Engagement Ring Buying Guide
Find your perfect engagement ring at Hill & Hill The Jewellers. Choose from our handpicked collection of classic designs, or go for something truly unique with a bespoke engagement ring designed exclusively by us. The build-up to Christmas, New Year’s Eve and even Valentine’s Day are the busiest times of year for buying an engagement ring, and we understand taking the first steps to finding the right ring can feel daunting. For many men, it might even be the first piece of jewellery they’ve ever bought!
At our shop in Altrincham, South Manchester, you’ll find an open, relaxed environment where you can come and choose from our carefully curated selection of engagement rings, or have a ring specially designed just for you, without feeling intimidated or out of your depth.
We pride ourselves on being different from all other jewellers; we make the process of buying an engagement ring an exciting, fun, stress-free process, by doing away with many of the old formalities you might find in a traditional jewellery shop. The whole process will feel accessible and inclusive, and we also pride ourselves on being part of so many same sex wedding stories.
We have a promise: we’ll always be able to find, or create, the perfect ring for your fiancée-to-be, to the very highest quality, within your price range. Read on to find out everything you need to know about buying an engagement ring at Hill & Hill The Jewellers.
Where to start with buying an Engagement Ring
The best place to start with buying an engagement ring from any jeweller is to read the reviews. We have nearly 100 reviews, all of which are 5-star, from extremely happy customers who have bought an engagement ring from us, or had one designed and made by our in-house jewellery designers.
When you’re buying precious jewellery, especially wedding jewellery, you need to trust your jeweller. With Hill & Hill The Jewellers, you are in very safe hands.
How much should you spend on an Engagement Ring?
Let’s start with the good news: the old adage that you have to spend three months’ wages on an engagement ring is not true. That was thought up by advertising folk for a big brand years ago. So how much should you spend on an engagement ring?
To work out how much you’d like to spend, start by thinking about your partner’s style, and what their expectations would be. Maybe they’ve dropped hints that they’d love a giant diamond, or perhaps they’d like something timeless. You might know they love all things vintage, or have expressed a desire to have a lab-grown diamond.
Before coming in to see us, you also need to do some detective work! Trying to get the ring size of their wedding ring finger can be tricky, especially if you’re trying to plan a surprise proposal. (Pssst…it’s the fourth finger on the left hand.) Does your partner have any other rings we could measure? Even if you have to make a guess, we’ll always resize if the ring doesn’t fit exactly.
Once you have an idea of what your partner might like, and maybe their ring size too, set your price, and our team will find the perfect ring for you. Alternatively, you can go one step further, and have a custom engagement ring designed and made by us, especially for you.
How to design an engagement ring step-by-step
Our customers love how accessible we’ve made having a bespoke engagement ring designed and made by us. Customers love the process from sitting down to select the right shape of diamond, or precious stone, to sketching out designs, with lots of input from you.
You’ll see from our dozens of great reviews for our custom engagement ring service that everyone loves our attention to detail and genuine care that you get the right ring for you, for the right price. If you do choose to go down this route when buying an engagement ring, here’s what you can expect:
Step 1: The 4Cs
The starting point for any engagement ring is always the diamond and its shape. When you’re choosing a diamond, you’ll hear a lot about the 4 Cs, which stand for Cut (shape), Colour, Clarity and Carat.
Cut – the most popular cut or shape for engagement rings is Brilliant Cut, followed by other timeless favourites like Oval and Pear Cut.
Colour – diamonds are graded on their colour; the least expensive are yellowish, and the most expensive are totally colourless.
Clarity – this refers to the stone’s natural sparkle. If there are lots of natural inclusions, this can make a stone dull and therefore lower grade. A totally clear diamond will be the most expensive type of diamond.
Carat – the size or weight of the diamond.
Step 2: Select your stone
Once you’ve chosen the shape, clarity and colour of your diamond, we can then show you a selection of rings from our collection. If you’re choosing to have a bespoke engagement ring, then we can bring in the very best diamonds for you to choose from. It’s worth remembering that, to the naked eye, the variance in colour and clarity is often barely noticeable, so the most important thing is to go with your heart – if you see a diamond you love, then that’s the one.
Lab-grown diamonds are also becoming increasingly popular, even though they’ve been around for years. They’re a fantastic alternative to traditional mined diamonds, and they’re seen as a more socially and environmentally conscious option.
Lab-grown diamonds have the same chemical compound as mined diamonds, so they’re essentially real diamonds; however, they’re produced in a lab, meaning the process of making them is far less labour-intensive with less impact on the environment. As a result, they’re about one-third of the price of a mined diamond.
And because they’re made in a laboratory, their clarity and colour is perfect. So if you’re looking for maximum sparkle, you could get a much bigger and brighter stone for the same price, and no one will be able to tell the difference!
Step 3: Design your ring
Once you’ve decided which stone or diamond you’d like, our award-winning jewellery designers will build an engagement ring around that stone.
The bespoke engagement ring design process is extremely relaxed and thorough, and our designers are highly experienced, expertly helping you through every stage. We’ll help you to choose the right setting, the detail on the shoulders of the ring and the best precious metal, all to maximise the impact of the diamond you choose. We promise you’ll always end up with the perfect ring when you choose Hill & Hill The Jewellers.
How long do custom engagement rings take to design & make?
Once the sketches for your bespoke ring have been designed and agreed, we’ll create a 3D image to show you how your ring will look, and we can tweak the final design if necessary. After it’s signed off, your finished ring will arrive within 4 to 6 weeks.
There’s always huge excitement in store when a bespoke engagement ring arrives, especially when you get to see it for the first time! Tears are often shed – by staff as well as customers, (we’re all romantics at heart!) – and we all agree without doubt that this is the best bit of our jobs.
We’re here to make the experience of buying an engagement ring extra special, so we’ll add in free engraving too. At a later date, we can add the time and date of your proposal to the inside of your ring free of charge
Vintage engagement ring buying advice
The fashion and demand for beautiful pre-loved high-end vintage jewellery is still going strong, and buying an engagement ring that’s pre-loved means you’ll be choosing a piece that’s packed with character. We have one of the finest selections of hand-picked vintage engagement rings in the North West in our House of Hill Vintage collection, including stunning diamond rings.
We’ve sold many one-off vintage diamond rings as stunning engagement rings, and it’s a wonderful way to do things your own way. Vintage is more sustainable and, if you have a smaller budget, you can find a breathtaking ring that will be treasured for a lifetime to come.
Start the process of buying an engagement ring at Hill & Hill The Jewellers
If you’re considering popping the question soon, pay us a visit at Hill & Hill The Jewellers in Altrincham, on the corner of George Street and Shaw’s Road. Get the ball rolling on a stunning engagement ring that’s guaranteed to melt the heart and seal the deal.
