A Guide to Choosing Your Engagement Ring

In a world where the diamond often comes first, we believe design should lead the way.

At Pruden and Smith, we create engagement rings where craftsmanship, proportion, and character come before carat size. Buying an engagement ring should feel exciting, not intimidating, so we put simplicity and enjoyment at the heart of the experience.

We’re proud to offer a one-to-one approach, where you work with designers, not salespeople. Whether you visit us in our village workshop in Sussex or work with us online, your experience becomes part of your story. Far from the high street, in the heart of a historic English village, choosing your ring feels personal, thoughtful, and memorable.

With today’s lab-grown diamonds offering perfect quality without compromise, you’re free to choose a ring for its complete design, not just its stone, in a budget that suits you.

What Makes Us Different

Designed Here. Made Here. Loved Forever.

Designed by Founder and Creative Director Rebecca Smith, our engagement rings are unique to Pruden and Smith, from timeless classics reimagined with our signature rub-over setting, to contemporary, one-of-a-kind creations.

Each ring is handmade in our Ditchling workshop in Sussex, never from bulk-imported mounts. Every diamond, natural or lab-grown, is carefully selected for its beauty and character.

Engagement rings start from £1,200, with one-to-one guidance to make choosing your ring effortless.

Guided by Designers, Not Salespeople

Our engagement rings begin with design. Led by Creative Director Rebecca Smith and our in-house team, we blend traditional goldsmithing with contemporary style to create rings that feel personal and beautifully balanced.

Whether you’re visiting our Sussex workshop or working with us online, our designers are here to help you find the perfect combination of setting, metal, and diamond, crafted just for you. For something entirely personal, you can also explore our bespoke engagement ring service, where your ring is designed from the ground up around you.

Natural or Lab-Grown — Always Hand-Selected

We take the stress out of diamond choosing. Every stone, whether natural or lab-grown, is carefully chosen by our gemologists and designers for its brilliance, shape, and character, never from bulk databases.

With today’s lab-grown diamonds offering exceptional quality without compromise, you can focus on design first, confident that your stone will always meet our exacting standards.

Handmade in a Village in Sussex — Far from the High Street

Step away from the concrete and into our village workshop in Ditchling, nestled in the South Downs National Park. Here, our goldsmiths craft every piece by hand, not mass-produced, not imported.

Combine your visit with local walks, countryside pubs, and award-winning English sparkling wine for a truly British jewellery experience. It’s a lovely way to choose your wedding bands, or even to plan the surprise of selecting an engagement ring.

The Process of Choosing Your Engagement Ring

1. Decide on a Budget
There was once a rule that an engagement ring should cost three months’ salary. That was a marketing invention. How much you spend is entirely up to you and your circumstances.

Thanks to lab-grown diamonds, you no longer need to compromise on size or clarity. Choose what feels right for you.

Flexible Payment Options
You can also pay in instalments, simply talk to us or use Klarna at checkout.

2. Choose a Ring
Start with the design. This is where we’re different. We always lead with design, with one-to-one guidance from a real designer. We offer a range of unique and traditional designs, each with carefully considered proportions, ready to explore in our core engagement ring collection.

Then think about metal. Platinum is the only naturally white precious metal. Rose gold offers warmth and vintage charm. Yellow gold feels timeless and traditional. We price our rings in both 9ct and 18ct gold, 9ct being more affordable, 18ct richer in tone and value.

Finally, the diamond. Each design comes with a preselected stone chosen to suit it perfectly, removing overwhelm. If you’d like something different, we’ll work with you to find the right one.

3. Find Your Partner’s Ring Size
If you don’t know the size, don’t worry. It’s often best to err slightly larger. You can bring us a ring to size, trace one on paper, or follow our step-by-step guide on how to measure your engagement ring size.

4. Place Your Order
Order online or via a bespoke quote. We’ll handcraft your ring in around 2–4 weeks. Every ring comes with a 90-day return policy and a lifetime manufacturing guarantee, presented in a wooden ring box.

5. Propose
The rest is up to you. And if anything isn’t quite right, we offer a full refund and complimentary resizing. Most people need a small adjustment, so don’t worry.

A Final Note

Choosing an engagement ring is a meaningful moment, and it’s something we’re honoured to be part of. Over 25,000 customers have trusted us with their jewellery, with ★★★★★ reviews on Trustpilot and Google reflecting the care, craftsmanship, and experience we’re known for.

Whether you’re just beginning to explore, or you already have a design in mind, our role is to make the process feel calm, considered, and genuinely enjoyable.

You can explore our full collection of engagement rings here, where each design handmade in our Sussex workshop and ready to become part of your story.