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Buying Engagement ring (diamonds) advice

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ZedPhwoah
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Buying Engagement ring (diamonds) advice

Post by ZedPhwoah » Mon Sep 30, 2019 10:05 am

saj77, Bought mine this year from www.qualitydiamonds.co.uk (Ray Morris was the salesperson); they have stores in Birmingham, Milton Keynes, and Hatton Garden... the ring comes with the Hatton Garden label which is always nice :thumbsup:

I didn't go in-store, I purchased online, very easy and relatively quick delivery... wife is massively happy :D

They will do a price match!

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saj77
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Buying Engagement ring (diamonds) advice

Post by saj77 » Mon Sep 30, 2019 10:15 am

ZedPhwoah wrote: Mon Sep 30, 2019 10:05 am saj77, Bought mine this year from www.qualitydiamonds.co.uk (Ray Morris was the salesperson); they have stores in Birmingham, Milton Keynes, and Hatton Garden... the ring comes with the Hatton Garden label which is always nice :thumbsup:

I didn't go in-store, I purchased online, very easy and relatively quick delivery... wife is massively happy :D

They will do a price match!
Thanks, will take a look

Just took a look!!!! A diamond on there is £2500 cheaper than 77 Diamonds for the exact same diamond!!!!
Last edited by saj77 on Mon Sep 30, 2019 10:33 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Buying Engagement ring (diamonds) advice

Post by Pastry » Mon Sep 30, 2019 10:31 am

I got mine made in Hatton Garden but tbf my brother in law is a Jeweller and has a workshop there :wink:

As above I think it’s a great idea and saved me a fortune. You can go and look at diamonds, choose one and they make a ring to suit :thumbsup:
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Buying Engagement ring (diamonds) advice

Post by Huzee4 » Mon Sep 30, 2019 11:09 am

There are lots of online and high street jewellers selling “laboratory grown” diamonds which are passed off as the real deal. Find yourself and old school independent that’s traded for years, offer cash if you can and you can negotiate a big discount. I bought SWMBO an eternity ring last December and when I offered cash the price at my jewellers came down by a third.
Good luck with your search :thumbsup:
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Buying Engagement ring (diamonds) advice

Post by Silverzedtom » Mon Sep 30, 2019 12:59 pm

I can’t comment on the companies you are interested in, although I agree with what others have said and would find an independent jeweller.

My other half found three different rings that she liked certain features of in a small jewellers in Brighton (vogue diamonds), but wanted to create a ring with certain features of the three. Luckily they were able to make a bespoke ring for her and were really accommodating - my patience was starting to run thin that’s for sure! The service was second to none, we also tried several of the better known retailers and as you have found they just seem to want the cash. A small jeweller is more likely to offer good aftercare too. As an engagement ring is hopefully for life don’t forget you might need to get a stone re set or replaced years down the line. Theres also things like free polishing / checkups, we tend to drop it off for a polish when we visit Brighton for the day, and the service is always great.

Good luck with the search, I’m sure you will find the right ring soon
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ZedPhwoah
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Buying Engagement ring (diamonds) advice

Post by ZedPhwoah » Mon Sep 30, 2019 1:48 pm

saj77, yep, as I say, very happy... certified, valued (for insurance purposes) etc etc.

link up with the guy I dealt with... all my comms was via email, worked a treat, but you can always visit a store!

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Buying Engagement ring (diamonds) advice

Post by sars » Wed Oct 02, 2019 2:08 pm

My partner and I were in a similar dilemma, we’d looked at the usual high street jewellery stores and had come away underwhelmed. As a second time around I wanted something clean and modern without breaking the bank (My previous ring was traditional) Like you I started a search online and came across Samara James, what I liked was that you could pick a style and then pick a diamond to suit your budget, and thus started a lesson in diamonds, that is the 4C’s carat, cut, colour & clarity. Once researched I contacted them by phone to discuss what I wanted and then I took their advice ending up with the best cut, slightly smaller diamond than I’d originally selected, a good colour and clarity. Ordered over the phone paying a deposit and then my partner and I collected in person six weeks later, it came complete with a diamond certificate too. The whole experience was easy, enjoyable, less stressful on Andrew and rather educational.

