Engagement rings, wedding bands, lab grown diamonds and the biggest jewellery trends for engaged couples.

This week on Totally Absolutely Engaged, we're joined by Lee from Henry D. Johnstone Jewellers, an award-winning family run jeweller known for helping couples find engagement rings, wedding rings and bespoke jewellery they'll treasure forever. 

We discuss:
• How engagement ring shopping actually works
• Lab-grown diamonds vs natural diamonds
• Current engagement ring trends
• Choosing the right wedding rings
• Creating bespoke jewellery
• How to get the most value from your budget
• Expert advice for newly engaged couples

If you're planning a proposal, shopping for wedding rings or simply looking for expert wedding advice, this episode is packed with insights to help you make confident decisions.

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:06

Hello everybody and welcome back to another episode of Totally Absolutely Engaged.

SPEAKER_02 0:11

Hello, and today we have Lee of Henry D. Johnston Jewellers. That's absolutely a family-run jewellery business with stores in Odley Edge and Poynton. I know. And the reason you're here today is they they focused on wedding rings, engagement rings, and bespoke designing, basically. And you're very well decorated with a number of county bride awards. The most significant accolade being 2024 when you had business of the year. Yeah. I know. So I mean, just let's get straight into it. Give me a brief background to the jewelers, where you fit in. Okay. That's in my position. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 0:52

Okay, so I'm the manager of the Poynton store. We're small jewelers, we have two shops. We're based in Old Ledge and Poynton. Um basically the businesses uh you know we're customer focused, so customer service. We also deal with a lot of bespoke and and uh recommissions and things like that for people. Um but also if people are looking for the unique, they'll find the unique with us for sure. Looking for something different, uh that's that's where our our ethos is. Not to just you know, we don't stand still constantly evolving as a business. So if if we're looking for some new trends, new styles, you know, um we're always looking for something different as a business, you know, whether it be products or designs to make things for people. Okay, you know.

SPEAKER_03 1:35

So how does the process of ring shopping work? Because I've never I've never done it. So what do people do? Like the couples coming together, is it typically groom to be that comes? How does that work?

SPEAKER_00 1:45

Because you're at the start of the the journey, aren't you? Yeah, right at the start. We are, yes, yeah. So basically we get a lot of single guys that come themselves, they've already had uh the dance, well not dance, but sometimes they don't want to get it wrong, so they've got hints from the their fiance already, or the fiance's friends, you know, the friendly heavy guidance, yeah. Guidance, yes. So they kind of know what they are coming in for to a degree, um, but they also want to put their own little spin on it. So um, so obviously we will sit down with them, you know, kind of have a little bit of chat with what they're like, what they're looking for, got some ideas, and then present them with selections of rings. Um, you know, and obviously it comes down to obviously the metal, the size of the stone, the shape of the stone. We're seeing a lot of lab-grown, I think I mentioned on the previous uh podcast that people are going for. Well, it's the elephant in the room, isn't it?

SPEAKER_02 2:39

The lab grown diamonds. Yeah. So shall we talk? Let's go straight into that one. Let's go into that. What is it? Because people argue, is it real? Is it not real? Blah blah blah. So I'll let you explain it.

SPEAKER_00 2:53

So, I mean, essentially it is a diamond. Um, it's just how it's arrived at as a diamond. So there's two different processes, but what they do is they actually grow a small like diamond seed, like crystal, if you like, um, in a like a sort of um uh a miniature kiln, like a kiln. Okay. Um, and then obviously that's treated to the same pressures of what it would be in the earth, you know, forming billions of years ago. So the huge heat, huge pressure of uh, you know, a heat pressure as well, all those forces exerted onto it to actually to grow the diamond crystal, if you like. That's crazy that you can do that. So they're speeding the process. They're speeding it up instead of billions of years, it's probably taking a matter of months, probably. Might even be less in some cases, actually, but I would say a couple of months. Um, and then they can obviously break the out of the mould, and then that from there they've actually got the crystal, diamond crystal already to then work on to cut and fast it like they would a normal mine diamond.

SPEAKER_02 3:51

So would it still have the flaws? Would it still have the flaws that diamond have?

SPEAKER_00 3:56

Well, they yeah, there was they will still have some flaws, I think, because they're not with most lab grown, they're not wanting to go below like a V VS, really. It's like VS or V VS. You won't really see many that are SI or things like that. What does that mean? It's right, okay. Sorry, I've jumped into another one.

SPEAKER_03 4:15

I feel like he'll understand the I think I'm baffled.

SPEAKER_00 4:19

So obviously the four C's, which is obviously for natural mind diamonds, natural mind diamonds, and it's like the colour, the clarity, um, the cut, you know, um and all those sort of things. Basically, the clarity is inclusions within the stone, which you find within a normal with a mind diamond. Um, if it's got slight inclusions, it's classed as SI, if it's got very small, it's VS, and then it's a V VS, which is very, very small, and then flawless and internally flawless. So that's how they grade them. But obviously, with the mine diamonds, you tend to get the top end because what's the point if it's not you know a virtually near perfect stone, and obviously, what's what's the point if it's not a white stone, you know? So you tend to find it's at the high end of the scale. But the main benefit is the cost factor, obviously, because you know, if somebody wanted to buy uh, you know, a three carat oval in natural, you know, they'd be into the the tens of thousands, if not bit more, depending on the quality and clarity. Um, but you know, they can get something like that, but probably about maybe I don't know, three or four thousand. Oh really?

