Engagement Rings (merged)

andrewmoquin

bbhcmike wrote: »

How much should I be spending on an engagement ring, I have no idea how much rings cost normally so it's difficult to compare. Obviously I know what type I'm looking for but with these types of purchases (ie for the woman) I find it's important to get the cost/quality ratio correct!

Please help!

When spending or budgeting for a ring, it is important to take different factors into consideration, including:

• Upcoming expenses including living costs and a new household.
• Cost versus quality of the engagement ring.
• Ring maintenance such as cleaning, resizing, shipping fees, and warranties.
• Reputation of the jeweler
• Cost versus how closely the ring matches the bride-to-be’s preferences.
• Income and earning potential of both individuals.
• Credit histories and what an expensive luxury purchase may mean to other financial commitments.

There is no simple formula for deciding how much to spend on an engagement ring. The key is for a couple to work together to set guidelines they are both comfortable with and that won’t bankrupt them before reaching the altar.

kr15snw

HUGE Name and praise!

Went yesterday and found this lovely shop called Paul Green where we were given lots of advice and got a great price on the ring.

We found it was dramatically cheaper than all of the other shops, but it didnt look like a posh shop (he told us they dont believe in spending money on posh fittings when they can just keep the rings cheaper).

I ended up with a .44 of a carat, princess cut, F colour and vsi1 with a platinum band for £795.

cleomolly

Had mine made as couldn't find one I liked. £630 - with certifcate value of £750. .25 carat, 2.5mm square dimond, polladium band and platinum setting. It's worth getting one you like and that is a good quality, at the end of the day how many years is it on your finger for ??? and all those meals we'll be cooking and for all those times we clean up after you, and raise your kids!!! worth it : )

claireanded

cleomolly wrote: »

Had mine made as couldn't find one I liked. £630 - with certifcate value of £750. .25 carat, 2.5mm square dimond, polladium band and platinum setting. It's worth getting one you like and that is a good quality, at the end of the day how many years is it on your finger for ??? and all those meals we'll be cooking and for all those times we clean up after you, and raise your kids!!! worth it : )

Good on you for getting a platinum setting with palladium - it is much better to set a diamond in platinum than palladium and if you can't afford an entire platinum ring it's not a bad bet:j.

the12thknight

Hi- I have read many knowledgeable comments on this forum and was hoping an expert could provide some advice on getting a particular ring made.

The ring I have in mind is a mix of white diamonds (1*0.25ct + 6*0.02ct), light pink diamonds (4*0.02ct) and light blue/grey diamonds (2*0.1ct).

The design is a bit like this- .:o:O:o:.
.: :. 6 small white diamonds (0.02 ct each)
: : 4 pink diamonds (0.02ct each)
o o 2 blue diamonds (0.1ct each)
O large white diamond (0.25ct)

Would anyone be able to tell me what they expect a ring with the above specifications and made with platinum to cost? The diamonds are actually quite small, however it is the coloured diamonds that are very costly.

I am no expert in diamonds or jewellery and am looking to get something made that looks good to the naked eye. As such, I am not concerned about the quality of the diamonds or whether they are real (I am not about to look at them under an eye glass) as long as they are aesthetically pleasing. Both my girlfriend and I are looking to keep costs to a minimum as we are not particularly sentimental and we see this ring as a luxury rather than an investment.

Would anyone have advice on keeping the costs of such a ring down? I am guessing the following would help:
- white gold instead of platinum
- treated diamonds
- machine made diamonds??

Any comments regarding the cost benefit of a cheaper specification to the original would be much appreciated.

Can anyone recommend any jewellers who would be good at making a ring to the above specifications, who could provide further advice and who are good value for money?

Thanks in advance.

sunshinejoclaire

I'm glad my H2B didn't buy a practice ring. I wouldn't have wanted to changed it!

He didn't have a chance to anyway as he decided to propose on the spur of the moment and I didn't get a ring for another 6 months lol

claireanded

the12thnight

I would go for sapphires instead of diamonds, this will reduce the cost and you can get some lovely top quality pinks and blues, whereas diamonds will cost much more.

Remember when buying white gold that it is rhodium plated and is actually a grey/bronze colour, its the rhodium that makes it white. This will wear off in time and need re-plating. Platinum is naturally white.

I would try some of the online jewellers, but only if you have a good idea/picture of what you want it to look like. samara james is one that does custom design. If you need it 'designed' for you then I'd go for a shop based independant jewellery designer - but this will cost a lot more.

claireanded

ps I'd think an online jeweller (with you supplying design) would do this in Platinum for under £1000 (with sapphires instead of coloured diamonds) and basic certified white diamond centre (si2, h colour, vg cut)

roxalana

I hope to have something a little cheaper and less than fancy than most people.

I had a ring from our fake engagement (when I didn't believe in marriage - don't ask!) which I absolutely loved. It was from h samuel and cost £25 for the thinness white gold wishbone you could imagine and the tiniest chip of diamond. Sadly my great uncle gave me an overenthusiastic handshake and it snapped else I would keep it!

I don't really want to go for white gold again as it seemed quite soft (though obviously the thinness of the band didn't help!) and discoloured quickly. I would like either silver or platinum in the same style (but marginally thicker!) with a teeny diamond chip as before. I am not bothered about having a bigger diamond - I prefer it understated! But would still like it to be diamond although I'm aware the 4 cs won't be great on it!

I want it to last and not break but I'm not too fussy about weight. Not sure we can afford platinum as I would need the wedding band (that I want in a matching wishbone) to be the same material.

Does anyone have any tips or an idea of cost? Is it worth going to the jewellery quarter?

claireanded

personally I'd get a quote from some of the online jewellers - i said above that I know Samara James does this samarajames.com

I'd have thought it was the 'thinness' of the ring that was the problem not the metal btw, but platinum will be a lot better as it won't discolour like white gold (white gold is rhodium plated and the plating will wear off over time)