Darlings, You Don't Need to Wait for Someone to Put a Ring on It.
Darlings, you don't need to wait for someone to put a ring on it.
By Mona Norman — Owner, Fogal and Barnes Fine Jewellers, Harrogate
"The best things in life aren't free — but they're considerably more affordable than they used to be. Especially if they happen to be diamonds."
There's a certain kind of woman who walks through the door of Fogal and Barnes Fine Jewellers on 14 Cambridge Street, Harrogate, and she knows exactly what she wants. She's read the reviews, done her research, possibly spent a quiet Tuesday evening down a very glittering Instagram rabbit hole — and she has arrived with purpose. Sometimes that purpose involves a proposal. Sometimes it involves a rather marvellous birthday, a milestone anniversary, or simply the radical act of deciding that she has been quite patient enough, and a diamond is long overdue.
Both reasons, I assure you, are entirely valid.
Meet the diamond that's rewriting the rules
We have always been proud at Fogal and Barnes to seek out the exceptional — to offer our customers something that goes beyond the predictable. So when we decided to introduce our extraordinary new collection of lab grown diamond engagement rings, we didn't simply stock a few safe options and call it done. We pushed the boundaries. We chose designs that are fashion-forward, beautifully crafted, and — dare we say it — a little bit ahead of our little town of Harrogate.
But first, let us address the question hovering at the back of your mind: is a lab grown diamond a real diamond? Absolutely, categorically, yes. It is chemically, physically and optically identical to a mined stone. The only difference is that rather than spending aeons forming deep beneath the earth, it was created in a state-of-the-art scientific facility — using the same extraordinary heat and pressure that nature itself employs. The result is a certified, stunning, brilliant diamond. And here's the rather thrilling part: it costs a fraction of the price.
Our lab grown diamond engagement rings in Harrogate start from just £999 for a one carat diamond in 9ct yellow gold. One. Whole. Carat. For under a thousand pounds. We'll give you a moment with that.
Three rings that are stopping us in our tracks right now
We could talk about our entire collection all day — and we frequently do — but allow us to introduce three designs that have been causing quite the stir since the moment we launched them.
✦ The "Hazel" — Oval Lab-Grown Diamond Twist Engagement Ring
From £2,099
The Hazel is, quite simply, the ring that makes people stop mid-sentence. An oval lab grown diamond — that most flattering and elongating of shapes — sits atop a delicately twisted band that catches the light from every conceivable angle. It is romantic without being fussy, distinctive without being loud. The sort of ring that a woman looks at on her finger and thinks: yes, that is entirely me. Available in yellow gold, white gold and rose gold, and very much in demand.
✦ The "Harriet" — Marquise Lab-Grown Diamond Engagement Ring
From £2,299
If the oval is having a moment, the marquise is having an entire era. The Harriet pairs a show-stopping marquise lab grown diamond with flanking trillion-cut stones — a three-stone design that manages to feel both boldly modern and timelessly elegant at once. The pointed silhouette is nothing short of dramatic on the finger, and we mean that as the highest possible compliment. This is the ring for a woman who knows exactly the kind of entrance she intends to make.
✦ The "Aurelia" — Marquise Lab-Grown Diamond Engagement Ring with Pavé Twist Band
From £1,699
The Aurelia is for those who believe that more is more — and who are absolutely right. A marquise lab grown diamond crowns a pavé-set diamond twist band, creating a ring that sparkles from every direction and refuses to go unnoticed. Instagram was practically invented for this ring. Equally magnificent in yellow gold for the warm-toned romantics and white gold for the cool, modern minimalists among us. It is, in a word, extraordinary.
For the proposal — and gloriously, for yourself
Our customers fall into two rather wonderful camps. The first are couples — often bright-eyed, hopelessly in love, and sensibly determined to spend their money wisely — searching for the perfect lab grown diamond engagement ring in North Yorkshire. They want something that will stop conversations at dinner parties for decades to come. They find it here.
The second group are women who have decided, with complete and admirable clarity, to simply buy themselves a diamond. No occasion required. No permission sought. The old notion that a woman must wait for a diamond to be given to her is — and we say this with the full warmth of a Harrogate afternoon — completely and utterly behind us. The right hand is having its renaissance. The milestone birthday deserves marking properly. The "I've worked incredibly hard and I rather fancy something brilliant on my Pinky finger" moment is as legitimate a reason as any proposal ever was.
We celebrate all of it. Enthusiastically.
Your complete jewellery story, under one (rather elegant) roof
What makes Fogal and Barnes your one true destination for bridal jewellery in Harrogate — beyond the exquisite stones, the thoughtful designs, and the fact that we actually listen — is this: every single engagement ring in our lab grown collection comes with its own perfectly matched lab grown diamond eternity ring and lab grown diamond wedding band, designed to sit together in seamless, breathtaking harmony.
The engagement ring. The wedding band. The eternity ring. All here. All considered. All waiting for you at 14 Cambridge Street. We rather think that's how it should be done.
Come and see us — we'd love that
Fogal and Barnes is not a chain. We are a proper, independent, much-loved jewellery shop in the heart of one of England's most beautiful towns — and we believe that finding your perfect diamond should feel like a pleasure, not a transaction. Come in. Have a look. Try something on. Let us show you what a lab grown diamond really looks like on your hand in the Harrogate light.
We think you'll be rather smitten.
Fogal and Barnes Fine Jewellers
14 Cambridge Street · Harrogate · North Yorkshire · HG1 1RX
