What should I get for £1200 on an engagment ring?

BOD2013

I have set a budget of £1200 to spend on an engagement ring for my girlfriend. What should I expect to get for my money in terms of the 4 C's etc? Thank you in anticipation.

Tiddlywinks

It's not just the 4 Cs but the type of gold you need to consider.

What colour metals does your GF like? What stones?

Does she like solitaires / clusters and detailed or simple lines?

mountainofdebt

please if you're going to spend that sort of money on a ring, please can you let your intended chose it.

meritaten

£1200 is a good chunk of cash. Retail is ok, but they don't half 'mark up' the prices! look wholesale or have the ring 'custom made' by an independent jeweller. unless your intended loves antiques and doesn't mind second or third hand - in which case 1200 would buy you something spectacular!

applecrumble24

You'll get a lot more for your money at an independant retailer. If you can get there I'd highly reccomend the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham. Half of the jewellery in the uk is made there and there must be at least a dozen independent shops within about 100 yards and you can haggle in all of them. My ring is valued for insurance at 3k (platinum, 1 x0.5 carat vs1 cert diamons, 2 x 0.2 carat vs2 diamonds) but cost just over 1k from there 8 years ago. Fabulous place! def take your other half though!

MrSmartprice

applecrumble24 wrote: »

You'll get a lot more for your money at an independant retailer. If you can get there I'd highly reccomend the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham. Half of the jewellery in the uk is made there and there must be at least a dozen independent shops within about 100 yards and you can haggle in all of them. My ring is valued for insurance at 3k (platinum, 1 x0.5 carat vs1 cert diamons, 2 x 0.2 carat vs2 diamonds) but cost just over 1k from there 8 years ago. Fabulous place! def take your other half though!

There are still lots of manufacturing jewellers in that small area in Hockley. And there are lots of wholesale jewellers too, who sell local and imported jewellery at far better prices than in the High Street. Mark-up on jewellery in retailers is staggering, which is why it is a poor investment.

My advice would be to visit a few places that actually make the rings, talk to them about what you want, and they will be able to do it. They will make a wedding ring to accompany it too if you wish. So much better than just buying something 'off the shelf', and so much more for your money.

Lotus-eater

The 4 C's?

Well you should get 4 very good "C"huffin shags, then after that it will be forgotten and it will be back to normal.

claire16c

Yes Jewellery margins are around 50-70% so definitely try to stay away from high st retailers.

daisiegg

As someone else said, depends on the metal. If you're going for platinum, for example, you will get very little for that amount. Gold would get you more.

Southernman

What are the 4 cs???

Pollycat

Take a look at this website for an idea of what you can get for your budget regarding the 4 'C's:
http://www.diamondgeezer.com/

Click on 'diamonds', then you can choose your shape and then play around with colour, clarity and carat.

Please note - I am not recommending this website (or not not recommending it either IYSWIM), it's just a good tool to see how dropping down in quality (clarity) but going up in size (carat) or better in colour (and vice versa) can affect the price.

Southernman wrote: »

What are the 4 cs???

Carat
Cut
Clarity
Colour

On the website I've given the link to, there's a good explanation of these if you click on 'No Blood Diamonds Here'.