SPEAKER_03 5:24

What from having lab grown?

SPEAKER_00 5:26

Yeah. Gosh.

SPEAKER_03 5:28

Well that's worth doing then. So what are the downsides of having lab grown? Like, why wouldn't people opt for that?

SPEAKER_00 5:33

Some people don't want it because obviously the you know it's they don't like it because they think that it's it's um mine, it's the mind is the real thing and it's always been around, which is what some people like. Um, and obviously, when you've got the larger lab groans, it can obviously sometimes look obviously a little bit like unreal, maybe possibly in some people's eyes, you know. So there is that aspect of it. It just comes down to what the person, I think. Some people like like a small and dainty ring, and they might go for a uh you know, one carat um oval or something, maybe in natural. And if somebody wants something a bit bolder, they might go for a two-carat or something like that, right? Which is obviously a bigger stone. I mean, I suppose that the if you were to say a downside, you could say that maybe in the future, we don't know, obviously, in terms of you know, obviously the price of labs against mines has come down. Um, you know, the the the the labs have sort of stabilized uh at the moment, I would say. But in terms of the future, you know, I don't know. It's like I suppose when the CZ came along, people didn't know what was going to happen, did they? No. And obviously with the lab growing, we don't know the same.

SPEAKER_02 6:40

And I do think that people uh the CZs were great, it made it made it affordable, didn't it? It was basically a white stone that was a copy of a diamond, shall we say for argument's sake. Yeah, but obviously when it first came in, it I did have a slight bad rep, didn't it? It used to mist, they used to let water in, things like that. Where I think people see lab grown as a similar thing where it isn't lab grown as a completely different no.

SPEAKER_00 7:04

I mean, essentially they you know, all lab grown's um well, not all lab growns, but the ones that we sell do have the certificates with them, so it's people's extra guarantee that they know what they're buying. So you know, but we're seeing uh, you know, not just lab, but I mean, some people some people when they come in when they're looking for engagements, you know, uh rings or any diamond ring, some people are very much for the lab because obviously they see it as you know more affordable, but obviously ethical as well, in a sense of you know, they're not mining the earth to get to get to the material, yeah. But then you've got the other side where they absolutely don't want that and they want you know over the real deal, isn't it?

SPEAKER_02 7:42

Yeah, so there is that's what you're finding that selling well at the moment. Is it a cluster selling or is it always going to be solitaires?

SPEAKER_00 7:49

That I think at the moment it's yeah, I think for us, so it's we're a bit different to the not you know, sort of high street jeweller, but yeah, uh obviously solitaires are still popular, ovals are in particular. We are seeing a bit more going back to the round a little bit as well, still popular. Um, but obviously in terms of diamond jewellery, we do sell a real mix, really, to be honest, from everything from you know earrings, appendants through to pre-owned jewellery, so it's a real mixed bag.

SPEAKER_02 8:16

I don't know you know. I'm intrigued. Oh, because you're a new thought, you're the next sort of lot to get it.

SPEAKER_03 8:23

Right, if you guys, because you're jewelry people were to look at my hands. Yes. What would you give me based off camera? That's my hand. Yeah. What would you what do you think would see? I think I've got quite small man hands.

SPEAKER_02 8:39

I would say Richmond sausages.

SPEAKER_03 8:44

What would you say would suit my Richmond sausage hands?

SPEAKER_02 8:47

A bin bag.

SPEAKER_00 8:49

I would say, I think you definitely suit an oval. Because you are that you're of that age group, but not just because some people, you know, I'd say you definitely suit an oval. Um I think obviously even the pear shape might look nice on your hand as well, actually. Yeah, yeah. They're not as I think people are because ovals are a lot of people are going for them, so sometimes it's trying to find something different that not their friends have got. So maybe a pear shape would be a bit different. Hmm, there you go, that's what I'm gonna go for then. Yeah, so Nathan, take the hint.

SPEAKER_03 9:17

Yeah, yeah. Take those. What what's like the price differences between like your cheapest ring and your most expensive ring? And why and what is the difference?

SPEAKER_00 9:26

Um, in the do you mean uh we're talking engagement rings here? Engagement rings, yeah. Um, to be honest with you, I mean it's difficult one to answer in the sense of we we probably have rings that start from in our pointer shop, they'll probably start from impact both shops, probably start from about maybe a thousand pounds in both shops. Um, but obviously it's subject to the metal, you know, what you have it in, or the or the stone, obviously, if it's a certificated stone or if it's got any um, you know, uh other stones with it. So there's lots of different factors, but pretty much how we tend to find we prefer to work with people in if they have got a budget that they want to work to, we'll always try and help with them on that. You know, um, we're not um you know sometimes people think when they hear bespoke, they think oh it's going to be huge expensive. Um, and yes, sometimes it can cost a little bit more, but it's not we because we what we do as a business, we control the cost. So, in other words, we know the different people to do the different things, the different jobs. So we can sort of, you know, we've got a very good arrangement with our suppliers of diamonds and obviously of materials, you know, workshops, different people who do the CAD design.

