Engagement Rings: A Buying Guide
Engagement rings for women, for men and for couples, made by hand in our own workshop at 210 Upper Street, Islington. Most jewelers have pieces made overseas; we make ours here. This guide covers what a ring costs, which stone, setting and metal, how to find out their size without asking, and how to propose before the ring is chosen. Start with who the ring is for, or with the question on your mind.
For her
Engagement rings for women
Most of the engagement rings we make for women are set with one diamond, or a diamond with a stone either side, in 18ct gold or platinum. Choose the stone and the setting first - both are explained further down. Most can also be made with a sapphire instead of a diamond, for something a little different.
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Angel Three Stone Engagement Ringfrom $4,550
A 3mm diamond between two pear-shaped stones
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Lotus 1/2 Carat Engagement Ringfrom $8,700
Half a carat on a slim round band
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Angel 1/2 Carat Three Stone Engagement Ringfrom $8,250
Half a carat with pear-shaped side diamonds, like wings
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Times Square 4 Women's Ringfrom $7,650
A square-cut diamond set into the band
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Halo 4 Ringfrom $835
Starts in 9ct gold
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Oval Halo Ringfrom $20,400
An oval diamond, 8 by 6mm
The one we'd choose
Radiant Light 1/2 Carat Solitaire Engagement Ring
Our solitaire: a half carat certified diamond held in four claws on an arch, a setting that shows as much of the stone as possible and lets the light in. In 18ct yellow, white or rose gold or platinum, and also made with a blue sapphire. The Radiant Light wedding band is made to sit beside it.
from $7,150
View the piece
For him
Engagement rings for men
About two in five UK men say they would wear an engagement ring (77 Diamonds poll of 1,000 men), and most would choose a plain or subtle band that goes with the wedding ring. Ours are bands with a line of enamel, gold or oak, slim signets, and bands with a stone set into the metal: easy to wear every day, with something to say.
Enamel Geo: 14 sold since January 2025, the most of any ring in our men's engagement collection
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Times Square 4 Ringfrom $7,650
A diamond or sapphires set into a square band
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Slim Signet Ringfrom $730
A slim signet; engrave the face with something personal
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London Oak Geo Ellipse Slim Ringfrom $2,250
A line of 2,000-year-old London oak
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Golden Angel Ray Ringfrom $1,950
A warm line of 22ct gold in cool silver
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Geo Ellipse Eternity Ringfrom $13,800
Diamonds or sapphires, for more presence
The one we'd choose
Enamel Geo Ring
A band of precious metal with a line of colored enamel, in silver, titanium, gold or platinum and six enamel colors. Plain enough to wear every day, with a little more to it than a plain band, and it sits well beside a wedding band later. Which color would you choose?
from $1,650
View the piece
Gay and lesbian engagement rings
Many couples, same-sex or not, wear an engagement ring each, and two engagement rings are not unusual. The rings do not have to match, and there is no rule on who proposes. We have made engagement and wedding rings for same-sex couples since the 1990s. Three ways couples choose, from twins to a quiet pair:
The same ring, twice
The Times Square 4 ring in two sizes, or in two metals for a little contrast.
LGBTQ+ engagement rings
One design, two widths
The London Oak Geo Ellipse ring, slim and wide: a line of 2,000-year-old London oak between titanium or silver.
The London Oak range
Two different rings
Each ring chosen to suit its wearer, quietly linked by the same metal or the same stone.
Come in together Our LGBTQIA+ jewelry →
Something different
Alternative engagement rings
For someone who never did things the usual way: vines, skulls, a pearl or colored stones instead of a diamond solitaire. Many start in silver and can be made in gold. Pearls and softer stones need more care; see which stone, below.
Vine and Large Vine: 17 sold since January 2025, the most of our alternative engagement rings
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Roundhaus Diamond & Gemstone Ringfrom $5,600
A scatter of diamonds or colored stones of different sizes
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Catacomb Skull & Bones Ringfrom $2,650
Twenty-eight skulls and bones; moissanite or black sapphire on top
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Smiling Skull Ringfrom $705
Our skull ring of 25 years; stones in the eyes if you like
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South Sea Pearl Ringfrom $4,650
A lustrous South Sea pearl with six diamonds
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Bardot Ringfrom $1,350
A hand-cut amethyst or blue chalcedony
The one we'd choose
Vine Ring
Vines that loop and curl round the finger, from a design we made for the film Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. In silver, 18ct gold or platinum. It works as a wedding ring too, so one design can serve as both - a little dark, and entirely romantic.
from $615
View the piece
How much should an engagement ring cost?
