£600 engagement ring

[IAmFourEels]

My boyfriend and I had a serious chat this weekend about getting engaged soon (!); the main conclusions were that our budget for the ring is about £600 and also that I'd like to choose it myself.

I'd rather have a coloured stone than a diamond, and also I'd prefer second-hand as it's more ethical and more likely to fit our budget.

Does anyone know if the second-hand jewellers in Hatton Garden would laugh us out of their shops at such a low budget, and if so, any recommendations for where else to look? We're based in London.

Thanks

That's a lot of money but it's your choice and, I presume, a manageable amount for you.

What about a lab made diamond?

What not look at auctions?

I don’t know about Hatton gardens but when I bought a ring for around £300 in the jewellery quarter in Birmingham eight years ago, I did not feel at all patronised or laughed at...

I would think about buying at auction - even second-hand jewellers can have quite a mark-up! If you do a search on one of the online auction sites (not ebay, I mean one of the sites used by actual auction houses like thesaleroom.com) you can get an idea of how much 600 will buy you.

Having a quick look online here are some options

www.gardinerhoulgate.co.uk/Catalogues/aw260918/page005.html

Sorry forgot link

Check out eBay as well, some fab rings on there at a fraction of retail price.

I had a similar budget, and also wanted coloured stones and ethical. I got my ring designed and made by Laura Parra who is at the jedeco group at the Oxo Tower. I absolutely adore it and love that no one else has a ring the same. www.jedeco.co.uk/pages/about
www.laparrajewels.com/

I think lab diamonds are more ethical and cheaper. Have a look at Carat.

Cred which is south coast based uses recycled precious metals etc and tries to produce rings ethically. I got mine here.

credjewellery.com

I bought mine second hand at batten gardens and spent less than you. I had no issues and they were very friendly overall.

These are all really helpful suggestions, thanks everyone! I'm not sure yet if I want to go for a more classic, vintage or unusual - which is why I thought Mumsnet would be a great place to canvas for a range of recommendations.

Quite intrigued by the Jedeco group PalacePalace , and a quick browse of the auctioning sites mentioned by Mercurial and Nowisthemonth has already brought up some interesting options. Also nice to know that Hatton Garden is still a possibility after all, Melinda .

I should probably get back to work, but I can see how my Monday evening will be frittered away...

Hatton not Batton

As a jewellery addict- you can pick up great bargains at auction. I attach two emerald rings currently being auctioned less that your budget.

If you’re in or near London, Gray’s antiques market near Bond Street have a massive range of rings of different prices. And it’s really fun to look around and try on different styles - they have vintage ones of different eras and modern, lots of different stones. If you’re not in London, there might be a similar good antique market near you?

Some beautiful things here in your budget:
www.williamwhitejewelry.com/product-category/engagement-rings/gold-and-platinum-engagement-rings/

Also here but maybe too £££
www.alisonmacleod.com/rings/

Etsy is also worth checking out, consider morganite or coloured sapphires (lab or natural)

Hi - I also have a coloured stone antique engagement ring & I love it - wishing you much happiness with yours! Try Ullmann in Hatton Garden, they definitely have stuff in your budget, I have bought stuff there for much less and they have always been nice. Here’s one example from their website but really you need to go in as it’s a treasure trove! Good luck! arullmann.com/product/antique-gold-ruby-diamond-ring-2/

How do the auctions work! Some beautiful things!!

@ravensmum you need to register to bid in the auctions first - you can normally leave a bid online, or if you prefer you can watch the auction live as it happens and there's an option to click to keep bidding. Sometimes there are online timed auctions too - you still have to register but these are more like eBay in that they don't do live bidding. Don't forget that the hammer price isn't the final price to pay - normally you have to add VAT and the buyer's premium on top, so make sure you allow for that in your budget!

RosyPP - thanks for the shop recommendation, looks ideal. I'll definitely give them a visit

Try a day trip to Brighton. There's lots of vintage jewelry shops.

Or Birmingham jewelry quarter. Like Hatton garden, but about half the price and great service.

And congratulations!
You could let him choose a temporary ring from accessorise etc, then you can pick your ideal one at your leisure.

We did that and it was great!

Etsy and also Camden passage in Angel London has some great shops for vintage rings around that price.
Diamonds are massively overpriced but they are hard, and some alternative stones are too soft for everyday wear- always check before you buy- I have a huge aquamarine vintage ring I bought on Etsy for a steal but the stone is so fragile I can't wear it often....especially an issue if you want a big stone.