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Have you ever wondered what you should do, if you hate your engagement ring. I know hate is a very strong word, and most ladies would be happy with whatever their partner chose.
But for some the engagement ring is their most prized possession, so it simply has to be perfect.
So if you find yourself in the position with an engagement ring that is not your dream ring, don’t panic. There are always things you can do to make sure your engagement ring is perfect – the way you always dreamed it would be. Here are a few options that you have up your sleeve if you hate your engagement ring.
If you are really unhappy with the engagement ring your partner has chosen for you. Telling him, when he is down on one knee professing his love for you, might not be the right time. Soak up the moment, and just enjoy the journey of being engaged. If you find that you still hate your engagement ring after a couple of weeks, then it might be a good sign that the engagement ring is not the perfect ring for you. If you decide that your engagement isn’t the ring for you, then you need to choose the perfect time to have the conversation with your partner. Choose a time when both of you are relaxed, a good option is after a romantic dinner, where you both have the time to talk openly.
Good communication is the key. Make sure you partner understands that it isn’t a reflection on the commitment you share to beginning your new life together. Understand that your partner, has probably put a lot of thought into choosing your engagement ring. Spent many hours researching and going from shop to shop, trying to find “The One”. It may have also been one of the most significant purchases of his life. Remember above all, he really wants you to be happy. Speaking from a guys perspective, i would want my wife to tell me, if she didn’t like something that i gave her. The worst scenario in my mind, would be to find out 20 years later that she never liked her engagement ring. Another way to explain it to your partner, is to imagine that they could only wear one shirt for the rest of their life, i am sure that they would want to make sure they really loved it.
The best option here is to talk to the jewellery store where the ring was purchased. Any reputable jewellery store that is interested in keeping their clients happy, will be invested enough to help you with find an option that you are happy with. The first thing to keep in mind, if you go down the path of changing your engagement ring is to be clear on what it is exactly that you don’t like about your engagement ring. The worst outcome, would be to change the engagement ring, to something new, only to be unhappy with your second choice, and have to go through the process again.
Sometimes the thing you don’t like about the ring might be only minor. If the alteration you are wanting is not to major it might be possible to modify it. Things that are easy to do, are things like changing the profile of the band. For example, if you ring has a flat profile or a knife edge, you are able to soften the edges and make it look more round, giving it a more dainty finer look. Setting heights can also be lowered, if you feel the engagement ring is too high.
Remember issues of the heart always need to be treated with care. So make sure you always tell your partner how much you love them. Pick the right moment, and if you think it might help, buy him the gold club set that he has been eyeing off to soften the blow.
Would love to hear your thoughts, If you didn’t love your engagement ring, how did you tell your partner, and what did you do?
So you have decided that it is finally time to choose an engagement ring. Whether you are the future groom to be and have popped the question, or choosing to find the dream engagement ring together as a couple, here are the 5 steps you need to follow when choosing an engagement ring.
Advice for the guys when choosing an engagement ring – This is ground zero and the first thing you should try and tie down. If you are going alone, try and choose a style that compliments her current jewellery tastes. If her style is vintage, then look for Art Deco designs. If she is more of a traditional girl, then a classic solitaire design is likely to be the winner. If you really get stuck, have a look at her Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram profiles. You are sure to find plenty of pointers there, about the style of ring she loves.
For the ladies – When choosing an engagement ring, try on as many different styles as you can. Look for the things you love in each design. A skilful designer will be able to combine all the different things you love into your one dream ring. You will know when you find “THE ONE” it will be the design that makes your heart skip a beat.
Advice tip – Don’t worry if you can’t find your dream ring in any of the stores you visit. If you could find it everywhere, it probably wouldn’t be as special and you wouldn’t love it as much.
At this stage of your journey forget about the diamond size, quality and budget. If you only ever look at a particular budget you might miss your dream ring. Once you have found your dream engagement ring, a professional jewellery designer should be able to customise your dream ring design to suit any budget or stone size.
In the beginning when you are choosing an engagement ring you really want to just focus on what shape diamond. Do you love the traditional round brilliant cut diamond? Or are you looking for something a little more modern in the princess cut? If your partner has long slim fingers than maybe a fancy cut diamond like the pear, oval or marquise cut diamond might be ideal.Also consider whether it is a single stone ring you are after, or whether you would like to have shoulder stones. If you are wanting to have shoulder stones in your engagement ring, explore all the options. Whether to match the shape of your centre stones to your shoulder diamonds is really a personal preference.
