Engagement Rings

magicface

Hi Guys,

Been going out with my girlfriend for 8 years now. She's 25 and im 24 and we have been living together in Dublin for the last 3 years and really wanna get engaged. We have spoken about it in the past. I am in college at the moment and have not that much money but have saved between 600-700euro for the ring. I would be looking for advise as both my parents are dead and only have one aunt and uncle both sides of my parents that are the other side of the world so havent really anyone to speak to about this! Where would ye recommend to buy a ring in dublin. Is 6-700 to cheap and want to give her the best I can! As she is the one I want to spend the rest of my life with!

Thanks,

Magicface

mrsmaths

Awww magic face....congratulations

Try Ernest Jones? There's a few of them all around

http://www.ernestjones.co.uk/webstore/browse/N/2+115+4294966838/

antiskeptic

magicface wrote: »

Hi Guys,

Been going out with my girlfriend for 8 years now. She's 25 and im 24 and we have been living together in Dublin for the last 3 years and really wanna get engaged. We have spoken about it in the past. I am in college at the moment and have not that much money but have saved between 600-700euro for the ring. I would be looking for advise as both my parents are dead and only have one aunt and uncle both sides of my parents that are the other side of the world so havent really anyone to speak to about this! Where would ye recommend to buy a ring in dublin. Is 6-700 to cheap and want to give her the best I can! As she is the one I want to spend the rest of my life with!

Thanks,

Magicface

Hi MF,

You'd likely get a very nice ring if you stayed away from diamond (the price of which is mostly made up of hype - diamonds instrinsic value outside the hype being a fraction of what you end up paying ). You could even perhaps get something custom made (but perhaps steering clear of anything too modern as fashions will move whereas the engagement ring could be worn forever).

If unable to cleave away from diamond altogether, you might do well to consider a ring with a non-diamond centre stone (ruby, topaz, emerald - depending on your fiances preferring colour/cut) surrounded by tiny (cheap!) diamonds.

magicface

Hi Guys cheers for your help so far its has really helped. I really liked some of the stuff on the Ernest Jones website going to go in to the grafton street store on Sunday. We both are happy with been boyfriend and girlfriend and but I think we are ready for the next step and she has been my rock over the last few years so I want to try and pay her back this way and I know she will be delighted! Antiskeptic where would ya get some more info on the stuff you are talking about!

antiskeptic

magicface wrote: »

Hi Guys cheers for your help so far its has really helped. I really liked some of the stuff on the Ernest Jones website going to go in to the grafton street store on Sunday. We both are happy with been boyfriend and girlfriend and but I think we are ready for the next step and she has been my rock over the last few years so I want to try and pay her back this way and I know she will be delighted! Antiskeptic where would ya get some more info on the stuff you are talking about!

Congrats by the way. I was a late and somewhat cynical entrant into the notion of engagment/marriage but found the whole exercise attracting a unexplainable significance. Hope it goes that way for you guys too.

Trying antique jewellary shops would be your best bet I imagine - in which case I'll take the opportunity to plug someone.

Not knowing them from Adam, we went to Gray's Jewellers a few doors up from (rather snobby) Applebys (off Grafton St). This appears to be a small, family run outfit who don't push stuff down your throat and won't look down their nose at you - whatever your budget.

We got our engagement ring there and went back a year later to ask advice about a Russian wedding ring (in this case, 3 simple gold rings interlocked) - no one seemed to make them with the same (white) coloured gold for each band. They said they could get one made up - without obligation. Great stuff. The ring was made up and a try-on done. Then I lost my job close to the wedding and we phoned up to cancel the ring. Grays sympathised and suggested they get a silver version made (for 90 quid for crying out loud!) and that if we ever wanted a gold one we could come back in the future - they'd could break up the gold ring into individuals and sell them on in the meantime. Nice folk with a nice way of doing business.

I'm sure they'll point you in the right direction if they can't help you themselves

How Strange

I was in the Quays shopping centre in Newry today and we looked in a jewellers window out of curiosity as we're already engaged but we noticed that all rings seemed to be half price or less. You'd definitely get something there for your budget. Nice rings too.

magicface

How Strange wrote: »

I was in the Quays shopping centre in Newry today and we looked in a jewellers window out of curiosity as we're already engaged but we noticed that all rings seemed to be half price or less. You'd definitely get something there for your budget. Nice rings too.

