Much has been asked about the engagement ring, as it was a long time before I actually received it. Ed proposed with a ring on October 11, 2014, and I wore that cubic zirconia placeholder (pictured here) until I got the real thing on February 3, 2015. I had insisted on picking out the ring myself, but when I couldn't find anything I liked, we began the long and arduous process of getting the ring custom-made.
At the recommendation of several friends, we went to Rockledge Jewelers (previously G&R Jewelry) in Rockledge, FL, hoping we'd be able to get something pretty quickly. Yet when we first ventured to their shop, I still wasn't sure what I wanted. We spent a decent amount of time with the woman at the counter perusing the books in the shop and my Pinterest boards. I knew I wanted white gold, or something that color, and a colored stone with diamond accents, but it turns out that that's not nearly enough information to create an actual ring. So, we were sent home and instructed to look at Pinterest more.
It was while I had a cold and laryngitis that we returned to the jewelers. This time, I not only knew what I wanted, but I also brought a sketch I made largely because I didn't think communicating verbally was going to be terribly effective given the state of my larynx. This turned out to be a very useful idea.
The sketch and clear vision made our second visit to the store brief, and allowed the jeweler to create a CAD drawing and a plan for the hand-engraved design as well as a wax model to show Ed and me.
We were out of town for a few weeks, but when we returned, we were shown red rubies (the reddest available, since garnet is the perfect color but not tough enough to withstand a lifetime of wear) and the wax model of the ring. We were given a choice between a gorgeous Chatham (lab-grown) ruby and a somewhat redder, also gorgeous, natural ruby, as well as a choice between white gold and platinum.
The natural ruby looked about 1.5x prettier in person than the lab-grown ruby (though not in the photo – the natural is the one on the left), but would cost about 8x as much. With thought and prayer and careful evaluation to see if natural rubies have any real benefit or difference over Chatham rubies, we made our decision.
Jewelers can detect Chatham rubies because they are too perfect – a defect that doesn't bother me in the slightest. Other than that, they are just the same as natural rubies, but significantly less expensive. And, we were told it would look darker anyway once it's in the setting. So, knowing that "wisdom is more precious than rubies," we chose the lab-grown in a platinum setting. I insisted at this point that the ring needed to be ready by my February 7 bridal shower, and they assured me this was possible.
With all of our decisions made, they sent the wax model away to be copied in platinum, and when it returned to the shop, the jeweler hand-engraved the designs and set the stones.
Finally, Ed received a call that we could pick up the ring on Tuesday, February 3, at the shop. We arrived shortly after they opened, and after just a little ado, the ring was unveiled and it was (and obviously still is) absolutely lovely. A true red ruby flanked by two small square diamonds, set in platinum, hand-engraved with swirl patterns on what they call the top and a wheat/leaf pattern on what they call the profile. The woman there wrapped up an adorable (empty) box for us as I admired my engagement ring finally on my hand.
So where is the photo of the actual ring? See below!
