engagement ring design ?
Q.I am soon to propose to the love of my life :-) I intend to produce a personal design based on a few ideas I have, and get a professional jeweller to produce the ring according to my spec. However, my artistic skills are not brilliant. I was looking for advice/good resources for: 1. Basic ring art/design 2. advice on buying jewellery e.g. prices/quality of gemstones etc. 3. respected jewellers in UK (pref. london) who could produce my design
A.First, you should make sure she likes your design before you have it made up. Nothing like being given a ring you hate and can't take back. Try Hatton Garden in London. This is the best place in London for anything to do with jewellery. Can I ask a few more questions before answering yours in full. First do you prefer a modern or an antique style? If you prefer modern styles then the "Design Source book Jewellery" by David Watkins would be a good place start. You could probably obtain it through your local Library ISBN number is ISBN 1-85974-078-2 You could also browse Modern galleries such as Electrum in South Molton St. If you are more keen on Antique styles then the greatest resources are the collections in the V&A and British Museums in South Kensington. The best place to see Jewellery is Hatton Garden in London. But the best place to buy jewellery is to commission it from a designer/maker. I have to admit at this point that I am a designer/maker based in Wiltshire and so I am biased but I am also honest and will stand by my opinions. If you buy from a designer you can take your intended for a surprise day out. Visit the designer in his studio or have him visit you. You can look at some sketches and loose stones the value of which has been agreed before your intended sees them so no nasty shocks on the price front. Your intended gets a say in the design and you can perhaps have some specially meaningful words engraved upon the design as part of the project. Best of all the cost will probably be 30 to 50% less than a High street jeweller would charge. I know this as I see the mark-up placed on my own work when sold through the high street. Alternatively you can have a ring designed for you in secret and present it as a surprise in the traditional manner. Either way good luck and i wish you both all the best for the future. If you have any more questions I will be happy to answer them for you.
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