Do you like this ring? Engagement

[Louise123uk]

What do you think of this ring? We have been looking for the perfect engagement ring and I don’t want him to spend a lot, 2k max, and we don’t want lab grown gems. I just can’t justify spending

If you're based west of London (Surrey, Hants, Bucks, Berks, etc), the company we used for our wedding rings was really good - https://goldfinger-rings.com/

Met them at a wedding fair and they sell either "off the shelf" rings or bespoke rings made to your specification. Because they don't have a shop front, they come to you and will bring samples for you to look at. They also would make you a wedding band to fit whichever engagement ring you have.

We got platinum wedding bands. My wedding ring is still available and costs £685 but its equivalent in Beaverbrooks is £1,500. My engagement ring was from Beaverbrooks and there is a distinct difference in weight between the two rings too. The Goldfinger one is much better quality.

Even if that company isn't relevant for you, finding a jeweller to make you something could potentially mean you get more bang for your buck.

Alternatively, look at antique/vintage rings too - some of the old styles are lovely. I've got my Nan's engagement ring and although the diamond is the same size as my engagement ring, it sparkles so much more due to the cut.

It’s beautiful but it’s not my style. You have to live with this ring for the rest of your life.
This type of ring has been in fashion for a while and I do wonder if in 10/20 years they will look dated, I prefer a more classic style is my honest opinion.

It’s beautiful

It only matters if you like it!

I love mine, most people hate it - it's lab grown and was very cheap. But given I only wear it once or twice a year, it's perfect for me!

Ho, OP -

I think the first ring is very much of a certain time, and we are at its tail end. If you love it, however, that is all that matters

I like the second ring, both of itself and on your hand. For those who say your fingers are too long for it, remember that you will soon be wearing it with a wedding band. I think the contrast of that slightly ornate ring with a plain band would be lovely, and you can try out various widths and shapes (completely flat vs slightly rounded) to see what fits best with the ring, and looks best on your hand

The second ring has vintage elements, IMO. I agree with PPs that you might enjoy shopping for a similar vintage ring which would be better value for money.

Also I don’t understand the prejudice against laboratory created diamonds and other gemstones, which are molecularly identical to their mined versions. If lab created diamonds had been available when I got engaged we certainly would have chosen one

It is you that has to wear it and look at it every day so only your opinion matters wrt appearance. Some people are being really quite rude in their comments.

As far as mined vs lab grown diamonds go I'd avoid a new mined diamond, the industry is dreadful. If you don't want a lab grown diamond please get an antique diamond instead, you'll get more for your money and it's more environmentally friendly.

@Louise123uk just out of interest why not lab grown diamonds?

For me, it's a little too much. I oreger something more 7nderstayed. I also don't see how a wedding ring would sit on top or under it. However, we all have different tastes.

Often inflated by more than twice the 'true' value. Provided at the point of sale to gull the naive. I saw one that had a retail of £12,500, insurance of £30,000 and sold post divorce for £800. I tried to tell the friend of the bride at the time pre-purchase but received second-hand hostility. All the 'value' was in the brand name and the overpriced stone.

The second ring is nicer Imo, but which one do you like more??

One downside with lab-grown diamonds is that I suspect there will be no long-term value even in apparently high quality, large stones as the cost of manufacturing reduces to trivial amounts. Again opinion but I suspect large, high quality mined stones will retain more value in the long-term. Although the ethics of mined stones can be grim, I suspect it will become a fake v real valuation situation.

Stunning, but it won't be me wearing it.....

I prefer this one actually. Who said it looks like a dress ring? Surely any ring with a gem is a dress ring anyway!?

I would hold fire and keep thinking. Choose something you’re sure about. Some jewellers will let you borrow them for a few days to try!

I think it looks tacky and too bling

But lab created diamonds are not ‘fake’. They are molecularly identical to mined diamonds.

Also, mined diamond jewellery does not hold its value particularly well. Just try selling your engagement ring back to a jeweller after a year to test that theory. This is the reason that vintage diamonds and fine jewellery bought at auction is such good value compared to new, retail jewellery.

@poetryandwine I have quite a collection of vintage jewellery, I love tracking down great pieces and the workmanship is often high quality. I have one current brand I really like but buy at Bicester Village. It’s not high street and is design led. I have also bought a couple of pieces from a local maker. Not rings but I love her designs.

I have to say I would not buy lab grown diamonds but accept the scientific evaluation! I think pre owned ones can be more interesting in many ways. Retail prices are artificially high so buying used jewellery definitely makes sense to me.

I agree in part. I agree mined diamonds don't all keep value hence my repeated references to size and quality of the stones as most mined diamonds are practically worthless (which many only discover when they try and sell their engagement ring post divorce).

I suppose I was trying to use fake v real as an analogy. I know chemical similarity though the difference is perceptible on anlysis due to imperfections in the mined and artifacts in the manufactured but I suspect in the future, the cost of production of synthetic or manufactured diamonds will tend to zero-ish hence the resale value for currently somewhat expensive though cheaper manufactured diamonds will trend to zero too.

Purely opinion on my part but I wouldn't pay significant sums for synthetic diamonds now. I also wouldn't pay significant sums for mined diamonds now, both for the ethics and because their prices will probably drop too except for exceptional stones (hence my continual references to size and quality).

Trying to explain by analogy again, fake Hermes Birkins and Kellys or Chanel flaps might become completely indistinguishable from the real but I suspect they wouldn't have the same second hand value, just that Hermes and Chanel will continue the arm's race of authenticity with most sophisticated labellign and tracking.

Personally, I don’t like it, understated is more my taste but ultimately it’s about what you like! But your budget is more than we spent on an engagement ring and both wedding rings, so the opinion of a random person like me isn’t all that useful. Pick something you like and can see yourself still loving many years down the line.

A poor comparison again but I vaguely recall a court case regarding the authenticity of a classic car (blower Bentley race car) where the inclusion of a tiny percentage of minimal original parts given the crashes and repepairs to race cars over the years enabled the same car to be either worth many millions more pr otherwise. People are irrational in 'fake v authentic' is what I'm trying to say and my worthless opinion is that synthetic gems will ultimately have a value that tends to zero. Not to say an individual item might not have value just like a few pieces of costume jewellery might have if the design or manufacturer has value, even if most costume jewellery doesn't.

If you're thinking about the resale value of your ring then you probably shouldn't be getting engaged. Shouldn't matter what the monetary value is if you're planning to have it forever.

No. It looks a bit too sparkly.

It’s a no from me. You can’t go wrong with a platinum band and a sparkly solitaire. Every day class.

I agree though IME, several bride to bes / brides to be have boasted how much their ring is worth/how much more the insurance value is already than the price they negotiated. Engagement rings and wedding bands are usually the most profitable items for high street shops.

Reminds me of the Vivienne Westwood logo, I love it. You will need to get a wedding ring specially made though, so bear that in mind.

People who put so much focus on how much the ring cost will probably find themselves divorced, so I guess they should care about resale value.

I have no idea how much my engagement ring cost. I also have no idea if it's natural or lab grown or what colour or clarity it is and I don't care. I know that my husband picked out a beautiful ring that's just my style and that he wants to spend the rest of his life with me. The only thing you'll find me boasting about is how lucky I am to have such an amazing husband. If you're boasting about the price of a piece of jewellery you can't have much else going on in your life.