Designing My Best Friend’s Engagement Ring
Every once in a while, I get to design something truly special. Not long ago, I had the opportunity to work with one of my very best friends on her gorgeous engagement ring, and in doing so I realized we created the most perfect poetic representation of her and her husband's relationship...
My friend Sara and I met during our freshman year of college – one of those chance encounters that happened solely due to the luck of the dorm room assignment lottery. I lived in the dorm next to hers, so we often overlapped during our walks to the food hall and at various dorm parties. I thought she seemed cool, she thought I seemed cool, and the rest is history. Sara and I would eventually become roommates in dingy off-campus apartments, we studied abroad at the same time and visited each other in our respective cities (Paris for her, Copenhagen for me), and while we moved to different cities after graduation (New York for her, Washington, DC for me), we have remained friends throughout the trials and tribulations that constitute those challenging early-twenties years.
Truthfully, I have known many of Sara's boyfriends over the years and it was always a joke between us that I never deemed them to be good enough for her. The joke, though, is real: she is a total gem, with subtle characteristics that can be underappreciated by the wrong people, and I am the type of person who always wants the very best for my friends. I want my friends to be with people who love them exactly how they are, and who see the beauty that I – the picky person I am – see in them. I swear, it's totally healthy :) So, when Sara started talking about a new man she was seeing, I had an innate skepticism toward him. Because we live in different cities and lead mutually busy lives, it's hard for us to see each other often, and with the pandemic, we had a very long stretch of only talking on the phone and texting. As a result, a few short years later when Sara mentioned that she and Nizar were talking seriously about marriage and wanted to have me design their engagement ring, I wasn't sure how to feel. I was excited for my friend, thrilled that she felt confident in this relationship... but would I like him, too?
Readers, I like him. A lot! He's honestly perfect for her. Sara and Nizar carved out a weekend to visit DC together and stop by our shop to pick out the gemstones for her engagement ring. Truthfully, I learn a lot about couples during their engagement ring consultations because the situation illuminates how the two interact with each other within a decision-making process. Sara envisioned a modified toi-et-moi style ring which was decidedly untraditional in its layout. She didn't want anything too flashy or blingy, but she wanted gemstones that exhibited special character and dimension. Nizar was completely supportive of her vision, but I liked that he also contributed to it and helped her build upon it to develop a collaborative concept.
I immediately thought of using an Old Mine Cut (OMC) diamond as the "feature" stone and recommended considering a sapphire for the accent stone. Together, the three of us assembled different combinations of cuts and jewels, ultimately landing on the pretty OMC diamond paired with a lovely oval padparadscha sapphire. I didn't realize it at the time, but upon getting to know Nizar better throughout our conversations I realized that he perfectly encompasses the qualities of what makes an Old Mine Cut diamond so special: he's quietly charming, extremely calm and collected, and kind of has this timeless quality about him. Sara's bubbling curiosity, her romantic heart, and her endearingly quirky nature felt characterized by the very special padparadscha sapphire we selected. Set in a simple but thoughtfully designed setting, each gem shines beautifully in its own way and compliments the other in a balanced way. Just like Sara and Nizar!
Sara's ring is truthfully one of my favorite pieces that I have ever designed. The thought and intention we put into selecting the gemstones, combined with the added benefit of the gems' special representation of the couple, truly makes this ring dear to me - and the fact that my best friend gets to wear it on her finger makes it even more special. Congratulations to Sara and Nizar: I'm so proud to know you both.
Photography Credits
Wedding photos by Bailey Q Photo.
Ring photos by Kate Grace Photography.
Court House wedding photos by Brian De Los Santos.
