Can't decide on an engagement ring...

[QueenOfTheAndals]

I've been looking online and window shopping and am finding it very hard to decide! I know diamonds are traditional but I love coloured stones too. Topaz is my birthstone and I've seen a gorgeous deep blue topaz ring but I was wondering how hardy it is as a gem? I'll be wearing it everyday.

Has anyone bought from The Diamond Store? Their prices seem very reasonable and some of the rings on there seem lovely. But they're online only and I'd quite like to try a couple on before deciding. I've been window shopping in Hatton Garden and much of it looks beyond our budget (around £1000).

I suppose I could get one designed but I wouldn't know where to begin! Anyone have any recommendations?

I’ve got a thread on this at the moment, but have you looked at morganite? It’s a pink (sometimes peachy) stone - same mineral as aquamarine and emerald so very hard wearing. You could get a good sized stone in a diamond halo setting for your budget. Lots of examples on Pinterest and Etsy.

Where do you live? Birmingham jewellery quarter has hundreds of shops and almost too much choice. There are also workshops where you can get same day re- sizing, or rings made to your own design. Some of the shops look tiny but are huge inside, and we’ve found the staff all really helpful and will make suggestions if asked. There are a few nice pubs/ eateries too if you want a day out to choose your ring. There is a Jewellery Quarter website you can google. Congratulations on your engagement, hope you find a lovely ring .

I’ve got a sapphire and diamond engagement ring. Much prefer it to a diamond solitaire. It’s a bit different.

@ILoveMyNewRing Could you link your thread?

I've heard good things about the jewellery quarter @MrsDrudge. I'm in London but it's not that far on the train to Birmingham.

Mine was from Birmingham Jewellery Quarter, 17 years ago. I'd suggest a wonder 'round and try on everything until you narrow down to exactly what you want (taking bits you like from several rings - take photos).

Then either go back to one of your favourite shops from the day at Birmingham, or go online. Good jewellers can create your perfect ring from all of your requests.

Another vote for Birmingham here! Mine is an emerald and diamond, set in an Art Deco style band. Gorgeous!

If you're in London go to Hatton Garden.

If you buy there it will be far cheaper than high-street jewellers, or you can just try a tonne on to get an idea of what you could buy online.

I really recommend Queensmith on Greville St.

I 100% DO NOT recommend The Diamond Store. My ring came from there, 5 yr guarantee, 3 problems in 3 years where the band snapped, and stones have fallen out. They won't refund at all after the problems, despite them saying nothing should happen in those 5 years (they have fixed/replaced the ring when sent back though) and just generally seemed pretty dodgy to us when we spoke to them over the phone. I've given up with them and will be getting a new ring somewhere else once DH and I can afford another one.

That's good to know @DeadDoorpost!

Thanks for the recommendation @Bayleyf, I've heard of Queensmith. Hatton Garden is a bit daunting as there are SO MANY jewellers there. Almost too much choice!

I can recommend somewhere at Hatton Garden. Go to London Rocks on Leather Lane and talk to the owners Karl and/or Harshini.

www.londonrocksjewellery.co.uk/

They are very honest and open, and there is no pressure to buy. You can just pop in and have a chat but it's probably best to make an appt (you can do it online) to make sure Karl is available to talk to you and show you options (they get very busy with bespoke work). Tell them your budget and they will work within that. Karl is an amazingly talented jeweller and he has a talented team. All their work is handmade in Hatton Garden (you can see the studio directly beneath their shop) which is relatively unusual these days as many of the jewellers there get their rings manufactured in China now.

Just to be clear, I don't work for London Rocks. I'm just a very happy customer who has been going there for quite a few years, and I now consider Karl and his wife Harshini to be friends. Karl has made me some amazing jewellery as well as me buying some of his ready-to-wear pieces.

And look into blue topaz if that's what you like. A good friend of mine has a blue topaz engagement ring and it's still going strong 16 years later. And looks just as lovely as it did on her wedding day.

I got my ring designed and made by a local jewellers - my family have used them many times before for various rings and other items. We got the main diamond elsewhere though. I've had friends who have had rings made at Hatton garden and they've all been very positive.

I didn't know what I wanted at all. I thought I knew vaguely but I ended up with basically the completed opposite to what I thought. The only thing I was 100% sure about was the cut. Originally the plan was to not have a diamond but I tried a few on and I was sold. I love my ring.

