At David M Robinson, all jewellery purchases are significant but none are treated more reverentially than engagement rings. Make the most of the team’s breadth of experience, from classic to bespoke, to find the perfect ring.
Choosing an engagement ring is personal and evocative, reflecting a moment in time and the union of two people.
“Your engagement ring will possibly be the most important and symbolic jewellery purchase you make in your lifetime,” says Sara Rickwood, who works for David M Robinson in Manchester. It’s the DMR combination of “trust, knowledgeable staff and a glass of Champagne or two” that creates a memorable experience and leads to the selection of the perfect ring, she says.
A couple may walk in, see the perfect ring and buy it as it is, keeping setting, stone and metal the same. They could walk out of the store, the ring on her finger, that very day. When it comes to general preferences, Sara says a “classic, platinum, round brilliant-cut diamond with an elegant twist has been very popular… possibly because the twist enables you to see the diamond from all angles, and the cut and clarity together create a beautiful sparkle.”
“Your engagement ring will possibly be the most important and symbolic jewellery purchase you make in your lifetime,”
Alisha Duffy, manager in Liverpool, elaborates on popular choices. “Fashion and trends change with diamond rings and sometimes you can place a ring in a certain era; however, traditional single diamonds are classic and never date,” she explains. “We have seen a rise recently in diamond shoulders and more rings in 18ct yellow gold rather than platinum.”
Another engagement ring option is choosing to go down the bespoke route.
Sometimes customers want to use a family heirloom or something that has been sitting in a jewellery box for years. The skilled goldsmiths at David M Robinson have experience working with a variety of stones and cuts, and are able to offer innovative ideas with regards to repurposing the original diamond and gold or designing something from scratch. Dawn Welch, goldsmith in Chester, feels “it’s best for me to sit with the clients to discuss ideas and then, if needed, I do a design sheet. Once they have chosen, we can make the complete ring or if the client prefers they can view the ring in stages.” That way, Dawn says, the client can remain involved if they wish to be and adjustments can be made along the way.
The customer service at David M Robinson is exemplary and engagement rings are no exception. “I feel it is very important to find out details of the future fiancé,” says service manager Nicky Owen, “so you can relate to her and find out her likes and dislikes — for example, regarding the shape of stone; would she like something delicate or sculptural and modern?” Then a variety of rings are brought out: “Some along the lines of what he described and some he may have not even thought about,” Nicky explains. While David M Robinson has seen an increase in couples shopping together for the perfect ring, Liverpool showroom manager Alisha points out that nonetheless a typical engagement ring shopper “is still a man nervously doing his homework”
The team know what a special moment they’re partaking in. “The DMR service is special because, frankly, it’s our passion to make the most elegant and beautifully designed rings we can,” says managing director John Robinson. “We don’t think about much else. I suspect we’re guilty of getting immersed in the excitement of the occasion with the client; after all, you’re popping the big question!” In fact, says Alisha, one client even proposed in the David M Robinson showroom on South John Street in Liverpool. It was “a perfect afternoon with lots of Champagne!”
For David M Robinson, an engagement ring is just the start of the relationship.
Angela Duffy (yes, Alisha’s mum!) is based in Chester and the most rewarding part of her role is “my clients returning to see me time and time again, from bringing the fiancé to meet me to choosing their wedding bands”. David M Robinson offers a lifetime cleaning and stone-checking guarantee, free of charge. “We develop close relationships with our customers through the purchase of an engagement ring,” says Nicky, “and it leads on to future purchases like a watch for the groom to wear on his special day and anniversary gifts.” In fact, Angela has even been invited to the weddings of those she has helped to choose their engagement ring; the intimate process comes full-circle when “they return a few years later with their newborn to choose an eternity ring.”
“The DMR service is special because, frankly, it’s our passion to make the most elegant and beautifully designed rings we can,”
Showrooms
