Archive for category Jewelry
Jewelry Etiquette: Don’t do to your ring that which you wouldn’t do to your husband
You just got engaged. Your neighbors are drooling; your best friend is suffering from a major depression and your coworkers are plotting against you. This is because you have the most beautiful ring that makes them all green with envy. Are you ready to take care of your new shiny pebble? Did you take a jewelry safety course or attend a jewelry care seminar? It’s not taught at your home-EC class either. Hopefully we can shine the light on the subject.
The undeniable elegance and grace of modern micro pavé jewelry are certain to draw the eye of anyone who happens to see it. However, these delicate pieces do require extra care and love on the part of their owner. At times, though the passion for your jewelry might burn with desire, a certain level of neglect might ruin the relationship.
Damaged jewelry due to abuse/ improper wear
The Clapper
It’s the last few minutes of the Super Bowl. Eli is just about to throw the game winning ball. Or perhaps Welker is just about to drop a ball. Your fiancé is screaming and jumping much like the rest of the stadium. Finally, the ball is thrown and the whole stadium explodes. You are excited. You are frantically applauding. And your new engagement ring is crying with pain. Why? Unknown to you it’s being bombarded with hundreds of hits by a right hand ring you got from an old sweetheart in high school (you probably lied and told your fiancé that it’s a gift from your sister). When your hands meet during the applause your ex’s ring extols its revenge on your engagement ring. The back of your ring get’s smashed at a rate of 4 hits per second. It could be 14 hit per second if you are Kent French – the world’s fastest clapper (See the video here) It’s like hundreds and hundreds of small hammers beating the back of your ring. Chances are the ex’s ring is a hefty flea market type, so your exquisite micro pavé ring is no match in terms of resiliency. It takes just one Metallica concert (or six Kenny G performances) to clap your engagement ring away. Be smart about it – the rule of thumb is: no two rings should meet with exception of a bunch of stack-able bands.
The Knucklehead
Here is a conversation at a jewelry counter repeated in this form or another more than once or twice.
Customer:
- I expect to wear my ring every day. I am an active person and do a lot of physical activities. I travel, I garden, and I exercise. Regardless, I do not want to take it off my finger for any reason. This is the way I am. Besides, if I don’t have the ring somebody just might assume that I am still single!
The salesperson:
- No problem at all, you can wear it non-stop, it’s really well made. It’s a quality item, not the cheap knockoff you would buy on 47th Street….
The salesperson just told her a lie. In order to close the sale, the salesperson will say whatever the customer wants to hear. Heck, if he is getting a commission he will also agree that the black color looks pretty much white. In fact black might be even slightly whiter in tone – it all depends on the lighting. A reputable salesperson will not hesitate telling the inconvenient truth: micro pavé jewelry although not fragile, still has to be worn with more care than plain-vanilla non-pavé jewelry.
In your life (ideally) you get only one engagement ring. Choosing its style is difficult because you have to assess your lifestyle many years into the future to make sure that it’s appropriate for just about every situation you might find yourself – casual or formal.
Imagine having to wear only one dress until the rest of your life. Which one would you choose: an evening gown or jeans? That is essentially a choice you make when you choose your engagement ring. An evening dress is the equivalent of a micro pavé ring. It combines feminine elegance with delicate construction. A pair of khakis might stand for a plain solitaire. Do you prefer to show up at work wearing a sheer designer dress or have a romantic dinner at a fancy restaurant sporting sturdy overalls?
The answer seems to be simple, but it’s not. Unfortunately there is no “in-between” option; it’s either one or the other. To find a balance between the beauties of a delicate micro pavé ring versus durability of a shopping mall clunker we have to walk a fine line. In our work at Leon Mege we tend to be drawn to the side of beauty at the expense of strength. Delicate but beautiful micro pavé does require some amount of sacrifice. However, in the age of Botox and Brazilian bikini wax, keeping your ring’s surroundings under constant surveillance is not asking for much.
