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Engagement rings

2

Comments

  • Perhaps a little snobbish but I'd go with Ernest Jones over Warren James. When I was younger Warren James was always cheap poor quality jewellery. I think you'll get better customer service at Ernest Jones too, plus you'll have £200 for a nice meal after she says yes. 


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  • Grumpy_chap
    Grumpy_chap Posts: 16,968 Forumite
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    Rtj123 said:
    Thanks all. She’s not the type to want the most expensive biggest diamond ring. I just want to get the best I can afford. I know she likes this type. I’ve found a real diamond one which looks the same (to me) but this one is within my budget... https://www.ernestjones.co.uk/9ct-white-gold-55mm-cubic-zirconia-solitaire-ring/p/V-9518796 

    and this is the real diamond version https://www.warrenjames.co.uk/jewellery/9ct-white-gold-real-diamond-lab-grown-solitaire-50ct-9lrw010

    can you tell much difference?
    For buying a ring, are there local independent jewellers near you?  They are often more competitive on price than the chain businesses you linked to.
  • theoretica
    theoretica Posts: 12,685 Forumite
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    I agree with the suggestion of seeing what an independent jeweller can offer.

    Have you - and she - heard of moissanite?  It is another artificial gemstone, which lasts better and sparkles more than zirconia.
    But a banker, engaged at enormous expense,
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  • Ksw3
    Ksw3 Posts: 372 Forumite
    Third Anniversary 100 Posts Name Dropper
    My engagement ring was bought on Etsy. It's lovely, it's from the Czech Republic so it's 14 carat instead of 9 or 18. Husband was a little worried it wasn't a big retail brand known in the UK but its beautiful. 
  • HampshireH
    HampshireH Posts: 4,752 Forumite
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    edited 6 December 2024 at 8:11AM
    I have a slightly different view. If you know your girlfriend would love the diamond one (and it is only £250 more) I would get it. It's heavily reduced and really not that expensive in the scheme of things I.e the cost of the wedding which will presumably come next.

    My logic being £200 instead of £450 isn't sensible as a holding ring and if she doesnt love it you will be disappointed. I expected your post to show a significant difference in price.

    I don't think if she preferred a diamond ring at the price given it would speak poorly of her at all. Doesn't mean she doesn't want to get engaged.

    I would either wait until you can afford it or really do get a cheap one and tell her it's a holding one till you can afford and buy the one she would prefer together
  • Pollycat
    Pollycat Posts: 35,352 Forumite
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    Perhaps a little snobbish but I'd go with Ernest Jones over Warren James. When I was younger Warren James was always cheap poor quality jewellery. I think you'll get better customer service at Ernest Jones too, plus you'll have £200 for a nice meal after she says yes. 


    I'm even more snobbish.
    Ernest Jones (and H Samuels & Leslie Davis) were all part of the Ratner Group. Remember Gerald Ratner?  :o

    EJ & HS are both still part of The Signet Group.

    For buying a ring, are there local independent jewellers near you?  They are often more competitive on price than the chain businesses you linked to.
    I'd go with this^^^  suggestion.

    However, I would suggest that you look and choose together.
    Even rings that look very similar can feel differently when on your finger.
  • twopenny
    twopenny Posts: 6,796 Forumite
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    Please don't spend your money on a CZ. They loose their shine pretty quickly and aren't durable.
    It will likely be set in a poor quality setting that also won't be durable.
    And we hope she will be wearing this ring for a lifetime.

    I agree with you going together to choose a ring. Perhaps you could present her with the tickets for a day out to do so and a meal after or something along those lines.
    You're going to have to share a lot of things in a marriage so telling her what you can afford is tough on your ego but that's how it's going to be from here on and sharing this decision is the first and a positive start.
    A proposal I had he was quite sure I would prefer a state of the art cooker than a ring! You can guess where that went :D

    It may well be that she would prefer some other stone, an antique one or unique one. There is a gorgeous independent shop near me and the rings knock the bulk retailers into a cocked hat :)

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  • cmw1
    cmw1 Posts: 8 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture First Post Combo Breaker
    Hiya 👋🏼
    If she’s a good sort she’ll love that you are so worried about getting it right! I didn’t have an engagement ring as we couldn’t afford it, but I definitely wouldn’t have wanted my partner to spend money we didn’t have and get into debt, especially with wedding costs too. I chose a lovely ring for my 30th a couple of years later that was still inexpensive but I wear as an engagement ring so it’s a win win. One thing I would advise caution on though is that cheaper jewellers don’t have the same quality of products and you may find a cheaper ring doesn’t wear well (and forces you to re-buy one later anyway). Could you look to choosing something different with different stones (there are loads of beautiful ones out there) which is something you chose especially for her, and then agree to buy the diamond (or maybe an eternity ring or something) later down the line? 
    I used to work in a jewellers and some of the smaller independent ones will allow you to pay things off in installments, which is another option. Good luck! 
  • cmw1
    cmw1 Posts: 8 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture First Post Combo Breaker
    Ps, CZ is pointless, it gets scratched to death and looks awful. I’d buy a better quality ring if I had to choose.
  • Lindamar_
    Lindamar_ Posts: 10 Forumite
    10 Posts Second Anniversary
    edited 15 December 2024 at 5:23PM
    Why not buy the cheaper one and as and when you can afford it replace the cubic zirconia with a diamond in the same setting. Any jeweller could do that.
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