"Old Bond Street" - A London Engagement Ring From De Beers

De Beers is a London jewellery company with an outstanding heritage in diamond expertise. Their first store opened at 45 Old Bond Street, so they have, appropriately, named their new engagement ring design ‘Old Bond Street’, after that heritage.

About the company

De Beers was established in 1888 when the company started exploring and mining for diamonds. In 1939, the company introduced the "4 Cs", which stand for cut, clarity, colour and carat, to determine the value of a diamond. In 1947, they introduced the famous slogan ‘A diamond is forever’.

In 2001, the company opened as a partnership between The De Beers Group of Companies and Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH). The store opened on 45 Old Bond Street, London, in 2002. The company has since become global, with the first international store opening in Tokyo in 2003, followed by stores in New York, Hong Kong and Beijing.

De Beers have designed countless exquisite diamond jewels rings and their most recent offering is a new diamond engagement ring launched in March 2014. De Beers claims that the De Beers Aria is inspired by the true harmony of love. The heart of the company, though, remains in London, and the new design, ‘Old Bond Street’, is a true London engagement ring.

The ‘Old Bond Street’ London engagement ring

The ‘Old Bond Street’ uses a classic design to accentuate the diamond’s exceptional cut. It has a solitaire setting and the stone is held in a unique V-shape, which gives the diamond maximum light performance. The ring is also simply called the DB classic solitaire ring. In London, engagement ring designers are consistently discovering new cuts, settings and gemstones, but in this case, De Beers have kept the diamond pure and simple. Its perfect proportions and refined setting make the diamond attract the light and give the appearance of almost lifting the stone towards you. The ring is made of platinum and is 2.1mm wide. De Beers define the ring as being 'timeless and elegant', featuring meticulous design and crafted with a four-prong-set round brilliant solitaire.

Although the diamond solitaire is beautifully simple, a wide selection of colour and clarity grades is available. The starting price is around £1,250.00, with De Beers pricing each solitaire diamond based on the valuation the 4 Cs.

A London engagement ring that supports a worldwide charity The company is partnered with the charity 'Women for Women International', and their campaign ‘Moments in Light’ aims to provide assistance for women in war-torn regions, both financially and emotionally. They provide job skills training, business assistance and education to help women who have suffered trauma in their lives.

According to the De Beers website, executive Director of Women for Women International is quoted as saying: "The change that the De Beers Moments in Light campaign is real and impactful. The supported women are going to learn new skills and gain the confidence to enable them to rebuild their lives and the lives of their families and the whole community."

In its support of vulnerable women all over the world, the ‘Old Bond street’ London engagement ring is not only a British product, but also takes on global importance.

Frederick Holm is staff writer for the F&L Designer Guides, compiled and written to help consumers choose a unique engagement ring design. From the best London engagement ring designers to precious metals, coloured stones and vintage styles, we have ideas and opinions covering all the options. Offering advice, tips and suggestions on how to choose that perfect ring, F&L will accompany you on every stage of your search to find the right designer.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.