The Engagement Ring
Here is a bit of background- Zach, my fiancé knows my love of jewelry and that I have seen a lot of wedding rings in my day and… if I am being honest, that I am fairly picky when it comes to items that I will wear for years to come. I think about handbags I want to buy in terms of longevity and usefulness. I tend to stick to the classics and play it safe. I know what you are thinking- boring! I would love to be the girl who buys designer bags in hot pink and chartreuse, but I am not that girl.
Zach and I worked with Miss Diamond Ring- Michelle to pick the perfect stone for my engagement ring. I had followed her for years on Instagram and regularly asked her questions in her DMs. I know a lot about diamonds and enough about the retail industry to know that getting a good diamond that is perfect for you takes connections. I didn’t want whatever the jeweler had in stock and while I really valued the 4 big C’s I knew that places like Tiffany and Co. and Harry Winston added a lot to the total cost of a diamond based on their name and retail store rent- Hello, Rodeo Drive! Michelle had worked for the big name jewelers and knew her stuff, but not being under them she was able to go direct and pick gems just for me based on what I thought I wanted… I will get to that!
After an initial Zoom meeting with Michelle she went about curating diamonds for me to view in person. It took a couple weeks. I had initially thought I wanted a pear shaped diamond- I love them! I think they are unique and stunning and really a very sexy shape. I also shared that I like oval diamonds, but I was pretty sure I was going to pick a pear. I sent Michelle photos of my hand in rings I had inherited- one a pear and one an oval and let her do her thing.
On the day we went to look at the stones I was beyond nervous. I don’t really know why… I think it was making a decision about a stone that I would wear for the rest of my life and wanting to love it for many, many years to come. Michelle made the process easy for both Zach and me. We felt comfortable in her office seated on plush velvet chairs surrounded by perfectly curated shelves filled with books on gem stones and fashion designers, sipping on champagne. When she presented the stones I was stunned! The stones were all more than I had dreamed of. After looking at all the options I decided that an oval was the right choice for me and my finger. I mentioned to her that I had a pair of my grandmother’s diamond earrings that I didn’t wear because they were screw posts and asked if she would check the color match with the oval. She went back with the jeweler and they examined them and to our surprise they were a perfect match! While we were going to pick the center stone that day and let them find other stones for the sides once they got down to building the ring, I loved the idea of seeing if the ring could incorporate something old and from family. The rest of the ring design was left up to Michelle and Zach.
Zach worked with Michelle to finalize the design creating a 3 stone engagement ring for me surrounded by halos and hidden halos and a secret message in the band only for me to see.
The details are stunning and more than I could have ever dreamed of, so when Zach proposed I couldn’t wait to take all of the secret details they had worked on.
I know that this isn’t for everyone, but for me having a decision in the ring was what I wanted. There is still a huge element of surprise- final design, hidden message, etc. and having no clue when the proposal would happen. I think of it like a first look- is it for everyone? No. But if you have the first look you get a lot of special time prior to the ceremony with your significant other. You get to talk and hug and kiss and then you get the walk down the aisle where you are surrounded by everyone you love. It is different and there is no right or wrong way.
I am not sponsored by Miss Diamond Ring- could you imagine?!? That would be a dream! But, if you are looking for the perfect stone, one on one help, an upgrade or anniversary ring I highly recommend reaching out to her and let her know I sent you!
Special thank you to I Heart My Groom , I Heart My Groom Films and Anna Delores Photography for capturing our special day and for keeping the biggest surprise a total secret!