Where is best place to buy a diamond ring?

don9999

After 20 years of marriage I want to buy the better half a diamond eternity ring.
Willing to spend up to around £5000.

Just a few queries...

a) I'm not sure how to find a ring that will fit snugly against her existing engagement diamond ring. It is a two-stone ring (with gold band) but the two stones are at an angle. Hence the gold band is not a circle, but twisted on the top of the finger. (Hope that makes sense).
Not even sure if there ARE rings that would fit snugly, but am hoping that a perhaps similar 'twisted' ring would fit against the existing one.

b) Where is the best place to buy? I've heard about the Birmingham Diamond quarter, but am also weary of the lots of negative reviews (on here and other sites) about many independent jewellers. Are there any respectable places I might look for for reliable referrals?
I'm guessing that I will need some advice due to (a) above.

c) is it perhaps better/cheaper to buy abroad? Maybe America or Europe? I travel quite frequently on business, so this is a possibility.

d) I'd prefer if I could buy the ring without my wife. However due to (a), I suspect I will need her with me. Also probably needed for sizing.

Anyone got any advice about buying a new ring?

cattie

If you want real value for money, then chose a previously owned ring. When you buy a new ring from a jewellers, it's actual value is likely to be around 50% lower than the retail price.

Gold sold abroad doesn't have the same content as here in the UK & quite often is deemed less desirable because of a lack of British hallmark.

If you buy abroad the gold content is usually something along the lines of 11k & 14k. Here in the UK, 18 carat is considered the best content to go for.

Also, if you bought in the Uk, you could perhaps arrange with the shop owner the possibility of exchanging the ring should your wife not love it. Anyway, it's nice to spend money here in the UK & make a contribution to a home grown business rather than one in a different country.

Cisco001

I don't know what is the best place to buy.

However, to my understanding, if you want the diamond to hold value, it is best to have certificate like GIA.

While for the ring itself, I know UK usually do 18k or 22k?
While in asia, you will see 24k. I don't know about US or other part of Europe.
If you want good value, you would better compare the gold content of the ring and the gold price to see what it worth.

Happibunni

Do you know of any jewellers that would make a ring to your exact specification? That way you would be guaranteed a snug fit and an individual piece of jewellery.

My engagement ring was bought in the US, not a standard shape and hubby and I approached a local jeweller to design and make my wedding ring. Didn't cost a fortune and I ended up with a ring I love

ktk

If your wife's ring is as you describe you could consider that she might prefer to wear the new ring on her right hand. That is what I decided to do. Anything next to my engagement ring just didn't look right. As you are looking to spend so much, you don't want the new ring to overshadow the original, or not look quite right.

You could consider a trip to the Channel Islands for your purchase. Still GB but no VAT.

teddysmum

I agree with ktk. My wedding band is quite wide and , in the days when it still fitted, my engagement ring then almost reached my knuckle, making the wearing of an eternity ring, on the same finger, too uncomfortable.

Emily005

You have been married for 20 years, you must love your wife:)

andymetheu

Emily005 wrote: »

You have been married for 20 years, you must love your wife:)

Yes Emily you are right love is the first thing from you start getting involved and that takes you to the get married. And if have spent 20 years then must have been fully in love with her and she must be with you.You should rather spend money on your children than your wife.

andymetheu

don9999 wrote: »

After 20 years of marriage I want to buy the better half a diamond eternity ring.
Willing to spend up to around £5000.

I would suggest you to spent that money on your children. This is not the correct age to buy expensive gifts for your wife to make her sure that you love her or not. This is really a useless. What will she do with that ring in this age? So just take her to dinner in a high class restaurant and kiss her politely and tell her how much you love her. It will be much better than that ring.

NatalieB23

andymetheu wrote: »

Yes Emily you are right love is the first thing from you start getting involved and that takes you to the get married. And if have spent 20 years then must have been fully in love with her and she must be with you.You should rather spend money on your children than your wife.

The couple might not have children and if they do, I'm sure they would also believe that what this gentleman is doing is an absolutely lovely gesture.
I have a child and I ensure that every single one of his needs are met but that doesn't mean that I don't also treat the other half on occasion.
20 years is a long long time and if the gentleman wants to mark this with a very generous but lovely thoughtful gift who's place is it to tell him not to or to spend the money elsewhere.

To the poster, have you considered having one made to fit with the wedding band?

Ainat

My engagement ring has a shape to it too... So when it came to getting a wedding ring that I could wear with the engagement ring (I love my engagement ring, I wanted to keep wearing it) we got a wedding band tailor made. There are several companies out there that do it - we can across a few at wedding fairs. I'm pretty sure the company we used were called Taylor and Co. But like I say, there were several at the wedding fairs...