SPEAKER_03 10:37

So you can make a completely new ring, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 10:39

So we make a complete you've got the ring builder tool out.

SPEAKER_00 10:43

Yeah, we've got that as well on the website. On the website, yeah. People can actually use things like those.

SPEAKER_03 10:49

Oh, I love that.

SPEAKER_00 10:50

Yeah, the ring builder basically allows them to customize it to how they they want it. There are, I mean, there are some things on there that you know can't be done, but pretty much you know, if someone says, Oh, I love this ring, but I want it just slightly wider or with a different you know different stone, then obviously we would have to ask them to do that in a different way. Um, but yeah, it's very good.

SPEAKER_02 11:08

Yeah, and I know we're talking about sort of engagement rings, but it comes more into its own, doesn't it, for the wedding bands. Yes, because wedding bands on the whole are just a band, so it has to fit around your ring, but in in essence. So if you've got yeah, if you've got your pear shape, yeah, you need the some like a little cutout or something like that. It matches it nicely, otherwise it just sits wrong.

SPEAKER_00 11:29

So what these days most engagement rings have uh what they call a um wed compatible setting. So often most jewellers will have that where the the band, so the solitaire um sits, and then obviously the band can tuck underneath or fit underneath, yeah. So or or sit alongside without any pushing away or any kind of gap being created. So that's what we always aim for. But sometimes, you know, with all the will in the world, you can still need to adjust, you know, to have one made to fit around it, but that's where our bespoke comes in because we can design it to to fit around it or got you.

SPEAKER_03 12:02

So do you get your wedding bands at the same time as your engagement ring?

SPEAKER_00 12:05

Um no, the wedding bands are usually yes. Yeah. Oh yeah, that's so true. It was meaning to idealistic world, I know. Well, we do have I've have come across a few who have bought the bridal set where it's the two together, even though they just got engaged. But it's not something that we we tend to get them when they've already got the engagement ring and they're looking for the wedding ring, or if they're looking for the engagement ring first, and then obviously with the bride with the wedding ring, they'd often come back to us because they got the ring from us to then have a ring made or choose a ring to work with it, you know. Okay, that's what we tend to find.

SPEAKER_03 12:45

How much on average are people paying for an engagement ring?

SPEAKER_00 12:49

Engagement ring. I would say on average, probably about two to three thousand pounds, about three thousand pounds on average. Okay. Um, you know, obviously there are some that can spend a little bit more, some can spend a bit less, but I'd say probably around about maybe two and a half to three. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:05

I mean, you are in affluent areas as well, though. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:07

So I would imagine that sort of Lancashire duelers they they would offer like a second hand range and we do, I mean we do get some that want to, you know, like the pre-owned because of the fact it's a bit, you know, obviously it does perceive more value because obviously it's offered at a much more reduced rate, but I mean obviously it's not just like a pre-owned ring that you would just sort of I don't know put in the window and and it needs a good polish or whatever, everything's all completely restored to new to make it look as good as new, yeah, even though it's pre-owned. Uh and people do buy that way sometimes. Some people we have had a few who have bought engagement rings um as you know, engagement ring on the pre-owned, just because it obviously offers better value, then it's probably more closer to what they're looking to spend at that moment in time, you know.

SPEAKER_02 13:53

It's just the way people perceive it is the problem, yeah, because some people don't like to go into a new marriage.

SPEAKER_00 13:58

No, well there we do could just get the cheapest one. Yeah, that that is correct. Yeah, that is true.

SPEAKER_02 14:07

Yeah, actually.

SPEAKER_00 14:08

Yeah, but like but like you know, yeah, some people have that sort of ethos that think, oh mm, it's uh who's had it before? Has it been an unhappy, you know? So there is sometimes you do come across that as perhaps it's a bad omen type thing. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:22

So what's your biggest piece of advice then to your customers?

SPEAKER_00 14:27

Um in what we in what regarding ring shopping?

SPEAKER_02 14:32

Yeah, one well, one for engagement, one for wedding bands.

SPEAKER_00 14:36

Okay, all right. So for engagement, I would say um the biggest piece of advice is obviously to um to list sort of get advice from her peers and people like that to get some advice. Don't come in blind, don't come in too blind. But I mean, I mean our job is to help you if you come in obviously blind, you don't know what what you're looking for, um, but probably to get some I because the worst thing in the world is if they say, you know, I told him I wanted a you know uh an oval or I wanted a square, and basically he's brought me around and I absolutely hate it. We've not had that happen in all honesty. No, um, but obviously, you know, you want someone who you want he he you want a little bit of a sort of advice, but to be fair, to most guys that I'm coming across, they do already have all this information.