My advice if you aren't sure what you want is to just try on a variety of rings, all shapes, sizes and designs, even ones you don't think you even like. I found you really need to see the ring on your finger. If you find one that you then like, great. If not you'll find bits you like and have a better idea of what to tell a designer.

Getting a ring made is easy, you have a meeting with the designer and talk about what sort of thing you like and want. They'll come up with a few designs and send them over a few days later. You then pick one/refine a design until you are happy to go ahead. Then it's made. Can take about 6-8 weeks. I had a meeting with two designers, the one we used and another one that was more local to me (as I thought this would be easier). I didn't like the local designer, she didn't really get me and I just didn't get a great vibe from the meeting. The prices she was quoting also seemed extortionate considering we already had the main diamond. So I arranged the second meeting with the previously used jewellers and the experience was a million times better. I was happy and comfortable. Also ended up being half the price, and they didn't charge me for the many tweaks I requested to the designs!

Stonewise, the only thing I would say is consider how hardwearing the stone is/isn't. You will be wearing it everyday for (hopefully) decades, you don't want a 'soft' stone. This doesn't mean diamond is the only option. For example my birthstone is Amethyst but it's not a very hardwearing stone and the colour can fade so as an alternative we were looking at purple sapphire.

Good luck!

Go to Grays Antiques! It’s an antique market near Bond St and it’s loads of fun to wander round and you can try on lots of different rings. Then you can narrow down what you’re looking for and maybe get it made, unless you find one you like at Grays of course 😊

We looked around but the antique ones I thought I’d like just felt too fussy for something I’d want to wear every day, for work etc, and decided to go for a diamond solitaire. I love it - it’s timeless. I can recommend 77 diamonds - if you do go for a diamond, we got mine there for several thousand pounds less than you’d pay a high street jeweller. They have great aftercare too.

Thanks @QueenGoblin I'll definitely check them out. And @Swiftier, great idea about the antiques market. I've walked past the building countless times but have never gone in!

I agree you need to shop around.

I got my ring made but I already had the stones (emerald cut sapphire and 10 diamonds) and wanted them reset into a new design.

One jeweller quoted me nearly £3k

I went to a family run jeweller that had been recommended and it cost £600.

Do you want an antique one? I love looking in The Lanes in Brighton where they have loads of little jewellers and the antique rings are so pretty and reasonable - easily get a beauty in your budget.

@StarShapedWindow I originally liked the thought of an antique ring but then I got worried about stones being loose in their setting and falling out etc.

I don’t think that will happen, I’ve got a few and the stones don’t feel wobbly. Why don’t you have a good feel - I wonder if the older ones have better fixings?

A trip to Brighton is definitely on the cards!

You definitely need to go someone like the jewellery quarter or the lanes and just try on as many as possible. I also wouldn’t just try on the ones that you think you’ll like, try a wide selection of different styles. I had an idea of what I wanted and also didn’t want but when trying them on I ended up with a ring that pretty much described what I didn’t want.

IMO diamonds never go out of fashion and the bigger, the better. However, they are expensive, so if I had my time again I would get a piece of second-hand (“vintage”) jewellery with a large diamond and have it reset to my taste (if it wasn’t already).

Unless you are very skinny you may have a problem getting a vintage ring to fit, but in any event re-setting to give a more modern look is good fun.

Diamonds aren't that traditional at all. It's just a brilliant marketing campaign from de Beers!

I have an antique ring and I absolutely love it. It didn't cost a huge amount and I got a much better diamond for the price than I would get on the High Street.

I did some research around diamonds and stones, found a ring online and traced their physical store which was about an hour from me. They do some VERY expensive rings, but a few cheaper ones crop up too.

www.gatsbyjewellery.co.uk

my engagement ring was a 'dress' ring, it's still just a solitaire diamond but the setting and band are not the traditional style. I much prefer it to some of the typical 'engagement' styles.

Can I just say that emerald, aquamarine and morganite are definitely not hard wearing stones (ex jeweller). They are very brittle and can crack easily, so along with opals (soft) I wouldn't recommend them for an engagement ring. The hardest wearing coloured stones are ruby and sapphire, and you can get sapphires in almost any colour depending on the look you want.

Are you on Instagram OP?
If so, look at La More Design’s page- absolutely gorgeous rings on there