New diamond ring for myself

[newdiamondring]

Name changed

Single mum by choice to 2 amazing 12 year olds
Had a very tough four years due to stress, poor health, and general depression which has been hellish
Am through it.
Kids just started at secondary school, and I get a bonus in October.
I want to buy myself a present to say well done for the last 13 years.

I've read loads about lab diamonds and would love a large eternity ring.

I wear a lovely ring on my right 3rd finger already which I don't want to move as it has massive emotional value. It lives there.

Qus.

What ring should I get?
Which ring should I wear it on?
Would it be weird to wear a ring on my left wedding finger? I don't care but many might think I've got engaged!?

All thoughts and ideas welcome 🙏

What a nasty comment, OP has had an incredibly difficult time and she got through it. She absolutely 100% deserves to treat herself to something nice. This ring represents surviving a traumatic time, and is something that will bring her great joy wearing. If you can’t be happy for her just don’t bother with this thread and go spread your negativity elsewhere. Don’t listen to this person OP!

Poor @Wellee. No joy in that life.

Op, enjoy choosing your special piece of jewellery.

Crikey, I didn't expect to see the above comments this morning.

I won't defend myself, and everything that others have responded to the naysayer on my behalf is true.

I'd also point out that I have no one to buy things for me, so if I don't buy it myself, no one will 🫠

Thanks for the suggestions overnight. I will take a look over the weekend.

It's a firm called Starsgem. Bizarrely you contact 'reps' on WhatsApp or insta, which all seems insanely shonky. And agree a design. There's a reddit thread full of people talking about other Chinese and Indian and US lab diamond suppliers r/labdiamond.

It did work! Despite that process sounding insane.

And the ring is gorgeous but I don't feel like I've wasted a grand or so! Lab diamond pricing is crazy but very much here for it.

You might be very pleasantly surprised at how far your £5k goes on an antique ring, even compared to lab grown stones. As you are in Sussex I'd highly recommend a browse around the Lanes in Brighton.

When I look at some of the large diamond set pieces they do look like something off QVC ( No offence to QVC , I buy loads of Diamonique which is a CZ not a diamond LG or otherwise ) . The full eternity 5 carats isn't something I'd look at and think Oh that;s £6,000 worth

LG diamonds will be near flawless unlike the mined diamonds . So I;d spend more on the metal - platinum or high carat gold . I prefer a rhodium claw setting rather than gold if it's a gold band .

I have a beautiful ring , 14k gold and a row of small stones (7) so its a comfortable ring to wear and stacks beautifully.(QVC Diamonique and if anyone asked me then I'd say exactly that )
I'm not allowed to wear jewellery at work so my DD wears it (she's 22) , jewellery is meant to be worn and enjoyed so why not .

The Lanes in Brighton - I always see recommendations for this area.
How many jewellery shops are here ?

Weekend in Brighton or even a daytrip is a good plan , it;s an interesting place , lots of little shops to peruse .

@70isaLimitNotaTarget there are fewer than there used to be but the website lists forty: https://www.brightonlanesjewelleryquarter.com/the-shops.

Fucking yes! Just do it, get the best fuck off ring you can find.

Nothing wrong with lab grown
These make lovely ones if you're near Aylesbury.

www.biagiothejewellers.com/?ved=2ahUKEwjQw7_S8LCIAxUHSPEDHXbxPIQQgU96BAgbEAQ

Real diamonds do not hold their value.
My ring was over £10k
Would be lucky to get £2k for
It.

Some gorgeous rings here

https://waveantiques.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooi0SEQnxBf6drQkGjHcc_uhHkclAqyqsWsBfNZt8ytiD8gfySt

Birmingham has a jewellery quarter!!!! Go and see some sights 🤩

www.birmingham-jewellery-quarter.net

Hope you find something lovely. This is my own LG ring, 1ct, D colour, VVS1, platinum.

Honestly OP I worry for this too.

While jewellery is sentimental I’d love for you to buy something that will genuinely retain its value.

I worked in the industry a while.

if this was me I’d commission a goldsmith with a long background and get it made bespoke. It will be much cheaper.

but even better I’d consider an experience like an incredible 3 week trip to Costa Rica or Thailand with my kids with money like that. Something you’ll always remember. I know we’re all different so apologies for butting in.

Chupi rings are absolutely beautiful. They do both natural and mined diamonds.

I've bought from Carat* in the past and have always been happy with the quality. This is pretty

I was in Brighton a few years ago and went to the Lanes. (I do prefer antique jewellery - so feminine). I picked a shop I liked the look of, went in and said I have an hour to find myself something and $x to spend. I came away with three pieces of jewellery and had a lovely hour.

Very happy to recommend the process. If you don’t find anything to suit, there are jewellers whom you can commission, too.

Go and have a look at Collins on the old high street in Tunbridge Wells!

Interesting that pp said they thought a full eternity ring was more comfortable than a half eternity. I find the opposite. The stones in my (old) half eternity ring tended to dig in to fingers either side where they stopped whereas the two full eternity rings I wear stacked are smooth and haven't ever been uncomfortable.

Definitely visit somewhere that you can try rings on, even if you ended up choosing and buying something online.

So exciting for you.

Wow. Yes!!

This is beaut!!!

waveantiques.com/products/18ct-platinum-green-tourmaline-and-diamond-ring

@Puppylucky Oh my, Todd Reed's work is breathtaking! I'm going to enjoy fantasy-browsing his creations, happy just to know they exist in the world.

I have a half eternity ring, after owning a full. The prongs would catch and I’ve had stones fall out of the full (I’ve passed this one on).
My current half is an exact (but much larger) version of my wedding band (worn thin) same company same combination.
14K yellow gold, platinum crown and prongs. 5x.25 diamonds.
the white and yellow gold works well and the platinum crown is more robust than white gold.

https://connards.co.uk/product/diamond-7-stone-half-eternity-ring-platinum-and-18ct-gold-mount/
very similar to this

I've got very slim fingers, size G, so struggle to find off the shelf rings which fit. I'll probably have to commission a ring from a jewellery workshop. Our 25th anniversary is soon so want to upgrade my original engagement & wedding rings.