There are no pretty pictures in this post. Just some pearls of wisdom for you. Here are five pearls of wisdom we wish everyone knew before embarking on this journey.
The 5 pro tips
- You will be terrified, but that is normal. There is no amount of time, money, or obsessing that will keep you from being extremely nervous right before you pull the ring from your pocket. Every one of our customers received dazzling, beautiful rings. (We'd know because we're experts.) Even so, each of them was nervous. Individuals who could accept that anxiety is a normal part of the process found it much easier to make decisions and then trust them.
- There is no such thing as a fair price for the wrong thing. There are some terrible deals out there. The takeaway is that just because something is expensive does not mean it is of high quality or attractive. Having said that, we've discovered that there is no such thing as a bad price for the right thing. Simply because something is inexpensive does not imply that it is of poor quality. When it comes to spotting a really good ring among the fruit loops, nothing beats a trained eye. Don't be taken in by the hype.
- Custom design is time consuming. People never seem to realise how difficult it is to turn a mental vision into a physical ring on their finger. Finding the right stones can be extremely difficult, and designing and fabricating a setting can seem to take an eternity. There will always be glitches, revisions, and delays. Make preparations for this. Almost everyone has a moment when they think to themselves, "How did I get myself into this?" Perhaps it would be easier to find an existing ring or a speciality designer whose unique vision you completely trust.
- Our advice is to avoid throwing money at the problem. "If I find the perfect ring and it's $2000 over my budget, I think I should go for it," we hear a lot. Hmmm. Let's start by being inventive and seeing what we can come up with. Some of our clients were concerned that they were being cheap when they unexpectedly received the ring of their dreams for less than they had anticipated. You are not cheap, people. You are astute. You took the time to educate yourself and hired a subject matter expert. Savings and better value are usually the result in any situation, not just ring shopping.
- What are your highest priorities? The most obvious three are timeline, budget, and creative vision. Some priorities will be unclear at first. You must allow them to rise to the surface on their own and determine which one will prevail. Maintain focus on your objectives, but be prepared to shift gears quickly if your priorities shift. You may decide that a particular detail MUST be incorporated into the design. Be prepared to adjust your timing expectations to allow the jeweller time to incorporate your new element.
We've have helped many couples and we've fallen in love with every couple we've worked with. Their willingness to bare their souls, admit their fears, and share their deepest desires with us has been humbling. It takes a lot of trust to let someone help you find or design an engagement ring, and we are grateful every time someone chooses to work with us. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their stories with us.
