Engagement Rings (merged)

wywywywy

I did have a look on eBay but I am worried about the authenticity of those? :huh:

LEJC

LankyMoneySaver wrote: »

I'd already got insurance on my list and sorted this straight after buying as it was over the individual limit on our house insurance.

I have some questions about this though (appologies if they have been asked and answered elsewhere). I'm assuming it should be insured for it's value rather than the purchase price I paid? And also that the value will increase over time. Should I be increasing the value of it on my insurance each year, and if so by how much? If I did ever need to claim how would I prove the value, is the diamand certificate along with photos of the ring enough, or should I be getting it valued every so often and increasing the value on the insurance to match?


Thanks for all the advice!

Your insurance company need the valuation price not the purchase price for insurance purposes -yes

Most insurance companies index link the specified articles on their policies so you should see an increased level of cover on your renewal documents next year which hopefully will still be in line with the value of the ring

If the ring is specified seperatley on your policy in the event of a claim you shouldn't need to re prove its value as in specifying it you and the insurance company have assigned a value to it...photos and the certifications should be ample evidence of the ring together with the valuation....

Its harder to say how often you should get a revaluation...if you change insurance companies then the new company will possibly require new valuation certificates if an item has not been valued "recently"....otherwise peice of mind may suggest you get a valuation every 5 years or so if you feel the index linking on your policy isnt covering the value...but bear in mind the valuation is likely to cost you a percentage of the value each time and averages around £50-£100....most insurance companies usually cover well so you can get a replacment piece with the funds available...what they cant cover for is the sentimental loss....meaning that lots of people if faced with the loss of a sentimental piece of jewellery usually replace it with something similar to the value of the insurance claim and dont always go for the exact copy of the original item as they can never replace it sentimentally.

Anyway concratulations on your engagement...you've bought a great ring and good luck with your future wedding plans.

LEJC

wywywywy wrote: »

I did have a look on eBay but I am worried about the authenticity of those? :huh:

There are some very reputable sellers on ebay and some very good trade jewellers...but without a few pointers of what you really want its very difficult to generalise an answer or recommend anyone to you...

If you are looking for a single stone of 2 carats then you can look to pay upwards of £5000...if your girlfriend is after a combined 2 carat total then there are some very nice flanked stones that will cost around £2000 again it all depends if you want new or are prepared to go for a preowned ring...these can be exceptionally good value as you dont pay vat

Otherwise if you are looking at new then online somewhere like samara james for single stone the price will be in excess of 10k and is likely to be more in a high street jeweller...

one more thing to mention about a stone of that size is that it will be easier to notice the flaws in it especially the colour and clarity....as it is a bigger stone sometimes if there is a lack of colour or clarity it can sometimes appear cloudy or milky and actually not sparkle as much as a smaller diamond of better consistency...generally its better to get a balance of the 4c's rather than to pick one main influence as your girlfriend has done with her priorty being size.
Whilst inclusions are usually only picked up under a jewellers loupe glass the colour or clarity of a ring is instantly visable to the naked eye if you have a lower specimen.

Its never quite as easy as saying I want a 2 carat ring im afraid

split_second

does anyone have any advice?

i am planning on proposing in 5 weeks time, we go on holiday to somewhere my girlfriend used to visit as a child so thought why not there.

she knows i am going to propose and is happy about it, trouble has been she doesnt wear jewellery so we dont have any way of comparing what she has/what size she is etc.

also she doesnt want me to spend loads, i have been told the guideline is 2 months salary, which for me is roughly £2.5k, if i spent that she would actually murder me lol, i have set in my mind that anything around a grand is fine, dont tell her the price, just what it is and let her have it valued. we have ordered a ring sizer free and have thought about the possibility of having to take her if the visit will benefit the ring being right. with this in mind i need to find somewhere in the northwest (manchester/south lancs is preferable) that will give good advice, good prices and most of all good quality. dont necesserilly need something that is blindingly sparkly as she isnt a show off type, worked out the style she likes is 'shoulder set' but no huge centre stones, i am willing to pay the extra for platinum for her to have something she treasures

LEJC

First of all ....the thing you refer to about salary and the cost of the ring ....it was actually a quote many years ago that a man should spend a months salary on the ring ....but the quote was from....a jewellery house!...so its a slogan thats stuck a little rather than fact...

If you are looking at spending that type of money and you are unsure of the type of thing you want or indeed your girlfriend wants then I would personally suggest you propose with a trinket ring and then shop together for the ring of choice...if your girlfriend doesn't tend to wear jewellery then a simple ring is probably the way to go but again I would suggest that she has an input in the choice...she needs to try on a few styles and see how they feel..afterall she will be wearing it hopefully for a long time...

have a read back over the last few pages of this thread and you will find lots of advice about where to go for a ring and the types to consider...you have a very good budget so should be able to secure a very special ring...I'm not famililar with the local independant and manufacturing jewellers in the Manchester area...im a southerner sorry....but there will be several in your area that can provide you expert advice on choosing a really special ring or even having it made bespoke...they are very price competative to the high street chains and will usually offer a discount if asked nicely!....you also could look at the preloved or antique rings that will also offer you exceptional value for money

great idea to propose in a location thats special to your girlfriend...best of luck

KK22_2

Quick question for all you jewellery buffs:

I am looking at engagement rings and have chosen the ring that i want. I have decided upon a 0.7 carat, F colour, and Hearts & Arrows cut. I am debating over the clarity that i intend to get. There is £300 difference between VS1 and VVS2. Is the £300 extra justified for getting VVS2 or will it not really make overly much difference unless everyone walks around with a magnifier? TIA

joesonsmith12

If there is not much difference then you can go for the cheaper one. Giving all the features with less amount is beneficial.

