Go High Street or Go Bespoke For Wedding Jewellery?

The skilled groom can quickly learn to blag his way on a variety of issues from favours to cravats to smooth his way to the wedding day but there is one area where feigning interest is not advisable. Jewellery. Whether that’s bespoke engagement rings or handmade wedding rings. The first step in making decisions abot jewellery is to decide between high street or bespoke jewellers. So how can you decide? Laura Johnson puts the case for and against both options.

GO TO THE HIGH STREET IF:

You hate shopping around. Is the mere thought of hours of research to find the right designer enough to make you run screaming from the arms of your loved one towards your X-box and life as a lonely bachelor? Yes? Then don’t complicate things. Avoid the stress and rejoice in the convenience of the high street.

You’re in a rush. If it’s your impulsiveness that she loves about you, it’s unlikely you’re going to wait for a ring to be designed, materials to be sourced and an intricate creation to be delicately made before you get down on one knee. If your head is saying, ‘it has to be now’ and you just can’t wait a month longer, the high street is your best route to an off-the-shelf sparkler.

You want to keep it simple. An engagement ring, it’s just a plain ring with a single diamond attached isn’t it? And as for your wedding bands, well, they’re just a band of shiny metal, right? If you and your betrothed have simple tastes, the ranges offered on the high street may be enough to satisfy your straightforward needs when it comes to marital bling.

If you’re not sure what you want. There is something for everyone on the high street – whatever your style or budget – making it easy to identify what you like, what you don’t and what’s just out of your league.

If haggling isn’t your thing. Although less pricey than commissioning a jeweller to create a bespoke design, you’re less likely to be able to strike a deal at a high street chain.

GO FOR A BESPOKE DESIGN IF:

You want something personal. It’s your wedding, a time in your life when your sentimental side will be shamelessly exposed. Taking a family heirloom and integrating it into an original, bespoke handmade wedding ring is one way to bring some romantic nostalgia to your day. It’s also very fashionable at the moment due to the rise of vintage fashion and neatly solves the ‘something old’ dilemma for your bride.

You have something specific in mind. And you want your wedding jewellery to be completely original. For the more creative groom, designing bespoke engagement rings can be the ultimate romantic gesture. Plus any jeweller worth their salt will be able to take your suggestions and work it into something impressive, so don’t feel like you need to be able to do it all yourself.

She knows what she wants. And it’s not the time to suggest compromise. The bespoke route offers her more freedom to say, ‘could you make that stone a bit bigger’ (eek) or ‘what I’d really like is a few extra diamonds around the band’ (ouch).

You have a geeky interest in how things are made. Buying a bespoke piece of jewellery takes the focus off shopping (boring) and places it firmly on design (butch). So, if you appreciate delving into the genius behind how something is made, how an idea develops and the intricate engineering that makes more complex designs work, commissioning something bespoke will fascinate your inner geek.

You’re looking to make a special connection. If you think having coordinated his and hers wedding jewellery is all a bit Posh and Becks, stop reading here. However, if having bands in complimentary designs is all part of your grand wedding plan, bespoke can make your fairytale fantasy real.

If you want to keep your conscience 100% clear. We’re all more aware of ethical issues nowadays. Commissioning bespoke engagement rings or handmade wedding rings ensures you know exactly where your jewellery comes from, how it’s made and who made it.

WHAT ABOUT COST?

The high street jewellers will be able to give you a range of options starting at about £99 up to a fortune. Bespoke jewellers won’t be able to match the very bottom end of the market for price but if you’re adding in jewellery you already own, or taking the sensible option of researching all of the different materials (e.g. think palladium not platinum) then bespoke is well worth investigating.

OUR VIEW

We’re always surprised by how many blokes take an interest in their wedding rings (and their wife-to-be’s rings). Our advice is that both sides have their merits but that if you’ve never thought about looking at handmade wedding rings before then try it as the end product is arguably more special and the price needn’t be painful. Have a look at our wedding suppliers map to find bespoke engagement rings and handmade wedding rings near you.

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