Ring & Diamond Quiz
NewEngagement ring, wedding band or a diamond on its own? A few quick questions give you a starting spec that suits them, with real prices
New generation buyer's guide
Hatton Garden, explained for people who actually do their research
Over 300 jewellers. Zero transparency — until now. We built the tools and wrote the guides that the industry never wanted you to have.
Independent & unbiasedBased on real visitsUpdated September 2026
Interactive tools
Do the homework before the shop visit
Design your ring, find her size, check your budget — all before setting foot on Hatton Garden. Walk in knowing exactly what you want.
Virtual Ring Builder
Most popularChoose your shape, metal, and setting — see it in 3D. Save your design and get quotes from Hatton Garden jewellers
Ring Size Finder
Find their ring size without asking. Borrow a ring they already wear, use the string method, or ask someone who knows
Budget Reality Check
Enter what you want to spend — we'll show you exactly what you can get in Hatton Garden at that level
Proposal Planner
NewCountdown timer, checklist, London venue ideas, and a personalised timeline so nothing gets missed
Buyer's guides
The stuff you're Googling at midnight
Written by people who've been through it — not by people trying to sell you something.
Buying an Engagement Ring
What you actually need to know — prices, styles, and how to walk in with confidence
Read guide 8 min read
Understanding Diamonds
How to read a certificate, what the 4Cs actually mean for how it looks, and what to ask
Read guide 6 min read
Lab-Grown Diamonds
Same crystal structure, same sparkle, fully certified. Here's the full picture — including the trade-offs
Read guide 7 min read
Planning Your Visit
How to get there, what to expect, how many shops to visit, and how to handle pressure
Read guide 5 min read
Understanding the landscape
Two ways to buy on Hatton Garden
Hatton Garden isn't one thing anymore. The street has evolved into two distinct models — and understanding the difference means you'll know exactly what to expect when you walk in.
Traditional showroom
Walk in, browse the display cases
- Physical rings and diamonds in glass cabinets — you can see and try on what's in stock
- Staff walk you through options in person — ideal if you prefer a guided experience
- Selection limited to what's physically in the shop — typically 20-50 display pieces
- Business costs include showroom rent, stock insurance, and display inventory — these are reflected in pricing
Best for: people who want to touch and try before deciding
Online-first + consultation
Research online, confirm in person
- Access to 1,000,000+ certified diamonds through online databases — search by exact specs, compare side-by-side
- Ring builder tools let you configure your exact ring and see the price before any conversation
- Book a consultation to see your configured ring in person — the visit is confirmation, not exploration
- Business invests in technology and sourcing rather than showroom displays — full transparency on pricing
Best for: people who want to research, compare, and know exactly what they're getting before committing
Neither model is better. It depends on how you like to make decisions. Some people want to hold it first. Others want to see every option before narrowing down. Hatton Garden has both.
Stories of the street
Seven doors most visitors walk straight past
800 years of history in one short street. Swipe through it.
Ely PlaceThe bishops’ chapel
Built in the 1250s as the private chapel of the Bishops of Ely, St Etheldreda’s is one of the oldest Catholic churches in England. The bishops’ palace and gardens once covered this whole area — Hatton Garden grew out of their land. Shakespeare even mentions the strawberries grown here, in Richard III.
Photo: “St Etheldreda's Church, Ely Place, London” by Jim Linwood, CC BY 2.0
Off Charterhouse StreetThe road with its own gates
Step through the gatehouse and you’re on a private road built over the bishops’ old palace grounds. Local legend says it stayed technically part of Cambridgeshire for centuries, and that the police needed an invitation to come in. Whatever the truth, the gates and lodge are still there.
Photo: “The entrance to Ely Place, Holborn” by Marathon / Geograph, CC BY-SA 2.0
5 Hatton GardenThe revolutionary upstairs
A bronze plaque on the first floor marks where Giuseppe Mazzini, the exiled champion of a united Italy, lived and worked. He wasn’t the only Italian here: these streets were filling with Italian craftsmen — the community whose metalwork and gem-cutting skills turned Hatton Garden into London’s jewellery quarter.
Photo: “5 Hatton Garden, London, December 2022” by No Swan So Fine, CC BY-SA 4.0
Between 8 and 9 Hatton GardenThe pub that hides
Down a passage most people walk straight past, Ye Olde Mitre has been serving since 1546 — first for the servants of the bishops’ palace. Inside is what’s said to be the trunk of an old cherry tree. Legend has it Elizabeth I danced around it, and that it marked the edge of Christopher Hatton’s garden.
Photo: “Ye Olde Mitre” by JRennocks, CC BY-SA 4.0
19–21 Hatton GardenBuilt for jewellers
Look up at 19–21. This Grade II listed building went up in 1905 for the jewellers Stewart Dawson & Co., with carved stone panels across its front. More than a century later it’s still full of jewellery businesses — on Hatton Garden, the trade doesn’t just pass through. It stays.