In order not to be sorry later one must be reasonable in his/her expectations and take three necessary steps:
- Choose your jeweler like you were to choose your plastic surgeon. Even experienced jewelers might lack understanding and expertise in this narrow field. A talent plus experience in setting micro pavé will be your best bet against future disappointment.
- Choose your setting wisely. Caring for your ring is a task similar to caring for a plant – it has to be constant, you can’t stop watering it for a month and expect it to survive. Or get a jewelry equivalent of a cactus – a plain solitaire. It will withstand harsh treatment better than a ring with pavé. You still should remove it when going bowling, kick-boxing or mechanical bull riding. See pictures.
- Listen to your jeweler’s advice. You are entitled to a clear and detailed risk assessment by your jeweler. Downplaying the potential risk in order to get the job is not an acceptable strategy.
Choose jewelry which aligns with your lifestyle and comfort zone. Its longevity depends on your care and constant awareness. It’s not an appliance.
It’s impossible to avoid contact between your ring and hard objects in a course of a day, but this is not what is required. By being alert and conscious one can wear a micro pavé ring for 20-30 years and it will look like new. However, if the advice is not heeded, evidence of damage might become noticeable within few weeks.
Very few people admit of being clumsy or rough with their jewelry. They might not even be aware of it. The damage to jewelry goes beyond the usual dents and scuffs. The ring might get bent, warp, have loose or lost stones or even break apart. The usual cause – mistreatment, abuse, rough handling, applying excessive force, and/or friction (more on friction here: Engagement Ring Hand: Right or Left).
The moment you forget the ring is on your finger is the moment that will be the beginning of its demise. By being naturally cautious of your movements and actions you will avoid a lot of headaches in the future.
The Little Not So White Lie
- Yes!!! – was your answer. You cried in happiness and disbelief. You knew, of course, that he is going to propose (really – is there any woman who doesn’t?). He knew, of course, that his male baldness pattern calls for at least two carats. You got a huge rock in a beautiful custom designed mounting. He put a lot of thought and effort into designing the perfect ring just for you! The prongs are griping the diamond with their tiny claws as if they are trying to spirit it away and its kaleidoscopic skin is clad in brilliant scales – just like you had envisioned in your dreams!
Your new ring is in front of you cradled in a genuine English leather ring box, embossed with a Leon Mege logo. The whole room is lit by its glare and your cat is confused feeling he is being attacked by an army of little bright circles. The diamond casts a rainbow on a fresh bouquet of flowers as well as the Leon Mege Certificate of Authenticity. Some call it Heaven, some call it Nirvana. The proper medical term is Post Engagement Ecstasy Syndrome. The typical treatment includes filing a joint tax return.
Suddenly the door bell rings.
- It’s him, it’s him!!! Your heart is racing. Your (slightly balding, yet beloved) newly minted fiancé has finally arrived to spend a romantic evening saturated with exaggerated assurances and enough loving clichés to make people married for few years sick to their stomach.
You are trying to beat the cat to the door to greet him and, “Oh No!!!!”, something hard is under your foot and your body, admittedly small, yet still five more pounds to lose (damn ice cream!), has already shifted its mass, crushing the object under its weight. You see in horror that due to all the commotion your beautiful ring was accidentally knocked down on the floor and stepped on… Your heart sinks, you are ready to faint…
It takes guts admitting to giving a French kiss to the cute bartender in Amsterdam. Admitting that you just destroyed the very symbol of his love takes even more guts. You can accept responsibility for what just happened or use the seemingly innocent way out:
“Honey, you know, I just noticed that one tiny stone is missing from my new ring… Please call the jeweler, maybe he can fix it quickly.” You forgot to mention that the ring looks more like a pancake at a Lion’s club breakfast. Who cares – once the ring is sent back to jeweler you have the perfect alibi, “I didn’t do anything…” or “I don’t know what happened…” Sometimes the best defense is the attack: “It was like this when I got it!”
We know you are not that person. But if you ever meet her please ask her to call Leon. I am still waiting for that call.
