If you had £2.5k for an engagement ring…

[PartyPlan]

What would you choose?

My engagement ring has been sadly lost, but it is insured so I am hoping I can buy a replacement.

The style I had before was a princess cut with diamond shoulders, all very square but I loved it, although it probably isn’t what I would choose now. I love pear shaped stones, but someone close to me has one like that and I wouldn’t want to be seen as copying.

Would love some ideas if anyone has any! Would absolutely consider lab grown or vintage rings as I think you get more for the money.

Firstly I'd definitely go second hand - far more bang for your buck! Head somewhere like the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham, amazing both for second hand and new.

If you're asking me personally, I'd go one of two ways - firstly either a really gorgeous pear or marquise cut on a gold band.

The second option is I'd go for a coloured gemstone, probably an emerald, most likely with a diamond halo.

But OP, if you want a pear shaped stone then absolutely go for one, it doesn't matter one bit that your friend has one too!

I haven’t read the full thread. I have a vintage ring and a couple of the claws had broken, others were very thin. A jeweller just made new ones. Because it was a dress ring being worn as an engagement ring, he made the new claws bigger so stronger. Easy.

I'd have one designed and made by an independent designer maker. Check out this event and makers exhibiting. If you can go, view the work of each maker and see what appeals and then have a chat and see if you have a connection: www.desirefair.com/

That has been my holiday for years.

I would go for a lab diamond, you get so much more for your money and no ethical concerns. There’s a lot of crap about lab diamonds being spouted on this thread, they are completely different to other diamond substitutes such as moissanite or CZ as they are chemically identical to mined diamonds. Lab diamonds actually have to have a small engraving (only visible with specialist equipment) on the inside as even jewellers struggle to tell them apart - they are identical to the naked eye.

Also, you’ll likely be told a lot of crap about mined diamonds being an “investment”, which again simply isn’t true if you’re buying new. For context we recently had my late grandmas engagement ring valued at 4k or 12k to replace new! 4k is less than what my grandad paid in todays money!

I think you’re best of going for a classic style, ovals, halos and pave bands will all date IMO.

Birmingham jewellery quarter is much better value than Hatton gardens.

Thanks so much for all of the suggestions, lots to think about. It seems weird to be choosing a new ring a long time after being engaged and married.

I have checked my insurance documents and can’t see any reference to servicing the ring as it is an additional item on our home insurance, rather than specialist jewellery insurance. I’m really hoping they pay out so I can replace it and not fob me off with Argos vouchers as a PP mentioned upthread! It is only the main diamond lost so maybe they won’t pay the full amount? Will have to see.

Having looked at the links, I like a round brilliant I think, maybe actually more than the pear cut. I know you can get some amazing vintage ones.

We bought our wedding rings in Hatton Garden and had a good experience so we could do a trip there again or head to Birmingham.

Don’t buy lab ‘diamonds’, you will always know it’s not authentic! Always buy the best you can afford, and go vintage, for the planet. Lab grown diamonds are factory made, often in China, there is nothing unique about them, unlike a diamond.

Lab grown diamonds are like fake Rolexes. To the naked eye they pass as real, but they aren’t, and you will always be aware of that, and it would only take a gemologist with some basic equipment to prove the inauthenticity!

You can pass a genuine diamond down through the generations. Imagine doing that with a worthless lab ‘diamond’.

This is all personal experience as I have a vintage Tiffany engagement ring that I am obsessed with, and some lab grown ‘diamond’ earrings. I feel a fraud wearing them and they don’t hold any special or emotional bond 🤷🏻‍♀️

If you want a good tip and don’t mind second hand drop me a PM. My husband got my new bridal set for £400 and was valued over £4500.

Some years ago I lost the main stone from my engagement ring, a Ceylonese Sapphire, and the insurance company paid for a new stone to be found and set into the ring. The ring is perfect again and I am delighted, I did not want a different ring.

I have recently started getting a reaction to my rings - I’ve had an allergy test and I’m allergic to gold and platinum - so I need new rings. For now, I’ve bought some cheap silver ones from and my plan is the get my original ones remade in a different metal when we can afford it.

Is this a possibility? Either your old ones remade or a new design.

We used Mitchel & Co in the Birmingham jewellery quarter and they charged us a third of the price than my local jeweller for a 1ct pear halo, VVS1 and D in colour.

As I have plain bands, I think it’s pretty classic and they were amazing to sit and design it with; it was an incredibly memorable day out for us!

I think the OP has to buy what she values now, not with a view the passing it down the line. It could stay in her family for generations or it could get lost 5 minutes after it's been passed on!

Have you had a look at Etsy? Lots of great ideas there. I bought a silver bubble ring for £85 but if I had the money spare I'd definitely buy the real version in gold or platinum.

@ImAvingOops

I think the OP has to buy what she values now, not with a view the passing it down the line. It could stay in her family for generations or it could get lost 5 minutes after it's been passed on!

Have you had a look at Etsy? Lots of great ideas there. I bought a silver bubble ring for £85 but if I had the money spare I'd definitely buy the real version in gold or platinum.

I’ve got that exact same ring from the same seller!

