I have 4/5k to spend on an upgraded engagement ring??

[BeautyQueenIamNot]

And I have no idea what I want

I’ve recently been given a small inheritance of just over 4K and Dh has decided we need to upgrade my engagement ring, as I want something to remember my aunt by. I can possibly but another 1k towards it.

I’ve looked at Tiffany and you don’t seem to get very good value for money, loved the Vera Wang designs but the diamond quality was poor.

Who else can I look at and what style do I want?

To get the best value go to Hatton gardens once it's open again. Nothing else will come close.

Buy a second hand diamond and get a jewellery maker to set it in a design of your choice.

You will get something amazing for your budget!

@CheddarGorgeous your Mum is tres chic, love that style!

A perfect thread when people read the first post and respond with a shitty comment without reading the following posts by the OP.

Anyway, Hatton Garden is a good suggestion or a local independent jeweller. They can have second hand which can be beautiful and good value. Or look at buying the stones only and have a ring designed to something you want.

Op all the women in my family married men who 'like them to buy jewellery'. My DH bought me a lovely diamond ring recently without spending any money at all. I understand

I would suggest not buying new! Diamonds have crazy high markups. Buy at auction (from an auction house, rather than ebay) and you will get a far better stone for your money. You can always use some of your budget to then get a jewlerry designer to set it in your perfect ring.

It depends on what your taste of course but at the moment I really like starburst or crown designs.

Something like this

I’m sentimental though so I’m not sure I’d actually switch out the engagement ring - i’d wear the new ring as a stacking piece (unless you’ve already got an engagement/wedding stack).

I’d personally spend half on your ring and then I’d save the rest for another piece, maybe from Georg Jensen. But that’s because I always want more!

That’s true - you could go vintage/antique/preloved and with that budget you could get something truly stunning.

Loving this thread looking through the links. If you want a ring get a ring. If it gives you pleasure it has value. What does the resale value matter if you are never going to sell it? Buy something you love and wear it with joy.

@BeautyQueenIamNot have a look at this place londondiamonds.com/ if you have Instagram: londondiamondsofficial They have over 400 5* Google reviews.

I love my ring but am obsessed with looking at their rings

@Moirarose2021

Loving this thread looking through the links. If you want a ring get a ring. If it gives you pleasure it has value. What does the resale value matter if you are never going to sell it? Buy something you love and wear it with joy.

None of the advice to buy second-hand is to do with resale value, but everything to do with being able to afford so much more with OP's budget, not to mention the ethical benefits.

Another vote for the Lanes in Brighton when shopping is once again possible, OP. My antique engagement ring came from there.

@Lexilooo

I love jewellery and think it is a lovely idea to buy one to remember your aunt by. I have a ruby and diamond ring bought with a inheritance from my grandmother and another to remember my uncle by that is his birthstone.

I don't think you should buy an engagement ring though. Your original engagement ring is the one that has the sentimental value and was bought by your husband. This ring wasn't bought by your husband.

Buy a beautiful ring to wear on your right hand and remember your aunt every time you look at it. If you love diamonds buy a diamond but consider other designs and stones. If I had an excuse to treat myself to a beautiful ring I'd buy an emerald.

This.

Definitely don't buy new, older rings are both better value and nicer, in my view.

But you can't "upgrade" your engagement ring, that's the ring you got when you got engaged. Just buy something to remember your aunt by.

There is no doubt you will get the most bang for your buck with an independent jeweller, however if you are set on designer and don’t mind preowned you can get some incredible bargains. DH ‘upgraded’ my engagement ring last year and bought me a Tiffany diamond three stone ring in platinum secondhand for less than your budget. The diamonds total just over a carat and it comes with all the paperwork. I am not a designer fiend but wanted this style ring and size and the Tiffany one came up within budget, so a no brainer.

As mentioned I did work in HG for a while...it really is a closed shop operation...you wont get much of a good deal on new items....second hand is better value and pay cash and haggle very hard....If they sell a ring in the window priced up at £2000, they have bought it in for about £400 to £800 depending on gold carat and stone size and grading etc...New jewellery is a Ponzi scheme basically !!..I used to sometimes cringe when people bought it items to sell as amount offered was so low and all shops will offer the same give or take a few pounds !

bwr-london.co.uk/

Can make whatever you want, within whatever your budget is.

I brought a 1ct diamond pendant from Whiteflash in the USA with some of my inheritance from my late mum.
It’s so good that I have gone and brought a loose diamond from them to set into a ring locally, but on hold at the moment!