Buying your engagement ring

Getting married is one of the biggest moments of your life! And the ring you choose today will last a lifetime so it’s so important to get it right. We have guided many prospective ‘proposers’ through this process; helping them feel confident in their design decisions and prepared, excited and ready-to-go in asking those all-important four words…. ‘Will you marry me?’

Our engagement ring guide includes our expert advice on design, how to size an engagement ring, what diamonds and precious stones to choose and how much to spend on an engagement ring.

Help! Where do I start with the design?

Some people know exactly the kind of ring they’d like to be proposed to with and make this no secret! Dropping hints, sending photos, or quite plainly ‘telling you’ what they want. Others are less definite – perhaps they’ve not thought about it yet, or they have ideas, they just haven’t told you! Either way you have a few options of how to approach achieving the perfect design.

Three stone trilogy engagement ring set with a oval cut diamond and two round brilliants making the distintive but classic look.

Oval cut sapphire takes centre stage in a 18k gold bezel setting shouldered by round cut diamonds which are set in platinum.

Emerald-cut diamond centre stone flanked by two baguette cut diamonds

1. Talk through your engagement ring design with our Master Jeweller, James Veale, and guarantee a surprise.

We’ve made more engagement rings than any other kind of jewellery, delighting couples every time. With a jeweller’s perspective and a tried-and-tested understanding of what works, James is always happy to share knowledge, advice and inspiration with you to guide you through the creative process of reaching the right design.

2. Ask friends and family for advice on the style and look of the engagement ring.

Asking family and/or friends is a great option for getting ideas for the engagement ring, although choose who you ask carefully (you don’t want to hamper the surprise!) and remember the decision is ultimately yours.

Think about who knows them well and who they might have talked to about what they like. Or someone who’s sense of style you trust. We are happy for clients to bring a friend or family member to design consultations.

3. Design the perfect engagement ring together once you have your ‘yes’.

We know everyone wants to blow their fiancé away when they propose. The thought of not having ‘the ring’ might sound unromantic. But it need not be! We can develop a branded presentation pack of your initial ideas and create your favoured design as a silver prototype engagement ring that you can propose with. After you’ve ‘wowed’ your fiancé with your new knowledge of diamonds and jewellery design, we can work together to finalise their ring in the perfect celebration of your engagement.

How do I get the engagement ring size right?

Engagement ring sizing is a common query. Ring sizes usually range from UK size I to P, with the average ladies ring size being an M. We will discuss with you where you think your fiancé would sit on this scale (i.e. how close to ‘average’ they might be). We also offer free ring sizing on all our engagement rings, and ring size can be adjusted without any noticeable impact on the ring.

Another route to making a ‘best guess’ at ring size is to secretly measure the size of an existing ring they already wear. On our guide to Ring Size Measurement & Ring Size Conversion Chart we have a printable ring sizer that you can place an existing ring on to find out its size. We can use this to guesstimate engagement ring finger size.

I know nothing about diamonds…

75% of us choose a classic diamond-set engagement ring. If this is you, you might have heard about the 4Cs? Colour, Cut, Clarity and Carat weight. This is the system used to grade diamonds so we understand how desirable their qualities are and how much they cost. We recommend anyone buying diamond jewellery has a basic understanding of the 4Cs. Our ‘How to choose the perfect diamond’ guide will take you through everything you need to know and James is happy to reiterate this and answer questions. Or if you would like to design an engagement ring featuring other gemstones, such as sapphires, rubies and emeralds, these also make stunning engagement rings. We also have examples of previous bespoke engagements for more inspiration.

…and precious metals

Other considerations to think about are the shape of the stone(s) in your ring (see our diamond shapes guide) and the most complementary setting for them to be held in (see our diamond setting guide). When it comes to choosing which precious metal to create your ring in, the main consideration is the colour – white (such as platinum or white gold), yellow (gold), or rose (gold). For more insight into the different metals see our ‘different metals to explore when creating jewellery’ guide.

How much should you spend on an engagement ring?

Traditionally, there is a 2-3 month salary rule – the engagement ring costing the equivalent of 2-3 months’ pay. However, this certainly doesn’t need to be adhered to and engagement rings are available across a range of budgets. The cost of an engagement ring will depend on a number of factors, including the complexity of the design and the stones you’d like to include.

Our Promise

All our diamonds over 0.5ct come with a GIA certificate, unless otherwise agreed. We recommend being careful with other gemological body certificates: standards can vary. GIA is renowned as the most consistent and stringent body in their grading, gaining them their reputation as ‘the best’. James is also certified Gem-A diamond grader and will advise on stone quality and properties and check all diamonds before their purchase.

Choosing The Perfect Diamond

Throughout history, the alluring sparkle of diamonds has been an irresistible temptation for people looking to buy jewellery. But with so many different options available, how do you know which diamond to buy?

Learn More

A Guide To Buying Fine Jewellery

We understand there’s a lot to think about when buying jewellery. As well as taking care of the design, our expert team is here to guide you through the everything else you might need to bear in mind, from getting the ring size right, to making the best choices for your budget and insurance.

Learn More

Contact us

Contact us via the button below, give us a ring on 01462 526446 or email us to discuss your jewellery requirements.

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