Lab grown diamonds are diamonds. They are chemically, structurally and optically the same material.Working with them is the same as working with natural mined diamonds (unlike cz or Moissanite which are different to diamonds in various ways) Most diamond dealers can't tell the difference without specialist equipment.

I'm not sure you could compare to a fake Rolex.

That said, it is uncertain whether they would hold their value in the same way as mined diamonds (although often you do not get a good resale value for mined diamonds anyway)

@PartyPlan
You may be asked by the insurance company to get written quotes from more than one jeweller. They would give you a price for replacing the stone and any repair work needed. If one stone has already fallen out, the other settings might also be worn, and the head (the part that contains diamonds/precious stones) might need to be repaired or replaced.
And once confirmed, hopefully you will get a bank transfer. As a jeweller its much easier to deal with an individual customer, than an insurance company (who sometimes take ages to pay!)

[quote helpmeihaveatoddler]@ShirleyPhallus Hahah yes I do!! I'm a jeweller 🤣
Lab diamonds are not real 😆🤣🙈[/quote]
You mean you have a Saturday job in Claire's Accessories?

Lab diamonds have an identical molecular structure to the ones dug out of the earth by children at gunpoint.

Christienne, it's lovely isn't it? So pleased with mine. Bloody Facebook though and their constant adverts is costing me a fortune

Hi OP I'd get a jeweller to remake using the original metal (which is very expensive) together with a new stone in a design of your choosing (or their suggestion if they are a bit artisan.

You will get much more ring for your money and it would be a one off

@Squidinkk

Also if you love pear shaped, get pear shaped. Life is too short to worry about whether someone thinks you're copying.

agree.

[quote Badgerloco]Mine is very Art Deco, but I’d choose something like this for that sort of price…..
uk.vrai.com/engagement-rings/three-stone/emerald/white-gold?bandAccent=plain&sideStoneCarat=0.25ct&ringSize=5.5&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_campaign=523131640268&gclid=CjwKCAiAsYyRBhACEiwAkJFKoiwlyg-WytGl7BYrrTKW2BaLjo311YtfLPIfml8nse_gBIAh9oMINRoCAq8QAvD_BwE[/quote]
nice.

Definitely second hand
Id like something with "colour" id choose this
www.etsy.com/uk/listing/1159240338/art-deco-oval-cut-ruby-engagement-ring?plkey=fb2e517eeb52aa32e01412359444652f91b4283c%3A1159240338&ga_order=price_asc&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=engagement+ring+antique&ref=sc_gallery-3-11&pro=1&frs=1

yellow saphire is nice, too.

@Badgerloco oh, I think I've just fallen in love with that ring and I don't even need one however given I've just been diagnosed with cancer for a 2nd time perhaps I need to give myself a pressie!!

@HighOnPie

Don’t buy lab ‘diamonds’, you will always know it’s not authentic! Always buy the best you can afford, and go vintage, for the planet. Lab grown diamonds are factory made, often in China, there is nothing unique about them, unlike a diamond.

Lab grown diamonds are like fake Rolexes. To the naked eye they pass as real, but they aren’t, and you will always be aware of that, and it would only take a gemologist with some basic equipment to prove the inauthenticity!

You can pass a genuine diamond down through the generations. Imagine doing that with a worthless lab ‘diamond’.

This is all personal experience as I have a vintage Tiffany engagement ring that I am obsessed with, and some lab grown ‘diamond’ earrings. I feel a fraud wearing them and they don’t hold any special or emotional bond 🤷🏻‍♀️

Hilarious. You’d rather spend money on the brand name and overheads of an overpriced Tiffany gem, and support the corrupt diamond industry by buying something “authentic” rather than buying a lab diamond which is much more ethically produced and sustainable. You need very specialist equipment to know that lab diamonds are lab diamonds, I don’t believe for a moment anyone will spend time looking at their hand thinking it was “fake” somehow. Lab diamonds are produced under the reproduction of conditions but the output in terms of structure is exactly exactly the same.

Sounds like you’re bought in to the marketer’s ideal though

@HighOnPie

Don’t buy lab ‘diamonds’, you will always know it’s not authentic! Always buy the best you can afford, and go vintage, for the planet. Lab grown diamonds are factory made, often in China, there is nothing unique about them, unlike a diamond.

Lab grown diamonds are like fake Rolexes. To the naked eye they pass as real, but they aren’t, and you will always be aware of that, and it would only take a gemologist with some basic equipment to prove the inauthenticity!

You can pass a genuine diamond down through the generations. Imagine doing that with a worthless lab ‘diamond’.

This is all personal experience as I have a vintage Tiffany engagement ring that I am obsessed with, and some lab grown ‘diamond’ earrings. I feel a fraud wearing them and they don’t hold any special or emotional bond 🤷🏻‍♀️

What a lot of crap you’re talking. Lab diamonds are made under similar conditions to how natural diamonds occur so they are all unique, including having inclusions in the same way a mined diamond does. Comparing them to a fake Rolex is laughable! They are chemically identical.

Fair enough if you don’t like them, but it’s a bit silly to rubbish them with a load of misinformation. I don’t like Tiffany jewellery as I think it’s incredibly naff and try hard, but if you like it then it’s your lookout!