Independent UK surveys put the average spend at $2,740 to $3,425 (Bridebook 2026: about $3,080; Hitched 2024: about $3,315), and London jewelers see more. The three months' salary rule is not a rule: spend what you are comfortable with. Below is what each budget buys with us. Prices are each ring's starting price; the stone and metal you choose move it.
Silver and 9ct gold: a ring to propose with, or a 9ct ring set with a small stone.
Men's bands with enamel, oak or gold, and a solitaire set with a black sapphire.
A diamond three stone ring in platinum, a 1 carat solitaire with a sapphire, or diamonds in 9ct gold.
Certified diamond solitaires and three stone rings in 18ct gold and platinum.
Diamond, lab-grown or a colored stone?
Most UK engagement rings are set with a diamond. The questions now are which kind of diamond, and whether a colored stone would suit them better: icy white or deep blue? Whatever you choose, it has to be hard enough to wear every day.
Diamond
Our diamond engagement rings are set with certified diamonds; the code on each ring's page gives the color and clarity, for example HVS: H color, VS clarity. The hardest stone there is.
Lab-grown diamond
A diamond grown in a laboratory: the same hardness and sparkle as a mined diamond, at a lower price. Lab-grown stones are not an option on our ring pages, so if you want one, ask us before you order.
Sapphire
Blue and black sapphires, deep and dramatic, are the next hardest stones after diamond and cost less. Most of our solitaires and three stone rings can be made with one.
Moissanite
Hard and bright, and far less expensive than diamond. We set it as the top stone of the Catacomb Skull & Bones ring.
Softer stones
Tanzanite, amethyst, tourmaline and pearl scratch or chip more easily. They make beautiful engagement rings, but wear them with more care and take them off for heavy work.
Solitaire, three stone or halo?
The setting decides how the stone looks and how it wears. A stone held high catches more light; a stone set into the band is better protected. Sparkle, or practicality?
Solitaire
One stone, held up to the light. Our Radiant Light rings hold it in claws on an arch; the Lotus on a slim round band.
Three stone
A center stone with a pear-shaped stone either side, like wings, on our Angel rings.
Halo
A center stone ringed with smaller stones, as on the Tsarina. Our Halo rings are named for the shape of their setting seen from the side.
Set into the band
The stones sit in the metal of the band itself, snug and protected. Suits active hands, and most men's engagement rings.
Other shapes
Most of our rings take a round stone; the Times Square 4 women's ring a square princess cut and the Oval Halo an oval. For an emerald cut, pear or marquise center stone, we make the ring bespoke.
Which metal for an engagement ring?
Start with the color they already wear: warm gold or cool white? The engagement ring and wedding band are best in the same metal, as they then wear at the same rate. Every precious metal piece we make is assayed and hallmarked.
18ct yellow gold
The most asked-for engagement ring metal, and the richest, warmest color. 18ct is 75% gold. Also made in white and rose.
Platinum or white gold?
Platinum is the hardest and heaviest precious metal we use, stays white and does not tarnish. White gold is lighter and costs less.
Our guide to platinum9ct gold
37.5% gold: a paler color, harder wearing and lower in price. The Halo 4 and Roundhaus rings start in 9ct.
Silver
Sterling silver is softer than gold and tarnishes slowly with wear, then polishes back. We make men's and alternative engagement rings in silver, and it suits a ring to propose with.
How to find out their ring size without asking
Most proposers do not know their partner's ring size, and about one in five get it wrong (77 Diamonds poll of 1,300 UK married men). The ways to find it, most reliable first:
Take a ring they wear on the ring finger of the left hand. Bring it to the shop and we will measure it, or measure it at home with our ring size guide, then put it back before it is missed. A ring from the right hand is often slightly larger.
Ring size guideA parent, sibling or close friend may know their size, or can find out on an innocent shopping trip.
If the ring cannot leave the house, draw round the inside edge on paper and measure the diameter against our ring size guide. Less exact, but close.
A ring that is slightly large can be worn until it is resized. A ring that is too small cannot be worn at all.
We can post a ring sizer on request: email shop@stepheneinhorn.co.uk or call +44 20 7359 4977. Propose with it, then choose the ring together once you know the size.