Wear & Tear or Wear Till Tear?
With the exception of jewelry containing spring loaded, mechanical parts such as locks, clasps etc. jewelry is usually one solid piece of metal. It could be a composite if there is any pavé. There are soldering and welding joints, of course but in most cases a ring is infinitely simpler in construction than, for example, a smart phone. If there are any hidden defects they will manifest within a week of two. The defects are usually cracks or stones getting loose. It is the manufacturer’s responsibility to reset stones and use a laser welder to fix cracks. Once the ring is worn more than a month it’s safe to assume that any new problem is related to unkind wear. As upsetting as it sounds the only person who could be blamed for the damage is the owner.
It’s a customer relationship nightmare to explain to a customer that her jewelry wearing habits is what is causing the damage. Some people feel embarrassed, some get belligerent. Surprisingly the great majority of people while still upset are reasonable and fair in understanding the situation. The usual course of action is to repair or completely re-make the ring followed by a stern warning to change your wearing habits. Alternatively you might opt to change the setting completely, usually a solitaire or a three stone ring.
You should not feel bad about it. In the course of life there are many events beyond your control. Your jeweler is like a family doctor – you go see him no matter how embarrassing or mundane your problem is. Your trusted jeweler will always reward your customer loyalty by performing a repair at little or no cost or assisting in filing the insurance claim.
Ethics of Jewelry Replicas
I recently received an email from an astute and highly moral man seeking to recreate a ring design he’s seen. I was so inspired by the email that I’ve decided to share it with you all as well as to post my response:
“Mr. Megé:
May I ask you a question based on the blog post you wrote on “Fraud or Inspiration? — Ethical Practices in Jewelry Design”?
Could you help me on a specific example? I am thinking about getting custom work done by a jeweler in my area. However, the custom design I would like to have done is based on an original design done by another jeweler. I have done my own sketch and have changed the design slightly to better fit what I believe my girlfriend would like. Do you think it would be ethical for this local jeweler to do my custom work? Can I let them have a picture of the original design so that they can see what I’m basing mine off of? The picture would be able to help them in ways that my low-level drawing cannot.”
-John D.
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Dear John,
I don’t believe you should have any reasons to be concerned about infringing on another artists’ work. However, you should still be careful not to overstep the boundary between inspiration and art plagiarism.
Historically artists were copying works of old masters in order to learn from them. It was always completely acceptable as long as these pieces were not offered for sale or misrepresented as being originals. Anyone can create a different version of any design as long as:
- it is a singular end product
- it is an entirely manual process of recreation with the minimum use of technology
- the original design is given proper credit and necessary acknowledgements
- no registered copyrights or patents are infringed
Your first course of action should be to contact the manufacturer of the original piece and ask for a custom version. It is important to give them this opportunity. If the original manufacturer will not be able or willing to create a custom version, the next logical step is to go to an independent jeweler. It is important for the jeweler to be a reputable and creative person. You want to ensure that he/she has a history of artistic expression and created their own original designs in the past. A bench repairman who specializes in exact replicas is not acceptable.
It’s ok to provide the jeweler with an image of the ring. However, it must be explicitly stated that no molds of the finished piece will be taken.
After the piece is completed, you might want to send the original manufacturer an image of the finished piece and express gratitude for the design used for inspiration.
In summary, it’s ethical to create a single piece of jewelry entirely by hand (without the use of CAD/CAM or taking a physical mold of the sample piece), which is based on the image of a particular design. When it is done through a meticulous manual process of recreation, re-designing, and re-inventing, the end result is no less ethical then the movie The Birdcage being based on La Cage Aux Folles or The Man with One Red Shoe following in the footsteps of Le Grand Blond avec une Chassure Noire.
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To the reader:
There are a few possible variations of the above scenario in which replication would NOT be considered art plagiarism:
1) The customer possesses the piece on his person as the rightful owner and wishes to replicate it. It must be reiterated that this is acceptable provided that the piece will be done by hand and no mold will be taken.
