Where to Buy An Engagement Ring - HG, JQ or HS?

strawberries1

Hi All, I'll like the help of you money saving people in deciding the best place to get value for money when purchasing an engagement ring.

Where will you go to if you wanted to spend less than £1000 on an engagement ring?

1. Hatton Gardens.
2. Jewelry Quater Birmingham
3. Hish Street Store.
4. Buy in the States.
5. Buy in Italy.
6. Buy in Dubai.

I've intentionally omitted Web purchasing because I think it's important to see what you'll be buying.

Pollycat

Most definitely NOT High Street store.

Re your overseas choices - are you maybe planning on visiting Dubai, Italy or USA on a holiday and buying a ring whilst there?

What about Amsterdam? Cheaper to get to than your other 3 choices and one of the recognised centres for diamonds in the world.

What sort of ring are you looking for?
Single stone diamond?
Cluster?
Sapphire?
Other precious gemstone?

I personally wouldn't buy a ring.
I'd buy a loose diamond (or other stone) then have it set into the design of my choice.

kr15snw

Jewelry Quater Birmingham.

Birmingham

My ring has been valued at over £3000 but it cost us £890

Great place for a bargain

strawberries1

Thanks for your responses guys.

We'll be going to the States in Nov, but can go somewhere in Europe. May Dad is going to Dubai in Nov but that can only work if we already choose the ring and simply asked him to pick it up and bring it back (a bit ambitous I think, not sure how that will work).

KR15SNW can you please give me the details of where you bought it in Birmingham? I'm seriously considering this option.

Pollycat we want a single diamond. He bought one from Goldsmiths already, it's lovely but I think it's over priced.

peachyprice

Buy in Dubai.

You could ask your Dad to pick you up the diamond you want in Dubai then have it set in the ring you want here, in Hatton Garden or somewhere else that will custom make a ring to your design. Or take a photo of the ring you've seen in the UK and ask them to make it, they'll copy anything for you, even designer styles.

Diamond are fantastic value and quality in Dubai, nothing like you'll get in a high street here.

Let me know if you need any recommendations for where to buy a good diamond and have a ring made.

mademoiselle_2

What's wrong with Hatton Garden? Why travel all over when we have good enough jewellers here in Britain?

My ring is from Hatton Garden and I've never seen one better :A

peachyprice

Buy in Dubai.

Nothing is wrong with Hatton Garden, I've had some lovely pieces made there and it would be my 1st UK choice, but the prices elsewhere are too cheap to ignore.

emlou2009

mine was £99 from samuels and i couldnt be happier

MunnyBoiler

I vote for the JQ in Birmingham.

My husband bought my engagement ring from there and we ended up buying my Wedding ring from the same shop plus he bought his Wedding ring from a nearby shop.

Katie-Kat-Kins

Jewelry Quater Birmingham.

Mine was from JQ as was my wedding ring, my engagement ring is valued at more than twice what we paid for it. I think that choosing in person is important so unless you are travelling somewhere anyway buying in the UK is better than abroad, you also have to factor in exchange rate and any fees for changing money or using your card.

If you decide on the JQ (I've never been to hatton garden so I don't know what it is like) I'd HIGHLY recommend S P Green's on Augusta Street. Lovely shop with lots to look at (not just loose stones and settings) and really helpful staff. But most of the places there are pretty good, there is so much competition they have to be. Bicknells has a good choice for a first stop but tend to be more expensive than you get in the other shops. Most are prepared to haggle a bit too!

Good Luck.

TediousPhoenix

Hatton Gardens.

We got our engagement ring from Hatton Garden. We decided to go there instead of Brum due to the location. The diamond quality and price does not compare to the high-street.

We feel in love with the centre stone of my ring - a 0.62ct D VVS2, very good cut. (I've probably got some pics if you want to see them.) We went into a high street shop recently to get an idea for wedding bands (had no intension of getting them, tbh) and the shop manager obviously was wearing the largest diamond engagement ring her shop sold. But seriously, it didn't sparkle, even under jewerlery lightening, in comparision to mine. She even commented on the ring I was wearing and asked where I got it, saying how lovely it was.

I read on here a while ago about Dubai and diamond cutting - I eventually found the page.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=9816641&highlight=dubai+diamond#post9816641