SPEAKER_02 15:22

They've normally done a bit of research, haven't they? They have, yeah. So that's good. They've almost ruined their own. Well, we've had it we've had a bride on, haven't we? And that he basically ruined the surprise by asking too many questions about what she liked.

SPEAKER_03 15:33

Sending the measuring kits.

SPEAKER_02 15:34

Yeah, send the measuring kits to her.

SPEAKER_00 15:37

We've had um I suppose another I mean the thing is obviously another vice is obviously what they do in terms of um when they've got the ring and then they're going, say they're getting married abroad and they need to take the ring with them. It's how they've they often say, Well, what should you do with the ring? you know, and obviously they've got to try and watch not getting caught in customs or passport control or whatever with it. So sometimes we say and they don't want a big box or a box where they can, you know, it can be found. So we've often said to them to put it like a little bag or something, like tie it tight and to sort of tie it into their clothing or something, you know. Oh, okay. You know, like maybe into their I don't know, they've got like a some kind of put like a loop and then a pocket inside or something or rather than having the actual box. Yeah, it's just as sometimes it's kind of like it's gonna ruin a surprise if the bag gets opened and then they check it.

SPEAKER_02 16:26

And you can get a thinner box as well. A lot of men don't know this, but you can get a thinner ring box, can't you, where it's just the same size as the ring, like narrower. Yeah, I've not seen that one. Well, there you go. They're they're good, they are because you can just put them in your jacket or wear them and no one knows it's there because it's a big bulky box.

SPEAKER_00 16:46

Yeah, yeah. That's good news. That's hard advice I could look at for.

SPEAKER_03 16:51

And what about for the wedding bands?

SPEAKER_00 16:53

The wedding bands. I'd say probably to um have a good look around, see what's about, you know, see what's online, see what your styles you like. Um, obviously, we do a lot of wedding appointments, so they cut they make an appointment. We see them at wedding shows, as you'll know, um, and we encourage them to make an appointment through our website. Look on our website, see what we have. We've got the ring builder to give them some ideas of pricing and obviously styles, and then obviously, when you know, if they've come in sort of with a little bit of information, then obviously that's that that's good, you know, a good sort of start to where to go. Yeah. Uh however, if they haven't, that doesn't matter because again, you know, our job is to show them what is available to them. Um, but sometimes people don't realise that they can actually have certain things done to rings, like so. If they chose a ring and uh even if it isn't, you know, um a how can I put it, even if it was something which obviously they wanted to have uh personalization done on it, that can be done as well. So if they want the fingerprints put on the ring, you can have that inside. Um, you can have like a specialized engraving on the outside or on the inside. We've done voice prints before for people where they've said like I do, and it goes inside the ring. That's really cute. I mean it's not for everybody, obviously, but that can be done. So that's a that's something to think about because sometimes they choose the rings and then they think, Oh, you know, do we want it personalized? And some people choose not to, um, but then other people would have would think, oh, I want something, but I don't know what to what to have, you know. Um, so that there's a lot of of different options out there now.

SPEAKER_03 18:25

And other widen bands normally match each other.

SPEAKER_00 18:28

Well, they don't traditionally going back in time, they used to, but these days not anymore. They haven't for some time. Um, but we are seeing a couple of people at the recent shows where they are looking for matching again. So I don't know if that's a trend that's maybe, yeah, possibly. Or if they're not going matchy matchy, they're choosing the same materials. He's having platinum and she's having platinum because of the ring.

SPEAKER_02 18:51

So is there one more popular than the other at the moment? Are people going more for platinum? Are they going more for gold?

SPEAKER_00 18:56

Um, we're seeing a bit more on gold lately, especially with some of the guys' tutone, things like that. But obviously, platinum is still the strongest metal, yes. Yeah, um, obviously, if you've got 18 carat white gold, uh then you've got 18 karat white gold. Obviously, the price obviously of gold at the moment, as you probably know, although it has come down a little bit, is the 18 carats making it quite expensive in some cases for rings.

SPEAKER_02 19:17

Yeah, which I've obviously has actually now made platinum platinum more appealing, which I never thought would happen. Yeah, because platinum was always the highest, wasn't it? Yes, it was. The middle, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:30

So no, so I would say um there is uh some more like if you've got engaged, if you've got yellow gold on your engaged ring, then obviously a lot of them are going for yellow. Um, and obviously some of the guys are maybe matching in with a two-tone ring, you know. But as I say, it's very much an individual thing. We're seeing or we're seeing a mixture of that of people going for the same kind of metals or completely choosing their own style. The black zirconium people are going for the black materials, they're still quite strong. Um, but the again there's the two things you either love the black materials or you don't. Some people are going for it and some people are not.

SPEAKER_03 20:06

Okay, what are the black materials?

SPEAKER_00 20:08

Like um black circonium, we've got um tungsten, we've got um titanium or the darker materials.

SPEAKER_03 20:16

And and how are they different?

