Hatton Garden has been London’s jewellery quarter for more than a century, and it holds dozens of workshops, dealers and shopfronts within a few streets. For a first engagement ring that choice can feel daunting. The questions below are how to tell a true maker from a middleman. We answer each one plainly, and we would encourage you to put the same questions to anyone else you are considering. They are the standard we hold our own bench to.
Who actually makes the ring?
Many names in the quarter are retail fronts that send the work out and cannot tell you whose hands will touch your ring. We can. Your ring is designed in CAD and hand finished at our own bench inside Unit 1.02, The Goldsmiths’ Centre, with casting and stone setting carried out by specialist Hatton Garden craftsmen we have worked with for years. Our founder, from three generations of jewellers, has worked at a Hatton Garden bench since 1999, and we tell you exactly which stage happens where.
Is the diamond independently certified?
A seller’s word is not certification. We can source every centre stone, natural or laboratory grown, with an independent GIA or IGI grading report, and you see the certificate before you commit, so the decision is made on evidence rather than adjectives. Anyone unwilling to put a certificate in your hands before payment should not be holding your money.
Is the price clear before any work begins?
We are open about price. Bespoke engagement rings start from £2,000, quoted in full and in writing before a single tool is picked up. Metal prices move with the market, so a design left on hold for some time is re-quoted before work starts. A £350 design fee covers your CAD renders and is credited to your ring, so you approve a photoreal preview of the exact piece before any metal is committed. Very few workshops will put their numbers in public. Ours are on every page of this site.
Where is the ring hallmarked?
In the United Kingdom, precious metal above the exemption weight must be hallmarked by an official Assay Office, so ask where it is done. Every ring we make is hallmarked at the London Assay Office, a few streets from our bench, and carries the leopard’s head that has marked London gold since the fourteenth century. The marks are independent proof of metal and fineness, struck for the life of the ring.
What happens if something is not right?
Ask how sizing and aftercare are handled before you buy, not after. We confirm finger size with you before your ring is made, resize where needed, and provide ongoing aftercare including cleaning and checking, alongside your statutory rights under UK consumer law. We would be cautious of anyone who promises a lifetime guarantee without explaining exactly what it covers.
Natural or laboratory grown?
This is a question of values and budget, not quality, and a jeweller who pushes you either way is usually selling stock rather than advice. We source both, independently certified, to your brief. A laboratory-grown diamond buys more size or clarity for the same outlay; a natural diamond carries rarity and geological history. The right answer is the one that means something to the two of you, and we will give you the arithmetic for both.
Do you need to visit in person?
Not with us. Many of our clients commission entirely by WhatsApp, with free insured UK delivery and worldwide dispatch. Those who prefer to meet are welcome by appointment at our studio, Unit 1.02, The Goldsmiths’ Centre, 42 Britton Street, London EC1M 5AD, three minutes from Farringdon. We take on a small number of commissions each month so every ring gets proper bench time.
Put these questions to anyone on the street, including us. They are how we would choose a jeweller ourselves, and answering them plainly is the way we have worked since our founder first came to Hatton Garden in 1999. You can see recent commissions from the bench, and when you are ready, book a complimentary consultation or message us in confidence. Nothing is ever shared without your permission.