2) The customer is unaware that a comparable design exists. He/she makes a drawing of the piece. One fine day, walking through a shopping mall, the customer sees this piece created by another company. It is discovered that the jeweler matched this customer’s sketch to some other mold he/she had already owned.
3) If the customer has a pair of earrings and one is lost, it is alright to create an exact replica of the other one. This is due to the fact that it would be comparable to a simple repair. Two earrings are in actuality one item. One earring is an element of the other. Just as if an element of a ring or pendant is missing or broken it is alright to replace it, so is it the case with earrings if one is missing.
In case you were wondering, John notified us that he did contact the original designer and they gave him permission to recreate their design.
8 Tips for a Frugal and Classy Engagement Ring
Face it my friends, we’re in a recession. No need to panic; the US government is working on it. Ok, so maybe there is a reason to panic…
However, even in challenging times, there are ways to have a breathtaking engagement. Besides, you don’t really have any other options – there is no recession in love.
There are still ways to go about getting engaged in a classy fashion, even when your budget is shrinking like a wool sweater in the dryer.
1) Consider a fancy shaped stone instead of a round one.
Asscher cut diamond
Pear shaped diamond
Antique Cushion cut diamond
2) Now that the price of platinum frequently dips below the price of gold, having a ring set in platinum makes even more sense.
3) Get rid of pavé. A plain look is practical, understated, and classic. You can later have another ring loaded with pave.
Tulip solitaire engagement ring (click image for description)
4) Consider a colored gemstone as the center stone instead of a diamond.
Red spinel engagement ring (click image for description)
5) Purchase a smaller center stone and set it with a halo. Today’s halos don’t look like the ones in the disco era in which the halo blended with the center stone. Modern halos elegantly frame the view. A one carat stone with a micro pavé border will elicit the same reaction from her as a much larger stone.
Halo engagement ring (click image for description)
6) Get an elaborate wedding band with more diamonds and a unique design which will be beautiful enough to be drool-worthy for all admirers.
MEGEsaurus wedding band (click image for description)
7) Look into diamond simulants such as ASHA, cubic zirconium, or moissanite.
8) Explore our La Petite Collection. These are tiny “engagement rings” meant to be worn as a pendant or charm. They are created exactly as our regular engagement rings (featuring real diamonds, platinum and micro pave settings) except they are the fraction of the cost of an engagement ring.
La Petite Collection by Leon Mege (Yes those are candies with the rings) Click image for full list and description
Get Your Platinum Ring Now!!!!! (Update to Gold, Silver, Platinum Prices Post)
Gold price 8/9/11
Last night, for the first time since Dec. 2008, gold prices rose to platinum price levels. This is a clear indication that shortly platinum prices will rise once more.
The logical conclusion is simple: there has never been a better time to use platinum in your jewelry!!!
A few months ago we predicted that platinum prices will be rising within a year or two. The fact that gold became on par with platinum last night supports this forecast. ” “…history shows that when a market does go parabolic, or into an acceleration phase, it’s usually the final stage of a major bull market run” -Forbes
Using platinum is jewelry is a golden opportunity!!!
Current gold price 8/9/2011: Last – $1,733 Open: $1,748
Current platinum price 8/9/2011: Last -$1,741 Open: $1,732
Sources: “Comex Gold Goes Parabolic” -Forbes
Platinum price 8/9/11
Leon Mege’s Proposal
*****UPDATE***** The Diamond District took our advice! A little over a month after we wrote this post, we saw an MSNBC article about plans to renovate the Diamond District. Links to the article and the official report by NYC authorities is at the end of the post.
Diamond District Today
New York City’s Diamond District is currently a hub for a $24 billion per year industry. It’s embarrassing to walk every morning and see this famous street that looks akin to a landlord dressed like a super.
A huge chunk of the country’s wealth is gathered here. Yet, no one would know this. Walking down 47th Street, one is encountered with massive trucks, hawkers, scattered flyers, and cracked pavements. The sidewalks are so slanted that one would have to wear hiking boots to stay upright. National upscale brand retailers do not dare to show their faces here.
