Engagement ring from high street shop?

[Bluesea14]

Where did you get your wedding ring? I have been looking at one in hsamuel and can't find anything similar online. Apparently high street shops should be avoided but I'm not sure we have the budget for an independent jewellers. Looking to spend around £1k. My local city has 4 independent jewellers with the average ring price of around £3k

£1000 is a huge amount for a wedding ring. Do you mean engagement ring?

Mine was made by a silversmith in wales. It’s silver with a rough sapphire and cost £300. I adore it!

Sorry for possibly being dumb, how is vintage better? Surely their practices were the same if not worse than today? ☺️

Mine was bought from Ratners 35 years ago! It was all we could afford at the time.

There are loads available online and in high street stores, as there are sales on at the moment. Can you get one designed for you?

Yes, probably, but we can't undo that. What we can do is stop funding it continuing. Don't get me wrong, it's not perfect, but it's better.

Second the JQ I went there for my engagement ring both times lol

Have you looked at Abelini? It’s an online retailer and we got mine from there - it’s lovely and was around the £1k mark. You can also go to the actual shop in London too.

Don't see it matters where it's from (ethical considerations aside, of course). It's whether you like it. Some poor couples feel forced to spend a lot of money to buy one from the "right" place, whether Boodles or whatever, but spending just a couple of hundred makes sense for a lot of couples, who would rather have the money for something else. Unless you're an expert, it's not easy to tell the difference between some rings that cost £200 and £20 000-even in the same shop, there are some that look so similar yet have such different prices.

From the other perspective, I found a cheap tin ring at a festival stall I loved and DH bought it (unbeknownst to me) and took it to a family run but still high street jewelers and they made a ‘fancy’ version for well under £1k.
maybe just have a look around for something you love and go from there

Mine was from the jewellery quarter in Birmingham. Platinum band with a sort of twist in the middle and some diamonds either side. Was £600

Are you on about wedding or engagement rings? I’m confused. My engagement ring was also from JQ and was £1600 I think

Both mine hinds. One was £500. One around £1500 but that was 20yrs ago

I love them both. Both diff designs as obv didn’t want the same

Surely it’s the thought and meaning that’s more important than the price?

admittedly I got engaged over 30 years ago but my ring came from a high street retailer and was less than £100. I’ve no regrets over it.

I have a funny story about this- my engagement ring is 30 years old from beaverbrooks (it was about £4k) Recently I had a very professional jeweller service it and he was checking it was natural not lab grown and he thought it was an incredible peices and he assumed it was purchased abroad near the mines 🤣

on the other hand we got ripped off ah Hatton gardens for wedding rings. We paid for x amount of platinum and a friend with jewellers scales weighted them and there was far less platinum in them. We got about £700 refunded

I got mine from goldsmiths or beaverbrooks...can't remember.

6 yrs on its looking good and very solid....

Tne sale is on so I'd crack on

Speak to London diamonds. Dovi is based in Hatton garden but you can do it all online

I'd probably go for a vintage ring. Much better quality and unique. Unless you want something particularly modern of course.

Secondhand all the way! There are so many gorgeous antique rings, and they are often higher quality and more affordable. My nicest jewellery has almost all been secondhand.

Also, these are stones already out there in the world, not being freshly mined. It makes sense ethically and environmentally to use them.

Since you can get next to no money selling your engagement ring I assume vintage / second hand is dirt cheap?

My engagement ring was from H Samuel, £45 25 years ago albeit not a diamond. It was all we could afford at the time and I still love it now.

Have a look at this on line jeweller.

https://fentonand.co/pages/engagement-rings?gad_campaignid=10494525745&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAC8ygFwz2VnZQS6aJzo2ewWwbNV8W&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiK2duPjZlQMVjLVoCR3duhzwEAAYASABEgK43_D_BwE&tw_adid=773666561967&tw_campaign=10494525745&tw_kwdid=kwd-842430080319&tw_source=google

Yes, I was going to suggest this too. Lots of auctions of fabulous rings and lots of antique shops/dealers selling beautiful rings too. Have a look first but don't be put off by 'high street' if you've seen something you really love and can afford it that's all that matters!

Vintage ALL the way! This is 2.5 carats, old cut diamonds, hallmarked for 1860. I bought it as it was the same year as my house 😊 in Hatton Garden (Ullmans - they are very famous and have an amazing online shop). I was walking past as he was putting it in the window, total impulse purchase though DH was looking for an eternity ring for me. This is platinum shoulders and setting but 18ct gold ring.

I ‘only’ paid £2k for it. Valued at £7k. Sparkly but old cut are nothing like modern diamonds which are super sparkly. I prefer the glow of the old ones.