Photo: “19-21 Hatton Garden, London, December 2022” by No Swan So Fine, CC BY-SA 4.0
88–90 Hatton GardenBehind the black door
Over Easter weekend 2015, a gang of mostly retired thieves went through this building, drilled half a metre of concrete into the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit vault and emptied 73 boxes. The haul was put at around £14 million — much of it never recovered.
Photo: “88-90 Hatton Garden, front door” by RHaworth, CC BY-SA 4.0
Corner of St Cross StreetThe charity children
Two painted figures of children in blue coats watch the corner of St Cross Street. They mark a charity school that opened here in 1696, when the parish’s poor children wore blue uniforms. Look up as you pass — most people on their way to a jeweller never notice them.
Photo: “Bluecoat Boy statue, Wren House, Hatton Garden” by gruntzooki, CC BY-SA 4.0
Where to go
Jewellers we'd send a friend to
Each one is different. We've included both showroom and online-first options so you can pick the experience that suits you.
Online-first. Their ring builder lets you configure your exact ring from 1,000,000+ GIA and IGI certified diamonds, see the price upfront, then book a consultation to see it in person. Full transparency before you walk in.
Lab-Grown DiamondsRing BuilderFull Transparency
19-21 Hatton Garden, EC1N 8BA4.8
Visit website One of the UK's largest online diamond jewellers. Huge certified diamond database with detailed specs and imagery. Technology-driven — you do the research online, then visit their consultation suite by appointment.
Massive SelectionTech-DrivenCertified Stones
3 Hanover Square, Mayfair (by appointment)4.7
Visit website £££
Walk-in showroom with display cases and a hands-on consultation experience. If you want to try rings on and talk to someone face-to-face without doing homework first, this is the traditional route.
Showroom ExperienceTry Before You BuyBespoke
98 Hatton Garden, EC1N 8NX4.9
Visit website Traditional Hatton Garden shop with physical displays. Walk in, browse the cabinets, talk to the staff. Good for people who want the classic jeweller experience without appointments.
Walk-InClassic ExperienceNo Appointment
36 Greville Street, Hatton Garden4.3
Visit website Go deeper
Old guides gave you textbook definitions. We give you what actually matters for making your decision.
How to Choose a Ring
The complete walkthrough — what to decide first, what can wait, and what doesn't matter as much as you think
Read guide 10 min
The 4Cs — What You'll Actually See
Forget the gemology lecture. Here's what affects how it looks on her hand — and what's just on paper
Read guide 6 min
What Things Actually Cost Here
Real price ranges by ring type, metal, and carat. Because 'contact for pricing' helps nobody
Read guide 5 min
Lab-Grown vs Natural — The Full Picture
Same stone scientifically. Different story emotionally. Here's everything — including the parts jewellers leave out
Read guide 7 min
Finding Her Ring Size Secretly
Borrow a ring she already wears, use the string trick, or ask her best friend. Three methods that work
Read guide 3 min
White Gold vs Platinum vs Rose Gold
Durability, colour over time, maintenance, and what actually looks different after a year of wearing it
Read guide 4 min
Common Questions
What's the difference between showroom jewellers and online-first jewellers?+
Traditional showroom jewellers like Queensmith and Diamond Palace have physical display cases — you walk in, browse what's on display, and talk to staff. Online-first jewellers like MOH London and 77 Diamonds invest in technology instead — ring builders, 360° diamond viewers, databases of over 1,000,000 certified stones. You do your research online, configure exactly what you want, see the price upfront, then book a consultation. The showroom model gives you 20 rings in a glass cabinet. The online model gives you every certified diamond available, configured to your specs. Different approaches — neither is better, it depends on how you like to shop.
Can I just walk in or do I need an appointment?+
Depends on the type of shop. Traditional display stores welcome walk-ins — just push the door open. Online-first jewellers like MOH London and 77 Diamonds work by appointment because your consultation is personalised to the ring you've already designed online. For the best experience: do your research online first, narrow down what you want, then book appointments with 2-3 jewellers to see it in person.
How do I know I'm getting fair value?+
Transparency. Every reputable Hatton Garden jeweller should show you a GIA or IGI certificate for your diamond — this is a third-party grading report that confirms exactly what you're getting. Compare like-for-like: same carat, cut, colour, clarity across 3-4 shops. Online-first jewellers typically show certificates and pricing upfront on their websites. If any shop won't show you the certificate or won't give you a clear price, that tells you something.
Why do some Hatton Garden jewellers have much lower prices than others?+
Business model. A jeweller with a large showroom, display cases full of stock, and walk-in staff has significant overheads — rent, insurance, stock holding. Those costs are factored into the price. An online-first jeweller invests in technology and sources diamonds on-demand from certified dealers rather than holding stock. Neither approach is wrong — but you should understand what you're paying for. A higher price doesn't always mean a better diamond. It might mean a more expensive shop.
Is it safe to buy from an online-first jeweller?+
Yes — as long as the diamond comes with a GIA or IGI certificate and the jeweller offers a clear returns policy. Online-first jewellers based in Hatton Garden like MOH London and 77 Diamonds are registered UK businesses with physical addresses. You can visit by appointment, see the ring in person before committing, and you have full UK consumer rights including 14-day cooling-off period for online purchases.