Even though most stores and exchanges on 47th Street proclaim to be selling to the trade only they are in fact retailers. However shopping here has the allure of visiting a Motor Vehicle Bureau in Kazakhstan.
We have to change this.
Building entrance in the Diamond District
The Glory Days
The “glory days” of 47th Street were in the 80’s. In those days celebrities, politicians, famous athletes, and socialites visited the Diamond District on a regular basis. On any given day one could see a dozen or so stretched limousines waiting for their owners. Along with Times Square and Wall Street, the Diamond District was considered to be among the most prestigious streets in New York City.
Unfortunately forces of economy and the flight of the manufacturing sector to Asia put a choke hold on many businesses on 47th Street. Many businesses were shut down. This has lead to less funds being available for street maintenance. The Diamond District fell into a permanent state of chaos and disrepair.
The Solution
Dying mouse
A simple plan was conceived by Leon Mege while observing a police officer guarding a dying mouse in the middle of the street. The plan will double the sales and rake in tax revenue that could be useful to maintain our congressmen’s fitness, so pictures they tweet will look good.
The best solution would be to close the street to motor traffic. This will be impossible to achieve given regulatory restrictions and politics involved.
Instead, I propose to convert the street from a three lane to two lane traffic. It could be achieved by alternating days the delivery trucks could park on either side.
This will allow us to extend the sidewalks and renovate the pavement. An increase in foot traffic and comfortable browsing will make more people stop, look at the store windows, enter and buy jewelry.
A new diamond tower is being built on 47th Street, which will revitalize the Diamond District. Therefore, we already have some of the groundwork laid out for us. With this additional improvement, New York City could transform this section of Midtown into a retail powerhouse. Nationally recognized jewelry retailers will find it necessary to open outlets on the street. This in turn will make traditional 47th street vendors eager to stay. This street will become one of the greatest tourist attractions not only in New York City, but in the United States. Tourism equals money.
The Benefits:
- Room for information kiosks.
- Plants to make the street lively – diamonds will look better reflecting green foliage rather than yellowish-grey collars of unemployed setters.
- A few benches for those exhausted from deciding between SI1 and SI2 diamonds.
- A few kiosks for water so people will stay on the street and continue shopping.
- Public restrooms.
- Improved security – check points for cars will make any potential getaway impossible.
- Drivers will try to avoid the street, pedestrians will feel safer to cross the street, so both sides are accessible in one stroll
- The area of a several blocks radius from 47th Street will be revitalized, not just one street
- Jumbo screens could be installed at both ends of the street to visually separate the Diamond District from the hectic dynamics of Midtown and bring revenues from advertisement to the district management.
- Only trucks for pick-up and deliveries will be allowed from 9 am to 6 pm. This will ease traffic.
- Sidewalks can be inlaid with a New York City version of the “Hollywood walk of fame” – diamond symbols adorned with names of famous jewelers.
- With increased revenue, buildings will be forced to renovate the dilapidated store fronts into attractive glass and granite edifices.
The Future
People will travel to New York just to see the New Diamond District. Retail sales will soar. Increased tax revenues will create a surplus, the likes of which the city has never seen before. So much money will be generated that the city will run out of options to spend them all. Special crews will be dispatched to dig potholes just so another crew will have something to fill. Fruit vendors will wear cashmere uniforms and hot dog sellers will have their carts gold plated. Cops will be patrolling the streets in the cruisers with headlights set with round brilliant diamonds.
A new conference center will have to be constructed in one of the newer skyscrapers just so jewelry competitions and other jewelry-related programming could be broadcast. Of course new 24-hour TV and YouTube news channel, Diamond News, will need to inform everyone of the breaking diamond news (no pun intended). The city will have to extend the monorail from JFK directly to the futuristic Diamond Center transportation hub to be built right underneath the street. This multimode terminal will no doubt be able to receive cabs, trains, helicopters and even small cruise boats. Eventual direct arrivals of bullet trains from Europe and Japan cannot be ruled out. In the distant future spaceships filled with cut and sorted diamonds will travel to galaxies far-far away spreading the word about 4c’s and bestowing benefits of annual checkups and free cleaning on savage aliens.
