'Quarter UK Average' For NI Engagement Ring

Lovers in four UK counties still spend an average of over £2,000 on an engagement ring, according to statistics from the Diamond Store.

But, people in County Antrim, in comparison, reportedly spend an average of just a quarter of that total - £509 - on engagement rings while Lancashire weighs in at a £741 average.

The majority of counties in the UK fell into the £1,501-£2,000 bracket, giving a very positive message to the jewellery industry in the UK.

The online jeweller used sales data from the last 12 months to reveal that West Glamorgan, West Lothian, Glasgow and Angus are the biggest-spending counties in the British Isles when it comes to engagement rings, with West Glamorgan spending the most at an astonishing average of £2,535 per ring. Milton Keynes and West Sussex are not far behind at £1,897 and £1,835 respectively.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, white gold turned out to be the most popular metal, accounting for around 50 per cent of engagement ring sales across the UK, while platinum rings trumped yellow gold with a 30 per cent share, with the latter filling the last 20 per cent of sales.

Regionally, white gold dominates jewellery sales in Greater Manchester, but platinum proved most popular with love-struck Londoners. Residents of Cambridgeshire, however, still have a soft spot for yellow gold.

Gary Ingram of the Diamond Store commented on the findings, saying: "We're delighted that these new figures prove that the recession is not denting people's hopes of finding the perfect engagement ring for their loved ones and, of course, their budgets.

"It is wonderful that white gold is more popular than ever when it comes to engagement rings and that applies pretty much right across the country. Platinum is certainly growing in popularity because it is much more durable and easier to clean but white gold is still the most sought after by far.

"The data shows that people the length and breadth of the UK are taking advantage of the convenience and efficiency of buying jewellery online. One thing the data doesn't show, though, is the emotional significance of buying an engagement ring, but this remains at the heart of everything we do for every one of our customers."

(GK/BMcC)