Joe :A

sickasachip13

Hi,

My OH and I have decided to get wed, probably next year, we're pretty broke but for a variety of reasons next year is the 'right' time.

I (as the would-be wearer of said ring) am more than happy to look on ebay and I am also quite taken with the idea of having a second-hand ring - I've seen some lovely art-deco style ones on ebay too. But, I was wondering, some of the rings I've seen are quite sizeable - how does the wedding band sit alongside something that extends outwards (if you see what I mean)!?

I'm not too bothered by the whole diamond thing, but that's whats expected isn't it?! My only real requirement is that I am not a fan of yellow gold, at all. I'd much prefer platinum or white gold.

So, I guess my queries are:
Where do I find a basic guide to buying a diamond?
What are the risks / problems of having a 2nd hand ring?
Does platinum make things much more expensive?
How do I know whether a wedding band will fit alongside or if it will be halfway up my finger?

Thanks in advance :-)

LEJC

Basic guide on buying a diamond...
theres the 4 C's and lots of handy things that you will pick up on the internet,however in honesty its really about seeing the ring and deciding what you want...its always good to possibly go for a good mixture of the cut clarity colour etc but dont be too hing up on getting "the perfect stone"..its more about whats the perfect ring for you.

Ive bought a few rings via ebay..but would possibly suggest that if your'e not sure about what you are buying then check the feed back very carefully...there are some fantastic sellers on there go for the ones who have high tunover and excellent feedback... .The main disadvantage with ebay is that you cant see the ring you are buying and try it on so if you head down that route make sure you know exactly what you are after...a pic of the ring on a finger or dimensions is always good but theres no substitute for seeing what that style of ring will look like in your finger...or sadly the pics dont always show how bright and sparkly a ring is.
Art deco rings are very highly sought after and there are loads of stylish ones...something like this might be nice
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FABULOUS-1-50-CT-PINK-SAPPHIRE-1-80-CT-DIAMOND-RING-/380348149796?pt=UK_Jewellery_Watches_VintageFineJewellery_CA&hash=item588e843024


Otherwise check out antique markets or even some jewellers who sell a limited stock of preloved rings.


Problems of buying a second hand ring...
There are a few...but the main ones would be checking that you buy from a reputable seller ..second hand dont often come with a certification..that may be because the certificate has been lost or the ring was never produced with one...its not really a problem as you can have a valuation on the ring done usually after purchase and always a good idea for insurance purposes.The valuation will specify the details of the ring cut colour clarity etc and provide you also with a valuation of the ring...typically this will cost about £50.
You may also find that depending on the age of the ring you buy that there could be some signs of wear on it...or possibly loose stones...not a problem really as loose stones can be reset and bands polished up like new by a good jeweller
You may find that a lot of second hand jewelley isn't platinum...some is but again if you find the stones you like and want them reset into a platinum band then that again is perfectly possible and can be done at reasonable cost by a manufacturing jeweller..
Personally I think that second hand represents excellent value for money and the quality of the stones etc compared as a whole with the equalivant "new" piece is far better. Even once you pay for a valuation and/or resizing/resetting...I actually think you end up with a very beautiful and very cost effective way of owning a very special ring.
Platinum is a more expensive metal than gold so yes things may be a little more expensive...although if you bear in mind that second hand is at least 20% cheaper then the cost can be offset that way.

The only advice I could give you about what a wedding ring would look like alongside a different ring is go try it...have you tried anything on in the style you like?...
It really is a good idea to try things on as you may find you go for something completely different once its on your finger...
The other option is dont worry about what the 2 look like together..wear your engagement ring on the other hand once your married...
...afterall there's one very famous recent bride that has a second hand ring (passed down from the MIL) that totally eclipses her wedding ring and she wears them proudly together.
An engagement ring is a symbol of love...have what you want...it doesn't need to conform to anything...theres nothing "expected"...diamonds are lovely..I've a real passion for them and great knowledge of them but there are lots of other beautiful stones out there too...pick what you are happy with afterall its you that will wear the ring for many years to come

Edit....possibly a consideration you should make is that your engagement and wedding rings should be made from the same metal...ie dont mix the 9and 18carat golds or platinums with golds...if you are going to pick rings that are likely to rub together over the years then you need to keep the same metals together otherwise over time the friction of rings rubbing together may cause either of the bands to thin slightly.

sickasachip13

Hi LEJC

Absolutely great advice on all counts - thanks so much!

I really like opals and I have seen some vintage rings with some opal and a diamond but so far only in yellow gold - I'd never thought about the option of having them re-set, this is a really great possibility.

I really like some of the vintage rings and have no qualms about my not being the first owner etc.

That ring you put a link to is absolutely stunning, but the pink isn't really me. The design is beautiful though. On that note, I've seen that some rings have diamonds described as 'old' cut and others (particularly US and French ones) have diamonds described as old or 'mine' cut. Does this refer to the shape of them / methods of cutting?

Thanks.