The only thing we need to make it all come true is to get rid of one lane on one street. Get me the mayor who would implement this change! I’ll even endure seeing his or her underwear in my Twitter feed.
Go to these links (Thankfully they listened!)
http://dld.bz/Diamond_District_MSNBC
http://prattcenter.net/reports
Gold, Silver & Platinum Prices Forecast and Analysis
You hear it all the time: “Gold and silver are at an all-time high!”
Some important questions arise from this fact that we would like to address:
Why are gold and silver prices so high? What is the forecast for metal prices?What impact will this price increase have on jewelry?
Word on the street is that the main reason for gold and silver prices increases has nothing to do with inflation, currency, or the economy’s status quo. In reality, predatory billionaires with schools of brokers, traders, and speculators surrounding them are driving commodity prices up for their own selfish gain.
This is not sustainable given our current economic climate. We believe that prices would significantly decrease if they were disconnected from those traders. Unfortunately, we live in the real world. Such a situation is impossible. Given the insatiable appetite of rapacious billionaires who are willing to suck all of the blood out of the proletariat (along with their money), we continue to see prices creeping up slowly. Unless there’s a catastrophe, no sudden price jump is forecasted.
You might have noticed that thus far we’re only addressed gold and silver. What about platinum?
Platinum will in all likelihood increase in price within a year or two to unprecedented levels. The rule of thumb is that when price of platinum falls to under 10% more than the price of gold, it becomes strongly undervalued. Currently, it is only about 15% more than gold.A realistic platinum price would be about 80% more than gold.
Today, platinum prices are unbelievably low. So why exactly are platinum prices so low?
1) Due to platinum’s rarity the sheer volume of platinum doesn’t allow vicious traders to put massive bets on the metal.
2) With the auto industry in the latrine (where most platinum is consumed –unlike popular belief that it’s used mainly in jewelry), platinum prices are artificially depressed.
Therefore, we advise a “strong buy” for this metal.
Effect current metal prices will have on jewelry:
When prices adjust accordingly with real world supply/demand value, people will be stunned to realize how “inexpensive” gold jewelry really is compared to platinum. People will see a flood of poorly made, low cost, imported gold jewelry on the market which will push the trend for jewelry that has few diamonds or gemstones. Given this, we forecast a shift to a growing popularity of flowery styles, and bold geometric shapes designs. Stone Jewelry (high-end jewelry with diamonds/gems and very little metal) will once again be relegated to the higher and finer spectrum of the market.
Wearing platinum engagement rings will be a luxury reserved for a few lucky people –just as it was 20 years ago.
Leon Megé in Show Biz -May Attractions: La Petite Collection
Leon Megé is soon joining Hollywood. Having now mastered ultimate heights of jewelry craftsmanship and design, Leon Megé decided to take his career to a new level and enter show business. Check out our latest feature movie release:
Leon Mege La Petite Collection Crash Course
As we prepare for our Le Petite Collection launch, some of you might wonder: “why did they do this?” “who would wear these?” “are they for real?”
Why we did this: Oh so many reasons. If you don’t quite get why see a list of their uses: http://tinyrings.com/(for those of you that can’t find it the “List of Uses” button is at the bottom of the page.
La Petite Collection by Leon Mege (Yes those are candies with the rings)
Who would wear these? Women.
Are we for real? As real as these rings.
All of you love ‘em. Some are confused. “Well, love ‘em or leave ‘em.”
If you’re wondering about the prices, the range is approximately between $999 and $2299. To find out individual prices of each ring, you’ll just have to wait until tomorrow May 10th, 9:00 AM EST.
Other Answers to common questions:
You buy them at www.micropave.com. They’re available May 10, 2011 at starting 9:00 am.