Pieces that are not a Custom Option can be exchanged for another size within their size range; our Guarantee page has the full terms. Rings set with stones or patterned all the way round, and titanium rings, are hard or impossible to resize, so be sure of the size before choosing one. Have a ring engraved once it fits.
Our GuaranteePropose without a ring, choose it together
You do not need the final ring to propose. In a UK survey of about 2,500 people, 8% proposed with a token ring and 30% chose the ring together (Rox and Confetti, 2017). If you are unsure what they would choose, or of their size, there are three ways to do it.
Propose with a sizer in the box
Ask us to post a ring sizer, give it with the question, and choose the ring together once you know the size.
Choose or design it together
Come to 210 Upper Street together, or book a video call. Choose from the range, or design the ring with us. Make it yours.
Engagement ring and wedding band together
Most engagement rings are worn with a wedding band beside them, so choose with the band in mind. They do not have to match, but they should sit happily together. Several of our engagement rings have a band made to sit beside them.
Radiant Light
The Radiant Light wedding band is made to sit beside the Radiant Light solitaires.
Halo
The Halo Slim and Extra Slim bands are made to sit beside our Halo rings, including the Halo 4.
Times Square
The Times Square 4 ring has a plain band designed to sit against it without rubbing the stone.
A band shaped to fit
If the engagement ring has a raised or wide setting, we make a wedding band shaped to sit flush against it, including rings made by other jewelers.
Bespoke
Bespoke engagement rings in London
Every ring on this page is made in our workshop on Upper Street, and so is every bespoke ring. A bespoke engagement ring starts with a conversation, in the shop or on a video call: the stone, the metal, the shape and how it will be worn. Bring an idea, a drawing or a stone from a family ring. We design it with you, agree the price, then make it at the bench. One of one, and entirely theirs.
When to order an engagement ring
Set with stones
Four to six weeks from order.
Plain rings
Approximately four weeks from order. Some sizes and metals are in stock and leave sooner.
Proposing at Christmas
December is the busiest month for proposals. Order a ring set with stones by mid-November. If your date is close, call +44 20 7359 4977 before you order.
Come in
Pop in to see the rings at 210 Upper Street, Islington, or book a video call. duties, taxes and DHL delivery to the US included in the price; we also post internationally.
Book an appointmentEngagement ring questions
How much should an engagement ring cost in the UK?
There is no rule, and the three months' salary rule is not one. Independent UK surveys put the average at $2,740 to $3,425 (Bridebook 2026: about $3,080; Hitched 2024: about $3,315), and London spending is higher. Our engagement rings start at about about $615 in silver and about $835 in 9ct gold; diamond three stone rings start at about about $4,560 and certified diamond solitaires at about about $7,180.
How do I find out their ring size without asking?
Borrow a ring they wear on the ring finger and bring it to us, or measure it with our ring size guide. Or quietly ask a family member or close friend. If you must guess, guess larger. We can also post a ring sizer on request: email shop@stepheneinhorn.co.uk or call +44 20 7359 4977.
What if the engagement ring is the wrong size?
Contact us. Pieces that are not a Custom Option can be exchanged for another size within their size range; our Guarantee page has the full terms. Rings set with stones or patterned all the way round, and titanium rings, are hard or impossible to resize, so be sure of the size before choosing one.
Which hand does an engagement ring go on in the UK?
The fourth finger of the left hand, for women and for men. After the wedding it is usually worn outside the wedding band. Some people wear it on the right hand; there is no rule.
Do men wear engagement rings?
Some do: about two in five UK men say they would wear one (77 Diamonds poll of 1,000 men). Most choose a band that goes with their future wedding ring, something to wear every day. See men's engagement rings.
Do same-sex couples both wear an engagement ring?
Many do, and having two engagement rings is not unusual. Some couples each propose; some choose together. The rings do not have to match - they only have to suit you both. We have made engagement and wedding rings for same-sex couples since the 1990s: see LGBTQ+ engagement rings.
Lab-grown or mined diamond?
Both are diamonds, with the same hardness and sparkle. Lab-grown diamonds cost less; mined diamonds are rarer. The diamonds on our ring pages are certified diamonds; lab-grown is not listed as an option, so if you want one, ask us before you order.
Can I propose without a ring?
Yes. Some people propose with a simple silver ring or a ring sizer in the box, then choose or design the ring together. The question matters most. Book an appointment at 210 Upper Street or a video call.