This can sometimes be one of the most challenging elements to balance. Do you go for a larger diamond of lower quality? Or choose a diamond that is slightly smaller and more brilliantly cut? At the end of the day, where the diamond sits on the 4C’s will not only tell you how beautiful the stone is, but ultimately how much it costs. While everyone’s preferences might be slightly different, it is important to compare a number of stones side by side, to see which diamond appeals to you the most. As a rough guide, try and stick with an excellent cut grade, D – F colour, VS – SI clarity, and wherever the size fits within the budget. If you really want to learn more about why one diamond appears more brilliant than another, the best advice is to go to a jewellery store with a qualified diamond grader. Someone who can break down exactly where your diamond sits in the cut and quality spectrum.
One of the common questions raised when choosing an engagement ring is whether to go with platinum or white gold. The usual advice that I give to new clients choosing their engagement ring is “Do you have a spare $1000 dollars?” As this is usually how much the upgrade to platinum will cost. If the answer is yes, then by all means upgrade your metal choice to platinum. If No, then 18ct white gold is still an exceptional metal choice. For some clients, it might make more sense to upgrade their diamond to a larger or better quality stone, rather than upgrading their metal.
This is the last thing I often go through with couples and men that I see when they are choosing an engagement ring. Once you have found the design that you love, it is really easy to make it with a different size centre stone. While some might have you believe that you need to spend 3 months salary (before tax and including bonuses), the truth is that you just need to pick a figure that you both feel comfortable with. This is something special that you are going to have for a very long time, and you want to make sure that it is something that you can be proud of for many years to come. Whatever your maximum budget is, spend it and try and get the best quality you can. In the years to come, you will never regret the money that you spent.
Above all else, enjoy the process of finding and choosing an engagement ring. Your diamond consultant is there to help guide you through your journey. It should be an experience that you will never forget, and one that will bring you happy memories for many years to come. If you would like someone to help guide you through your journey of finding your perfect engagement ring, we always on hand to help you. If you would like to make an appointment to see one of our diamond consultants, please feel free to email us
Congratulations, on deciding to have your engagement ring specially designed. Hopefully you have read about the various stages of having your engagement ring specially designed. The next question most couples have, is how much will my custom made engagement ring cost?
In a recent survey – 79% of people surveyed expected to pay more for a custom designed ring. Interestingly a staggering 91% said they would be willing to do so.
When hand making a diamond ring there are several components that need to be taken into consideration; the diamonds and stones, gold, setting costs and manufacturing time that form the final value. It makes absolutely no difference to the price, whether a ring has been custom made or not. If unique designs cost a little more, it is only because they take a little longer to craft and have used more materials. So you might as well have your ring specially designed so that it is everything you hoped it would be, and one that you will love forever. 
How much does it cost to have an engagement ring cost with a F Colour SI Clarity Excellent Cut Grade?
1. With a 0.50ct should be approximately $4800.
2. With a 0.70ct it should be approximately $6800,
3. With a 1 carat diamond approximately $12500.
This would include the whole experience from the initial design consultation, through the creation process to the final unveiling.
I believe that everyone should be able to have an amazing engagement ring that they truly love. An engagement ring is one of life’s most treasured purchases that you will have always. I am passionate about helping brides get their dream rings, without having to pay any extra, because it wasn’t there on the shelf. Make an appointment with our designer to have your dream ring drawn in 3D, at no charge and see how amazing your dream ring could be.
Are you absolutely frustrated with not being able to find your dream engagement ring design ANYWHERE? Have you been through a 1000 shops and nothing is jumping out at you. It may mean that you need to have your engagement ring specially designed, exactly the way you want it.
The reason you haven’t travelled down the road of having your engagement ring specially designed could be that you are unsure what is involved? How much it costs to have an engagement ring specially designed?
The first stage is to choose your jeweller. Ideally you are looking for somewhere, where they custom make engagement ring designs onsite. You also need to be completely comfortable with the look and feel of the store, and feel like they really understand your vision for what your engagement ring is going to look like.
The second stage is to sit down with a professional jewellery designer. A professional jewellery designer will guide you through all the steps, and give you advice on how to personalise your engagement ring design so that it is totally unique and special to you. Be prepared to answer a lot of questions. They should ask you things like; What you do during the day? What your design preferences are? (heights and widths of your ring) Do you want your ring to look like this or that? (two options are always ideal) After all you don’t know what you do and don’t always like, which is why you are seeking the designers help.
