Engagement Rings - Online Retailers

SiD the Turtle · 16 Dec 2015 at 21:06

firstborn said:
Although the OP spec has now changed - another vote for 77 diamonds. Bought an eternity ring from them, great service.

To the chap that said H Samuel (if it was serious) don't!!!!

*Cough* the ring linked in the OP is a sapphire cluster

holymonk · 16 Dec 2015 at 21:42

When I proposed to my Fiance in July, I checked on here for advice. Best move I have ever made. I went with 77 diamonds, saved a fortune and its a certified GIA diamond. They even got it to within 7 days as I said I needed it pronto.

Goldsmiths wanted £4000 for a ring that cost me £2300 with 77diamonds.

Freefaller · 16 Dec 2015 at 21:55

Got a custom made one by someone I know who gave me a great price and therefore a unique piece of jewellery. Worked out cheaper but also more personal.

holymonk · 16 Dec 2015 at 21:58

I would also say with diamonds be careful of the certification and the company. I knew nothing about diamonds before I started but GIA certification is different for IGI for example, a colour I in GIA would be more colourless than a colour I for IGI.

Tosno · 16 Dec 2015 at 22:03

I got Mrs Tosno, a pink sapphire and diamond from http://www.thediamondstore.co.uk she was over the moon with it.

shadow_boxer · 16 Dec 2015 at 22:05

Freefaller said:
Got a custom made one by someone I know who gave me a great price and therefore a unique piece of jewellery. Worked out cheaper but also more personal.

Same. Had a custom one made by Victoria Jewellers in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter. Great service and a fantastic bit of craftsmanship. It was about a similar price to equivalent similar designs and specs online to be honest but the fact she got to design it herself and spec the stones etc was also a great experience. Certainly worth looking into imo.

PS Congrats.

john_s · 17 Dec 2015 at 08:47

We got our wedding rings from Diamond Geezer. Fantastic service from them.

I'd have probably got the engagement ring from them too, had I not only found them later.

Sandycheeks · 17 Dec 2015 at 09:26

Diamond Factory, Diamond Geezer, Blue Nile, 77 Diamonds.
I'm also looking atm, my wife broke her engagement ring a few months ago so decided a new one would be a good idea for Christmas.
Looking for a low profile one as she works with children and doesn't want to scratch everyone.
Only found 2 up to now but don't really like them, the wife told me last night she is going to go have a look in Argos.....Argos!

I have a modest budget of £1000 but the wife doesn't want me to spend even half of that.
I found a lovely 0.33 c /F/ VVS1 for about £400 at BN but don't want to buy a diamond if I can't get a ring to hold it properly how we want, ie low profile.

Also, to make matters a bit trickier...her wedding band and eternity ring are 9ct (she picked them) and wants a 9ct yellow gold engagement ring.

Richdog · 17 Dec 2015 at 09:30

shadow_boxer said:
Same. Had a custom one made by Victoria Jewellers in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter. Great service and a fantastic bit of craftsmanship. It was about a similar price to equivalent similar designs and specs online to be honest but the fact she got to design it herself and spec the stones etc was also a great experience. Certainly worth looking into imo.

PS Congrats.

This is also an awesome idea, as I think a woman choosing her own ring is the secret to lasting satisfaction with it.

It would be very cool to book an appointment at a custom jewellers and propose to her with a very plain and simple ring with a note inside explaining that this was temporary until she designs her own dream ring. I imagine that would work as a massive aphrodisiac.

Amp34 · 30 Dec 2015 at 18:26

d_brennen said:
I got a better idea... Go in an awesome holiday together and don't get hitched

Yep. Two rings and one day with annoying relatives, or for the same price you could go on a 2 week trip to Antarctica together....

I know which I'd choose!

Also OP, always found screwdix great for diamond rings, can get 4.5-8" ones as well which are far more practical than the small ones most get...

George Hincapie · 30 Dec 2015 at 19:10

SiD the Turtle said:
So it's time for one of those threads again... where to buy a ring. Living in London Hatton Garden is the lazy choice to search for a ring, but when did it get so skeezy? Yes it's always been overpriced but getting heckled to enter stores like I'm after a curry on Brick Lane...

What's people opinions on online retailers? For example this is the kind of thing I'm looking for: http://www.thediamondstore.co.uk/sapphire-230ct-and-diamond-100ct-18k-white-gold-ring-p18065c907.cfm

Hatton Garden is twice the price for something similar, and even though these kind of online retailers have money back guarantees I'm not super comfortable buying blind.

Thoughts/experiences?

If you aren't shopping on Old Bond Street for an engagement ring then you're cheap and classless IMHO.

Richdog · 30 Dec 2015 at 19:20

George Hincapie said:
If you aren't shopping on Old Bond Street for an engagement ring then you're cheap and classless IMHO.

What rot, don't be such a twonk.

fendi · 30 Dec 2015 at 19:20

is the ring still supposed to be 3x your gross monthly salary, or has that now increased?

Richdog · 30 Dec 2015 at 19:23

fendi said:
is the ring still supposed to be 3x your gross monthly salary, or has that now increased?

I imagine if you don't spend 5x your monthly salary then George <hincapie considers you cheap and classless... in his humble opinion of course.

np89 · 30 Dec 2015 at 19:27

Bluenile and Costco are absolute top. Be careful online that you don't get shafted with one of these clarity enhanced diamonds - not an issue at BN or Costco

Diddums · 30 Dec 2015 at 19:32

Richdog said:
What rot, don't be such a twonk.

I don't think he meant it seriously

NickK · 30 Dec 2015 at 20:28

bakes0310 said:
Blue nile looks good, plus I learned a bit more. Cheers ill book mark the site for when I need it in the future

I bought her engagement ring from blue nile. Great service and great product.

I bought the wedding rings at a local jewellers, as they had more choice and did a sterling job in matching the ring with engagement ring.

leaskovski · 30 Dec 2015 at 22:17

vincent1989 said:
You're only a short hop from the lanes in Brighton, some lovely jewellery shops there selling rings made on the premises. That's where I got my wife's.

Be careful of the turks though!

Got mine there just yesterday and got 500 off a 3k ring. Hope the mrs doesnt look at these boards! If she does... hah!

Richdog · 30 Dec 2015 at 22:28

Diddums said:
I don't think he meant it seriously

To be fair I have read worse meant in seriousness... sometimes hard to tell if you don't know the poster!

Gixer · 30 Dec 2015 at 23:02

I did not follow any 'price' guideline when I bought my girlfriends engagement ring a month or so ago. I earn a pretty much spot on average wage for my area and only spent 15% of my monthly net take home on the ring. I proposed whilst looking across the Alps at Mont Blanc whilst on holiday in Geneva last week. She loved her ring, in fact first thing she said, after saying yes of course, was 'You didn't spend a fortune on this did you as you know I didn't want that?'.

Not all women want a huge rock hanging off their finger. Hope you managed to find a ring that you think your future wife would like OP.