Engagement Rings (merged)

Crazychik

Its not about the amount spent in my opinion, but the thought and effort/meaning behind it,

myself & OH got engaged over the New Year, and Ive simply gone for a reasonably priced 9ct gold band, set with an amethyst stone (my birthstone), plus its my favorite colour. Im happy! Basic, but again, its the meaning! Im not a jewellry person so simplicity is ideal for me.

On the other hand, my manager too got engaged at Christmas, and had no problems spending £995 on a platinum engagement ring, inset with 1 diamond, with a certificate of authentication (if ive got that right) To be honest, (if you didnt know it was platinum) It looks tacky! (sshh dont tell her - I might get the sack) lol - but each to their own, and Im not knocking her choice.

Does your girlfriend wear a lot of rings, what are they like, Does she wear any other "bling" fancy jewellry, that might give you an incline. Does she have petite fingers (go for a small gem/ring) dont want the gem to be huge and make everything off balance (if that makes sence)

Like the idea from welshcakes, different stones for different meanings.

Didnt know that doozergirl ref same quality of ring for both engagement/wedding. Thanks for that info!

Good luck, Im sure you will get it right.

LouBlue

Timmne wrote:

I know she's an M already - I asked her really unromantically to go and get herself measured a couple of months ago; just so i couldn't get THAT bit wrong! I shall pop out to the local jewellers this weekend I reckon....

What about price - is £500ish too much/little for a good ring? Is that a "how long is a piece of string" question?!!

Isn't the saying 'isn't she worth a month's salary?'. :rotfl:

Mmmm, relative to everyone's financial situation I think! It's not about the money spent, but how much you can afford and as long as you put a bit of thought into it, I am sure she will love it.

Congrats by the way. Love is in the air!

Moonbeam

Used to work for a great independent jeweller (generally their gemstones are better than the high street ones).

I would suggest a pink sapphire or small pink diamond if she really like's pink - white gold is good - but ask if you would need to keep getting it rhodium plated (basically all gold starts off yellow, and it is mixed with other metals to make it white - this is sometimes rhodium plated , which needs re-done every 2 years or so to keep it nice) - Platinum is the hardest metal, but a lot more expensive.

If you can opt for 18ct gold - generally a lot better than 9ct (although more places are doing 14 ct now which might suit your budget).

Dependant on your style and feelings towards it you can also look at steel or titanium as a metal and go for an unusual setting (a lot of nurses/chemists/doctors etc. buy these metals because it is so hardwearing)

Try https://www.jewellers-online.org to search for information (National Association of Goldsmiths website) or https://www.bja.org.uk (British Jewellers Association) - some designers I like are Ola Gorie, Andrew Geoghegan, Diana Porter, Sheila Fleet, Christopher Wharton and Furrer Jacot.....

General rule for cost is one month's salary - remember the wedding rings will be cheaper (no expensive stone to pay for).

Good luck and congratulations on the forthcoming engagement :T

sheryldoc

Peridot is the August birthsone

My ring is diamond, peridot and topaz mine my mum & nanas birthstone..x

sarymclary

I have 2 engagement rings (from both from DH). The first was all he could afford at the time he wanted to ask me, and was about £60. The second one he paid for in installments over the next year, and cost about £1500 (a months' salary, and a total surprise as I was happy with ring 1). The first was an aquamarine surrounded by very small diamonds. The setting was small, and the quality was not as good as my second ring. I did wear the first on my right hand, but eventually had to put it away as the ring was wearing very thin over the years. My second ring, a diamond solitaire is still as lovely now as the day I received it and I absolutely love it, it is so pretty.
I got an eternity ring for our 10th anniversary, and that cost about £2500, but I really am worth it you know, and it was a tough 10 years!!

I do think it depends upon your own relationship to judge how much to spend. My hubby was very much one for grand romantic gestures, so it was typical of him to have wanted to spoil me with the second ring. I certainly didn't feel I needed one, but it was wonderful to be bought something so beautiful, and I do treasure it. His aim was that he bought something of better quality to last a lifetime, which is how any engagement or wedding ring should be I suppose.
Good luck, and congratulations!

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

My OH proposed when we were only 17 (lol, not spur of the moment - we have been together since our early teens) - I had a feeling he was going to as he kept asking funny questions - he knew i loved him dearly but he was scared i might say no cos i was so young.

He was aiming to get me a ring for about £1,500 (bless, he had been saving for ages) but after i caught on to the idea (well we kept ending up at jewelry shop windows thanks to him - he prob didint get a chance to look alone as we were inseperable) I saw a ring in a little corner jewelry shop that was so unique delicate and pretty that he must have known straight away - he bought it the next day and he has kept the reciept in the ring box as a keepsake. Ok im going on a bit but my point is it only cost about £190 - diamond and white gold - and i love it so much that the fact i could have had a more expensive one doesnt even bare thinking about.

The best thing is to get something unique - something that people will look twice at, not because of size of the diamond or anything but the fact its different.

Lol, five and a half years from that day and we are still not married - prob because the wedding rings i have fallen in love with are alot more than we can afford at the mo. What the hey, we are happy and not in any rush to marry til we can make it a day we will never forget - and thanks to being a lady who loves a difference it will cost a fair few pennies.

sparvar

Hello all,

I am trying to buy a diamond engagement ring, I was wondering if anyone could recommend a jewellers that is fairly reasonable?

I live in London but I am happy to travel literally anywhere within the UK for the right price!

I have been looking at https://www.cooldiamonds.co.uk which is reasonable but I am sure there must be cheaper out there!

Many thanks for any help, much appreciated!!

lab-lover

stop being so mean. you cant put a price on love:rotfl:

Pav

i reccomend

http://www.365-diamond.com/

bought one for the soon to be Mrs. at christmas time, ring is valued at double what i paid for it- looks amazing - great service too

Fritha_2

In this thread http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=192077&highlight=Birmingham+jeweller
lots of people recommend the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham, I've seen it mentioned lots of times as well so it appears t be the way to go.

From my experience don't go to H Samuels, it doesn't appear that you were planning to but I had a terrible time there when himself bought me my engagment ring!

Oh and congratulations in advance!