Wedding ring - best shops

[OhTinky]

I'm getting married this June and me and soon to be DH are now thinking about the rings.

I'm currently wearing a simple solitaire diamond engagement ring from Tiffany's but I don't want my wedding ring from there - felt a bit let down by their customer service as we weren't spending megabucks. Also, I don't think our budget now stretches to another platinum ring!

So, does anyone know of any good shops (preferably shops and not online) which are good value for wedding rings. I think I'm looking for an eternity style (row of diamonds) wedding ring

Are the high street stores all much of a muchness? Any that are recommended, or not? Are they all ethical? I'm near London and hoping to take a trip in to the centre in the next few weeks so any S&B wisdom appreciated!

The best place to go has to be Hatton Garden which is essentially the jewellery shop street.

You'll get so much more for your money

We got our wedding rings from this studio on Hatton Garden, because they're a studio not a shop you get wholesale not retail prices. They did an amazing job for us designing and making rings for both me and my husband and honestly a lot cheaper than the high street.

www.pets4homes.co.uk/classifieds/578000-pedigree-colourpoint-british-shorthair-kittens-south-ockendon.html

This link

etj.co.uk/index.html

I say it all the time but go to a local independent jeweller.

Their overheads are much lower than a chain and so you're more likely to get value for money deals.

Don't be afraid to haggle. At the end of the day, they want to sell to you and the proprietor is usually on premises to agree it. You're lucky to get 10% off with a chain. (The sales people are given a discretionary 10% to apply where they see fit.)

If you have any old or broken gold jewellery consider trading it in against the cost of your new ring. Very practical, keeps costs down!

Definitely try a local place! I was very pleased with the service and resultant engagement ring from a local independent jeweller in Newcastle upon Tyne. Didn't even think to try to haggle

Will be going back for my wedding ring

Smith & Green in Hatton Garden. Run by a couple of young guys. Excellent customer service. Beat another price we got. So so happy with our rings. They're in one of the boutique things.

I think you'll need a platinum band though - if you get a softer material, like white gold, your engagement ring will wear against it.

Tiffany & Co. is so not worth the money. Too late to get a refund? You'd get double your diamond elsewhere. My engaging ring would be 5x the cost if I'd got it in T&co

Oh and please do not go into a high street shop. Absolute cack!

Thankyou for all the tips - especially about having to match the metals! I am now armed and ready to shop.

Despite your excellent advice I am not in a position to sell the engagement ring - it was a gift! But no, I won't be recommending Tiffany & Co., or the high street, to anyone for diamonds!

Enjoy op! I hope shopping for your wedding rings is a nicer experience.

I would besides hatton garden really recommend the jewellery quarter in birmingham. My dp had my engagement ring made there and it is amazing. When he presented it to me I thought he had gone mad as I thought it was way beyond our price range but he had just got alot more for his money (and haggled well).
I will be going back for the wedding ring for sure.

I would definitely struggle to get to Birmingham, getting into London is a difficulty at times and I don't live that far out! But thankyou for another excellent tip! Jewellery quarters are definitely the place to go for wedding rings :)

We got ours from Autumn and May in the covered market in Greenwich. They have some lovely and unusual rings from small designers

If you are anywhere near Brighton we used a company called Wedding Rings Direct. Don't let the name put you off! They are an online store but have a little workshop that you can visit (we did). Service was great. They even waived the engraving fee as we had gone in personally.

They do all kinds of metal. I recommend.

There's this place [http://www.purejewels.com/cid/KWLJD4ZNDZKCNQBMQE8VXTQVAI8JF8AX/category-Wedding-Rings-BUILD.htm here]]. If you are in London. We got ours here using the online shop.

Balls, try againwww.purejewels.com/cid/KWLJD4ZNDZKCNQBMQE8VXTQVAI8JF8AX/category-Wedding-Rings-BUILD.htm

Jeremy Heber-fantastic jewellery, independent, fantastic customer service and also does bespoke.

Bit off topic but the kittens on that link up there are the grumpiest kittens EVER. I want one.

Ours were from Cred. They deal in fairtrade gold, and were pretty good for price. We have a plain gold band each, and they made them to order. The studio is in Clerkenwell.

I also recommend Wedding Rings Direct. Was about the name, but it was such brilliant service and the rings were fab.

If your budget doesn't stretch to more platinum have you considered palladium? That's what we went for for our wedding rings even though my engagement ring is platinum. They're similar hardnesses so you won't get the issues with wear.

We used Wedding Rings Direct as well - great service. Did it all online but they sent out samples for us to try.

Thanks again all, I had not considered palladium, and poor DH2b is regretting buying platinum - or ever attempting to buy anything without my retail/S&B wisdom! ;-)

I'm up in Hertfordshire so Hatton Garden is the most likely shopping destination, though I'm considering Wedding Rings Direct online and a friend recommends Alba diamonds online too. We shall see, as rings have to be bought sooner rather than later :-)

Try Albarose, their customer service is excellent, they do shaped wedding bands to suit your engagement ring and they do palladium rings as well as gold and platinum so you've got loads of choice. I thought they were great.

DH and I got our rings from here - www.simongorgin.com/index.html

Ladyface, the rings on that site are beautiful, some really unusual ones.