Wedding rings - Dublin v London

bilko_con

Hi

I'm just wondering if there would be better value on wedding rings in london. I'm getting hitched soon and have a trip to London coming up and i'm wondering would it be better to wait and get rings there if i wanted to save a few bob.

I'm not looking for anything extravagant - the H2be would be happy with a copper pipe so he'll go for the cheapest in the shop! I would like something to match my engangment ring- 18ct white gold or platinum with possible a little diamond or two if funds allow. Just wondering if the value would be better in london?

The trip is unavoidable and was wondering if i waited till i went over there, might save a bit? Thanks

ABajaninCork

I think so. Go to Hatton Garden. You should be able to find something to suit there.

BizzyC

+1 for Hatton Garden.

That one street has more ring shops on it than all of Dublin.

Gatica

platinum is not the same colour as white gold, it's also significantly more expensive. Go with the metal of your engagement ring. Mixing is ok, but usually not recommended due to the different hardness of the metals, the harder one will wear the softer.

strongback

Went to Hatton Garden to look at engagement rings when in London on a trip about 10 years ago. I didn't think it had exceptional value. The price of gold/platinum and diamonds is fixed so these dictate the price. I ended up buying the diamond and setting separately in America as it seemed to me jewelers place a very high premium on sticking a diamond into a setting when selling a complete ring.

ABajaninCork

Jewellers don't just 'stick a diamond into a setting'! That takes skill and time. Which needs to be paid for. And it pushes up the cost of the ring. Did you haggle when you were there, or just pay the price?? Hatton Garden DOES provide good value compared to retailers in London/Dublin. It's the Jewellery Quarter after all.

In any case - the OP says she needs to go to London.

bilko_con

Thanks guys- I think ill def have a look in Hatton when I'm over there. Had a look at the weekend and have an idea what I want! So I won't make any decision till after London!

Feathers

if you're interested in high street jewelers, we got rings in H Samuel in January. Did the opposite of you though - living in London but checked Dublin prices when back at Christmas. London was around 30% cheaper on the same stock.

Presume wages/overheads also contribute to the price as well as god index & these still seem higher in Dublin vs the exchange rate.

strongback

ABajaninCork wrote: »

Jewellers don't just 'stick a diamond into a setting'! That takes skill and time. Which needs to be paid for. And it pushes up the cost of the ring. Did you haggle when you were there, or just pay the price?? Hatton Garden DOES provide good value compared to retailers in London/Dublin. It's the Jewellery Quarter after all.

In any case - the OP says she needs to go to London.

I used an online store in New York called Good Old Gold. I bought the diamond from them and I provided the setting. I was in New York and it took less than an hour for them to place the diamond in the setting which they did not charge me for.

Believe me I did my homework before making the purchase. The Pricescope website is very good. America was much cheaper than anything I saw in London or Dublin. Read any diamond forum and it won't be long before you read of the incredible mark-ups jewelers charge for a complete ring when compared to buying a diamond and setting separately.

xpletiv

Much cheaper in London; in fact, I can tell you from experience, Dublin is the most expensive place for diamond rings in the world. The world. Yah...

Tombo2001

A blokes perspective on this.....

Do I know a cheap ring from an expensive one? No.

Will we be selling it? No.

We enjoyed going around the shops in Dublin picking out a ring. We were glad we supported local business. We shopped around and got the best deal we could get locally.

Do I regret that we could have flown somewhere in Europe and gotten a 'better' diamond for the same bucks?

No.