wedding rings

Arabel Lebrusan of The Vintage Ring Company gives couples three top tips on how to choose a vintage engagement ring.

Each vintage ring has a beautiful history attached to it, boasting mystery and meaning within them. There are design quirks and flourishes that immediately identify a ring as belonging to a specific period of time, but it will bring you a unique pleasure to find the one that is right for you. Almost like you were meant to find it…

Planning a wedding is hard and you probably have a million other things to do in preparation for your big day. However, your wedding rings are a symbol of your love for each other and will last forever, so choosing the right set is quite an important task. That's why we asked Emily Tebbutt, Jewellery Commercial Manager at Ramsdens Jewellery, to share her tips on choosing the perfect wedding rings for you and your partner.

Before you buy

Before shopping for the perfect wedding rings, it's important to have two things organised: ring size and budget.

A national antique silverware and jewellery outlet has revealed the cities of the UK that spend the most and least on engagement rings. Its research shows that unsurprisingly those in London spend the most, with an average spend of £8,000, and Burnley spends the least, with an average spend of just £347 per engagement ring.

A national antique silverware and jewellery outlet has revealed which cities of the UK spend the most and least on engagement rings.

It may come as a surprise to find that one of the most romantic jewellery purchases in your life loses its monetary value instantly. Yes, in the vast majority of cases engagement rings don’t hold their value. If you were to purchase an engagement ring in a shopping centre from a household named jewellers at around the £1000 mark, it is likely to be worth next to nothing after you’ve swiped your credit card - well, perhaps around £30. Buying your wedding jewellery well is important if you don’t want it to depreciate in value faster than you can say ‘I do’.  

Getting engaged and getting married are often the most romantic moments in our lives. However, people don't know if they are wearing ethical rings as they are not aware that the creation of beautiful rings can be synonymous with human rights abuses and environmental damage.

Here, ethical jeweller Tim Ingle reveals the truth behind the diamond trade, and the five questions we should all ask before purchasing a wedding or engagement ring to make sure it’s ethical.

The Virtue collection by Veale Fine Jewellery showcases gems united by a magnificent force that keeps them forever connected, a truly special selection exuding elegance. These sparklers are the perfect pieces for any bride-to-be, to those looking to indulge in diamonds or surprise someone they love with a carat creation – the Virtue collection is luxury without the label.

We caught up with designer James Veale to find out the hottest trends in wedding jewellery for 2019…

What are the emerging trends for 2019?

All I want for Christmas…is a DIAMOND RING. Four in ten British women are secretly expecting a Christmas proposal …but don’t hide it in the turkey!

A survey of 2,000 Brits by jewellers, Beaverbrooks, revealed that almost half of the nation’s women are DESPERATE for their other half to pop the question on December 25, with one in five admitting they would be ‘very upset’ if they didn’t receive a marriage proposal on the day.  

One in ten went as far as to say they would need to have a serious discussion about their future if they didn’t receive the diamond ring they were hoping for, and a dramatic 5 per cent would even consider ending their relationship.

In a first for the leading high street jeweller, this year Goldsmiths has launched its ‘Christmas Gift Collection’ offering a range of stylish gifting options from just £20. The gift collection will be easily shoppable both in-store and online with dedicated gifting areas, offering inspiration for those shopping for the women that has everything. Here, we take a look at jewellery trends over the festive period…

Layering

Following the success of its first luxury line, online tech jewellery brand Jewlr introduces a classic collection to their One and Only engagement ring range.

The brands original ‘One and Only Signature Collection’ which launched in November 2017 consists of six customizable engagement ring styles. With the brands first venture into luxury jewellery receiving a positive reaction from its customers Jewlr announces its plans to expand its range of luxury goods to offer customers a higher quality of diamond in classic styles.

Celebrate your love story by composing your own Compose by Clogau engagement ring that is as unique as you are. Discover your bridal style as you effortlessly fall in love with their beautiful rings, all of which contain arguably one of the most sought-after golds in the world— rare Welsh gold, as favoured by some royal brides since 1923. A completely new collection of stunning designs, you won’t be able to resist the latest styles of completely customizable styles!

Let us guide you through the simple but important steps to designing yours! 

Step 1 

Decide on your ring style 

For Lila’s, wedding season kicks off in July, with the most orders of engagement rings and wedding bands coming through in during this hazy summer month. So to keep up with all you heat-wave love birds, here is the newest drop of pre-loved pieces from our favourite vintage jeweller and some tips on how to buy vintage! 

• The Seller: Trusting the seller is essential, as this means you can be assured you're getting what you're paying for. Make sure you choose someone who is reputable, as the description of the piece is more likely to be accurate 

With the Royal Wedding just around the corner, Ripe Insurance have taken a look back at the gorgeous collection of Royal Engagement rings past and present.

Did you know?

The average Carat of a royal engagement ring is 9.8 carat compared to the UK average of just 0.5 carat.

With an estimated value of £150,000 to £400,000, Meghan’s ring is now the most expensive royal engagement ring in history, in comparison to the UK average cost of £1,040.

One third of royal engagements happen abroad, most recently with Princess Eugenie getting engaged in Nicaragua.

July is the most popular month for royal weddings with famous royal couples such as Charles and Diana opting for a summer wedding.

WITH excitement building and wedding plans well and truly underway following the proposal, it’s now time to start thinking about the all-important wedding rings. 

Your wedding bands are a significant symbol of your love and commitment towards each other and choosing the right ones should be a special moment that you can both treasure forever.

For those in search of the perfect wedding rings, luxury high street jeweller Goldsmiths shares its couples’ guide to choosing ‘the one’…

Narrow down your choices 

Goldsmiths believe an engagement ring is a symbol of eternal commitment; however choosing the dream ring can be a daunting process. It’s essential that it is not only the perfect fit in size but also the right style for you or the person you intend on asking to share your life with. For those searching for inspiration, luxury high street jeweller Goldsmiths has shared an insider insight into what the ring says about its wearer and takes a closer look at a selection of its most iconic styles…

Goldsmiths tells us what the ring says about the wearer

The Brilliant Cut – The Timeless Bride

WEDDING planning season is well and truly upon us with new brides-to-be on the lookout for unique and stylish ideas to ensure their big day is as special as it can be this year. The experts at Goldsmiths share their thoughts on what the latest bridal trends are in all things weddings, highlighting the luxury high street jeweller’s three key bridal styles for 2018 including Timeless, Vintage and Modern…

Goldsmiths Bridal Trends of 2018

The dress accessory