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How to Choose Your Engagement Ring

How to Choose Your Engagement Ring

Choosing an engagement ring as a symbol of your love is always a hard choice if you don’t know where to start. Has there been a moment where you thought...

 

 

18ct Yellow Gold Diamond Engagement Ring, £4,995
Choosing an engagement ring as a symbol of your love is always a hard choice if you don’t know where to start. Has there been a moment where you thought, how do I choose ‘the one’? Should I choose a single diamond or a coloured gemstone? It is very easy to get stuck in the cloud of what an engagement ring ‘should’ look like. However, there is no one engagement ring design. Your engagement ring is personal and individual to you and will be an extraordinary jewel for you to cherish for what is a lifetime to come. We offer an exquisite selection of ready-to-wear luxury handmade rings that are designed in London’s finest jewellery quarter - or you can book an appointment to design your very own exquisite bespoke engagement ring with our team.
You can read all about the advice and tips that we have to offer when it comes to choosing and designing your perfect engagement ring in our blog here below.
The first step is to consider your style, or, if you are buying for a loved one, the receiver’s personality and style of jewellery. As this will be a piece that your loved one will be wearing on a daily basis, it is important to consider what kind of jewellery the person already owns and wears regularly. There may also be a symbolic or sentimental value that you wish to include in your design. This can be expressed in the choice of the stone, such as the traditional choice of a brilliant diamond, as diamonds are said to symbolise everlasting love.
Our recommendation when choosing your diamond is that you bear in mind the 4 C’s:

CUT COLOUR CLARITY CARAT
Carat refers to the weight of the stone; diamonds and other gemstones are weighed in metric carats, with one carat equal to 0.2 grams (about the same weight as a paperclip). Do not confuse carat with karat, as in “18K gold” which refers to gold purity!
We suggest that you choose a high quality cut stone, above all else, as this greatly impacts the overall brilliance and beauty of the diamond - while balancing the colour and clarity of the stone to your taste. It is up to you to decide which components your perfect stone will have, bearing in mind your personal criteria and budget. To the naked eye, it can be difficult to distinguish each component of the 4 Cs (particularly clarity, where at the higher clarity end of the scale it is impossible to see any inclusions in the stone without magnification) - it is up to you how much importance you choose to give each criterion, but we suggest that your main consideration should be finding a diamond that looks and feels right for you. For our diamond engagement ring clients at Augustine Jewels, we gather a selection of diamonds tailored to their budget and specifications from which they can choose the one that they love the most to create their ring.
Or perhaps you would like to opt for a less traditional coloured gemstone instead, such as an emerald or an aquamarine? Modern brides are increasingly moving away from the traditional single white diamond ring and incorporating varieties of colourful stones into their rings to suit their personal aesthetic and taste. The arrangement of the stone, or stones, on the ring band is another aspect to consider that may add to the symbolic meaning of the piece or make the design more unique to you.

The next aspect to consider would be the colour of the metal which will be the setting of the ring. Does the wearer prefer yellow, white or rose gold? It is also important to think about if the engagement ring will complement the wearer's most loved jewellery that they wear every day.
Some people choose their own ring with their partner, others drop hints here and there, while others decide to propose as a surprise on the special day. If you would like help planning out the perfect proposal, you can get in contact with bespoke engagement planners The Proposers and they will help you plan your special day step by step.
If you are choosing the ring yourself or designing the ring with your loved one, this opens up endless possibilities and whole new doors of imagination. Perhaps you have been wanting to find the opportunity to reset an older gemstone or engagement ring that has been passed down by a family member, or maybe you have found a vintage piece somewhere and want to redesign it into your dream ring? In some cases, you may have already have an engagement ring which does not feel fully “you”; in any case we can reset or re-design the ring, to make it into a piece that will be worn and loved for a lifetime. At Augustine Jewels, our team of experts can help you do this - we are able to repurpose stones from an existing ring to create something new, while keeping the memory and attributes of the original piece.