SPEAKER_00 20:17

They're different because they're not a precious metal, so but they're light often like titanium's lighter, so people can wear that on their if they don't want a really heavy ring, and or if they want a ring that can be a bit more robust, that they're not gonna worry about scratching or scuffing as much. You know, titanium is a bit more hard wearing, and allergies as well.

SPEAKER_02 20:34

Yes, some people are actually allergic to gold or silver, so yeah, titanium is a good option for them.

SPEAKER_00 20:41

Yeah, obviously palladium as well, but that's another that's not a dark material, but some people are going for palladium because obviously you know it has a similar property to platinum, um, but the price is less, so slightly cheap.

SPEAKER_03 20:53

Yeah, makes sense. Yeah, what is your biggest ick then? What do you absolutely hate?

SPEAKER_02 20:59

We know you don't want to upset anyone.

SPEAKER_00 21:01

No, um I suppose it would be when uh somebody's when they ask when they're trying to get a ring off and they take a ring off, and then they're like licking the ring, they're kind of like getting like this and then it's like to get subtle about it though, they're like really.

SPEAKER_02 21:17

I just think that is one of the most disgusting things I've ever heard.

SPEAKER_00 21:22

I mean, we do offer to get the hand cream, but sometimes they've already done it, so you know it's like just looping up the finger with their own spit.

SPEAKER_02 21:29

Yeah, so you're left with a ring that's just like got a paste on it.

SPEAKER_00 21:32

Yeah, it's like I mean we have got the ultrasonic, so we can clean it, but that is so violent. And then another thing I would say is obviously if we're cleaning jewellery, and then obviously when you're putting the rings in, and then you've got to it, you know, like obviously it could be you know it might be paint, it could be I don't know, pastry making, or it could be just general soap and stuff, it just seems to and it collects you know, that's uh can be quite uh clumpy. Yes. But you know it's pal-and-pars of the job, so no doesn't need to be done. So I don't have to do that.

SPEAKER_02 22:07

But you do wash your hands very quickly.

SPEAKER_03 22:10

Right. Have you got anything to add before we head into customer closures? Let's head straight in then. So, first one is in from Darren. He says, How do I secretly find out what style and size ring my partner wants without ruining the surprise?

SPEAKER_00 22:24

Right. Okay. Um, what I would say on this one is to again going back to what we said, try and ask some friends, a friend that a trusted friend that you know wouldn't tell the other friends if you know another friend. Um maybe um sort of leave um a magazine out where if they've got something with people with rings, or maybe comment on an engagement and say, Oh, look at her engagement ring, you know, and what do you think of that? Or some yeah, there might be a way of actually asking that question subtly without overtly saying this exact one. Yeah, you might sort of say, Oh, have you seen uh whatever celebrities ring, I think it's horrible, or I think it's you know, just to see what her reaction is, maybe. Um, or even if you just pass in jeweller shops, you know, you could sort of like look in the window and say, Oh, I don't like that one. What do you think? Or I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 23:15

Yeah, if you're someone that doesn't look at a jewelry window, yeah, the the easiest way of doing it is going, Oh my god, have you seen how expensive that one is? And then you've pulled them across. Oh, then they'll look in. Yeah, so that's like a good one, yeah. A good way of doing it.

SPEAKER_00 23:27

Yeah, so because obviously the last thing you want to do is to sort of uh ruin any surprise, but also you know, you want to create the right environment for it, don't you?

SPEAKER_03 23:36

So what about sizing? How do you go about that?

SPEAKER_00 23:40

Well, there are hacks online that you can do now. I haven't tried them personally, but I know that you can do it. Um, so people can get it. Well, the s the old the simplest one is a piece of string, obviously. But having said that, how can you put that around a person's finger? You can't. Yeah, so we often knuckle, isn't it? That's the issue. We often say to people to if there's a ring she's wearing on that finger that we know that you know she wears and loves, about trying to get that ring at some point off for cleaning uh and bringing it in. Um, and at that point the jeweller can measure that ring, you know, that there is that option. Uh another option we've had is where sometimes uh parents trying on rings uh and you know finding out from the parents saying, I've tried I know I've tried that ring on of hers and it fits me, so therefore, and then we check the size. So you've done that way before one, yeah. Yeah, so you sort of got the parent or the you know the mother or somebody sussing it out because they do often try on other each other's rings sometimes, don't they?

SPEAKER_02 24:36

So and these days, especially your generation, you wear more rings than they used to.

SPEAKER_00 24:41

Yes, so you can like stacker rings.

SPEAKER_02 24:43

Yeah, you could just take one and just get that measured.

SPEAKER_00 24:45

Yeah, so there is there is that option um to do. I won't uh is there any other question you asked on that one, or was that everyone?

SPEAKER_03 24:51

No, that was everything, I think. Yeah, I'm trying to think, do do rings have their size in just normal rings?

SPEAKER_00 24:56

Well, but if she's got a Pandora ring, that's a good point, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 24:59

Because I think that my Pandora ones, I don't know whether that one is, but some actually have it on the inside.

SPEAKER_00 25:04

Well, if they if she's got a Pandora, it does like for and it's often because it's from Denmark, it's continental sizes, so it's like 50, 52, 54, 56.