Yes, these are worn as a pendant or charm. They’re 10mm (less than ½ inch for those who don’t know the metric system).
No, they won’t fit your pinky even if you’re the tiniest human woman.
Please keep out of reach of children and don’t try to put it on them.
These rings are collectible and come in a special collector’s box upon request. When Leon Megé croaks you will be able to sell them for an exponentially higher price than at which you bought them. They come with a certificate of authenticity and an edition number.
No, they don’t undermine a traditional engagement. That’s why they’re petite.
Any other questions? Feel free to contact us at 212-768-3868 or via email at info@artofplatinum.com
-Leon Megé Inc. Team
Top 10 Reasons to Get Engaged With a Loose Stone
1.78 carat G VS2 color & clarity: antique cushion cut
What? You never thought of proposing with a lone diamond or other gemstone? You didn’t think of letting her choose the setting? Well, here’s why you should:
1) The element of surprise is a myth. Women are very intuitive, so chances are she already suspects you’ll be proposing soon.
2) You will never know with absolute certainty that she’ll like the same style/setting that you do.
3) To not do so would rob her of the thrilling experience of choosing her own setting, of the process of employing her imagination, of the satisfaction that she received the exact ring she’s dreamed about since she was six years old.
4) It is next to impossible to measure her finger size with complete accuracy without her knowledge.
5) Women usually know more about jewelry than men.
6) If she’s disappointed with the size of the stone, you can always say “It’ll look bigger once it’s set” (it always does).
7) You shift the responsibility of a mistaken design onto her and your future mother-in-law. Thereby, you will spare yourself many sleepless nights.
1.37 carat G VS2 color & clarity: antique cushion cut diamond
8) She will appreciate the creativity and innovation on your part (don’t worry we won’t take credit for the idea). Besides, it will be a great engagement story which she’ll be sure to rave to everyone she knows about!
9) You don’t have to wait 1-2 months to propose until your custom made ring is ready (or until you sift through countless designs of stocked rings, with the hope –not certainty- that she’ll like it.)
10) She can easily appraise the stone instantly (as we’re sure your future in-laws will insist on).
There are so many advantages to proposing with a loose stone! We’d like to share a few true stories about how customers solved their engagement ring headaches with this method of proposal:
Case 1: Customer X [name deleted for protection] purchased an antique cushion cut diamond from our Diamond Concierge®. Sealed in an exquisite box, the stone was suspended between two invisible layers of film. He proposed. She said, “Yes!” (which we guarantee she will when you get your ring designed by Leon Megé. *See fine print).
When they came in to see us the next week to choose the setting, he was in complete shock that his fiancé chose to go with a halo ring over the non-halo. It turns out that when they were looking at rings in the week prior, she passed on all the halos she saw because they looked like cocktail rings, rather than elegant engagement ring designs.
Case 2: Customer Y [name deleted for protection] spent months in despair searching for a ring for his one and only. He’s been to so many jewelry companies that he didn’t see the forest behind the tree. He didn’t realize that any stone looks only as good as the piece of jewelry which holds it. Eventually, he found our company. Alas, he didn’t have any more time to wait for the custom setting to be completed. Reluctantly, he proposed with a loose stone. He was worried that his Chinese ancestry wouldn’t approve of such boldness. After a conversation with our diamond specialist, Mr. Perry Chen (who is also a specialist in Chinese customs and traditions), he was assured that such an action would be acceptable.
When Customer Y, his fiancé, and her mom came in to choose a setting, his fiancé was beaming with happiness. She was ecstatic that she had the opportunity to choose her own ring. As per her mother’s suggestion, she chose a classic three-stone design. Her mother also assured us that it was a perfectly acceptable custom to get engaged with a loose stone.
Smokin hot loose stones
*Fine print: She must stand on one leg with her left hand to her nose, right leg on her head in order for the guarantee to be valid. Otherwise, we are not responsible.
Kate Middleton’s Engagement Ring: Second Hand’s Fit for a Princess
We extend our congratulations to the British people on the nuptials of the royal couple. We’re very happy for our British friends and express our love for British culture, shoes, and music. We do not express gratitude for British food at this time, however.
