made a big fuss about cleaning the engagement ring etc Alao hd ring valued independently and they confirmed the diamond cut, carat and clarity etc so know we got what we thought we where buying
Struck us as a good honest place not selling overpriced bling like a few of the others down there
By all means blow your budget flying out to amaterdam or Antwerp though rather than the 'doesn't count' doorstep option (wife's eternity ring came from south Africa, they do excellent diamonds! )
(I was joking about ok diner btw)

Posted 10 months ago #
samuri - Member

I proposed on the spur of the moment myself and we went to some shop in town. We were skint so I think it was about two hundred quid or something.
Our wedding rings (we were skint then too) cost about 80 quid for the pair. They're cheap and it shows.

And they're absolutely ace! Reminds me of what money was like for us back then.

Posted 10 months ago #
user-removed - Member

My wedding ring came from Argos It was so cheap it shredded my flesh for a few months before I tamed it with a rat-tail file...

Posted 10 months ago #
tree-magnet - Member

What samuri and u-r said.

My wifes engagement ring is a blue topaz with the tiniest diamonds in the world, bought from a pawn shop for £70. Our wedding rings were a matching set from Argos at about £60. We were absolutley brassic at the time. However, all three rings mean more to us than a proper diamond ever could. My wedding ring is battered, scratched and a funny shape. I'd still never want a different one though.

Posted 10 months ago #
MrPottatoHead - Member

Couldn't find what I wanted for MrsPottatoHead in the shops so ended up using http://www.serendipitydiamonds.co.uk

Was a bit unsure about shopping online but go a much better quality of diamond for the money and their website does at least give a good idea of how it'll turn out. Really good service and very happy with the end result.

Posted 10 months ago #
iain1775 - Member

I believe there is a rule for how much you should spend on an engagement ring?
'No more than half the value of your cheapest bike' or something
You could always just get her an xtr cassette instead

Posted 10 months ago #
takisawa2 - Member

We were in Hockley (Jewellery Qtr) on Sat. Couldn't believe the price of stuff. My Wifes engagement ring was just over £1k back in 05', its over £2k now. Whenever I've shopped there I always end up back at the same shop. There are some real wide boy outfits there, .& some that look at you like you've no right to be there. The shop I use is called Crystalink. Not cheap, but not the most expensive by far. I just liked the service etc. Nice family firm, & the quality is top notch.

Posted 10 months ago #
lunge - Member

Thanks all for your help so far, particually the recomendations for places in the Jewwllery Quarter.

Does anyone know what makes a good/bad jeweller? and how you can tell who falls into this and who doesn't?

Posted 10 months ago #
Drac - Moderator

Tiffany's where else but has to be NYC, that's where the I got the Wife's.

Well sort of I did a samuri and bought cheap ones as money was crap, well it wasn't it's just we made some mistake when we were young and kind of had little spare. Anyway always promised I'd renew them so when we came into some cash we went to NYC, whilst there I renewed her wedding ring and offered to get the engagement ring to match. This offer was turned down and once home the Wife did the classic woman thing when you've been shopping "Oh I wish I'd just got it now" so paying almost twice the price from Tiffany's in London wasn't an issue, oh no I wasn't frustrated at all no.

Posted 10 months ago #
Matt24k - Member

You are supposed to spend 1 months salary on an engagement ring. I think this goes back to the days when people only got engaged and married once so maybe you get some slack on the amount if it is second/third time around.
I know it was a struggle to come up with that cash at the time but having just celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary I will say it has paid me back well over the years. Anniversary presents? She got a handbag, I got a new Orange 5 frame. Result!

Posted 10 months ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

Matt24k - Member

You are supposed to spend 1 months salary on an engagement ring

Myth created by diamond sellers.

Get a grip. think what else you could do with teh money!

Posted 10 months ago #
crispo - Member

Myth created by diamond sellers.

Yeah I think it was DeBeers who wanted to keep the price of them high, and it was meant to be 2 months salary

Posted 10 months ago #
lunge - Member

I'd heard 3 months salary off someone and 1 month off someone else.

However, much as I like Miss Lunge I don't think I have quite that much spare cash for the moment, well, not if we also want to pay the morgage anyway.

I did think about Tiffany's actually but for some reason thought it was a little cliched, am I very wrong? I quite like the idea of picking and helping to design something "special".

Posted 10 months ago #
cpsilver - Member

I could make you one. Important things to do are set a budget and have any idea of what you would like. The stone is very good at selling its self, a smaller brighter stone will look better and bigger than a larger dull stone. If you would like any further info send me an email (in my profile).
cp

Posted 10 months ago #
ericemel - Member

Lunge

I have just gone though this process, and there are really 2 trains of though.

1. Value - you get what you pay for (in terms of value of the metal and diamond)
2. What she wants - buying premium brand.

After lots of research I personally went for the latter. She isn't a brand driven girl, but the fact I went to the effort to get a ring from a top jeweler has made her so happy, as it happens it is also pretty much the nicest looking ring we/she has seen (still a year later) helps. Overpriced...yes, worth every penny YES.

So personally I would suggest in this order:
Boodles, De Beers, Tiffanys and get min 1/2 carat (all around £3k)

If you want value - highly suggest Blue Nile - online retailer - I have seen a few examples from there and they are nice and outstanding value.

And on your note - yes tiffanys is a little chiche - hence I put boodles and De Beers in front. But tiffanys still beats most of the high street brands for prestigious value.

Posted 10 months ago #
Munqe-chick - Member

As Tandem Jeremy said, most of the stuff about diamonds, "tradition" etc is complete utter b***** created by De Beers to sell diamonds, don't even get me started on eternity rings! Have you not seen the film Blood Diamonds?

have a read of this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Heartless-Stone-Journey-Through-Diamonds/dp/0312339704/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1312200437&sr=1-6

just do want you want to do? Don't waste thousands or even hundreds of pounds, you'll be upset when you lose it or it gets scratched, it'll cost a blinking fortune too! JMO.

Posted 10 months ago #
thomthumb - Member

Have you not seen the film Blood Diamonds?
eh.

Posted 10 months ago #
Munqe-chick - Member

Thomthumb it is all about the death and destruction that surround the diamond mining industry, so as mentioned above already if you are getting diamonds ensure they are fair trade (or whatever equivalent they are called in that world).

Posted 10 months ago #
cynic-al - Member

Guess not.

Posted 10 months ago #
rondo101 - Member

+1 Jewellery Quarter in Brum. Way cheaper than high street prices. Got my wife's engagement ring and both our wedding rings from Bicknells, who I'll heartily recommend.

She also liked the square cut & went for a Princess cut like this

Fixed price for the ring & we then chose a diamond to set in it that my wife liked & was within budget. Diamond was set into the ring whilst we had a coffee over the road. They'll also check the setting & clean the ring for free whenever you're in the area.

Posted 10 months ago #
thom - Member

I used Martyn Pugh who is based in Redditch. He made the engagement ring then the wedding rings afterwards. We came up with the designs between us and he worked out how it could all be done within my budget. Very very happy with them, but he is quite busy so allow a few months!

Posted 10 months ago #