SPEAKER_03 25:13

Yeah, that one said 54. I just walked.

SPEAKER_02 25:15

So that equates to the size in this country.

SPEAKER_00 25:18

Yeah, so basically, I think a 54. Uh don't correct me if I'm wrong here, because I haven't got the thing. I think it might be an L size L, something like that. Um, so obviously, basically that's how we could do it as well. If you know it's the key thing is getting the ring, isn't it? Really?

SPEAKER_03 25:33

Yeah, is that a fat finger now? Because you just no, it's surprisingly slim enough.

SPEAKER_00 25:37

Yeah, an average an average finger size. Well, another I've actually thought of another way for him, actually, but then that would involve trying on rings, but I don't know if that's a good idea. I'll go on that sharp. Is if you're in the jeweller shop and they're trying on like a ring, but like it's sort of you know going in just to try on. Yeah. Uh most stock sizes are like an M, size M for Mike. So it might be if that fits her or is quite loose on her, then we've got an idea there, you know, if she's tried on something. At least you know to we we aim for a size M so we can adjust it either way if we need to. Got yeah you know, but it's nice to try and get it right on the day, isn't it? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:16

Especially if there's a lot of stones.

SPEAKER_00 26:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 26:17

Well, I like that advice. That was good advice. Right. Next one, Nate. He says, Is there any expert tips for getting a stunning ring but on a tight budget?

SPEAKER_00 26:27

Okay. Um, so there you could um there is sometimes the option of remodelling existing jewelry. I don't know if somebody's got something in the family, maybe a family uh stone, you know, family uh solitaire or something, or it could be a gold ring that needs a stone or something. There is that option where we could maybe take something from an existing piece and and reinput it into a new mount, you know. Like for instance, the stone is the original, the diamond could be the original um piece from the ring, but maybe it's all like sort of worn and you know, it's not necessarily going to be able to carry on for another however many years. So that might be an option uh to do that. Obviously, there's different materials. Sometimes people are going for like the nine cut white gold as opposed to the 18 at right now because of the price, obviously. You know, um, I think it really comes down to, and I mean you can get unconventional metals in engagement rings. We have actually uh, I think we did actually do a titanium diamond solitaire for somebody once, uh, which could be done, you know what I mean? That that they do exist, um, but in terms of styling, because obviously titanium can't be resized, it's you know, it's not always an easy one on that one. I think the option would be maybe to to either. I mean, we we always on our ring builder, we've got a very competitive price, as you can probably see. But in terms of like looking for something a bit different, then I would suggest maybe if they if they don't have a family uh piece inherited to to reuse or something, then it would be a case of trying pre-owned as we talked earlier on. Maybe pre-owned there might be something in there, um, you know, in a solitaire or a three-stone or something, you know, if you don't want a solitaire. Some people like the cluster rings because they're a little bit more vintage as well.

SPEAKER_02 28:13

Yeah, some people like the idea that it's a big size, but yeah, it's just a lot of little stones.

SPEAKER_00 28:18

Yeah. I mean, the vintage style can be one way to go because obviously it's more, you know, and you do get mum for your money, as you say, in some cases. So yeah.

SPEAKER_02 28:27

I do like the idea of recycling a ring, man. Yeah, I do like it. If Granny's passed away or she actually just wants to hand it down, I think. We do get that, we do get that.

SPEAKER_03 28:35

So you can make could you make like an older ring look more modern? Yes.

SPEAKER_02 28:39

Then even there you can actually take the gold off the ring and use it against the water.

SPEAKER_00 28:45

Yeah, we can you can. Oh, can you? Yeah, you can sound. Yeah, I mean some cases you can have earrings. In some cases, you can melt and re-roll that metal as well. Not it depends on what's being done, but in some cases it can be used, or even if they can't use all of it, then maybe a portion of that could be used, it you know, like for the sentimentality. If there's you know, like we had one guy who uh wanted a um he had his grandfather's like gold signet ring, uh, and he wanted a ring uh in to be made in nine carat white gold, but he had wanted to use that absolutely wanted to use that ring. So we actually had that ring re-melted and rolled and re-rolled over the top, so it was like an inlay almost over the top of the ring. Um so he still had the grandfather's ring on there. So that's so nice.

SPEAKER_02 29:30

Yeah, we should make it clear actually that it doesn't have to be an engagement ring for an engagement ring, it can be any item of jewellery at all. Um can be remodeled, yeah, repurposed. Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 29:40

I think that's such a nice idea. Yeah, I think it is. Right. Next one is in from Annie. She says, I hate the engagement ring my partner chose. Can I get it redesigned?

