It's always wonderful to receive a referral from an existing client - and none more so than a recommendation from one brother to another, particularly in relation to very important "affairs of the heart" - the creation of a stunning engagement ring for a romantic proposal.
Having made Deon and Tammy's engagement ring and wedding bands some time ago, I was thrilled to receive a call from Deon's brother, Jannes who wondered if he might visit the studio to discuss a bespoke engagement ring commission for his fiancée-to-be.
With a very clear idea of the type of engagement ring Angelique would adore, it was a delight to work with Jannes on perfecting the ring design he had been visualising for so long.
Knowing his fiancée-to-be loved the graceful elongated elegance of octagon cut diamonds, this style and shape became the creative compass for our design consultation along with four beautiful baguette cut diamonds as part of a diamond halo, perfectly framing the centre stone.
Here is the stunning engagement ring design Jannes created for Angelique.
As our consultation unfolded, - I couldn't help feeling there was something else that Jannes needed to tell me. Jannes shifted awkwardly in his chair and said, "I'm so in love with Angelique and want to propose to her before I travel to work in the USA. I'll be there for quite a few months..."
As he paused, I smiled and said, "I'm sure that won't be a problem. When are you leaving for the United States?"
Jannes hesitated before he replied, "I think it might be a problem..... I'm leaving in two weeks."
My mind raced. How could I tell Jannes that this was an almost impossible timeframe in which to create such a intricate engagement ring?
I took a deep breath, smiled even more (this time to give me more confidence) and simply said, "Don't worry. I promise you'll propose to Angelique with the beautiful ring you’ve designed before you travel overseas. Let’s get started!"
With such a pressing date for Jannes' proposal, I needed to begin work on his commission straight away – juggling the existing commissions in the studio to ensure that I would keep to my promise – that Jannes could propose to Angelique before he flew to America in just 14 days.
The engagement ring Jannes had designed was beautiful and was to be made in platinum – an excellent choice of precious metal were it not for the fact that being such a hard metal, platinum takes much longer to work in the metalsmithing stage of the making process.
This was less than ideal for my very short deadline to complete this commission. To stay on track for Jannes, I would certainly need to “burn the midnight oil”!
Jannes knew that Angelique loved the classic look of an octagon cut diamond centre stone which we combined with a stunning baguette and round brilliant cut diamond halo.
But I wanted to show Jannes a similar shaped centre stone with a different cut that, I felt, would add even more saprkle to the stunning engagement ring he had designed with me.
Shown here is the amazing modified radiant cut diamond I thought would enhance the already considerable allure of Angelique’s engagement ring, while keeping the line and look of a more traditional octagon cut stone.
What would Jannes think of this radiant cut diamond? Of course, the final choice of centre stone would be for him to decide.
I’m delighted to say that Jannes agreed that this extraordinarily beautiful dazzling modified radiant cut diamond elevated the elegance of Angelique’s ring even more than the octagon cut centre stone that he originally had in mind for his commission.
So, with the diamonds selected, I needed to focus on creating the platinum band in which to set these beautiful stones.
I had a very important promise to keep - with a very pressing deadline!
With a few late nights (and an illegal amount of coffee!) I was delighted when platinum work for Jannes' commission was finished slightly ahead of our very tight schedule.
But I was very much aware that my work on this piece had only just begun.
It was time to add some sparkle to this very elegant engagement ring...
I love it when an exciting commission starts to come together!
Here are photos taken straight after diamond setting (prior to polishing and finishing) showing Jannes' modern interpretation of a classic diamond halo engagement ring, including the modified radiant cut centre diamond.
A traditional diamond halo would have been solely comprised of round brilliant cut diamonds but Jannes' idea to mirror the straight lines of his centre stone with four baguette cut diamonds within the halo as well as shaping the platinum frame of the halo to mimic the shape of the centre stone, makes this design even more special - the additional micro-pavé set diamonds spilling over the shoulders add a final flourish to Angelique's stunning engagement ring.
Against the clock (and against the odds!) I was thrilled to complete the dazzling diamond engagement ring ahead of schedule for Jannes' planned proposal.
Contacting Jannes with the good news, it wasn't long before he arrived at the studio to see the completed engagement ring he designed for Angelique for the very first time...
I'm thrilled to say that Jannes was delighted with his completed engagement ring commission.
Not least because the goal that he wished for the most - to be able to propose to Angelique before flying back to the United States for work - was now about to become a reality.
I had to admit that the diamond halo engagement ring Jannes had designed for his fiancée-to-be was absolutely gorgeous.
As Jannes left the studio, he turned to me with a smile and promised to let me know when he had proposed to Angelique.
Knowing the thought and care that Jannes had put into designing Angelique's dream ring, I was secretly already certain of her answer.
Dancing with diamonds - Jannes' dazzling diamond and platinum engagement ring for fiancée-to-be, Angelique.
A few days later, I was delighted to receive a message from Jannes. Angelique had said "Yes"!
Taking Jannes' carefully considered design ideas for Angelique's dream engagement ring and making that dream a reality for this wonderful young couple was both a pleasure and an honour.
Following Jannes' romantic proposal, I received the beautiful message, shown below, from his fiancée, Angelique - along with these stunning photos celebrating their engagement.
It means so much to me to know that Angelique will wear her beautiful engagement ring with love for a lifetime.
Jannes and Angelique, my congratulations and warmest wishes to you both.
Thank you for entrusting me with the creation of this very important commission.