Cheers might be worth a look alright! Thanks for all the advice so far thanks!

Pherekydes

How Strange wrote: »

I was in the Quays shopping centre in Newry today and we looked in a jewellers window out of curiosity as we're already engaged but we noticed that all rings seemed to be half price or less. You'd definitely get something there for your budget. Nice rings too.

Bought wedding rings in Jack Murphy's in Hill St, Newry. Much cheaper than down south. I'd imagine you'd save even more on an engagement ring.

Toots

If you're in Grafton St, have a look in Fields too, I got my ring there and they were just so lovely do deal with. Our budget wasn't massive either and they had a lovely selection of rings. It's a good time to buy now cos you would probably get a bit more for your money what with shops dropping prices and the sales being on now too.

Intothesea

Have a look when you're in town at the very last jeweller on Johnson's court (the lane between Grafton street and the Powerscourt centre) on the Powerscourt centre side. It's a small place stuffed to the garters with antique and estate pieces, usually very nice colored-stone and diamond rings and not crazily priced either. Maybe that could be a winner if your gf likes jewellery with a bit of history The cheapest new jewellers I've found in Dublin are http://www.diamondsandgoldireland.com/ . Best of luck with the hunt!

ETA: If you're interested in online purchasing these guys are great to work with (will send replacement ring free of charge if anything should happen to your package). Here's a 0.45 ct solitaire (G/H SI1) in white gold for 693 Euros: http://www.israel-diamonds.com/product/Ring/sg/35463.aspx?src=MetalDDL

Rylan

antiskeptic wrote: »

Not knowing them from Adam, we went to Gray's Jewellers a few doors up from (rather snobby) Applebys (off Grafton St). This appears to be a small, family run outfit who don't push stuff down your throat and won't look down their nose at you - whatever your budget.

Must say I personally found applebys brilliant. Very friendly staff who were very eager to help. Not pushy at all. And I was not spending a fortune either. That said situations can vary from person to person. I was recommeded another dealer (o'Connors) as being brilliant and I found them absolutely horrendous.

Smoggy

my suggestion for the best value and most customisable is to buy a loose gem, the retailer will more often than not be able to show you ring and clasp types in a variety of metals.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GH-VVS-0-45-Ct-loose-Round-Brilliant-Solitaire-Diamond_W0QQitemZ170366945757QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLoose_Gemstones?hash=item27aaa949dd

The only issue is that you cant see it before you buy it.

FrancisF

I have to agree with Rylan. I know this industry as I worked in it for twenty years and have been to a few jewellers in Dublin, I can easily say that Applebys are the best by far. My sister was just like you magicface, She got engaged a good few years ago with Applebys. At the time he was a student and she was working in her first Job. When they had more to spend (the Tiger years were good to them) Applebys used the old ring as a basis to make a new one, they used all her original stones plus some new ones, they also melted the gold and made a new ring. You should see what she has now, all I can say is wow!

magicface1

Hi guys just giving ye all a update that replied to this male(sorry about username I forgot my last password). Bought the ring in Enerst Jones on Wednesday and proposed today and with my complete happiness she said yes. I am now the happiest person in the world and serious can't stop smiling since!

dammitjanet

magicface1 wrote: »

Hi guys just giving ye all a update that replied to this male(sorry about username I forgot my last password). Bought the ring in Enerst Jones on Wednesday and proposed today and with my complete happiness she said yes. I am now the happiest person in the world and serious can't stop smiling since!

Ah congrats!!!! :D:D:D

Toots

magicface1 wrote: »

Hi guys just giving ye all a update that replied to this male(sorry about username I forgot my last password). Bought the ring in Enerst Jones on Wednesday and proposed today and with my complete happiness she said yes. I am now the happiest person in the world and serious can't stop smiling since!

That's brilliant! Congratulations!!

mrsmaths

Awww that's great news. Congratulations!