How to choose a jeweller for your engagement ring

A good jeweller should let you inspect the diamond
using a loupe against a white background

You've debated ethics, you've decided how much you want to spend, you've got clued up on the 4Cs and you know your four-claw from your rub over, so it's now it's time to stump up the cash and actually buy the engagement ring.

Depending on your thoughts on the above, finding the right jeweller could be as simple as walking into your nearest shopping centre. However, if you're seeking out an ethical ring, you're options are narrowed considerably – something I quickly discovered.

As a Londoner, the famous jewellery district of Hatton Garden seemed like an obvious first port of call.

But despite its reputation as the go-to place in the capital, I found it a bit intimidating. In the first shop I went in, I encountered the archetypal pushy salesman – more interested in making a quick buck than listening to my requirements.

Before I knew it, he was trying to close the sale with me on a huge diamond well over my price range – I quickly scarpered.

A few days later I decided to take the safer phone approach, but was left equally unimpressed. The guy I spoke to, the co-owner, couldn't even tell me where his diamonds came from.

"I don't really get involved in that side of things," he explained. So much for the Kimberley process.

Widening my search, I came across a place in Mayfair selling Canadian stones and bespoke rings "by appointment only". Although it was tempting to commission my own CAD-designed creation, I couldn't really justify the extra cost – especially when I was just after something simple anyway.

Another "ethical" jeweller my Google search unearthed was right on the outskirts of London and it involved a convoluted journey by bus, tube, train and foot to get there. However, this turned out to be more than worth it as Samara James provided me with a fantastic experience from start to finish.

Being a showroom rather than a shop, the atmosphere was far more relaxed than I had found in Hatton Garden. The sales assistant Julian was also everything you could want: friendly, patient, knowledgeable and reassuring.  

Over a couple of two-hour sessions he answered my numerous questions, allowed me to look at Russian diamonds they had ordered in for me under the microscope and gave me time to deliberate over the settings.

When I got my hands on the beautiful ring they had made for me, I knew all my hard work and effort had been worth it.