Alexis Dove’s Top Tips for Picking the Perfect Engagement Ring
Alexis Dove, voted Bridal Jewellery Retailer of the Year at the 2017 UK Jewellery Awards, runs through her top tips for buying an engagement ring – from planning to purchasing, she shares her priceless advice!
1. Where to buy
The options can seem endless when it comes to choosing where to buy an engagement ring, so think carefully about what you and your partner want – will it be as special if you know the ring may have already been bought by hundreds of others?
If you want individuality, we can help! Every ring from Alexis Dove Jewellery is truly unique, with each of our beautiful stones being hand selected before being crafted into the ring of your dreams – all right here at our shop in Lewes. In fact, we boast one of the largest collections of unique stones in the country; everything from sapphires to grey diamonds are just waiting to be given a new lease of life! We think jewellery is an emotional purchase, so we believe that every step of the journey should be a story in itself.
If you choose to go with a smaller, independent jeweller, you are going to receive a more tailored
and personal experience - go through all of the options, meet with them and discuss what YOU want. In our new Alexis Dove store we offer bespoke services and always recommend a phone call to discuss the initial details followed by an in-store appointment to make sure that we find or create the perfect ring!
2. Establish your budget
It is really important to decide how much you want to spend! There are no rules, there is no right or wrong answer, but setting a realistic budget early on will make life a lot easier for you and your jeweller - helping make your experience more enjoyable.
We create bespoke pieces on the premises so we always work with you to design the perfect ring, making sure the finished product is something that your love can’t say no to. My aim has always been to make buying jewellery fun and exciting, not intimidating or scary; an experience that you can treasure forever.
3. Pay attention
So, you’ve decided to propose, now is the time to pay extra close attention to everything your loved one says and does...what colours do they wear? Does your partner love things with history? Skin tone, hair colour and eye colour are also key details to consider -take in as many details as possible, they are vital when it comes to picking the perfect shape, style and stone!
Our hand hammered rings are perfect for someone with a relaxed, bohemian style, whereas our round old mine cut diamond might be better for someone looking for classic 
romance... do they wear silver, gold or rose gold, are they going to want a simple beauty with one show stopping stone or a cluster of smaller stones? Every detail is key!!
4. Pick a story, not just a ring
For me, engagement rings, wedding rings and fine jewellery has always been just as much about the story we want to tell, as is it about the way it looks. I have never bought stones just because they look nice and rarely have the 4 ‘C’s in mind when I am searching out the perfect piece – instead I want something that tells the tale of where it has been, looks so unique you know no one else would have anything similar and mostly, something that is going to be cherished by the person it will one day be made into a piece for – brilliant cut solitaire diamond rings just don’t give me the same feeling
5. Diamond or no diamond?
Coloured stones, unusual cuts, your grandmother’s vintage ruby in a modern setting? Millennial women care so much more about individual style, that it is almost becoming a rarity to see a single high shine diamond in a plain claw setting. It makes me proud that I am able to help turn a couple’s love into a ring that means so much to them, something that will be passed down for generations and never go out of style.
In store and on our website we offer so much more than classic white diamonds; cinnamon, grey and pink diamonds, sapphires in a multitude of tones, malay garnets, emeralds, aquamarines...if you haven't considered a coloured stone before then you should now!
6. Propose!
Before you do, just make sure to stop by and say hello to us at Alexis Dove Jewellery and see what we can design for you!
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