You may also want to consider adding an engraving to your ring, for example the date of your engagement, your partner's name, or a meaningful message. At Augustine Jewels we will support you in the personalisation of your ring, from the initial design sketches to the selection of the stone and metal that the ring will be set in, and we offer complimentary engraving. We also provide clients with complimentary luxury packaging for their beautiful engagement ring so it can be presented in style.
The best place to start with finding an engagement ring is to go to an expert jeweller and try some rings on and see what you like and what you don’t like. Naturally, you will see what you are drawn to and which style and fit of ring you feel complements you and feels just right. Our ready-to-wear rings at Augustine Jewels feature an exquisite range of extraordinary coloured gemstones, natural pearls and brilliant diamonds, set in yellow gold, white gold, rose gold or sterling silver. You can book a complimentary professional consultation with our gemstone and ring design expert, Alexandra, and together you can start creating a ring that is right for you.
As a first step, to get you inspired, let’s discover a selection of the most loved engagement ring designs - and for those who want to be more creative, these can be reinvented with coloured gemstones or unusual gemstone cuts.
The Solitaire
The stone is the spectacle in this classic design. The solitaire ring is composed of a thin band which highlights the gemstone to be the central focus of the piece. You can opt for a simple metal band or have it encrusted with diamonds for extra sparkle. Either way, the central piece is still the gemstone, of which diamonds are the most commonly used. Some couples may be looking for an alternative to the traditional diamonds. We are seeing that coloured gemstones are on the rise and are becoming more frequently requested for bespoke engagement ring designs, as they bring depth of personality and sentimental value to the piece. For example, we are seeing that aquamarines, sapphires and emeralds are increasing hugely in popularity this year.
Aquamarine in 9ct White Gold, £595 | Diamond Ring in Platinum, £10,000 | Green Amethyst in 9ct Gold, £500
The Halo for Extra Sparkle
Halo engagement settings are also very popular. Halo settings add a circle of diamonds (or an alternative gemstone) around the centre diamond or gemstone of choice to add sparkle and make the centre stone appear larger. If the wearer wants to dazzle with glamour, she might like a setting that holds her diamond higher, or perhaps one that features sparkling pavé-set diamonds on the band of the ring.

 

18ct Gold Diamond Engagement Ring, £4,995 | 18ct White Gold Diamond Engagement Ring, £4,995 | 18ct Rose Gold Morganite & Diamond £1,500 | Yellow Diamond & White Diamonds in White Gold, P.O.A. | 10ct Pink Tourmaline & Diamonds in Platinum, P.O.A. | Diamond Pavé Square Ring, £999
The Three-Stone Ring
Three stone engagement rings are another prevalent alternative to the traditional solitaire rings. This setting style may represent a journey that the couple takes together, with each stone representing past, present, and future. This style’s beautiful meaning and unique look makes a three stone ring a striking and romantic choice.
Morganite with Sapphire Baguettes in White Gold, P.O.A. | Diamond with Sapphire Baguettes in Platinum, P.O.A. | Pink Pear Tourmaline with Green Chrome Tourmaline Baguettes, P.O.A. | Citrine with Diamond Baguettes in White Gold, P.O.A. | Pink Tourmaline with Diamond Baguettes in White Gold, P.O.A. | Aquamarine with Diamond Baguettes in White Gold, P.O.A.

Bespoke Ring Design
If you feel unsure of the traditional choices on offer and want to create something more original, you can book a complimentary bespoke design consultation with our founder and gemstone expert and designer, Alexandra. Come in and enjoy a cup of tea or a glass of champagne whilst you chat and together you can begin your journey of designing an extraordinary bespoke engagement ring, or come and peruse a selection of gemstones, hand-picked according to your specifications.
Citrine in Yellow Gold, P.O.A. | Yellow Diamond with White Diamond Pears in White Gold, P.O.A. | Diamond & Emerald Engagement Ring in White Gold, P.O.A.
The Bespoke Creation Process
At Augustine Jewels, we pride ourselves on intricate and beautiful bespoke jewellery designs. Our bespoke jewellery is hand-drawn to your liking before the design is placed into CAD, to allow for a more fluid creative process. Upon completion, you will be provided with a signed copy of your hand drawn design as part of the bespoke jewellery process.
We work with some of the most highly regarded diamond and coloured stone suppliers in the London, New York, and global gemstone markets. We specialise in investment gemstones and have recently sourced rare coloured diamonds, emeralds, natural tanzanites and Pigeon Blood Burmese rubies. Our bespoke jewellery service will offer the exact size and quality of stone you desire, including you in each step of the selection process. All diamonds and coloured stones over a carat in size will be provided with a GIA certificate.
All of our jewellery is handmade in the London Jewellery Quarter by the finest manufacturers and craftsmen. Our craftsmen belong to established families in the jewellery profession who have been crafting exquisite jewels for generations, and so their wealth of knowledge results in the most beautiful luxury jewellery. All platinum and gold is hallmarked with Augustine Jewels' own hallmark, as a guarantee of our exacting standard.
We will be exhibiting at Bridelux Atelier, a luxury wedding show, this September. We will be exhibiting our ready-to-wear bridal jewellery for brides, grooms, bridesmaids and ushers, as well as hosting brief consultations and taking bookings for more in depth bespoke wedding jewellery consultations - more information is to be announced very soon on this event.
Explore some of our curated ready-to-wear Collections
The Bridal Collection, shortlisted for Bridal Collection of the Year 2016 by the UK Jewellery Awards, was inspired by the delicate intricacy of Venetian lace. The elegant simplicity of the designs encapsulates the ageless romance of Italy.
The Diamond Collection incorporates a classic stone into contemporary designs, resulting in exquisite one of a kind diamond jewellery beyond compare. Choose from classic white diamond pieces with a contemporary twist, or opt for our unusual black diamond jewellery.

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