Best of all though is that I really like my ring and it cost less than if I had gone high Street, 40% less, as for Tiffany’s you’re paying for a name and not necessarily the quality of the diamond.
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Buying Engagement ring (diamonds) advice

Post by Busterboo » Thu Oct 03, 2019 1:30 am

This is an alternative route.

Remember that there's no such thing as a 'new' diamond*. They're all at least a billion years old. So, buying a 'new' one is nonsense.

Therefore, buy a 'vintage' ring - i.e. posh secondhand - for your beloved and either have the diamond(s) re-set into a new ring or, better still, have the original ring given a wash & brush up. (In reality, 'vintage' just means 'not recent'.)

You and she will get a lot more for your money and, very probably, better stones that are better cut, in a better setting on a better ring.

Jewellery is like watches - the usual shop mark-up on new is 60% and buying new really is a waste of money.

(*Diamonds are the most practical gemstones, because the others - emeralds (my favourites), rubies (coming back into fashion) and sapphires (still echoes of Princess Diana) - are just too vulnerable.)
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Buying Engagement ring (diamonds) advice

Post by greg81 » Thu Oct 03, 2019 7:57 am

Argos do some decent cubic zirconia you could check out

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Buying Engagement ring (diamonds) advice

Post by Phoenixboy » Thu Oct 03, 2019 8:27 am

greg81 wrote: Thu Oct 03, 2019 7:57 am Argos do some decent cubic zirconia you could check out
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Buying Engagement ring (diamonds) advice

Post by Mavster » Thu Oct 03, 2019 8:31 am

Phoenixboy wrote: Thu Oct 03, 2019 8:27 am
greg81 wrote: Thu Oct 03, 2019 7:57 am Argos do some decent cubic zirconia you could check out
:rofl:

You would definitely find out if she genuinely loves you or wants you just for your Zed ! :D Good advice yet again on here :thumbsup:
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Buying Engagement ring (diamonds) advice

Post by Phoenixboy » Thu Oct 03, 2019 8:38 am

Mavster wrote: Thu Oct 03, 2019 8:31 am
Phoenixboy wrote: Thu Oct 03, 2019 8:27 am
greg81 wrote: Thu Oct 03, 2019 7:57 am Argos do some decent cubic zirconia you could check out
:rofl:

You would definitely find out if she genuinely loves you or wants you just for your Zed ! :D Good advice yet again on here :thumbsup:
most probably would not know the difference.....
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Buying Engagement ring (diamonds) advice

Post by Angelus666 » Thu Oct 03, 2019 8:39 am

Diamonds are suuuuuuchhh a rip off..! My mate works on Hatton Garden and it's one of the biggest lies told to the world. They are not rare at any level. Most girls just want a decent size stone and a nice ring, don't bother with all that 4 C rubbish, it's made up to convince us to spend more on a VVSI Colour E Brilliant cut stone...it's all B/S.

Here's the cold truth.....if you pay £10k for a diamond at retail, walk into the next store and they'll buy it off you for 10% of what you've paid for it. :cry:

I've heard stories of people taking £20k loans to buy a ring....WTAF....spend what you can afford, no more.

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Buying Engagement ring (diamonds) advice

Post by ZedPhwoah » Thu Oct 03, 2019 9:50 am

Angelus666 wrote: Thu Oct 03, 2019 8:39 am ... don't bother with all that 4 C rubbish, it's made up to convince us to spend more on a VVSI Colour E Brilliant cut stone...it's all B/S.
errr... kind of, but you go for a diamond within the colour range J-Z and see how happy she is with a yellow looking diamond! :tumbleweed:
You are correct that you should set a budget beforehand and work within that; just prioritise the 4 Cs according to what's important to you. I personally went for: 0.75 Carat, F, VS1 GIA Diamond - very happy!

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Buying Engagement ring (diamonds) advice

Post by MrPT » Thu Oct 03, 2019 11:40 am

Went hand-made here as well (based on word of mouth) and it was good value once you factor in customisation, quality of service etc. I only work 5 mins from Hatton Garden so little tweaks etc were quick and easy. If you can source a diamond from within your own family, even a small shabby one, that will go a long way too - both sentimentally and financially!

People at work seems to use Blue Nile a lot. There's always the Haribo option too.
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