OK everybody the time has come and I have asked my girlfriend to marry me and I'm glad to say she has accepted. I am now looking for an engagement ring and would like some advice.

1. I have bought her a ring in the past and it was size 59. Does anyone know how this relates to UK/International Ring Sizes?

2. Should I get 18K, 22K gold. All the jewellery I have bought in the past has been 22K, bought in Thailand. I was always told that 18K is better for rings as it is harder and will last longer.

3. Can anyone recomend a good jewelers in Bangkok or Chang Rai, Mesai? ( My girlfriend is actually Burmese and we often meet up at the border. She can speek fluent Thai)I want to make sure I don't get ripped of, I am looking for a solitaire diamond ring.

Thanks

PAul

I bought one from a place called Diamond in Fortune Town in Bangkok. Good service and a nice ring for the money.

Paul, judging by what happened afterwards to Mark's marriage maybe you should steer clear of that place! Only joking Mark!

Paul, your disclosed details do not say where you live. If not too far from Birmingham, consider a visit to the Jewellery Quarter where prices are significantly lower than normal UK jewellery shops. Not only that, lots of choice and lots of expertise.

I had Nat's engagement ring made there to order. Not many Thai girls able to show their friends an engagement ring made in Birmingham, England!

quote:

2. Should I get 18K, 22K gold. All the jewellery I have bought in the past has been 22K, bought in Thailand. I was always told that 18K is better for rings as it is harder and will last longer.

I once had some cufflinks made from 22carat gold in Kuwait. The colour is very rich, but itis definitely softer, as the brackets of the toggles often bend when I try to put them on. If you're looking at a ring with a mounting for a stone this might be worth bearing in mind

quote:

Paul, judging by what happened afterwards to Mark's marriage maybe you should steer clear of that place! Only joking Mark!

Good advice.

Read a post on TV about this.

Said Thai gold is very soft...so stones can often fall out. "English" standard maybe better.

Good Luck :-)


Nick

Hi ref your enquiry on ring size

I purchaced a ring here in England,
my wife sized her finger in Thailand then i went into a local independant jewelry store they had a conversion chart of the various international sizes,
as i recall i think the Thai sizes were the same as the American.
good luck

many thais i know like white gold for engagement rings with
.33-.50 stone not too bulky on small fingers these rings are
not like normal 99.//22ct thai gold which is sold at scrap value as spot price that day.

sean

call me cheap charley if you like.
But buy a second hand diamond ring and get it re sized to fit
you will save 70%

Maybe not so romantic, but more practical, wait until you are in Thailand, let your fiance go into a gold shop alone, to find something that she likes and ascertain the price before you enter the shop after a pre-arranged time or signal, that way you will end up paying a Thai price, rather than one inflated for a farang . Also, after twice being asked if she wanted some commission added to the price, my wife now always goes to the jewellers alone, after removing her own rings and gold, even when going for any repairs.

Thanks for all of the replies folks. The key thing for me is getting the size right. The problem is that my girldfriend is actually Burmese (though we met in thailand). She is now back in Burma in her home town. Getting to a Jewellers that would have and internation ring size chart is not very pratical. (They don't have IDD or mobiles where she lives).

I want to bring the engagement ring with me but getting the right size is important. As I said we did by a ring before that was size 59. Anyone know what this means?

Paul F, sorry that I can't help you with the ring's size.
I had my ring made in Thailand and resized it again here. Because of the weather my fingers seem to shrink a bit so the ring I had made in Thailand was too big.(or it's just me being fussy )

Agree with Chugwel about having white gold or platinum for the body.

and congratulation in advance for your engagement and wedding