Help me find the best diamond ring for my sister

[Fridakahlofan]

Hi Team!

My older sister's lovely boyfriend has just asked me to help him buy an engagement ring. His budget is approx £2k and I know she wants a 'simple classic diamond ring' with a gold band. Ethical too please

I have put some images of the kind of things we think she would like. He is a bit down that he can't afford more but I have promised him we will find something beautiful and not to worry. She was actually proposed to by a previous horrible boyfriend with a huge ring budget and so I think that makes him more sensitive as people still bring up the ring in front of him!

I know that £2k is a lot of money but rings get silly very quickly...

Should we go antique? Where should we go? What is the best we can do for the money!

I'll be in the UK for one week in a couple of weeks and he would like to buy the ring with me and then propose to her that same week so we can all celebrate together. Our shopping trip will be in London or easily doable from London.

Help us not be ripped off! All tips gratefully received...

My husband bought me this ring

www.sateur.com/attelee/

Everyone has commented on how real it looks....

I got my antique engagement ring from Berganza in Hatton Garden. You can see their huge collection online but if you go in and describe what you’re looking for they will bring up a selection.

I’m not a big jewellery person but to my great surprise it was possibly the most fun I’ve ever had in a shop - and the utter gorgeousness of my ring still makes me smile. Mine was a wee bit more than your budget but there would be plenty in your price range.
www.berganza.com/

I would look at A C Silver and Carole Franks for choice and price. You will get a much better idea of what the budget will buy in terms of secondhand solitaires or three stone rings.

Berganza has a few but not many. I do find London to be pricy.

Alex Monroe does some lovely engagement rings - if your sister likes the inspired by nature look:

www.alexmonroe.com/4-mm-diamond-eyebright-ring

www.alexmonroe.com/jewellery/rings

If you want classic, you can't go wrong with Tiffany's (They seem to start around £1,175):

www.tiffany.co.uk/engagement/engagement-rings/the-tiffany-setting-engagement-ring-in-18k-yellow-gold-GRP10863/

www.tiffany.co.uk/engagement/engagement-rings/the-tiffany-setting-engagement-ring-in-18k-yellow-gold-GRP10863/the-tiffany-setting-engagement-ring-in-18k-yellow-gold-67016580/

My husband got my ring from Diamonds Factory in Hatton Gardens: www.diamondsfactory.co.uk/ you choose a setting you want and design it according to your specifications - you can choose what clarity, cut and colour you want so you can make the setting for your budget. You also get a certification for the value of the ring but because you’re cutting out the middle man you pay less than if you were buying in the high street. He paid under £2k but it’s certified worth £2.5k.

Are you really sure your BIL to be couldn’t propose with a ‘proposal ring’ and then the both of them choose together afterwards?

From what your sister has posted that she likes and the budget he has, the two just don’t seem to match up.. I especially wouldn’t buy moissanite in place of diamond without checking first.

What kind of jewellery does she wear on a regular basis? What metal, style etc?

Just a tip re Tiffany, those prices quoted are the absolute cheapest. In reality when you go in store, because of the characteristics of the individual diamond, they’re usually more expensive. They could work to a 2k budget if you notified them in advance though.

My top tip would be to go for platinum to save the cost of replating in future years.

I know a PP mentioned her already but I also follow Katherine James on Instagram and her rings are amazing. Mostly coloured centre stones though.

PS your sister is lucky that you’re taking this so seriously, you’re a good sis :)

What are the illusion rings? Have they sent you any diamond specifications through for the rings you’ve seen? I wouldn’t trust for that price..

Oh sorry just seen it looks like a nicer way of saying cluster ring.. ignore me.

Did you get sorted @Fridakahlofan

Katherine James has some really beautiful art deco inspired diamond rings within budget on her website - take a look there, I'd be very happy with one of them!

@2monstermash why would you have to “explain to anyone” that your ring was moissanite. You make it sound like it’s something to be ashamed of. At those sort of prices it seems incredibly greedy and grasping to feel “let down”!

I would also visit the Laines in brighton - you could definitely get similar there.

If you're close, the Birmingham diamond quarter is amazing!

I bought my diamond earrings second hand from John Lewis. I don’t regret it as they would have cost me a lot more if I’d bought new.

Any update OP ?