Goldsmiths, UK: The Best in Engagement Rings, Wedding Rings, Loose Diamonds and Watches, Gold, Silver (2024)

FAQs

How much should you spend on an engagement ring in the UK? ›

But despite this dodgy origin, a lot of people still use this to gauge how much to spend on an engagement ring today. The average monthly salary in the UK sits at around £2,863 in October 2023. So using the three month rule, the average cost for an engagement ring should be £8,592.

Consider Style and Durability

For example, gold has a harder tensile strength than silver, meaning it will scratch less and is much harder to bend out of shape. The added strength of gold makes it an exceptional choice for wedding rings and other pieces that you will wear every day.

Engagement rings and wedding rings are usually worn all the time, so silver being a softer, malleable metal it will quickly show signs of wear and is prone to bending out of shape quite easily.

Round- Still takes the top spot. According to GIA, more than 60% of couples choose a round diamond for their center stone. The round cut has been around since the 1800's making it by far the most popular year after year.

What is the average ring size for women? The average engagement ring size in the UK is M.

Yellow gold can enhance the appearance of diamonds in several ways. Its warm colour can create a beautiful contrast between the diamond and the metal, highlighting the stone and drawing attention to its sparkle.

There is no right or wrong choice when choosing a yellow gold engagement ring. 18k Yellow gold is rich in color due to its purity and strong enough for daily finger wear. If you're feeling the yellow look, love the classics, and want to wear your ring while you live your best active life, then 14k may just be the way.

High-grade colourless diamonds look stunning in white gold or platinum engagement rings, as any colour in the diamond will be more noticeable. A yellow gold setting can also reflect back yellow colour into a white stone. On the flip side a slightly yellow tinted stone can look great with a yellow gold setting.

White gold jewellery can become scratched, especially when worn on a daily basis. White gold's rhodium plating will wear away over time. You'll need to have it re-plated (called rhodium plating) to keep its 'white' colour however, this is a simple process.

Is it OK to buy a sterling silver engagement ring? ›

The short answer is yes, sterling silver is of good quality. It's a favorite for jewelers due to the signature color and strength of sterling silver vs silver.

Sterling silver is trickier: sometimes diamonds are set in silver. A designer piece (like David Yurman, John Hardy, Lagos, etc.) is likely to have real diamonds, but cheap silver will likely have diamond simulants.

Emerald Diamond Cut

“Emerald cuts exude elegance and refinement,” says Landau.

The ring features a three-stone design, symbolising the past, present, and future. The centre stone is a dazzling cushion-cut diamond sourced from Botswana, a country that holds special significance for Prince Harry and was the location of a pivotal point in Megan and Harry's courting period.

In English law, there's a presumption that giving an engagement ring is a gift, so the recipient should keep it. However, that presumption is rebuttable if there's proof that giving the ring was a condition in expectation of marriage. So, if the couple don't subsequently marry, the recipient should return the ring.

Diamond finance – one of the most recommended options, this allows you to easily pay for your engagement ring over the course of 6 months, 12 months, 18 months or more – depending on the cost of the ring you buy.

The average cost of an engagement ring is about $5,500, according to The Knot's 2023 Jewelry and Engagement Study. That said, prices vary widely based on the source of the stone, cut, clarity, setting, whether the ring is custom-made or off the shelf, and the jeweler, says Grant.

A $5,000 budget would generally afford you a high-quality ring with a well-cut diamond that balances size and clarity, while a budget of $10,000 might allow you to choose a larger stone or one with exceptional clarity and color.