Engagement Rings
Here at Ogden, as a working jeweller we see many beautiful designs and it is a pleasure to be part of our clients happily ever after. All engagement rings sold by Ogden of Harrogate come with free cleaning and checking for life. We recommend bringing your ring in annually for a check-up, so that our goldsmiths can inspect the claws for any sign of wear, in order to pre-empt any issues that could arise over time. Your ring will also receive a deep clean with ultrasonic and high pressure steam, so that it looks as beautiful as it did when it was first presented to you!
An engagement ring is a romantic symbol that should last almost a lifetime. Therefore it needs to be hard-wearing as well as beautiful! Engagement rings are traditionally understood to be diamond rings or those featuring sapphires or rubies, but can be in many styles with many different types of gemstones. Styles can vary from the simplest and most classic of diamond solitaire rings, through three stone rings, to cluster rings and all manner of abstract designs.
How to choose your ring -
The hardest stones are diamond, ruby and sapphire. All of these gemstones, if well looked after, will last without exhibiting much wear and tear, for many, many years. This resilience is a principal reason why these are the most recommended gemstones for engagement rings. Emeralds and Aquamarines are also increasingly popular. However, care should be taken that these stones are well protected in the setting (cluster rings are ideal for this) and that the wearer takes special care to avoid any shocks or impacts to the ring.
The choice of metal is also key. Given the significance of getting engaged, it should be as precious as you can afford, and fortunately the key precious metals, gold and platinum, are among the most durable on earth. Platinum is an obvious choice if you desire a white metal mount for your gemstones. It is very durable and maintains its silver colour, shine and lustre throughout, needing only an occasional clean or polish to look its best. If you choose gold, we would always recommend 18ct over 9ct, as it is a far more precious metal, so has more of the special characteristics of gold. Gold, like silver and platinum, is a ‘noble’ metal, meaning it shows very little reaction to other elements including acids, maintaining its state without oxidisation or corrosion. It will cope with almost anything the conditions throw at it! 18ct is three quarters solid gold, 9ct is only three eighths gold, the rest of the metal being alloying material.
Finally, when choosing an engagement ring, you are investing in the long term, so it is best to veer towards the more classic styles of jewellery for this purchase. You may not be surprised to learn that some of today’s most popular styles can trace their origin right back to the Edwardian and Art Deco periods. One could be reasonably confident that they will still look stylish in a hundred years!
If you want to clean the ring yourself, the safest approach is to use an old toothbrush with a little well diluted washing up liquid. There are home ultrasonic kits available, but we would advise caution if using these. If you do choose to use one, check first that your gemstones can safely be cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner. We would be delighted to advise you on this, because certain gemstones, such as tanzanite and some emeralds, may react particularly badly to being ultrasonically cleaned!
We have a wonderful range of engagement rings in our shops and on our website. We also have a state-of-the-art in-house workshop with a team of expert goldsmiths, if you would prefer to commission your very own design, and if you wish we can involve you in every step of the process, from hand-drawn computer aided designs to selecting the precious gemstones that will be featured. If you would like any advice on buying your engagement ring, we are here to help. Just use the contact details on the website, and we will be delighted to book an appointment with you.
Call 01423 504123 or email Web.ogden@ogdenharrogate.co.uk