How to Choose a Jeweller

Everybody’s path to the perfect engagement ring starts in the same place; finding a style you like, and then picking a jeweller to get it from or make it for you. Here are some of our top tips for finding the best jeweller for your needs…

Ask Around

When it comes to how you want your engagement ring to look, you’re the one who knows best. But when you’re trying to make that vision a reality, there’s nothing better than a word of mouth recommendation from a friend. Especially when it comes to a piece of jewellery that means so much to you. Ask any engaged or married friends you have where they got their engagement ring from. If any of them start gushing about their jeweller, that’s a great sign; be sure to follow up with a Google search.

Match Your Styles

Jewellers are skilled craftspeople, and also very creative. Every artist has their own particular style, and jewellers are no different. The trick is to find one who’s designs best align with your own personal tastes. Browsing Instagram or Pinterest can prove very useful here; not only will you find some potential jewellers, you’ll also get a better idea of what you like and don’t like. Just follow the path of jewellery that you like, and it will lead you to a great jeweller! Don’t forget to save a scrapbook (virtual or otherwise) of designs you love; it will be invaluable once you find your jeweller.

Check Their Credentials

When you have a shortlist of potential jewellers, check out their credentials before you go any further. All decent jewellers will have plenty of experience, and won’t be afraid to tell you about it if you ask. Some will have qualifications from gemological laboratories, all will have several years of experience at a workbench under their belt, and without fail, they should have a thick portfolio of work at hand. Testimonials from previous happy customers are also worth having a read through. Ask as many questions as you like; that’s what they’re there for (apart from making or finding your engagement ring, of course)!

Ask About Their Policies

When you’ve hand picked your go-to jeweller from the bunch, make contact with them for some initial questions; this applies whether you’re getting a custom or pre-made engagement ring. Confirm their policies, such as their stance on conflict diamonds, where they source their materials from, if they have a refund or returns process, if there’s a ‘try before you buy’ scheme, free modifications or maintenance, etc. If they don’t have this information readily available or if they’re cagey with their answers, walk away (but don’t worry, most will be more than willing to reassure and inform you).

Have a Chat!

Now that the worst part is out of the way, you can get down to the fun stuff. Have a one-on-one chat with your jeweller about what you like and don’t like, what your vision for your dream engagement ring is, your budget (very important), and anything else that may concern you about your ring. They may sketch out some rough designs for you or show you some initial styles to get a better feel for what you’re looking for. They’ll also give you valuable advice, so listen carefully!

Once you have an established rapport with your jeweller, everything will be so much easier and you’ll have your dream engagement ring on your finger in no time!