The third stage is the creating phase. Here the jewellery designer will work with your master jeweller to make sure the designs are being followed according to all your tastes and style. An expert designer will make tweaks and adjustments as the ring is being made, to maximise the WOW factor. You might also ask for progress photo’s of your ring to be sent to you, so that you can see how your ring is progressing. It is very easy to make adjustments to an engagement ring as it is being made, if you catch it early enough.
The fourth stage is the unveiling stage. One of my favourite parts of the whole process. Seeing the sheer joy on a fiancee’s face as she is almost brought to tears because the finished ring is even greater than she ever imagined it could be, is what drives me every day. Close enough is simply not good enough for me. I am aiming for nothing less than breathtaking.
If this is something that you would love to experience, please send me an email, or ring to make an appointment for a custom engagement ring design consultation.
Rhodium plating is something that is done almost every day in a manufacturing workshop. Because it is something that is done by hand, there are times when it doesn’t always work out as perfectly as you would like. Every good workshop should have someone who is appointed as a quality control agent. Here are the things that you should look for after having your ring rhodium plated.
This effect usually occurs when the ring has made contact with the metal electrode. It can sometimes look like a dark spot of the ring. This can usually be fixed quite easily by giving the ring a light polish in the affected area. If it is on the inside of the ring, the ring will usually not need re-plating.
Every time a ring is rhodium plated it draws some of the rhodium out of the solution (which makes the solution weaker) and makes the end result less white. This can be fixed by filtering the rhodium solution through a graphite powder filtre or topping up the solution with some new rhodium.
White gold solder generally has a slightly darker colour. When a ring is rhodium plated it masks this discolouration. If you can easily see the join line, it either means that the solder has been polished out though the process (as it is softer than the gold) or the rhodium plating hasn’t binded to the new ring properly. Unfortunately the only solution here is to re-do the whole process.
At Xennox Diamonds we make sure that all our work has been checked by our master jewellers to make sure your ring leaves our workshop as perfect as it can be. If for whatever reason you are not happy with any element of the ring, we will change it to make sure you are 100% happy with the finished piece. If would like an impartial second opinion on any piece of jewellery that you have serviced and are unhappy with the result. Please come in and see our jewellers any time, or email me at info@xennoxdiamonds.com.au Any other questions that you might have, please leave a comment below.
I think guys who are buying an engagement ring on their own deserve respect. It can be a really daunting experience and there is a lot of pressure to get it right. Over the last 20 years I have helped a lot of gentlemen choose a beautiful diamond engagement ring for their fiancées. Make sure when you are buying an engagement ring, you make it one she will love forever. 
If you think i have missed anything, would love you to post it in the comments section below.
Resizing rings is something of a daily occurrence for manufacturing jewellers. However it never ceases to amaze me how many times I hear from clients who have been to other jewellers that a ring can not be resized to suit their fingers. While it may be difficult at times to resize a ring, it is rarely impossible. The following is a list of some of the rings that we often resize.
If you ever have any questions about resizing your diamond engagement ring, please don’t hesitate to email me, or post a comment below. If your ring doesn’t sit well, don’t put up with it, come and see us.The Xennox Diamonds team are always here at your disposal to answer any of your jewellery questions. With our onsite master jewellers there is almost no ring that we can’t resize.
Passion8 diamond engagement rings don’t just have the most perfectly cut diamonds but they also have an excellent manufacturing standard. Today’s engagement ring review is on model Passion8 model 5294 in 18ct white gold with a 0.70ct F SI princess cut diamond. This engagement ring features a grain set halo surrounding the claw set princess cut diamond in the middle. One of the distinguishing aspects of this design is the diamond grain set band that comes up over the halo setting.
Pro’s
A definite advantage of this halo design is that the main head setting sits on top of an under rail, which is perfect for a straight wedding band to sit next to. While the shoulder diamonds to interrupt the halo feature, this design is a perfect choice if you want the centre diamond to stand out as a feature. The extra fine 2.2mm wide band gives the centre diamond a bigger feel. The grain set diamonds surrounding the main diamond, help to create a contrast effect to further highlight the brilliance of the centre stone. Weighing in at over 5 grams, this ring certainly has a weighty feel to it that you will enjoy.
Cons
If you are looking for that really big diamond look, this may not be the design for you, as the shoulder diamonds do break the continuous circle of diamonds around the centre diamond.
