Engagement ring from Birmingham Jewellery Quarter

Toby87

Hi, I'm looking for advice/tips on shopping for an engagement ring. Advice of a practical nature please, not the it's a rip off spend your money on something useful variety... Yes I understand it's an extravagance but it is one I have saved and planned for...

Anyhow I am after a relatively simple yellow gold ring with a single diamond, price about £800 (this is what OH wants, but I am to pick...) and I have heard that the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham is one of the best places to go, as we live in Cheshire this is quite accessible too. Can anyone recommend any Jewellers worth trying (or avoiding?), I gather there are a lot there!

Should I expect to haggle, how much discount should i look for?
Thanks in advance,
Toby

19lottie82

firstly, do you have her exact ring size? this is a must before even thinking about design.

skyvicky123

Can recommend Marlows. It's where I got mine from.

You can pick the stone, and then the setting.

MrSmartprice

There are all sorts of establishments in Hockley, aka the Jewellery Quarter. There are places that knock out mass produced imported jewellery, and if that's what you want, then fine. There are lots of specialist traders who concentrate on specific areas, whether it's watches, stones, etc.

The best advice for what you are looking to do is to seek out a place where they actually make the rings on the premises. They will discuss designs, you can tell them what you are looking for, choose stones, and they will establish size. They will then make to your specification and budget. These places are where the craftsmen still work, and they tend to be the ones without the big, flashy shops. Because there are no middle-men, you should get more for your money too. Take your time and speak to several jewellers.

As an aside there are some good eating places in the area too. For a top quality breakfast go to the Hylton Caf!, corner of Vyse St & Hylton St. Or for lunch try 24Carat Bistro, tucked away up an alley off Warstone Lane. Both quirky, tasty and good value.

rebeccatom

As I used to work in a jewellers, I was quite sure I didn't want an overpriced high street ring. We got mine from G H Moore & Son, small shop with a couple of assistants and the jeweller who has his workshop at the back. We talked through what I liked and didn’t like, picked the exact diamond and then they put it all together. They also had rings already made in the shop. I think we got about 40% off the valuation (that they give you for the insurance) on the ring and 50% off the matching earrings. We did haggle a little bit to get the price down but not much as the starting price was pretty good.

Slinky

skyvicky123 wrote: »

Can recommend Marlows. It's where I got mine from.

You can pick the stone, and then the setting.

Mine also came from Marlows.

Avoid RJ Turley (who were actually recommended to me by Marlows who couldn't make a shaped eternity ring)

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2567409

notanewuser

Mine came from SPGreen on Warstone Lane (DH designed it). So did our wedding rings (we designed them). They've been ever so helpful over the years and give you a lifetime discount on future purchases too.

Toby87

Thanks all for your tips, and yes I do know the ring size

What I need to try to work out is what the 4Cs for diamonds
will mean in real life, I understand what is best in theory but there is the balance of at what point the differences become less relevant/noticeable.