SPEAKER_00 29:50

Yeah, I mean, absolutely you can. I mean, as she presumably she's just got engaged recently. I presume, yeah. Yeah, I mean, um, it can be redesigned. I mean, obviously, the this the same stone, I'm assuming she likes the stone that that's there, but it's just the way it's been designed. Yeah, yeah. So we could redesign it. Um, I would suggest if she's thinking of that to maybe have a little look around on Google, you just Google a few ideas to see what she likes. Um, just because obviously, you know, that's a bit of a sort of pointer. We can give some ideas when they come in. Um, but in terms of redesigning it, you know, it can be completely different to suit her style. You know, some people want more minimal now, some people don't want as much, you know, sort of fuss around the ring. Um, sometimes just a little detail like the hidden halo, you know, with the tiny diamonds sort of underneath can be quite nice on the underbezzle and things like that as well. If they want a little bit of something, but maybe not as much. It just comes, it really comes down to what the person wants, but pretty much we can do most things. Um, you know.

SPEAKER_03 30:50

Do you get many people not liking their ring, or is that quite a rare occasion? Um in terms of what if we've designed something or if I don't know, partner's given the ring over thought he's got the right thing actually messed up.

SPEAKER_00 31:06

To be honest, to be honest, not really. I have to be honest. Yeah, I mean yeah, to be honest, I think because of the the way we work and we kind of like you know, obviously give guidance, or obviously if they've got had some guidance from you know from their peer set or whatever, then yeah, we tend don't seem to come across that problem. But I mean, I think sometimes, you know, uh it might be if someone basically wants to to tweak something, you know, it might be that the setting might want to be changed or something. That is another option. Okay. Sometimes if they don't like, yeah, they love the ring, but maybe they just felt it was a bit too high or something, yeah, you know, or a bit too low and want it higher, then things like that are usually possible to do as well.

SPEAKER_02 31:49

In old layers you get some wacky designs. Um it's that sort of area, innit, where ostentatious can be a thing. Yeah. Wow, so stereotypical. It is a stereotype. Yes, it mustn't stereotypes. The wag route then, okay. There's a lot of footballers' wives. Yeah. Could is there a lot of outrageous designs going on?

SPEAKER_00 32:11

Um I think sometimes people's uh people have that illusion of older edge, and it does have that to a degree, but not always, not always. Um, but um, I mean for us we do see yeah, I think they do um have some very different sort of styles around there, yes, for sure. Um, you know, and obviously I think they're quite uh uh forward, um you know, they're already ahead of the curve in the sense of you know, like for instance, it might be that other sort of places might have a design that's only just become available, you know, or only just people cottoning onto. Whereas I think they're quite savvy and quite trendset, they know what they're looking for. So do you embrace that or do you quite a nerve-wracking? No, no, no, totally. I mean, I obviously I don't work in that store, but I I have worked in it, so I do know some bits and pieces. But yeah, no, we tend to just, you know, we know we know our customers very well, so yeah. Yeah. Very good.

SPEAKER_03 33:08

Okay, we'll head on to the next one. This is from Luke. He says, Are people actually still buying engagement rings, or is this just an outdated tradition?

SPEAKER_00 33:16

Oh, right, okay. I've not heard that one before.

SPEAKER_03 33:19

We had actually quite we had um a TikTok that did well, and a lot of people in the comments were saying that they don't think that men should have to buy engagement rings. It was actually quite a hot topic. Right. Which I've I've never heard anyone say this before.

SPEAKER_00 33:34

No. I mean, I have come across some people who have not got the engagement ring, and the wedding band is kind of the engagement ring. A few people, but it tends to be, you know, maybe someone who just for whatever reason didn't have an engagement ring. Uh I'm not talking about maybe your age group, I'm talking about maybe slightly older people who maybe didn't have an engagement ring uh for whatever reason then decided this is now going to be their engagement ring, but they don't want they want a like a bolder diamond set ring to kind of be both. So we can that can be done, uh, or people do choose that, but I've not come across that they they've never wanted. No, no.

SPEAKER_02 34:12

I suppose you wouldn't really, because it wouldn't come in otherwise. That's true. You wouldn't really see those people. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 34:19

Okay. Final question. Um, in from Phoebe. She says, My husband to be is a joiner and doesn't want to wear a ring every day. Is there a solution to this?

SPEAKER_00 34:29

Um, well, there is a solution that we don't sell these, unfortunately, but some people go for silicon, like a silicon ring, where it's just a piece of rubber, so they're they're still wearing a ring, but they're not it's not impacting on them because I think because they're probably worried about damaging it. Yeah. I mean a solution is obviously to go for like a more of a robust metal, maybe like titanium, um, black zirconium, or even uh tungsten, yeah, those sort of metals um can be worn, but obviously they're not infallible, they can still mark a little bit. Um, sometimes people, if they're not wanting, if they're if they're having a ring but they're not necessarily wanting to wear it, then they might choose to wear it as a like a piece, you know, if they wear a chain or something. Yeah, actually. Um it's not as popular, but that is a solution. But I'd I'd say probably I've come across it more where they've said they can't have a ring because of their work, um, so they choose silicon or something like that, you know. Um, I mean, I don't know if you've come across any other options like that.

SPEAKER_02 35:30

Uh to be honest, no, it is just the silicon, isn't it? I mean, because I mean the main problem is if you catch a ring the wrong way in manual work, yeah, you you can rip your finger. It can sever your finger, we've we've seen it, and you must have seen pieces.