Conclusion
This style is definitely a statement piece designed to showcase the amazing Passion8 princess cut diamond. Passion8 diamonds are arguably one of the world’s most perfect cut princess cut diamonds on the market at the moment. With the manufacturing standard backed by Passion8, it is a ring that will really stand the test of time.
If you love this design, or have any questions about this engagement ring review, please feel free to post in the comments section below.
Engagement ring claws are an essential part to holding your diamond in place. Whether you have four or six claws, it is still possible for the claw to become separated from your diamond. Through normal everyday wear, your engagement ring claws are prone to being bumped and knocked. This can cause the claws to come away from the centre stone. Like anything in life, things that you use and wear require maintenance, and if properly looked after will give you many years of enjoyment.
If you feel any of the above symptoms it is extremely important to take your ring straight into a manufacturing jewellery to have your claws checked.
This is what it looks like when your claws come away from your diamond.
It is always important to have your jewellery checked at least once a year to make sure your diamond is secure. For a qualified jeweller, tightening a stone is easy. Replacing the stone once it has been lost however can be a much more difficult process.
At Xennox Diamonds we offer complimentary tightening on all our diamond rings. If you ever feel like your claws are catching, we can often tighten them while you wait. We can also extend this service to rings that are not purchased from us. If you are worried about your setting and just want to have it checked, simply bring it in to us for a complimentary clean and check.
Please feel free to post any comments or questions you have about your claw settings below, and i will be happy to answer them for you there.
Buying a diamond engagement ring is not only a big emotional commitment but a significant financial one for most couples. While the internet is usually a great tool for conducting some initial research before buying a diamond, it can become difficult when you need to make a price comparison. The key piece of advice that i give my clients is – Don’t believe everything the diamond certificate tells you. After all it is only an opinion, graded by humans, who as we all know are prone to mistakes.
1. Certificate type
While the GIA is considered one of the most renown independant certificate on the market, there are some certificates that are really not worth the paper they are written on. Some are consistently at least one colour grade and clarity grade out. (to the downside) So while it might seem cheap on face value, it isn’t when you compare what you are actually getting for your money.
2. Excellent cut grade – What does that mean ?
It used to be that approximately the top 20% of stones received an excellent cut grade, today this figure is probably closer to the top 40%, as the parameters for an excellent cut grade are widening. The diamond grading laboratories like Google won’t tell you when they move them. You just need to know exactly what a perfect cut diamond looks like. Where you sit in this spectrum will not only be seen in the brilliance of the stone but the price as well. Make sure that when you are buying a diamond you don’t pay for a top 10% cut grade stone, when you are actually getting a top 30%.
3. Independently check your colour grade.
Colour grading can be affected by so many variables. How tired was the diamond grader at the time and things like excess coffee can all affect the way we perceive colour. The margin for error is so small, that it only takes a small error to cost you thousands depending on the size of diamond you are looking at. Make sure your diamond is checked by a qualified diamond grader. The colour on the left is an F colour and the one on the right is a H colour. 
4. Clarity grade – inclusion location
If you were deciding between two diamonds – one with an inclusion in the middle of the stone or one with a mark on the edge of the stone (that can be covered) i am sure you would choose the one on the edge. It is for this reason the diamonds with marks in the middle (table facet) are discounted and made cheaper. When buying a diamond always aim to have a girdle (edge) inclusion.
5. Fluorescence
A little understood characteristic. Basicly it is the way the diamond responds under ultraviolet light (like the one in discos). Anything slight to nill is ideal. Some medium fluorescent stones can be ok, but you really need to be careful as they can sometimes make the diamond look cloudy (which reduces the brilliance). Strong fluorescent stones are to be avoided – and they are much cheaper.
6. Laser inscription
This is a little be a nice to have – not need to have. The inscription is only on the surface of the stone. If someone wanted to, it is possible to have it polished off by a diamond cutter. So don’t discard a beautiful stone just because a stone doesn’t have a laser inscription
7. Not consulting a diamond expert
For complete piece of mind, it is always important to see a diamond expert when buying a diamond. You wouldn’t take your car to be serviced to someone that just sold tyers ? Like jewellery there are some who specialise in diamonds and some that just sell general jewellery. A diamond specialist will not only be able to tell you why a diamond is a better quality but be able to show you and answer any question you have about your diamond. 
At the end of the day, unless you want to look at your diamond certificate on the anniversary of your purchase every year, the diamond paper is not as important as finding the most brilliant diamond.
If you have found this helpful or have something you would like me to answer, please email me directly and i will answer any question that you have.
