Engagement ring, need help, am I being completely unrealistic?

[Stepawayfromthesink]

DP has proposed but left it for both of us to pick a ring (after I dropped LOADS of hints whenever we talked about it that I wanted to choose together ). We're not remotely well off and it gives me the willies thinking about carrying £100's let alone £1000's on my hand anyway so we've set a budget of £150, possibly going up to £200 if we have to (not DP being stingy, he wanted at least double that but I wouldn't carry that much money down the street for a day let alone life so am insisting).

But am I completely out of touch with what we can get? I know diamond rings are 'pick a number and add a load of 0's' but convieniently what I really want should be cheap anyway - I really want a 9ct gold (I'd bend anything softer) ring with a decent sized amethyst and possibly a couple of much smaller coloured stones either side. I've found sites online with nice amethyst rings for the budget but not with coloured stones I like set beside. Ideally I'd love to design my own, not necessarily completely bespoke but at least be able to specify what stones I want in what setting. But am I being completely unreasonable with that budget and if not where do I start finding someone to make it? We're in Swansea, so near enough to Birmingham for a day trip to the Jewellery Quarter but would they laugh us out again with our budget? Or anyone know anything nearer or online? Or should I stick to something online ready-made?

[itsnothingoriginal]

Diana Porter in Bristol has a gorgeous selection with some unusual settings/stones. Not too expensive either. Wish I'd gone there for my rings!

DH actually haggled quite hard for both engagement and wedding rings and got a fair chunk off the price. I recently had to update my wedding ring as I've lost weight and I couldn't get them resized. Ended up with a lovely diamond studded wedding band which I got in the sale at a local jewellers and I just wear that now.

[sublimelime]

Amazon have quite a few Amethyst rings. Here is one with a large central stone and several coloured stones either side:

www.amazon.co.uk/Yellow-Ladies-Amethyst-Diamond-Dress/dp/B000V5EF28/ref=sr_1_25?s=jewelry&ie=UTF8&qid=1383496899&sr=1-25&keywords=amethyst%20ring%20yellow%20gold&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[Viviennemary]

You could try a local auction house. Even a lot of the smaller ones do online bidding these days. Carole Franks jewellery website has nice secondhand/antique jewellery. Some is very expensive but there are sometimes rings at a very reasonable cost.

[trinity0097]

I got kind in Argos, still going strong 10 years later, very pleased we didn't waste loads of money on it! Same with the wedding band, that was a plain argos one, both white gold.

[herecomesthsun]

We bought mine from a second hand selection in John Lewis. Still has lots more character than a new and inexpensive one but defo not a fake, etc etc!

[TheThinksYouCanThink]

I got my wedding ring designed in the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter, wasn't a huge price tag and got exactly what I wanted! Would definitely recommend going to have a look!