SPEAKER_00 35:44

We have seen some rings that have been quite badly misshapen, but in some cases the ring has actually saved the person's finger, believe it or not. It's the cause and the saviour. Yeah, so the ring has saved them, thankfully. Yeah. Um, but I would say um, yeah, if they can't wear a ring, then probably they need to be looking at it, but that the fiance wants them to still wear something, then maybe they should go for something that's very lightweight that's not going to impact them on the on the on the finger, you know.

SPEAKER_03 36:13

I've seen people get tattoos of like an initial or something on that finger rather than wearing the ring, but obviously not everyone wants a tattoo.

SPEAKER_00 36:20

Yeah, that's yeah, and I've had some people who uh have the tattoo ring and then they're choosing a ring to go over the tattoo. I've seen that a lot, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 36:27

Yeah, yeah. So there's like a hidden tattoo underneath.

SPEAKER_03 36:30

Just bad if you get divorced. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Well, on that note, have you got any questions to ask?

SPEAKER_02 36:39

No, I mean, you I mean, you're just very busy, aren't you? When whenever I see them at shows, there's always a cue.

SPEAKER_03 36:45

There is. Well, I think that there is a lot of.

SPEAKER_00 36:49

Well, I think it's obviously it's a personal service. Obviously, we're trying to introduce ourselves in a short space of time so people know what our business is about. Um, obviously, we encourage them to come to the store and have a look at our collections, you know, because we've only got a small representation, we can't bring everything with us, obviously. Um, and then obviously from there it's getting to know, find out about them, what they about their wedding, what they you know, what when it is, what they'll what they're planning for their wedding, what they're like. Um, some people have certain styles, don't know that they would choose over another. So it's really finding the actual sort of uh you know what what what what they like in a ring and then hopefully giving them options to to to improve upon that.

SPEAKER_02 37:30

I mean what you do is very good. I mean, I know there's a lot of jewelers that look up to you as the benchmark, if you like. Right, okay, yeah, yeah. So yeah, blowing smoke again. Yeah, they are a very good jeweler.

SPEAKER_03 37:43

How can people find you then?

SPEAKER_00 37:45

Okay, they can find us on um Instagram, Facebook. Obviously, we have a website, henryjonston.co.uk. Um, they can obviously message us on Messenger. Um, we have two shops because we are a bricks and mortar store. Whilst we still, you know, do have an online presence. We've very much encouraged them to come in and you know, we're people people, so we like to deal with people.

SPEAKER_02 38:06

It's important in jewelry as well, yeah. Yeah, I do like that.

SPEAKER_00 38:08

But to try them on, it's already well, but also the thing is as well, it's already well sort of seeing things, but sometimes you can your illusion of something online can be very different when you're actually to when you actually see it. So we would always encourage them to make an appointment, come in um through the website, just go on to the contact area on there and then put in their details. We'll get back to them uh and see what when time is suitable, time and date, uh, and then we can you know start their journey with them, go through the collections, um, you know, because obviously everybody has different needs and different styles, you know, and it isn't just about rings that you know that we have on display, you know, that we are showing because most rings are made to order. Um we can do, as we said, the bespoke, so we can make something truly unique from an idea. Um, I think just trying to think of that actually, we had one person once who um she had like a vintage kind of floral band um going around the ring, around the finger, uh, with diamonds, and he wanted something kind of like that, but not obviously as feminine, you know, more masculine. So we made a ring for him with two almost like leaves, but they fitted two together like parts. So it was like when you put them together, it was like uh like leaves going around, but they were joined. Yeah, um, so you know what to mean there's quite a few to-why they're the best.

SPEAKER_02 39:26

Yeah, so no other dual thinks that. Well, I these are not all my ideas, by the way.

SPEAKER_00 39:30

So a lot of these ideas do come from the owner of the business, Henry, as well. So he's had the business.

SPEAKER_02 39:35

When did he get the business? Was it 2003?

SPEAKER_00 39:37

2003, yes.

SPEAKER_02 39:39

He's had it a long time now, hasn't he?

SPEAKER_00 39:40

He has, yes. So basically, the um he does he he comes up with a lot of good ideas for things besides, but all of our team, you know, we all have ideas, we're all work together as a close-knit team, so we can uh you know, someone comes into us with an idea or a sketch of an idea, uh we can then obviously hopefully bring that forward and and make it more real we more reality for them, you know. Right. Um, but yeah, it is interesting, it's good nice to see, especially when you've seen your you know, your input come to something, you know, it's really, really nice. Yeah. Um, and obviously from our point of view, obviously it's word of mouth. So people if they've got we do get a lot of repeat business from people who have got engaged or married uh and then have chosen their engagement for wedding rings from us, so they'll tell their friends when they come in to see us as well. So that's quite good.

SPEAKER_04 40:31

Oh, perfect!

SPEAKER_00 40:32

Yeah, well, thank you so much for coming on.

SPEAKER_03 40:34

Thank you, it has been a pleasure, and we will see you all next week.

SPEAKER_01 40:39

Bye.