Help me choose a diamond ring

[Globules]

I want to treat myself to a diamond ring.

Budget up to £1k.

For third finger of right hand.

Everything I've seen looks like a wedding/engagement ring. I got rid of both those a few years ago and no desire to replace!

The most expensive piece of jewellery I currently own cost me £80, so I really need to be sure I like it before I splurge.

Any pointers for style please?

I sold a load of old gold stuff a while ago and went the jewellery quarter in Birmingham. It was quite a nice day and there were loads of different styles and if nothing else you'd get lots if ideas (plenty of people watching and characters, too!)

I also had my engagement made to my own design. Which was fun and I still love it (even though the marriage is long over!). A woman called Harriet Kelsall made it, and was lovely.

I like the boodles style ones

https://www.amipepper.com/shop/g9fnooi5mbdkl6nxjqlsbxklz2kcwc

you’ll get a lot more bang for your buck on the second hand market. I follow someone on fa ebook called Gale and she’s got a great reputation and loads of stock so you can describe what you’re looking for. I bought something from her a couple of years ago so can recommend.

I don't know what I'm looking for though 🤣

Thanks for the ideas so far. Lots to look through. I never knew there was such a big second hand market online.

Buy an antique.
If you buy a new ring, it loses value the instant you put it on your finger.

Tbh, if you can get out to a place with a few jewellery shops, it's worth going to get sized up and look at what's available. Pawn shops can actually be brilliant, as can any second hand jewellery place really.

Lots of new options out there but I do think high street brands will be more focused on the wedding / engagement styles.

No advice on style, apart from not getting a ring that will catch on everything, but buy antique/vintage/second-hand. Prices in High Street jewellers are marked up at least 300%, so you get a lot less for your money. Check out your local pawnbrokers. Also, and I am speaking as a retired antique dealer who specialised in jewellery, I think that the upsurge of lab-grown diamonds will eventually devalue natural diamonds unless they're really huge and special, so maybe consider coloured gemstones instead as holding their value better.

I'm the same, love antique and vintage jewellery.

wow really!

https://amandacoxjewellery.co.uk/home-mobile.html

I love her stuff … super classy

That's not strictly true. My rings are handmade & have more than doubled in value & i expect have increased even more now as last valuation was 2yrs ago

It was from the jeweller who made them & was the price they'd pay if we were to sell them then (which we won't!)

what about an antique navette style or long rectangle shape. can be diamond but won't look engagey

There are some fantastic antique ring sellers on instagram if you have a look! But go to a few jewellers and try some on to see what suits you!

https://www.woolleyandwallis.co.uk/
…have a fine jewellery auction several times a year. You can bid online.
They have a huge choice of rings (+ prices!) in their online catalogue which should give you some ideas as to what you like.
They had a ring recently whose estimated price was around £500. It sold for £1500 but I then saw it for sale in local jewellers for more than £3000! You can get some great bargains.

I would also recommend an antique ring - you will get better quality stones, and much better value for your money.
Consider when you want to wear your ring - if it's going to be worn every day you might choose something smaller, more subtle, that isn't going to catch on everything. If it's going to be worn when you're going out, or dressing up, then maybe choose something bigger.
And do look at different gemstones, unless you're dead set on a diamond. There are some absolutely stunning cocktail rings set with large coloured gemstones.
Look for an antiques centre that has several jewellery stands, go along and try some on. And enjoy the process! The more you try, the better idea you will have of what you really want.

Harriet kelsall is wonderful! I'm in Canada but somehow stumbled upon her store yrs ago.

Palladium white gold is another option as it isn't plated.

Try an auction site - I've bought several great pieces from Ross's and they ship to customers. They've some nice pieces in their current live auction
https://www.rosss.com/auction/jewellery-watches/934/?SearchString=&jcat=6&PriceRange=&OrderBy=&sold=a&offset=0

For what purpose did you have the valuation?
If it was for insurance the value to replace like for like generally goes up.
Id find it very surprising if a jeweller offered to pay double what they sold it for - unless the gold scrap value had doubled (diamonds are really difficult to sell back into the trade, and mined ones have dropped in value)

Do try a range of rings on and then look at them in the mirror. It sounds daft, but you will get a different perspective than simply looking down at your hand. I’ve chosen something by doing that which I wouldn’t normally have bought and I love it.

I hate shopping and browsing and trying things on. Always have done.

Doesn't help my hunt much, does it? 🤦🏻‍♀️

At least you don’t need to undress to try rings on! It’s difficult to see any other way you’re going to find exactly what you want.

I've been looking at styles online and got some ideas of what I think I might like.

Any recommendations in the SE of towns to visit for a good collection of second hand jewellery?

An 8 hour round trip to Brum is a little beyond my liking.

Would love to know what you’re looking for! I know I’ve mentioned this before but there’s a FB page with absolutely loads of 2nd hand stock. You can just tell them what sort of thing you’re after and they send photos. I’m glad you’ve taken your time - very exciting!

Brighton is good @Globules or obviously Hatton Garden, I live near Berkhamsted and there’s a couple of old fashioned independent jewellers that have lovely second hand jewellery, St Albans is the same with maybe 4 too, so 8 independent jewellers about a 20 mins drive from one another? Good parking in both places