An Engagement Ring Buying Guide for Portland, Oregon
A CURATED LIST OF THE MY FAVORITE LOCAL JEWELERS
Engagement Rings in Portland, Oregon
A BUYERS GUIDE FOR FINDING THE PERFECT RING IN 2022.Where to find the perfect engagement ring in Portland, Oregon?
As someone who has seen quite a few engagement rings on photoshoots, and could potentially be shopping for one himself, I wanted to collect my notes and publish my findings on the local ring scene. If you’re looking for more information about diamonds and the more technical aspects, Brides has a great guide.
I’ll keep this guide updated as I check out the stores in person and hopefully find the perfect ring for my partner Jess (let’s keep this a secret, shall we).
One question I can answer now, is how long before the proposal to start searching for an engagement ring.
It took roughly 5 weeks for our ring to get finished, so give yourself at least two months to research, find your ring, and get it made.
AN UPDATE: WE FOUND OUR RING / JEWELER:
WHITNEY SHELHAMER FINE JEWELRY
Although not in Portland, this Southern Oregon jeweler has incredible work. Using ethically sourced stones in all of her rings. We’re super excited to share photos of the ring when it arrives.
Her website: https://www.whitneyshelhamer.com/
Jewelry Stores in Portland
Alchemy Jewelry
This local jewelry studio has an incredible selection of hand curated designers. They have a lovely location in the Pearl that gives you a front row seat to their in-house work bench. website
Gem Set Love (formerly Gilt Portland)
This jewelry boutique in NW Portland concentrates on vintage and antique jewelry. They also do custom work with recycled metals and gems. Their in-house metal smiths can size or restore heirloom jewelry or hand engrave your jewels. website
Betsy + Iya
Their wedding and engagement collection is designed by their founder Betsy Cross and made in their production studio in NW Portland. They use as much recycled gold as possible and only work with guaranteed conflict free diamonds and stones. website
Margulis Jewelers
This downtown jeweler focuses on both custom engagement rings and vintage/estate jewels. Their store has 89 years of history, starting in 1932. website
Shane Co (Tigard)
This store is part of the largest privately owned jewelry company in the United States. They have four generations of experience and can help you find the perfect ring. They offer ring financing. website
Lake Oswego Jewelers:
Other Portland Custom
+ Ethical + Recycled Jewelers:
- ABC Jewelry : We had our engagement ring resized here, truly incredible service. It was $35 and took less than an hour. The consultant guessed the exact ring size by looking at Jess’ finger before measuring.
- oKo Portland
- Miadonna
- VK Designs
- Nested Yellow Jewelry Co
- Hutcherson Goldsmithing
- Antoinette Jewelry
- Ringed PDX (DIY course for couples!)
- Poor Mouchette
For the Guys
Ring Bear
I used this online store for my wedding band. They offer a free sizing tool and a try before you buy option.
They use recycled materials for the bands and plant trees with every purchase to offset co2 emissions.
Plus, the style aligns with my taste. I went with the flat, 4.5mm, matte finish band.
Frequently Asked Questions
Purely personal opinion here, but you shouldn’t worry about this. Spend what is reasonable for your situation. Brides’ magazine did a study on American weddings for 2020 and found that most couples spend ~$3756 on average. I’ve photographed weddings with $100k rings and weddings with $10 rings. The amount you spend won’t dictate your happiness.
We did most of our research online (thanks Covid). We ended up trying to measure our fingers with string and a ruler.. it wasn’t close. This meant paying a small fee to get rings resized after. It’s totally cool if you buy a ring online, but I’d recommend getting measured in person with an expert.