History of an engagement ring...
There are a number of stories regarding how we came to wear engagement rings so here are a few ....
Believed to be a Roman tradition where wives wore rings attached to small keys indicating their husbands ownership.
Worn on the third finger of the left hand as the vein from this finger ran directly to the heart. Vein of love "Vena amoris"
It is believed that a Roman bride would have been given two rings. One of which was made of gold to be worn only when in public and one made from iron to be worn whilst at home attending to the daily housework and chores.
In 1477 the Archduke Maximilian of Austria commissioned the very first engagement ring for his beloved Mary of Burgundy, which happened to be a diamond.
And our favourite
A diamonds sparkle and purity have since become symbols of a man's commitment to the woman he loves.
When it comes to buying the perfect engagement ring there’s more to it than meets the eye to each ring, but we are here to help you along the way. Here are some questions we get asked on a weekly basis...
Platinum is the most desirable metal for an engagement ring, due to its durability, however yellow gold and white gold are popular.
Platinum is a hard wearing metal which does not diminish in colour, unlike white gold that does need a little upkeep and may have to be rhodium plated.
Read more about the different types of metals available here
Diamond, Sapphire and Ruby are the top three gemstones which are most popular for engagement rings as they are the three hardest gemstones on the MOHS scale (a scale of mineral hardness, it determines which minerals can scratch other minerals)
Emeralds, Opals and Pearls are stones that we would advise against for engagement rings as due to the structure of the stones they are not strong enough for day to day wear and should be worn for occasional use.
They refer to multiple aspects of a ring: clarity, cut, colour and carat. We have put together a handy guide explaining all about them.
It’s not crucial for us to know the size when you purchase a ring but it can certainly help! Most of our rings tend to need to be resized as they are antique pieces. However you do not need to worry we can guide you through the process. Once you have purchased a ring we can resize it before you have popped the question or after when you and your fiance can come into the shop and we can measure the engagement ring finger correctly. We will alway endeavor to have the ring back to you as soon as possible; it normally takes between 7 - 10 working days.
Yes! We are able to place any item on hold for you to pay off in installments over a period of six months in as many payments as you like.
We offer a complementary clean any time you come in and see us and just before your wedding we can send the ring off to our workshop for a clean and polish, so it comes back looking brand new ready for your perfect day.
We offer a bespoke design service which we can give you a no obligation free quote to get your piece of jewellery made.
To read more about our design service and make an appointment click here