Where to buy a sapphire ring?

[mimimomma]

This year for my birthday/wedding anniversary/giving birth to 2nd baby present my husbie suggested that he buys me a ring- :)

Does anyone have any good ideas about where to look for this as we bought my engagement ring in the US so have no experience of ring shopping here. I was thinking of going to Hatton Gardens but someone said to me that they only really did diamonds- is that true?

Not true, my engagement ring is a 3 carat purple sapphire flanked by two half carat diamonds and was bought in a jewellers in HG. I have never seen another like it. There are probably cheaper places to go than HG but the range is excellent.

My husband bought my engagement ring at Grays antiques market just round the corner from bond street. We chose it together and it was a really nice day as shopping round there is bound to be (& a nicer experience than hatton gardens where DH had prev bought a birthday present for me).

There's a website for Grays so you can check it out but basically it's a nice building with lots of independent dealers in little stands. They're not always all open but usually plenty to choose and compare.

I love my engagement ring and its nice knowing it's recycled :) plus has a history. Something so lovely about antiques.

Alternatively if the sky's the limit with your budget and you want something Beckham-style special, go to Burlington arcade, also near bond street. Gorgeous old covered shopping street with jewellers and other specialist luxury shops, but somewhat pricey!

Good luck and have fun shopping, what a wonderful treat!

I had my sapphire engagement ring designed and made for me in Hatton Garden by a jeweller named Patrick Wyatt. It's a deep blue sapphire with two baguette diamonds set into the ring band. Love love love it - and. Couldn't see anything like it in the shops.

Am sure there are various HG jewellers who design rings if you have a wander around there or google.

My friends have a bespoke jewellery business where you can have one made to your design (or a design you have seen) and choose your stone/s yourself. This is their new ready to wear business but their fine jewellery business is by individual referral. I had a pink sapphire ring made by them after having DS and it is very beautiful - feel free to PM me if you would like an introduction (or there is a contact page on their website where you can enquire).

Jewellery quarter in Birmingham jewelleryquarter.net - about 50 independent jewellery shops (inc many designers and makers) in one place, many of whom supply the high end London retailers. Great prices compared to high street/branded stores on quality goods. My Sapphire and diamond ring was bought there as was a ring we could never have afforded elsewhere.

Another vote for Birminghams jewellery quarter, the best I've ever visited.

I would have a look around online and get a clear idea of what style you would like. Whether you would want to commission something or buy it 'off the peg'.

It is marginally cheaper buying jewellery in US. Definitely not as much as it used to be though.

Once you know what your style and budget is, then I would start looking around for suitable jewellers. (If you want an edwardian sapphire target ring it wouldn't be worthwhile going to a modernist jeweller for example...)

I work near HG and there are lots of jewellers selling sapphire rings.