Royalty is the new version of a celebrity in modern times. The difference in notoriety of icons such as Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, or Charlie Sheen and Prince Charles is that after Charlie Sheen goes to Bourbon heaven, his children will be wealthy but won’t be celebrities unless they go on a cocaine binge (allegedly). However, Prince Charles’ offspring will have celebredom for generations to come.
Living in the U.S. –the land of the free– we can’t quite grasp for the necessity of freeloaders who stay on the payroll of taxpayers indefinitely. It would make more sense to help victims of the Japan disaster than spend so much money on such an extravagant event at someone else’s expense.
Nonetheless, one positive trend of royalty of any kind coming from activist royals is that they instituted gem stone engagements. Finally, a knight in shining armor stood his ground and tried to slay the Dragon of DeBeers with a magic blue stone.
We applaud the British monarchs who stand tall against the diamond cartel who are shoving crystallized carbon down our throats.
It is perfectly acceptable to get engaged using a classy sapphire or any other natural colored stone. This won’t diminish the amount of love or loyalty two people share with one another.
Of course, it’s always difficult to be a trendsetter. It’s not that simple to persuade someone who’s raised on the diamond engagement ring dogma, that a sapphire is just as majestic. It’s not a sign of stinginess; it’s merely another option.
Regardless, we could imagine a conversation that took place in the Buckingham Palace kitchen circa October, 2010 after Kate Middleton recovered from the Kenyan yellow fever:
Kate Middleton's Engagement Ring -18 carat
Kate Middleton: Sapphire? Sapphire! Where’s the diamond???
Prince William: But darling, a sapphire is a bloody good stone. The ring is almost new. Look at it, it’s brilliant!
Kate Middleton: Brilliant my arse! It’s a hand-me-down. Your mother used to wear it, didn’t she?
Wait a minute… is this heated??? Does it even come with a certificate? What am I going to say when I take it to an appraiser? I always suspected you were cheap but not royally cheap.
Prince William: You silly girl. It takes real class to acknowledge the value of a sapphire. But it’s ok, it will come to you with time.
Kate Middleton: Are you calling me a commoner?
Prince William: No, I’m calling you a shrek in a frock!
Russian Emperor Alexander II gave his wife Empress Maria Alexandrovna, a gorgeous sapphire –she didn’t complain.
Kate Middleton: Hers was probably over 250 carats. Mine is only 18! Look at it, it’s an old lady’s ring. I wanted an elegant micro pavé halo. If you really wanted to give me a sapphire you
should have gone with Leon Megé’s ring from http://www.micropave.com.
Prince William: I did call him but he told me that I ask too many questions and blacklisted me!
Kate Middleton: Bloody fool! Why didn’t you just let him do his job? Don’t you love me?
Prince William: But of course! I love you more than Grey Poupon. What if I would get you the lead role on Housewives of Buckingham Palace.
Kate Middleton: (Stunned. After a pause…)
You would? Really? Oh darling, you do love me!
Prince William: So… shall we shag now or shall we shag later?
Leon Mege Three-Stone Sapphire Ring
We were obviously not witness to this conversation, and can’t promise that it actually occurred. However, we are glad that more people will start using sapphires in their engagement rings.
The diamond wasn’t even the standard engagement ring stone until the 19th century. Throughout history sapphires were a preferred stone among royalty. Queen Victoria’s State Crown houses a sapphire which journeyed through the hands of kings and cardinals since 1214. Catherine the Great’s “unidentified lover” presented her with a gorgeous sapphire which she cherished. King Edward VII’s ring to Queen Alexandra didn’t feature a single diamond. It had beryls, emeralds, rubies, topazes, jacinth and emeralds.
We’ve completed a full circle and are now returning to colored gems as center stones for engagement rings. As with most trends in fashion, we look to the past to establish the future. The spectrum of engagement should include all colors of the rainbow, not just diamonds.
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