BUYING AN ENGAGEMENT RING
START WITH THE DIAMOND. THE RING WILL FOLLOW.
Most guides to engagement rings begin with the ring: the style, the setting, the metal. We begin one step earlier.
The diamond is the part that lasts. Settings are resized, remodelled and sometimes reset for the next generation. The diamond stays the same. So the best engagement rings start with the right diamond, and the ring is designed around it.
This guide walks you through each decision in the order we make them together. No jargon, no pressure, and nothing you need to know before you speak to us.
01 – NATURAL OR LABORATORY GROWN
Both are real diamonds. A laboratory-grown diamond is made in weeks. A natural diamond formed more than a billion years ago, and no two share the same history.
We work only with natural diamonds, because an engagement ring is often the first heirloom a family owns, and an heirloom should carry a story that began long before it was chosen.
02 – THE SHAPE
Shape is usually the first thing people notice, and the easiest place to start.
Round brilliant: the most brilliant, and the most classic.
Oval: elegant, and looks larger for its weight.
Emerald: long, clean lines that show clarity rather than sparkle.
Cushion, pear, marquise, radiant: each with its own character.
If you’re unsure, think about the jewellery your partner already wears, or simply tell us about them. We’ll suggest shapes that suit.
03 – THE 4CS, SIMPLY
Every diamond is graded on four qualities:
Cut: how well the diamond is proportioned and polished. It has the biggest effect on sparkle, and it’s the one we’d never compromise on.
Colour: how white the diamond is, graded from D (colourless) downwards. Near-colourless grades look white to the eye and cost noticeably less.
Clarity: tiny natural characteristics inside the stone. Many are invisible without magnification, so you rarely need the top grades.
Carat: weight, not size. Two diamonds of the same carat can look different sizes depending on their cut and shape.
The right balance depends on the diamond, not on a formula. That’s why we show you real stones side by side rather than a chart.
KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU’RE BUYING
Never buy a diamond on a description alone. Ask for three things:
An independent grading report from a respected laboratory. Ours are graded by the GIA.
A laser inscription on the diamond’s girdle that matches its report.
Its origin. Where it was found, and how it reached you.
Every De Vere diamond comes with all three.
05 – THE SETTING
Once the diamond is chosen, the ring is designed around it, never the other way round.
Solitaire: one diamond, nothing to distract from it.
Three stone: a centre diamond with two side stones.
Pavé: a band of small diamonds that frames the centre stone.
Then the metal: platinum, or 18ct white or yellow gold. Think about everyday wear, the colour of the diamond, and whether it will sit beside a wedding ring.
You’ll approve every detail through sketches and CAD before anything is made.
06 – BUDGET
Forget the old rules about months of salary. The right budget is the one you’re comfortable with.
Tell us the figure, and we’ll show you the best diamonds within it. Often a small change, such as a slightly lower colour grade or a different shape, makes a real difference to what your budget buys.
BESPOKE COMMISSIONS FROM £3,500.
07 – TIMING AND RING SIZE
Allow time. From first conversation to finished ring, a bespoke commission usually takes around 4-6. If you’re planning a proposal date, tell us early.
Don’t know their ring size? It’s a common worry. Borrow a ring they already wear on the right finger, or we can make the ring to a best estimate and resize it after the proposal.
HOW WE DO IT
THREE TO FIVE DIAMONDS, CHOSEN FOR YOU.
You’ll never have to scroll through thousands of stones. Tell us about the moment and the person, and we’ll present three to five exceptional natural diamonds for your budget, each with its grading report and origin, side by side on film.
The diamond you choose receives its own Legacy Vault™. Record the story of the proposal, and one day it can be handed on with the ring.
A FEW QUICK QUESTIONS, AND WE’LL TAKE IT FROM HERE.
NO COST. NO COMMITMENT.
PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL.
BESPOKE COMMISSIONS FROM £3,500.
A few quick questions, and we'll find the right diamond for your ring.
No cost. No commitment. Bespoke commissions from £3,500.
What's the moment?
Choose whichever comes closest
How would you like to carry it?
You can decide later
What's your budget?
No need to be precise
When would you like it by?
Anything you'd like to tell us?
Optional: who it's for, a shape you love, the story behind it
Founder-led · Natural diamonds · Independent certification · Private and confidential
Thank you.
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De Vere Diamonds Limited (trading as De Vere Diamonds). Registered in England and Wales. Company number 16212521.
Registered office: 45 Albemarle Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 4JL.
VAT registration number: 514608406. ICO registration number: ZC211926.
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