I am a very traditional person by nature – I live for our family traditions and always have and have even gotten attached to some that have nothing to do with my heritage (have you heard of a Southern cake pull? I love it.)
Anyways, most of my friends were really surprised I wanted to go ring shopping with Chris, but for us, I think it felt like the natural next move. A diamond ring is an investment and an intimidating purchase – what if I didn’t like what he picked?
So on a very rainy Saturday earlier this year we made appointments to go ring shopping and I am so glad we did. I had done some research on Yelp and Instagram to see what stores I liked in New York City. New York City is both fantastic and tough because there are SO many options here, and some of them are just absurdly priced and some of them are downright sketchy.
Here’s how our shopping went:
1. Tiffany & Co.: We actually went to a Tiffany’s near Chris’ old office before being told that they only keep engagement rings in the 57th and Fifth flagship store. We started there because one of the jewelers told me that most custom ring designers won’t have many fully put together rings for you to try on (just loose diamonds and empty bands) so you should go to one of the classics first so you can try on full rings. I love Tiffany’s because of Breakfast at Tiffany’s but to be honest, I feel like you pay for the blue box. You do not need an appointment here, you can just walk in, and they absolutely do not pressure you to buy. The saleswoman was very accommodating but truthfully did not have a ton for me to try on. I was able to try on a square, an oval and the classic before we headed back out on our journey.
2. Jangmi: Jangmi was our first diamond district experience and it was lovely! Maybe because we were there on a Saturday morning but it was quiet and they spent plenty of time with us showing us loose diamonds and teaching us about color, cut and clarity. Jangmi is a counter inside an indoor plaza next to the GIA building. They showed us where the diamonds are laser printed with their GIA number and were very patient with us as we asked questions. I don’t think we needed an appointment here, but I recommend going early in the day.
3. Marisa Perry Atelier: This was our last stop for our Saturday shopping trip and the experience was very special. The store is tucked in the very cute West Village and they give you champagne the moment you walk in. We did need an appointment for this store. They have you sit for a one on one conversation at a table. I loved the oval rings they had available, but knew I wanted a round brilliant and the ones they had were four pronged which is not my style!
4. Designs by Kamni: Kamni opens her store in the city Monday through Friday so we had to save shopping here for Monday evening. Instantly there was a sense of professionalism with Kamni. Her office is in the diamond district but inside the GIA building (Gemological Institute of America) and we had to go through security to enter the elevator bank. Her front desk assistant greeted us in the waiting room and Kamni invited us back to her office shortly after where we discussed what I was hoping for in a ring. Kamni took a million notes on her computer while we were speaking and she let me try on multiple bands and showed us the difference between baskets. The details on the band and baskets are her specialty and her work is very delicate and beautiful.
Chris and I ended up talking about how we felt about each of the jewelers after we left them, and agreed on who we felt were the two of the best options for us. The experience together was not only exciting for me, but super educational. I would never consider myself a jewelry person – I actually wear the same pieces every day with the exception of my earrings, so learning about what goes into building a diamond ring was fascinating.
One of the most interesting things I learned about myself is that I cannot tell the difference between colors of diamonds. Where people may spend more to get a near flawless color such as D or E, my eye cannot see the difference from an F to a J. Other things that were important to me and I was able to express include that I do not like a thick band, and I also learned that I do not like “shoulders” propping up the diamond. It’s all personal preference, but talking these things out with a jeweler helped both of us understand the terms to use to articulate what I was hoping for.
If you’re considering shopping together – do it! We had a great time, a nice lunch out, and I think we both ended the day feeling confident about Chris buying the ring on his own. J The actual proposal was still 120% a surprise for me, so I don’t feel like I lost any of the shock factor. In fact, I didn’t have a clue which of the two jewelers he went to, or even when he want he was so subtle.
Ultimately, Chris went to Designs by Kamni for my ring, and I am so glad he did! I’ve already been eyeing her wedding band selection and I can’t wait to go back in to try on more fun stuff. J